NovelXXXChapter 436 In that moment, Hilda's emotions were a tangled mess-she was proud of her daughter's brilliance, but at the stime, a gnawing fear crept in: what if Citrine no longer needed her at all? "Citrine." Hilda hesitated for a second, but in the end, she called out to her daughter.
Both Citrine and Raymond stopped at the sound of her voice.
Raymond recognized Hilda immediately-she was the woman who had spoken up for Citrine at the party. He nodded to her politely. "Thank you for standing up for my daughter earlier." "It was nothing," Hilda replied offhandedly, though her eyes remained fixed on Citrine with an intensity she couldn't hide.
Citrine only looked back at her, silent.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtA pang of discomfort twisted in Hilda's chest. She pressed her lips together, struggling to find the right words. There was so much she wanted to say, yet nothing cout but a quiet confession of regret: "Citrine, I'm sorry." Her voice trembled. If only she'd protected her better-if only Citrine hadn't been lost to her for all those years. Citrine was about to respond when she noticed the dark circles under Hilda's eyes, the weariness etched across her face. It looked like she hadn't slept properly in ages.
Was it because of her? Did Hilda really care that much? Something inside Citrine wavered.
She pressed her lips together, determined not to let herself go soft, but her tone softened anyway. "You don't need to apologize. Like I said, please don't clooking foragain." Hilda's face turned pale. For a moment, disappointment flickered in her eyes, but she forced herself to smile- though the expression looked more like she was about to cry. "Alright. I'll do as you say." Citrine had already done her homework on Hilda: a formidable businesswoman, the head of the Saunders family, a woman who commanded respect wherever she went.
Yet now, seeing her humbled and hesitant, Citrine felt a sudden surge of irritation. Hilda wasn't supposed to be like this—she should be radiant, commanding, untouchable. She shouldn't have to watch for Citrine's every reaction.
Citrine glanced at her again and tried to explain, "I just mean it's getting late." Even as she said it, Citrine realized how awkward it sounded. She hesitated, then corrected herself, "Actually, it's fine. If you want to find me, you can." "Really?" In an instant, the disappointment in Hilda's eyes vanished, replaced by a flash of joy.
"Yeah, really." Seeing the relief and happiness in Hilda's face, Citrine found herself unable to refuse. She nodded, almost despite herself.
She had to admit-she couldn't bring herself to dislike this woman. Maybe it was because Hilda was her mother. There was a warmth when she looked at her, a sense of familiarity that made it impossible to be cruel.
Citrine didn't particularly like that feeling, but she couldn't ignore it either.
Suddenly, Hilda seemed to
remember something. She fumbled for her phone, as if afraid Citrine would slip away before she could act. Handing the phone over in a rush, she asked, "Citrine, would you mind if I added your number? So I can reach you?" Her face was full of hope.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmCitrine took the phone, typed in her contact information, and handed it back.
Hilda accepted the phone with both hands, her face alight with delight. Citrine didn't understand why this made her so happy, but seeing Hilda's joy brought an involuntary smile to her own lips.
Having finally gotten her daughter's number, Hilda was over the moon. The day's unexpected happiness had left her a little dizzy, and she didn't dare risk annoying Citrine by lingering any longer-especially since it really was getting late. Reluctantly, she said her goodbyes and left. She never once glanced at Raymond, as if he didn't even exist.
Raymond, for this part, had just started to warm up to Hilda because of Citrine's attitude. But after seeing how intensely interested Hilda was in his daughter, a sharp sense of unease crept in. His expression dark. Once Hilda had gone, he turned to Citrine. "Citrine, how do you know President Saunders?"
Visit our social media platform to read fascinating stories every day and connect with the community!
