EuropeNovelChapter 237 Citrine lay perfectly still, eyes closed, pretending to be asleep. She could feel Raymond's gentle hand carefully wiping her face, each stroke so light it tickled, making her expression shift ever so slightly despite her efforts.
Eventually, she couldn't keep up the act. With a reluctant sigh, she slowly opened her eyes.
"Raymond, stop it. That tickles," she said, staring straight at him, her brow furrowing.
Raymond smiled, putting the washcloth aside before settling softly on the edge of the hospital bed. "So you're finally awake." "I wasn't sleeping," Citrine replied coolly, her gaze unreadable.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtShe searched Raymond's eyes, looking for any trace of irritation or disappointment. There was none. Instead, all she saw was warmth and a quiet fondness.
Raymond's voice was gentle. "Are you tired? Do you want to rest a little more?" He wasn't upset. He didn't even ask why she hadn't answered him, even though she'd clearly been awake. "You're not mad? I ignored you," Citrine asked, a hint of surprise in her voice.
Raymond chuckled. "There's nothing you could do that would makeangry." In truth, he'd known she was faking from the moment he cin, but he'd played along anyway.
"Why?" Citrine's confusion was genuine.
"Because I'm your father," Raymond said, his tone impossibly gentle as he looked at his innocent little girl. "A father never gets mad at his own child." Suddenly, Citrine thought of Sawyer-how he had never once lost his temper with Jeanette Iverson.
Raymond didn't notice her drifting off for a moment. Instead, something else caught his eye: the bandage on her wrist had cloose.
He reached out, intending to tighten it, but the moment his fingers brushed her skin, Citrine yanked her hand back, eyeing him with a wary, almost frightened look.
"What are you doing?" Her voice trembled slightly, as if she'd been startled.
Their eyes met-hers clear, yet full of distrust.
Raymond froze, then explained softly, "Your bandage is loose. I just wanted to fix it." "You're not afraid of me?" Citrine's voice was flat, emotionless.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"Yates probably never told you," she continued, "but when I have an episode, I don't just hurt myself-l can hurt others, too." It was true; Yates hadn't mentioned that. Raymond knew it was to protect her, but even if he had known, it wouldn't have changed anything.
Seeing his silence, Citrine's lips curled into a faint, almost mocking smile. "When I was abroad, I lost control once and stabbed a classmate in the thigh. The look in her eyes... it was like she was staring straight at a monster." She let the words hang in the air, then suddenly broke into an odd, unsettling smile.
"Citrine..." Raymond's heart twisted at the sight of such a fragile, innocent face twisted into something so haunted.
He wanted to say something, anything, but Citrine turned away, her I'm voice cold as ice. Just go. When I' discharged, I'll leave the Carmichael family. I'll pay you back for everything you've spent onwhile I was here." "We don't owe each other anything."
Raymond stared at her trembling back, feeling as if someone had driven a knife straight through his chest. "I'm your father. The Carmichael family will always be your home."
Meanwhile, just outside the door, several people crowded around, ears pressed against the wood, straining to catch every word. Whatever Travis overheard made his face go pale. "Did Citrine just say she was leaving the Carmichael family?" "Maybe Raymond's trying to kick her out behind our backs!" Manley piped up, a flicker of hope in his voice.
"How could Uncle do something like that?" another whispered, their tone full of disbelief.
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