The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Chapter 809

Since returning, Citrine had already taken care of everything at the company and the research center. For the next while, she planned to stay on campus, keeping a low profile.

Meanwhile, things at SC Group were ramping up again. Citrine figured Sebastian would be too busy to bother her for a while. The thought brought a subtle sense of relief-at least until she rounded the corner and froze in her tracks.

Not far ahead, Sebastian was waiting. Citrine's first instinct was to duck away, but then she remembered her promise not to avoid him anymore. She forced herself to stand her ground, watching as he strode toward her.

Dressed in a sleek black suit, tall and striking, Sebastian exuded an air of sharp confidence. Yet as his gaze found hers, all that intensity melted away, replaced by unmistakable warmth.

Sebastian was handsome—impossibly so—and unfailingly even-tempered. Most importantly, he always listened to her. Citrine was no saint, immune to desire; plenty of times, she'd caught herself lingering on that face longer than she meant to.

While she was still staring, Sebastian reached her side.

She snapped out of it and asked, "What are you doing here? Isn't work keeping you busy?"

Her tone was as cool and reserved as ever, but Sebastian looked delighted all the same—finally, she wasn't running from him.

"I have a meeting nearby. Thought I'd stop by," he said, and the warmth in his voice was impossible to miss.

He lifted the delicate paper bag in his hand. "Your assistant told me these are your favorite pastries."

Worried she might refuse, he hurried to explain, “I was passing by anyway, so I picked them up for you."

Citrine glanced down at the bag, thoughtful. He'd brought her treats from her favorite bakery—the only place in Crestwood she truly liked. But she remembered that the shop was all the way out the northern edge of wn, completely out of the way from his company. It'd be at least a two-hour detour, and there were always long lines; sometimes people waited three, even four hours for a chance to buy something there.

gave Sebastian a long, searching look

didn't seem to notice her suspicion. When she hesitated to take the bag, he pressed it gently into

loss for words,

sooner had the words left her lips

before answering, looked at her. "I should

"Go ahead.

to his ear,

waiting for

calm and unhurried: "I know. I'm on my way." He ended the call and walked

soon as he disappeared, Citrine turned to head back to the university, only to have her path blocked by a man in

straight to the point. "Someone wants

decided he hadn't crossed any lines—she'd go

coldly, "Lead the

to a black car and opened the door for her. Citrine slid inside

middle-aged man, watching her with an air of idle amusement. Citrine frowned, searching her memory for

hesitated, then tried, "Do I know

remember me?" The man's expression flickered with surprise—almost

unforgettable,

the man who once handed her a

Citrine asked,