The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress novel Chapter 298

Citrine forced herself to keep singing, doing her best not to falter.

Meanwhile, Sebastian stood in the crowd, watching with a faint frown etched on his face.

Just as Citrine finished her song, she finally let out a sigh of relief.

Now came the entertainment segment—anyone could take the stage and show off a talent.

Maybe because everyone had just laughed at Citrine, Hastings, for once, seemed to take pity on her. He didn’t try to make things harder.

But then, to everyone’s shock, Citrine stepped forward on her own.

She looked straight at Hastings and said, “Mr. Cooper, I heard you’re part of the Vermillion Vanguard. Rumor has it your squad’s faced down real criminals from Magnolia, and you’re all top-notch fighters. I’ve picked up a bit of sparring myself—would you do me the honor of a match?”

Hastings froze. So did the students and upperclassmen gathered to watch—their eyes widened in disbelief.

“A freshman challenging a member of the Vermillion Vanguard? She’s got a death wish.”

“Look at her—she looks like a stiff breeze would knock her over. Mr. Cooper will flatten her in seconds.”

“Whatever pretty moves she learned out there are nothing compared to real combat training. This girl’s dreaming.”

“Mr. Cooper isn’t actually going to agree, is he?”

...

“You… really want to spar with me?” Hastings couldn’t help but laugh as he spoke, his tone half-amused, half-incredulous. This girl had some nerve, but clearly didn’t know her place.

Citrine had no idea what he was thinking. She kept her gaze respectful and earnest. “Mr. Cooper, I’m genuinely asking to learn. Even if I lose, I won’t complain.”

From start to finish, she looked every bit the humble student.

Hastings snorted. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you—we don’t pull our punches when we train with each other. If you get hurt, don’t come crying.”

Citrine could see he was underestimating her. She didn’t bother with pleasantries. In one swift, clean motion, she kicked Hastings square in the chest.

Fast. Precise. Brutal.

Hastings barely had time to register what happened—the rest of the crowd didn’t even see her foot move.

With a heavy thud, Hastings hit the floor, staring up at Citrine in utter shock.

What power—he felt like his ribs might have cracked.

It took him a moment to get back on his feet, shaken.

This time, Hastings didn’t dare let his guard down. He drew on every ounce of skill he’d honed in the Vanguard, ready for a real fight.

They began to trade blows. Every time, Citrine landed her punches, striking his face with pinpoint accuracy. Hastings, on the other hand, couldn’t so much as graze her—not even a strand of hair.