The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Chapter 703

Ever since Citrine returned to the Saunders family, laughter seemed to fill the house more and more each day. Even Nigel, who used to stay away for weeks at a time, had started coming home regularly. The misunderstandings between him and the rest of the family had completely disappeared, all thanks to Citrine.

Now, Citrine practically ruled the household. Everyone deferred to her wishes without question.

Since Citrine came home, Hilda was no longer the iron-fisted matriarch people used to whisper about. Gentleness had replaced her usual sharpness, so much so that she seemed like a different person entirely.

Monica and Wade, for their part, hadn't been yelled at or scolded in ages. The peace and quiet were almost unsettling for them-they still weren't quite used to

it.

Citrine sat on the couch with a cat curled up in her lap. Hilda and Inez flanked her on either side-one shelling pistachios for her, the other offering peeled clementine segments directly into her hand.

The rest of the Saunders family watched from across the room, longing to squeeze in next to Citrine, but Hilda's and Inez's sharp glares kept them firmly in place. No one dared to get too close.

At first, Citrine had felt awkward being waited on like this, but Hilda and Inez's warmth was impossible to resist. In the end, she simply went along with it.

Her phone rang just then, cutting through the comfort of the moment. Citrine sat up and glanced at the caller ID before getting up from the couch.

step outside and take this call," she said, already heading toward the

reached the garden, she

almost immediately. "Chairwoman, Jeanette took

smile curled on Citrine's

that, she hung up

Meanwhile, inside Neon Hive-

than a discarded animal. A group of men had just finished beating

foot, testing to see if she was still

ached. She kept her eyes shut, feigning death, praying they'd

comprehend

job-something a friend had introduced her to-had turned into this nightmare. She'd only realized after signing the contract that she was now nothing but a plaything for the

he noticed the flutter of her eyelashes. "You little bitch,

and kicked Jeanette again, harder

cooperate, now you're trying to play beat

spat, raining

blows with no mercy.

the room, her pain so intense it felt like