The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress novel Chapter 348

Kali picked a romantic movie, hoping it would rekindle something between them. Throughout the film, she kept “accidentally” brushing her hand against Hastings’s, but he didn’t even glance at her—his eyes never left the screen.

No matter what she did, it was useless. Frustration simmered in her chest.

When the movie ended and Hastings offered to drive her home, Kali couldn’t hold it in any longer. She stopped in her tracks and looked up at him. “Hastings, do you… do you hate me now?”

Her voice was trembling, on the verge of tears.

Hastings paused, startled. “Of course not. I could never hate you.”

Kali’s eyes reddened as she stared at him, her voice small and wounded. “Then why do I feel like you’re pulling away from me? You hardly message me anymore, and you act like you don’t want me to touch you. Did I do something wrong?”

For a moment, Hastings’s expression froze. Honestly, he didn’t even know why he’d been keeping his distance from Kali.

They used to be so close.

Seeing her standing there, eyes shining with unshed tears, he realized he was being unkind.

He hesitated, then said softly, “I’m sorry, Kali. You didn’t do anything wrong. This is all on me.”

She looked at him, searching his face, her voice barely more than a whisper. “Is there someone else, Hastings? Is that why you’re pushing me away?”

Her words hit him like a punch. Was it because of Citrine that he couldn’t bring himself to be near Kali anymore?

He searched himself for an answer—but came up empty.

“Hastings?” she called again when he didn’t reply, her voice thin with hope.

He snapped out of it and looked at her with gentle firmness. “Kali, you’ve always been like a sister to me.”

The light in Kali’s eyes faded completely, leaving only disappointment behind.