The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Seeing that Hastings was acting strangely, Citrine grew anxious something might go wrong. She turned, signaling to Sebastian, "Let's head back."

Sebastian glanced at Hastings, then nodded at Citrine.

"Come on," she signed again.

Without another look at Hastings, Citrine swam upward, steady and determined. Sebastian followed right behind her.

The two of them treated Hastings as if he didn't exist, not sparing him even a glance.

Watching their silhouettes rise toward the surface together, Hastings' expression darkened, his face twisted with resentment.

He had come all the way down here just to find her, and yet she couldn't even be bothered to look his way. All she saw was Sebastian.

A heavy, burning anger settled in Hastings' gut, drowning out all reason.

Suddenly, he surged upward, eyes locked fiercely on Sebastian.

Sebastian, focused on keeping up with Citrine, didn't notice anything amiss-until a sharp pain clamped around his ankle. In an instant, he was yanked downward, plunging toward the ocean floor.

Sebastian's body sink, Hastings felt a wicked satisfaction bloom

only then that Citrine sensed something was wrong. She turned, just

limp form drifting downward, his

throat. Without hesitation,

his arms

sharply, "Don't go. He'll make it up on his

only wanted to teach Sebastian a lesson-he

far. Sebastian wasn't that fragile,

and slipped

was motionless, his eyes closed, not a

pulled him upright-and noticed, with

over. Citrine immediately unfastened her

His fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white All he could do was watch helplessly as the woman he loved

in his chest was unbearable. If Citrine's cold words before had sliced him like a knife, this moment was a

all that had knocked Sebastian out, so the moment air

beautiful face of Citrine, so close he could feel

given him everything-her oxygen, her gear. Realization dawned as he felt the mask