The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress novel Chapter 529

A flaying? Surely it won’t come to that, right?

Citrine could sense both respect and a hint of fear in Monica’s tone whenever she spoke of Hilda.

Trying to picture her aunt, Citrine ventured carefully, “Is your aunt really that terrifying? She never seemed harsh to me.”

Her own experience with Hilda had always been gentle and kind—Citrine remembered soft words and warm smiles. What she didn’t realize was that Hilda reserved that tenderness for her alone.

Wade’s eyes widened in disbelief at Citrine’s question. “Terrifying? That’s an understatement. When Aunt Hilda loses her temper, she’s downright savage.”

“You have no idea, sis. I grew up under her iron rule. The worst time? She broke several of my ribs. No joke.”

He was just getting into the story when Monica pinched his arm, hard.

She shot him a glare and hissed, “Why would you say that? Do you want to scare Citrine off?”

Wade instantly shut up, rubbing his arm sheepishly.

Monica, worried she’d just ruined the image of their aunt in Citrine’s mind, hurried to explain, “Don’t listen to him, Citrine. Aunt Hilda has a temper, sure, but she’s not some unreasonable tyrant. And that business with Wade’s ribs? He kept sneaking out for illegal street races, nearly got himself killed. Aunt Hilda only lost it because she was scared out of her mind.”

“Citrine,” Monica said softly, “you were born into our family with so much hope and love. We all care for you, but no one loves you more than Aunt Hilda.”

“When she got back from a business trip to Havencrest, she found out she was pregnant. She was only in her early twenties. The moment she knew, she wasn’t scared—she was thrilled. She told the whole family that day and insisted she was keeping you, even though everyone else was stunned. But they respected her choice.”

“Back then, Aunt Hilda wasn’t head of the Saunders family yet. She was your typical rich kid—partying, racing cars, drinking, and smoking with her friends. But the moment she found out about you, she quit everything. No more cigarettes, no more alcohol, no more reckless driving. Instead, she spent her days shopping for baby clothes or decorating your nursery, sometimes getting lost in there for hours, talking to herself. I asked her once what she was doing, and she said she was telling stories to the baby in her belly.”

“She had terrible morning sickness, and the whole family was worried, but she was just happy. She said it meant you were talking to her, so every time she got sick, she’d sit down and write you a letter. She did that through her entire pregnancy—never missed a day.”