The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

In less than an hour, the team had taken control of the entire island.

When she saw Raymond again, he was slumped against the wall, a far cry from the sharply dressed man she remembered. He looked gaunt, almost unrecognizable.

"Dad." Citrine usually kept her emotions tightly under wraps, but the sight of him now made her eyes burn with tears she couldn't hide.

She spun around and shot a furious glare at the island's owner behind her, ready to explode. Jeff hurried to explain, tripping over his words. "No, it's not these wounds were from before. After you visited, I made sure he was well looked after. I swear, no one touched him again. The clothes are old, and the bloodstains— they're from before. It just... looks bad."

Jeff's voice trailed off into a mumble.

Raymond spotted Citrine then. His eyes went wide with disbelief.

"Citrine."

For a moment, Raymond wondered if he was dreaming.

"Dad." The way she looked at him made his heart ache. Her eyes shimmered with tears, and in the next instant, she flung herself into his arms.

Raymond staggered back a step, startled by the force of her hug, freezing up in surprise.

This was the first time he'd ever sensed such raw emotion from his daughter.

Something inside him softened. He awkwardly patted her back, trying to comfort her.

Then he felt the warmth of her tears soaking through his shoulder-hot, wet, and searing straight into his heart. Raymond found himself at a loss.

to do. His face tensed awkwardly as he stammered to reassure her. "Citrine, don't worry. The blood on my clothes is

up his sleeve to show her, eager to prove his

was scabbed over, it was still obvious how severe the beatings

only made Citrine angrier. Her eyes

talking," she

business trip-why did you have to

her outburst.

from Crestwood suddenly looked like a chastened child, caught and scolded,

in disbelief. If they'd spoken to their own fathers like that, they'd be

boss? She could command soldiers on the battlefield, then turn around and lecture her own father. That was real

way back, Citrine's anger

to me," Raymond pleaded, trailing after her like a

daughter, trying desperately to win a smile from her, left

expression softened even the toughest soldiers, but Citrine remained unmoved, hard as steel,

coaxing, "Citrine, please forgive me this

a hand in a solemn

on coming back from the dead next time?"

look, quickening her

her walk faster, Raymond hurried to catch

"Sweetheart, I was wrong."

now on, I'll do whatever

...

watching Raymond