The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress novel Chapter 20

Raymond no longer looked sickly; the pallor from his illness had vanished. As he rose from the couch, the cold, steely expression he was known for returned, though if you looked closely, there was a subtle warmth in his eyes—a softness that hadn't been there before.

"I'm much better now."

He hesitated, then added, "Thank you for taking care of me yesterday."

Raymond quickly averted his gaze, almost as if embarrassed by his own words. He never imagined himself saying something like that to anyone. What surprised him even more was that he'd lain awake all night the evening she didn't come home, unable to sleep, feeling the pull of concern for the first time in his life.

Citrine, on the other hand, looked a little uncomfortable. She paused, then managed, "It's… it's nothing."

On weekends, the house was quiet—no butler, no staff, no one to look after the child left alone at home. Raymond glanced at Citrine, a little uncertain. "Do you want to come to the office with me later?"

Citrine seemed lost in thought for a moment but then nodded quickly.

When she was a child, Sawyer used to take her to the office all the time. But ever since she'd returned from abroad six months ago, Sawyer's attitude had changed. He'd made it clear—more than once—that he didn't want her coming to the company. Even though, in Sawyer's eyes, she was just an adopted daughter and posed no real threat.

Back then, she hadn't understood. But now, after everything she'd been through, she realized the truth: Sawyer only saw Jeanette as the true heir of the Iverson family. Every cold shoulder was a warning—don't reach for what isn't yours; don't even think about competing with Jeanette.

The Carmichael Group was much larger than the Iverson Group. As Citrine walked beside Raymond through the gleaming lobby, she could feel eyes turning their way.

It was rare to see President Carmichael with a young woman by his side. The gossip was immediate.

"Whoa, who's that girl with President Carmichael?"

"I can't believe he's brought someone to the office. That's a first."

"She's gorgeous—looks like a real princess. Even the way she walks, you can tell she's from a wealthy family."

"Oh my god, she looked right at me. I think I'm going to faint."