Alicia smiled and pulled out the breakfast she’d made. “Sienna, I brought us something to eat. I made <b>overnight </b>oatsst night–they’re even better after soaking in the fridge–and some sandwiches
Sienna pushed the containers onto the desk and lowered her voice. “Alicia, how can you even think about breakfast right now? Haven’t you seen the school forum?”
Alicia chuckled softly. “I’ve seen it.”
“You’ve seen it and you’re still in the mood to eat?” Sienna was frantic. “Those photos are obviously photoshopped. You need to do something about this. We know they’re fake, but other people might not. This could ruin your reputation. More importantly, it could give some creeps the wrong idea. You could be in danger.”
Alicia looked at Sienna, a little surprised. ‘In her past life, Sienna never said anything like this. She just panicked for me, almost bursting into tears and getting into fights with other people on my behalf. <fn36df> Th?s chapter is updated by find?novel</fn36df>
‘It seems by changing some things this time around, Sienna had changed a little too.
She was happy to see it.
“Let’s eat first,” Alicia said with a gentle smile, pushing the breakfast closer to Sienna.
Sienna was about to protest when a voice called out from behind them. “Alicia.”
Alicia looked up to see her counselor, Bridget Dunn, standing at the ssroom door. “Can youe out here for a moment?<b>” </b>
Alicia knew it was about the forum. It looked like she wouldn’t be having breakfast with Sienna after all.
She gathered her things and told Sienna, “You go ahead and eat.”
Sienna watched her with a worried expression. “Do you have a n?”
“Don’t worry,” Alicia said, patting her hand reassuringly. “I’ll be right back.”
After Alicia left<b>, </b>amotion stirred in the ssroom. “Wow, she got called out by the counselor. It must be about that forum post, right? Did she really do that?”
“Probably. The school’s getting involved.”
“Oh my god, I never would have guessed. She always looks like such a good girl. How could she do something
like that?<b>” </b>
One student chimed in sympathetically, “Don’t you guys know? She’s the adopted daughter of the Lawrence family, the fake heiress. Now that Tiffany, the real one, is back, she’s probably getting kicked to the curb. She must be pissed and found a way to make money to keep up her high–ss act.”
Hearing them talk about Alicia like that, Sienna shot back angrily, “You guys need to shut up. Alicia is not that
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kind of person.”
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Nora Juddughed. “Not that kind of person? Then how do you exin how she can afford meals from Noble Leaf Bistro and live at Linen Bay Residences after being kicked out of the Lawrence family?”
Sienna gritted her teeth. “What does any of that have to do with you? It’s Alicia’s private business. Just stop spreading rumors.”
Nora sneered. “Sienna, you’re such good friends with Alicia. Howe she got a meal from Noble Leaf Bistro yesterday but didn’t get one for you? You had toe eat our Tiffany’s food from Garden Nook Bistro instead. Did you think the food she bought with her body was too dirty? Or maybe she couldn’t earn enough in one day for two meals? Or maybe…”
Nora paused, her smile turning vicious, “she just doesn’t see you as a real friend, eating good food all by herself and not sharing.”
Sienna red at Nora. “When did I ever eat Tiffany’s food? I wouldn’t touch it. Besides, my friendship with Alicia isn’t like yours with Tiffany. You just hang around her hoping she’ll toss you some scraps.”
Nora’s face flushed with anger. Sienna had all but called her Tiffany’spdog.
But before Nora could even respond, Sienna had already gotten up and left.
She had to see how the counselor was going to handle this. Seeing Sienna leave, Nora hurried after her. She wanted to see the show, too. ‘Tiffany must have everything set up by now, she thought.
Alicia followed her counselor toward the Office of Student Conduct. Bridget was silent the whole way, her expression a mixture ofplicated emotions as she nced at Alicia.
Alicia broke the silence first. “Ms. Dunn, is there something you want to ask me? You can ask me directly. I won’t hide anything.”
Bridget thought for a moment, then stopped walking. “Alicia, I’ve seen the posts online.”
She looked at Alicia with concern. “I know things haven’t been easy for you with the Lawrence family, that you couldn’t even afford your hospital stay. But if you’re in trouble, you can alwayse to the school. We have financial aid programs. I would have been happy to help you apply. Why would you choose to go down… that path?”
Alicia looked her counselor in the eye, her expression sincere. “Ms. Dunn, the things on the school forum aren’t true. I didn’t do any of that.”
Bridget looked surprised. “Then…”
She still wanted to ask. If Alicia had been kicked out of the Lawrence family, how could she afford meals from Noble Leaf Bistro and a ce at the luxurious Linen Bay Residences? Where did the moneye from?
Alicia was silent for a few seconds before saying, “Ms. Dunn, I will prove I didn’t do those things. Please,
believe me.”
Bridget sighed, frustrated. “I don’t want to believe you would do something like that. But this has blown up
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online, and everyone is demanding the school investigate. The administration feels that a student’s character is just as important as their grades. Mr. Sherman from the Office of Student Conduct asked me to bring you in to assist with the investigation.”
“Okay,” Alicia nodded, and they continued to the building.
Just as they reached the entrance, someone walked up to them. It was Tiffany Lawrence, her face a mask of worry. “Alicia, are you okay? We all saw the forum posts. Mom, Dad, and my brothers are so worried about you. Don’t worry, we’re all going to help you.”
Alicia looked up at Tiffany. Her words were full of concern, but her face couldn’t hide the obvious joy and triumph.
“You’re worried about me? You want to help me?” Alicia let out a scornfulugh. “If that’s the case, since the Lawrence family is so rich, why don’t you spend some of that money to hire a hacker and find out who posted those lies to frame me?”
Tiffany was speechless. ‘Shouldn’t she be desperately trying to prove her innocence?
‘Why is she talking about catching the culprit before she’s even cleared her own name?
‘Can’t she do anything in the right order?‘
Gritting her teeth to pull herself together, Tiffany put on her best worried look and said, “Alicia, don’t stress. We’re all here to back you up. I even saw the girl who brought you food back then, so I asked her toe testify for you.”
She finished with a sly smile. She couldn’t wait to see how Alicia would get out of this one.
She had arranged for the hospital caregiver to be brought over early that morning. Everything was taken care of. As long as the girl told the “truth,” she’d get two thousand dors.
AD