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 inside

that Citrine sensed something was wrong. She

drifting downward, his

into her throat. Without hesitation, she spun around and

intent, spread his arms

go. He'll make it up on his

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

Sebastian wasn't that fragile, he

Citrine stared him down, face grim, and slipped past him with a swift,

his

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

Citrine immediately unfastened her own oxygen

eyes went wide with shock. His fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white All he could do was watch

before had sliced him

of oxygen was all that had knocked Sebastian out, so the moment air

eyes and saw her—the flawless, beautiful face of Citrine, so close he could

Realization dawned as he felt the mask on