The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Citrine offered a perfectly poised smile. "You're very thoughtful. These are all things I enjoy."noveldrama

Once the Archer family patriarch took his seat, he finally noticed Vester sitting nearby.

Remembering how Vester had brought Citrine to the house before he could, the patriarch's expression darkened, and he barely managed to contain his irritation. After the patriarch sat down, even though Jason and Ileana were still brimming with resentment toward Citrine, they had no choice but to swallow it in silence.

As the meal progressed, the patriarch struck up conversation after conversation with Citrine, leaving Jason and Ileana completely sidelined. The two exchanged glances, their faces stormy, but there was nothing they could do about it.

They simply couldn't understand it: how could a nobody from a backwater town have earned their father's favor so easily?

The longer the patriarch talked with Citrine, the more animated he became-he seemed to forget about everyone else at the table. The two of them got along almost too well.

Eventually, unable to hold back, he brought up Citrine's business overseas. "Ms. Carmichael, I've heard business is booming for your arms company abroad. Tell me, have you ever considered working with Archer Enterprises?"

He locked eyes with Citrine, waiting intently for her answer. At once, the entire table fell silent.

Citrine met his gaze, her eyes unwavering.

He waited, but no reply came. "Ms. Carmichael, is this something you're not interested in?" The warmth in his eyes faded slightly.

Instead of answering, Citrine said, "We only supply our weapons to the military. As far as I know, Mr. Archer, your group is strictly commercial, not military."

Jason and Ileana couldn't help but share a gleeful look—after all, the last person who'd dared refuse their father was now six feet under.

They glared at their father, expecting him to explode. But after a few tense moments, the patriarch simply burst out laughing.

"Ms. Carmichael, you've made it further than most. I'm sure you know as well as anyone that rules in this world aren't set in stone. And if they can't be bent, it just means the price isn't high enough."

He grinned, leaning back in his chair. "Tell me, then-what is it you want?"

Citrine let out a melodic laugh. "Mr. Archer, you know as well as I do, I'm not exactly short on money."

He shook his head. "Money? At your level, of course that's not what you're after."

He tapped his fingers thoughtfully on the table, then leaned in, lowering his voice. "What I can offer you isn't something so trivial."

Citrine looked up, meeting his gaze with crystal-clear eyes. "Then what do you have in mind?"

He replied quietly, "Resource sharing."

Citrine's interest was visibly piqued. "Go on. I'm listening."

Seeing her intrigued, the patriarch was brimming with confidence. He 't give everything away, b was

willing to share a little the

"In my possession are the medical specimens your people have been desperate to acquire. Not to mention cutting-edge tech products, and a whole suite of profitable software. If we pool our resources, we both stand to gain."

Citrine arched an eyebrow. "Medical specimens? Tech products? Profitable software?"

He nodded. "Exactly. I can't go into specifics unless we have a contract."