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.

bloom inside him. A trace of triumph flickered across

then that Citrine sensed something

drifting downward, his

her throat. Without hesitation, she spun around and darted

her intent, spread his

He'll make it up on his

wanted to teach Sebastian a lesson-he never thought things would

wasn't that fragile, he

and slipped past him

the ocean floor, Sebastian was motionless, his eyes closed, not

as she pulled him upright-and noticed, with horror,

Instinct took over. Citrine immediately unfastened her own oxygen tank, shoving

tightly his knuckles turned white All he could do was watch helplessly as the woman

If Citrine's cold words before had sliced him like a knife,

all that had knocked Sebastian out, so the moment air flowed into his lungs again, he slowly

face of Citrine, so close

had given him everything-her oxygen, her gear. Realization