The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress novel Chapter 110

Section Two.

Clifford watched from the back of the hall, his gaze drifting as Citrine stood on stage, radiant under the spotlight.

It was hard to believe how much she'd changed in just a few months.

He could still remember when Citrine was considered a nobody, clueless and unremarkable.

As Clifford drifted off in thought, someone nudged his arm.

"Hey, what's going on?" Laird asked, sounding irritated. "Didn't Jeanette swear she'd take first place this time? So why is Citrine still at the top?" Laird had always clashed with Citrine, and after watching her hog the spotlight for several contests in a row, he couldn't help but voice his frustration.

Clifford let out a sigh. "There's been some trouble with the Iverson family lately. Jeanette… well, she must've been distracted, that's why she didn't do her best."

Just thinking about the Iverson family's recent troubles brought a shadow to Clifford's face.

He'd heard about the company's crisis—his father and older brother had been so busy trying to fix things, they hadn't been home in weeks.

He was the last in the family to learn that Citrine was actually Raymond's biological daughter. Before that, he and Jeanette both believed Citrine's real father was just some penniless nobody.

All these revelations, layered on top of the family's mess, left Clifford feeling conflicted and confused. He couldn't understand why Citrine had aligned herself with the Carmichaels against the Iversons.

After the school awards ceremony, Citrine received a scholarship notification—ten thousand dollars. She was so thrilled that when she got home that afternoon, she did something unheard of: she polished off two full plates at dinner.

Raymond noticed immediately. "You've got quite the appetite tonight." Citrine was usually picky about food, rarely ate meat, and barely finished half a plate. Her enthusiasm tonight took him by surprise.

"I got first in my year," Citrine blurted out, unable to hide her delight. Her eyes sparkled with genuine happiness.

Raymond rarely saw her this joyful. Even at home, when she smiled at him, there was always a trace of distance, as if her happiness was never quite real.