The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Chapter 749

Citrine was silent for a while, but eventually she gave in and nodded.

Sebastian just smiled, saying nothing, and an awkward tension settled between them.

After a long pause, Sebastian finally broke the silence. "It's getting late. You should try to get some sleep."

Citrine didn't reply. She was exhausted after the long day, and her eyelids grew heavier until, before she knew it, she drifted off.

Sebastian waited, listening for her voice, but after a while, the only sound was her steady, peaceful breathing.

"Completely carefree, aren't you?" he murmured with a quiet laugh.

With that, he lay down as well.

The beach at night was perfectly still, the only sound the gentle hush of the waves outside. Lying there, Sebastian became acutely aware of Citrine's soft breathing beside him.

He couldn't see anything in the pitch-dark tent, so he turned carefully onto his side, facing her.

Sleep seemed impossible. With her sleeping so close, his mind was racing and his heart wouldn't settle. He wished this moment could last a little longer.

until the dead of night that tiredness finally began to creep in. Just as he was about to drift off,

at him, tickling his skin as she burrowed

made his heart flutter. He reached out, intending to gently straighten her head, but before he could, Citrine pressed even closer, as if she'd found her

darkness, feeling her breath on his neck, his heart

moment, he honestly didn't know

cold-well past midnight now-and the thin blanket they shared did little to keep the chill away. After

light slipping in through the tent's seams. Citrine woke slowly, blinking against the pale glow. She

head-and her eyes widened

Sebastian, his arms wrapped tightly around her. They lay together like a pair

heart pounding, reached out tentatively as if

hand was about to

her gaze, and

regarded her. "It was freezing last night," he

to protest, but then she

have been her

unable to meet Sebastian's eyes. "Sorry... I'm a terrible sleeper. I

humbled and apologetic was a rare sight. Sebastian found it oddly