The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress novel Chapter 292

Some people just couldn’t resist a bit of drama.

“No way. She’s clearly wearing makeup. Why lie about it?”

“Girls know girls best. That’s what you call the ‘no-makeup’ makeup look.”

“I don’t get it. If you put on makeup, just admit it. It’s not like it’s a crime.”

“That’s because you don’t get it. If she won’t take her makeup off, she must look downright scary without it. Probably afraid she’ll frighten everyone.”

“She looks presentable with makeup, but who knows what kind of monster is underneath?”

“Oh please, have you looked in a mirror lately?” Ingrid shot the group a fierce glare. “You’re not exactly a vision yourselves, with those pockmarks all over your face. Maybe check yourself before you talk about someone else.”

Jane arched an eyebrow, her tone dripping with sarcasm, “Jealousy really does make people ugly, doesn’t it? You should see your faces right now.”

Lisa, not to be outdone, fired back in her hometown dialect, “Where I’m from, girls like Citrine are born beautiful, inside and out. Unlike you toads—ugly on the outside, and even uglier inside.”

The group fell silent, realizing these three weren’t easy targets.

Ingrid rolled her eyes. “I’d love to see their faces if they found out Citrine actually isn’t wearing any makeup.”

Lisa smirked. “They’d be green with envy, that’s for sure.”

Meanwhile, Hastings had reached the end of his patience. He grabbed a pack of makeup remover wipes from a cardboard box and strode straight toward Citrine.

Hastings pressed his lips together, ready to say something, but Citrine beat him to it. In front of everyone, she briskly wiped her entire face with the remover, then tossed the used wipe back to him.

Citrine’s eyes sparkled with scorn. “Mr. Cooper, maybe your eyesight isn’t what it used to be. Would you like me to wash my face in front of everyone, just to be sure?”

Even after all that, Citrine’s skin was luminous, impossibly fair—if anything, she looked even more radiant than before. Her complexion was as flawless as porcelain, not a single blemish in sight.

Hastings had met plenty of beautiful women, but in that moment, he had to admit: this girl outshone them all. There was nothing artificial about her beauty.

He stared at the thin line of blood on her cheek, watching as it slowly beaded up. He hadn’t even used much force—her skin was just that fragile. A shadow crossed his eyes. After a long pause, he finally managed, “No need. I was wrong about you.”

Citrine smiled, but didn’t let him off the hook. “If it was a misunderstanding, then I think you owe me an apology, Mr. Cooper. After all, you did scratch my face.” She pointed at her cheek, making it impossible for him to ignore.