The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Chapter 801

After searching for a while, Hilda finally found a small box tucked beneath her daughter's desk.

She opened it with trembling hands, carefully peeling back the lid. Sure enough, inside she found a stack of letters.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Hilda sifted through them until she found the envelope with her name on it.

She tore it open, heart pounding.

Mom,

I love you.

When I realized that you loved me just as I'd always hoped, I was so happy. I know you've felt guilty ever since I went missing, but try to see it from my perspective—if I made a terrible mistake and broke your heart, what would you do? I think, knowing you, you'd tell me there isn't a mother on earth who would truly blame her child or stay angry for long. And I want you to know, there isn't a daughter in this world who could ever truly stay angry with her mom, either.

I know you're upset that I insisted on going to Mirage Cay to find Dad. I'm sorry-I didn't mean to hurt you. But this is something I have to do. I spent a lot of time at Mirage Cay and know it better than anyone. And as the head of the Vermillion Vanguard, I've spent years investigating what's been happening there. Now, when it's finally time to act, I have to go.

Mom, I hope you'll understand.

I don't know how long I'll be gone. I thought about what I could leave you, but honestly, you have everything you need.

If I don't make it back, just think of me as a wayward daughter and let me go. Live your life, start over.

The world is a big place. You'll meet people who love you. Maybe you'll even have another sweet daughter one day. You'll be happy, I promise.

"What a silly girl... How could I ever be happy without you? And anyway, you're the only daughter I'll ever need," Hilda muttered through a choked sob, her eyes stinging as tears streamed down her cheeks.

She quickly wiped her face, took a few deep breaths to steady herself, then gathered up the rest of the letters and headed downstairs.

eyes were still red and puffy-

other letters on the table and sank into the sofa,

no time finding their own letters

to each of them. She'd also left

mentioning their minor health complaints in passing; no one in the family had paid much attention, but Citrine had listened and even gone to the trouble of preparing treatments for

day or two. It

their

Wade Saunders

for always making me laugh and cheering me up these past few months. You're

hope you'll finally put your racing team together and build something you

I put a management plan for the

flipped it open and, after skimming just a few pages, realized

was.

he'd never even thought to ask. Wade's eyes grew

could remember, both at home and out in the world, everyone had written him off as a good-for-nothing. Only Citrine had ever believed in him-really believed-and taken the time to

his little sister be so good to

er

her sister just as much, though she could never match Wade's boisterous affection or. spend as much

Secretly, Monica worried

get a letter of her

one,

she read it, her eyes turned

sister, I've wished for a sister more times than I can count. I never thought

would actually

me, made me feel the warmth I'd missed