The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress novel Chapter 628

Kali was clearly upset, but when she saw how pale Theo looked, she swallowed her complaints and kept quiet.

The three of them made their way together to Crestwood Medical Research Center.

As they hurried toward the entrance, they nearly collided with Hastings, who was rushing in from the opposite direction.

Hastings took one look at Theo’s ashen face and didn’t hesitate. He stormed up and punched Theo square in the jaw, voice shaking with anger. “You’ve got some nerve showing your face here.”

Theo’s head snapped to the side from the blow. He wiped the blood from his mouth, but didn’t fight back.

“Hey, what the hell are you two doing?” Quentin stepped between them, trying to break it up.

Hastings was too worried about Citrine to argue further. He gave a huff of frustration and stalked off down the hall.

As soon as Hastings left, Theo followed after him without a word.

Quentin shot Kali a bewildered look. Neither of them understood what was going on, but they hurried after Theo anyway.

By the time Hastings found Citrine’s hospital room, the scene inside hit him like a punch to the gut.

The girl lay motionless on the bed, a white sheet pulled halfway up her body. Around her, her family sobbed, voices breaking with grief and helplessness.

Hastings’s heart plummeted. Clinging to a shred of hope, he grabbed a nurse nearby. “How is Citrine? Please, tell me—she’s going to be okay, right?”

The nurse, assuming Hastings was family, didn’t hide the truth. “She’s fading fast. I’m so sorry for your loss.”

The world spun. Hastings had to brace himself against the wall to keep from collapsing.

Not far away, Theo and Quentin had heard every word. It was impossible not to.

All the color drained from Theo’s face. He looked utterly shattered, his voice barely more than a whisper. “She’s gone.”

“Friends?” Hastings let out a bitter laugh. He glared at Theo, eyes cold as ice. “From this day on, I’m done with you. We’re not friends anymore. Next time I see you, we’re enemies.”

He turned to Theo, his voice like steel. “If it weren’t for you and your father, none of this would’ve happened. You killed the woman I love, Theo. I’ll never forgive you.”

With that, Hastings slumped onto a nearby bench, ignoring Theo completely.

Quentin’s eyes widened in shock. He bolted for the hospital room.

Inside, the pale, lifeless face on the bed confirmed his worst fears. Citrine lay there, half-covered by the white sheet, her family weeping at her side.

Now Quentin finally understood.

The person shot by the sniper in the news—the one in camouflage—had been Citrine.