NovelUpdateChapter 146 At that moment, the man suddenly appeared at the top of the stairs. Raymond could feel Citrine's whole body flinch.
He instinctively stepped in front of her, trying to shield her, but it was useless— neither of them could see him. The man looked down at Citrine, a cold smile tugging at his lips. "I thought you were dead. Turns out you're still alive. Well then, get out there and make smoney." With that, he turned and walked away.
The door slammed shut. As soon as the sound echoed through the house, Young Citrine scrambled to her feet. But just as quickly, she collapsed back down, her legs giving out beneath her. Raymond reached out to catch her, but his hand passed right through her like she was made of mist.
He could do nothing but watch helplessly as blood began to seep through her socks, staining them red.
Young Citrine sat on the stairs, her face scrunched in pain as she gritted her teeth and yanked out several shards of glass from her foot.
When she finished, she limped upstairs, dragging a bulging bag of empty bottles and cardboard boxes down to the entryway.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtOutside, everything was blanketed in white. The trees wore a fresh coat of snow.
The ground, though, was littered with garbage and streaked with dirty slush and mud. To Raymond, it looked so filthy he couldn't imagine stepping anywhere.
"It's freezing," Citrine shivered the moment she stepped out the door.
She was just a child; the cold bit at her delicate cheeks, turning them bright red within moments.
Still, Young Citrine pressed on through the biting wind, dragging her burden all the way to the recycling depot.
"God above, a little thing like you out in this weather-what kind of monster would send you out here?" The owner of the depot hurried over when he saw her, snatching the bag from her hands and grumbling curses under his breath.
"Thank you, sir. Could you weigh these for me?" Young Citrine just smiled up at him, her expression angelic and sweet.
"Of course. Con in," the man said, unable to stay angry in the face of her smile. Inside, he weighed her recyclables. The total only cto a couple of dollars, but seeing how pitiful she looked, he stuffed a few extra bills into her hand before she left.
Citrine's eyes were red as she clutched the money and headed out. But she didn't go home. Instead, she made her way to the city's busiest street.
She squeezed the bills tightly in her fist, muttering under her breath, "If only I had a dad." Raymond's heart ached.
Just then, Young Citrine's eyes lit up. She spotted someone across the street and, with a burst of hope, ran over to throw herself into his arms. "Daddy!" "Sawyer," Raymond breathed, stunned.
But beneath the shock was something sharper-jealousy.
Since Citrine had returned to the Carmichael family, she had never once called him "Dad." She had never clung to him with that kind of affection. But Sawyer got all of it.
Sawyer looked at Young Citrine as if she were a stray puppy, pushing her away impatiently.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm
Raymond's heart twisted, and he silently cursed Sawyer, but Young Citrine didn't seem to notice the man's coldness. She just kept reaching up, persistent and hopeful.
Eventually, Sawyer gave in. He took her hand, planning to walk her home. But when he caught sight of Young Citrine's father, he changed his mind and brought her back to his own place instead. For the next few days, Raymond watched as Young Citrine did everything she could to win Sawyer's approval.
And, to his surprise, it worked.
In the end, Sawyer adopted her.
At the time, Sawyer barely had a penny to his nand was drowning in debt.
But after taking Citrine in, he did everything he could to care for her.
Even if he went hungry himself, he always made sure she had '11 something warm and filling to eat. The once frail little girl began to grow stronger and healthier, her cheeks rosy and round. As the months passed, the bond between Citrine and Sawyer only deepened. During that time, the sight Raymond saw most was the little girl standing at the window of their shabby apartment, waiting all day long for Sawyer to chome.
Visit our social media platform to read fascinating stories every day and connect with the community!
