The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress novel Chapter 417

At the police station, Citrine explained the situation to the officers, then added, “I have evidence on my phone that can prove I’m innocent.”

“Don’t bother pretending,” Theo snapped, his eyes turning cold. He tugged impatiently at the corner of his mouth. “My sister would never lie. There’s no way you have any evidence.”

Citrine looked at him calmly and let out a quiet laugh. “If your sister can’t possibly lie, then what motive would I have to make something up? Besides, I had no reason to push Kali.”

Theo scoffed. “No reason? Of course you did! You’re jealous of her!”

Citrine couldn’t help herself—she burst out laughing.

She tilted her chin up, her grin wide as she looked Theo right in the eye. “Jealous of her? Please. I’m Citrine Carmichael—smart, attractive, and top of my class at Crestwood University. What could I possibly be jealous of? Her darker skin? Her looks? The fact that she can’t even carry her own bag? Or maybe I should envy her for barely scraping into Crestwood at the bottom of the admissions list?”

Theo was speechless, stung into silence by the blunt truth. The worst part was, everything Citrine said was true. Kali wasn’t as pretty, wasn’t as fair-skinned, wasn’t as healthy, and had barely managed to rank fiftieth on the entrance exams.

After a moment, Theo rallied. His expression darkened. “You’re dating Hastings, and Kali’s his baby sister. Of course you’re jealous—what’s so unreasonable about that?”

Citrine nearly laughed again, equal parts exasperated and amused. “Who told you I’m dating Hastings?”

Theo and Hastings both turned to stare at her, startled.

Before either of them could get a word in, Citrine shot a look at Hastings, her lips curling into a smile borrowed straight from Kali. “Let me be absolutely clear,” she said. “I’m not Hastings’ girlfriend. Not now, not ever, not in this lifetime.”

“And as for jealousy?” She waved a hand dismissively. “If I were ever jealous, it’d be of someone better than me—not someone who can’t even hold a candle.”

Theo’s face flushed an angry red. “You’re going too far—”

Citrine just gave a cold little laugh and ignored him.

Hastings, who’d been quietly listening from the side, felt his heart sink. He tried, almost pleadingly, “Citrine, you didn’t mean that, did you?”