NovelUSAIn less than an hour, the team had taken control of the entire island.
When she saw Raymond again, he was slumped against the wall, a far cry from the sharply dressed man she
remembered. He looked gaunt, almost unrecognizable.
"Dad." Citrine usually kept her emotions tightly under wraps, but the sight of him now made her eyes burn with
tears she couldn't hide.
She spun around and shot a furious glare at the island's owner behind her, ready to explode. Jeff hurried to
explain, tripping over his words. "No, it's not these wounds were from before. After you visited, | made sure he
was well looked after. | swear, no one touched him again. The clothes are old, and the bloodstains— they're from
before. It just... looks bad."
Jeff's voice trailed off into a mumble.
Raymond spotted Citrine then. His eyes went wide with disbelief.
"Citrine."
For a moment, Raymond wondered if he was dreaming.
"Dad." The way she looked at him made his heart ache. Her eyes shimmered with tears, and in the next instant,
she flung herself into his arms.
Raymond staggered back a step, startled by the force of her hug, freezing up in surprise.
This was the first the'd ever sensed such raw emotion from his daughter.
Something inside him softened. He awkwardly patted her back, trying to comfort her.
Then he felt the warmth of her tears soaking through his shoulder-hot, wet, and searing straight into his heart.
Raymond found himself at a loss.
She'd never let anyone see her vulnerable side before. It was the first the'd seen her cry, and he had no idea
what to do. His face tensed awkwardly as he stammered to reassure her. "Citrine, don't worry. The blood on my
clothes is old. I'm healing now, really."
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He rolled up his sleeve to show her, eager to prove his point.
Though the skin was scabbed over, it was still obvious how severe the beatings had been.
The desperation in his tone only made Citrine angrier. Her eyes reddened even more.
"Stop talking," she snapped at him.
"You could've gone anywhere for your business trip-why did you have to cto Mirage Cay? Were you trying to
get yourself killed?"
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. It was my mistake." Raymond hadn't expected her outburst. He stared at her wide-eyed,
completely at a loss.
The once-formidable business tycoon from Crestwood suddenly looked like a chastened child, caught and
scolded, almost pitiful.
The onlookers stared in disbelief. If they'd spoken to their own fathers like that, they'd be in deep trouble.
But their boss? She could command soldiers on the battlefield, then turn around and lecture her own father. That
was real authority.
On the way back, Citrine's anger didn't cool.
"Citrine, | know | was wrong. Please, talk to me," Raymond pleaded, trailing after her like a contrite schoolboy.
The sight of this six-foot man following his much shorter daughter, trying desperately to win a smile from her,
left everyone around them stunned.
His pitiful expression softened even the toughest soldiers, but Citrine remained unmoved, hard as steel, refusing
to so much as glance at him.
Raymond refused to give up. He continued to follow, coaxing, "Citrine, please forgivethis once. | swear it
won't happen again."
He raised a hand in a solemn promise.
"Again? Are you planning on coming back from the dead next time?" Citrine shot
him a frosty look, quickening her pace.
Seeing her walk faster, Raymond hurried to catch up. "Wait up, Citrine!"
"Sweetheart, | was wrong."
"From now on, I'll do whatever you say."
After watching Raymond plead for
over half an hour, the sympathy of
those around him ae tofadd
i iw if exasperation,
that he was actually enjoying The
content is on novelenglish.net! Read
the latest chapter there!
himself.
In the end, Citrine's resolve
faltered-not out of reyenees blt
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healed. The content is on
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novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
She finally stopped and looked him
straight in the eye. "Ra nondyigfan
to me. Nye now yal have to tell
ie before you do anything.
Understood?" The content is on
novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
Raymond's eyes lit up at her words. "Alright. From now on, I'll do whatever you say."
He said it with absolute sincerity.
lowered her gaze and whi Shenet
Danger melted away.
lose my father again.
ER
ever."
Raymond's heart squeezed painfully at her words, a sharp ache spreading through his chest.
He pressed his lips together and replied softly, "Never. | promise, sweetheart. Never again."
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