The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress novel Chapter 234

Meanwhile, Manley and Travis looked deeply unsettled, their faces drawn with worry.

Yates turned to the Carmichaels, his tone grave. “Think back—has anything unusual happened to Citrine lately? Has she done anything out of the ordinary? If we start there, maybe we’ll find a clue.”

Weston considered for a moment, then spoke first. “Citrine came with me to Elbert’s birthday party recently. At the party, Elbert wasn’t exactly kind to her…” As Weston spoke, he recounted the harsh words Elbert had directed at Citrine, along with the gossip and whispered judgments from other guests.

“Do you think something someone said could have upset her?” he asked Yates earnestly.

Yates listened and shook his head with certainty. “No. Those comments were petty but harmless. They wouldn’t have hurt Citrine.”

Raymond took his turn, recounting in detail how Phelps and some of the younger Jensen family members had come looking for Citrine.

Again, Yates shook his head.

A heavy silence fell. Then, suddenly, Weston’s eyes lit up. “Wait—on Regina’s insistence, Citrine played a piano piece at the party that night.”

The moment Weston spoke, both Yates and Raymond’s expressions changed.

Yates’s mind flashed back to their time abroad. His face grew serious. After a moment’s pause, he spoke. “When we were overseas, someone sent Citrine several pianos. Each time she saw them, she’d completely lose control—once, she even smashed them to pieces. She absolutely hates the piano. She can’t even bear to look at one, let alone play. How could you let her near it?”

“I’m sorry. I should’ve taken better care of her,” Raymond said, his face ashen.

A memory surfaced—of the piano teacher in Citrine’s dreams, someone with sinister intentions. Suddenly, everything made sense.

Weston was stunned. He hadn’t realized this was the reason. Guilt gnawed at him. If only he’d stopped her from playing that day, maybe none of this would have happened.