《Her Revenge: From Shadow to Sunlight》 Luxurious 1 Alicia Lawrence jolted awake. She nced at the half-finished sketch on her desk and the familiar room around her. With a smile touching her lips, she realized she had reallye back. Her eyes fell on the calendar. Today marked three months since Tiffany Lawrence had returned to the family. It was also the very day that the whole family gathered to celebrate Tiffany¡¯s return. ¡°The timing couldn¡¯t be better, Alicia thought, just as a knock sounded at the door. ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? find?novel Alicia opened the door to find her second-eldest brother, Andrew Lawrence, standing outside, frowning at her. ¡°Alicia, what¡¯s wrong with you? I knocked three times. I was starting to think you had died in there.¡± At his curse-like words, Alicia simply stared back coldly, saying nothing. Her silence only made Andrew more impatient. ¡°Is that painting finished yet? Mr. West is arriving in Riverdale in a few days. Tiffany needs to bring it with her to ask him to be her mentor. Don¡¯t you dare mess this up for her.¡± Alicia¡¯s perfectly shaped brows furrowed. ¡°I spent an entire week on that painting, barely sleeping or eating. Why should I just hand it over to Tiffany?¡± Hearing this, Andrew stared at Alicia in disbelief. ¡°Are you running a fever? Is your brain fried? What nonsense are you lking about? Wasn¡¯t that painting always meant for Tiffany?¡± He moved closer, voice sharp with impatience. ¡°If it¡¯s done, hand it over. Now. And have you finished anything elsetely? I¡¯m not criticizing, but your output is too low. Tiffany hasn¡¯t posted in a month. She¡¯ll be forgotten if this goes on. From now on, eat less, sleep less, and draw more. For her.¡± Andrew said it like it was the most natural thing in the world. And Alicia knew it was her fault. She had spoiled them all in her past life, and now his entitlement was the price she had to pay. In Alicia¡¯s past life, Tiffany was a famous online painter. Her works sold for high prices and won her many fans. Later, she even became a student of Edward West, a well-known painter. This helped her move from inte fame to real-world sess, and she became a famous artist. But no one knew the truth. Alicia had actually painted every piece Tiffany posted online as well as every painting Tiffany created as Edward West¡¯s student. Alicia had been kept like a shadow by the Lawrence family, forced to paint endlessly, all to build Tiffany¡¯s career and ensure her sess. In her previous life, Alicia had craved the affection from the family and the love from her mother. Hoping for even the smallest bit of warmth from the Lawrences, she agreed to almost everything they asked, doing whatever was demanded of her. But when Tiffany became famous, the family worried Alicia would cause trouble. So they locked Alicia in a dark room with chains. She could no longer tell day from night. Her life was reduced to eating, sleeping, and painting while chained. With no contact to the outside world, she could only paint from her mind, and her art became more and more abstract. Tiffany used Alicia of refusing to paint well on purpose. As punishment, she locked Alicia in the basement with dozens of starved rats and snakes. The hungry animals attacked and killed Alicia. Before she died, Alicia swore that if she ever had another chance, she would make the Lawrence family pay for what they did. But after she died, she didn¡¯t go to the underworld. Instead, she met an old man with a white beard. He told her to finish nine tasks, and if she seeded, she could go back to life. So she traveled through nine different worlds, helping the main characters and others achieve their deepest wishes. And now, she had finally returned. This time, Alicia had no intention of putting up with the Lawrence family any longer. She would never let Tiffany be Edward West¡¯s student. So she stared coldly at Andrew and said, ¡°I painted it, and I won¡¯t give it to Tiffany.¡± 55 vouchers Andrew flew into a rage. ¡°Alicia, you owe everything to Tiffany. All these years, you¡¯ve been living as her, enjoying thefort and privilege of our family. That life should have been hers, but she was the one suffering outside. Now we¡¯re only asking you to paint a few pieces for her. What¡¯s so hard about that? Do you really think you¡¯ve been wronged?¡± That was true. Alicia wasn¡¯t the Lawrence family¡¯s real daughter. Twelve years ago, when she was just eight years old, the Lawrence family had forced her toe home with them. At that time, the Lawrences¡¯ youngest daughter, Tiffany, had gone missing. Maria Lawrence was almost broken by grief. Then they found Alicia, who was about the same age as Tiffany. Missing her daughter terribly, Maria saw Tiffany in Alicia and insisted on bringing her home. Alicia had always had a natural gift for painting. Even as a child, she could paint anything she saw. But without any real training, her work was more about feeling than technical skill. Later, she met an old ragpicker named Richard Shaw. Richard was a skilled painter who noticed Alicia¡¯s love for art and took her in as his student. After a year of learning from Richard, Alicia¡¯s painting improved dramatically. She even began selling her work to earn money. ry day, she would paint and sell her work. Some pieces sold for just a few dors, others for a hundred or more. Together, she and Richard lived off what he made from collecting scraps and what she earned from her art. They weren¡¯t greedy. The money they earned was enough to get by and even enough to help others. She remembered once even helping a boy in need. But then the Lawrence family came and took her away, forcing her to be their daughter. Alicia had tried to run away many times to look for Richard, but she could never find him. When she was heartbroken, Maria told her, ¡°Richard doesn¡¯t want you anymore. From now on, the Lawrence house is your home, and we are your family.¡± Back then, she was deeply touched. Having never had a family, and now left behind by Richard, she feltpletely alone and even began to doubt herself. The Lawrences showed up just when she longed for a ce to belong. After bing a Lawrence, Alicia did everything she was told and tried her best to behave. The Lawrences gave her a room, and she slowly settled into her new life. But three months ago, the Lawrence family suddenly found their biological daughter, Tiffany. But Maria said, ¡°Alicia is also a child I raised with my own hands. I can¡¯t just send her away. Besides, she has nowhere else to go. She is wee to stay with us,¡± At that time, Alicia felt grateful to the Lawrences. She also felt sorry for Tiffany, who had been lost and suffered so much as a child. Because of this, she always tried to be kind to Tiffany. She thought she was gaining a sister, and that they would get along well. But things did not turn out as she had hoped. From the day Tiffany returned, she was deeply hostile toward Alicia. When Alicia offered her food, she would secretly putxatives in it. Then she used Alicia of trying to poison her, iming Alicia was afraid that she would take everything. When Alicia gave her clothes, she hid needles inside, then pretended to cry and beg. ¡°Alicia, I won¡¯tpete with you. I just want to stay with Mom, Dad, and my brothers. Please, let me stay.¡± The Lawrences saw Tiffany¡¯s pleading. They called Alicia cruel and showed even more sympathy toward Tiffany. They already believed Alicia had stolen Tiffany¡¯s identity and made her suffer for years. Now they were more certain than ever that Alicia owed Tiffany everything. Whatever Tiffany wanted, the Lawrences would do anything to get it for her. And whatever Tiffany wanted was always something that belonged to Alicia. One by one, everything Alicia loved and cherished was robbed from her by Tiffany Luxurious 2 How stupid I was in my past life, always trying to make it up to Tiffany. Her getting lost had nothing to do with me. Why did I have to be the one to pay for it?¡¯ Alicia thought to herself. She red at Andrew and said coldly, ¡°First, I didn¡¯t make you lose Tiffany. Second, it was your mother who forced me toe here. She needed a girl around Tiffany¡¯s age to ease her pain. I owe Tiffany nothing. If anyone does, it¡¯s all of you.¡± ¡°There you go again with your tantrums. You know what we can¡¯t stand about you? It¡¯s this entitled attitude. Why can¡¯t you be sweet like Tiffany?¡± Andrew snapped. ¡°Enough. I don¡¯t want to hear any more of your nonsense. Just hand over the painting to Tiffany. Once she¡¯s famous, I might even let you be her assistant.¡± He spoke as though he were granting Alicia some great favor. What a perfect n. Making me Tiffany¡¯s assistant just means painting for her forever. It¡¯s exactly like my past life! Aliciaughed coldly. ¡°If that assistant job is so great, let someone else have it. From now on, I won¡¯t do anything for Tiffany.¡± With that, she mmed the door shut. Andrew stumbled backward, but not fast enough. The door still struck his nose. Rubbing the sore spot, he stared in disbelief. Is Alicia possessed? She has always been obedient. This is the first time she has ever refused. Then a strange feeling rose in his chest. ¡®Why did she say no? How dare she? She owes Tiffany everything!¡¯ He kicked the door angrily. ¡°Alicia, listen to me. If you ruin this chance for Tiffany, Dad will throw you out of the house. You can go back to being a beggar on the street.¡± Having said that, he turned and stormed downstairs. Alicia nced around her shabby room, smiling sarcastically. Since she had joined the family, they had put her in this room and forgotten all about it. ¡®It¡¯s time to go. I¡¯ve been given a second chance. I won¡¯t stay here and be their doormat anymore. The room held little that was truly hers: just the newly finished painting, a few pieces of clothing she secretly bought with her own money, and a debit card with her savings. Throughout her years with the Lawrences, Alicia had supported herself, without receiving even a cent from the family. She bought her own clothes, made her own meals, and was mostly forgotten by the family. The only time they noticed her was when Maria missed Tiffany and remembered she had a recement daughter. Then Maria would dress Alicia in pretty dresses, just like the ones Tiffany used to wear. Staring at the two elegant dresses in the wardrobe beside her own sparse belongings, Aliciaughed bitterly. ¡®What kind of wealthy youngdy am I? Who has ever seen a daughter of a rich family live like this?¡¯ She stuffed her own clothes into a backpack, wrapped the finished painting in some old packing paper and tucked it inside too. After onest look around the room, she knew there was noing back. Even if she forgot anything, the Lawrences would never let her return for it. To ensure she had taken everything she needed, Alicia checked the whole room. In the corner of one drawer, she found a brooch. It was shaped like a golden leaf, dull andckluster, so in that no one would bother picking it up if it fell on the ground. But Alicia¡¯s eyes widened. She recognized that brooch. In her past life, Tiffany had proudly shown it off to her, It was this very brooch that had made Tiffany be the savior of the Yates family¡¯s heir. The Yates family was an extremely powerful n. Every member excelled in their field, standing at the top of their professions. George Yates had held a high-ranking official position. Thoughrgely retired, he still carried significant 3:31 pm PPP influence in both military and political circles. 55 vouchers George cherished his grandson, Charles Yates, whom he had chosen to lead the family. It was said that Charles had been sent away for rigorous training and forged a strong but cold character. After returning, he took over the reins of the Yates family. In her past life, this powerful man was Tiffany¡¯s strongest backer. Alicia had tried repeatedly to escape the Lawrence family, but was always caught. She even called the police once, only to have Tiffany mock her. ¡°Even Charles is on my side. Do you really think the police can help you?¡± Alicia didn¡¯t believe it and managed to call the police. But when they arrived, the Lawrences told the police she was just throwing a fit. The Yates family¡¯s steward also pressured the police to stay out of it. After that, no one listened to Alicia¡¯s cries for help. She finally gave up trying to escape. With the Yates family backing Tiffany, she knew there was no way out. ¡®But why is this brooch with me now? Does that mean it was always mine? I don¡¯t remember saving Charles. But it doesn¡¯t matter. As long as Tiffany never gets this brooch, Charles will never support her. And without him, I still have a chance to get my revenge.¡¯ Alicia thought. She picked up the brooch, wiped it clean. Now its surface seemed to brighten slightly; revealing a subtle beauty. She pinned it inside her shirt, then put on her coat to hide itpletely. She didn¡¯t know whether Tiffany already knew it could connect her to Charles. But to stay safe, she still had to keep it hidden. She couldn¡¯t risk Tiffany¡¯s bootlickers spotting it and taking it from her. But she had to wear the brooch today. From what she remembered, Charles was returning home and would pass by this very area. She remembered it clearly. In her past life, while resting her eyes from painting by the window, she saw Charles¡¯s car. It even paused for a moment right outside the Lawrence house. Get full chapters from F?ndNovel She needed to go out before Charles¡¯s car arrived and let him catch a glimpse of the brooch by chance. She had to make sure he knew it belonged to her. Even if he wouldn¡¯t be her ally, she would never let him be Tiffany¡¯s supporter. With everything ready, Alicia checked the time. It was almost the hour when Charles¡¯s car would pass by the Lawrence house. She slung her backpack over her shoulder and headed downstairs. The entire Lawrence family was gathered in the living room for afternoon tea. Archie Lawrence, the youngest son, held up a photo. ¡°It¡¯s not often we¡¯re all together like this. Someone¡¯s always missing. Look at this family photo. Everyone must get a copy, and I want each of you to keep it in your wallet.¡± Just then, Alicia came down the stairs. Everyone turned to look at her, as if suddenly remembering the adopted daughter who lived upstairs. Adam Lawrence, the third-eldest son, looked awkward. ¡°Alicia, you¡¯re home? We thought you were still at school, so we didn¡¯t call you. Well, since you¡¯re here, we can take another family phototer.¡± Alicia lowered her eyes with a faint smile. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, I was never really part of this family to begin with. I won¡¯t be in the photo.¡± 3:31 pm; P P P Luxurious 3 55 vouchers Aaron Lawrence, the family¡¯s eldest son, frowned. ¡°What¡¯s with the attitude? You hide in your room all day. We¡¯re all busy working and hardly at home. Did you expect us toe upstairs and beg you to join us? Why can¡¯t you be more like Tiffany? She¡¯s thoughtful and sweet. She alwayses to talk with us when we get back.¡± Alicia sneered. ¡°Do you think I want to be locked in my room? I have to paint everything Tiffany posts online, even the piece she needs to be Mr. West¡¯s student. I¡¯d love toe down for tea and empty small talk, but when do I have the time?¡± ¡°Besides, everything I said is true. I was never really part of this family, and none of you ever treated me like one. There¡¯s no reason for me to be in your photo,¡± Alicia added. Maria had never expected the always-obedient Alicia to talk back. When Andrew came down earlier saying Alicia was throwing a tantrum, she hadn¡¯t believed him. But now it appeared to be true. ¡®How dare she? She¡¯s just a homeless orphan we took in out of kindness..We give her food and a roof over her head. What¡¯s so wrong with asking her to do a few things for Tiffany?¡¯ Maria thought with rising anger. Frowning, she snapped, ¡°We¡¯re only asking you to paint a few pictures. Why are you making such a big deal out of it? For years, you¡¯ve lived as the Lawrence daughter in Tiffany¡¯s ce, well-fed, well-dressed, wanting for nothing. Do you have any idea how much she suffered out there? That should have been you. You owe her. Is it really too much to paint for her? How can you be so selfish?¡± Archie chimed in, ¡°Exactly. You owe Tiffany this. What¡¯s the big deal with painting a few pieces for her? Why are you making such a fuss about it?¡± Andrew scoffed, ¡°She has worn someone else¡¯s identity for so long, and starts to believe she¡¯s the real youngdy. But she¡¯s nothing but a cuckoo in the nest.¡± Their words struck Alicia as almost ridiculous. She let out a scornfulugh. ¡°Did I beg to be here? You were the ones who forced me toe here. You lost Tiffany. That is why she suffered. Stop ming me. I will not take responsibility for your mistakes. I have nothing to do with Tiffany, and I owe her nothing.¡± Maria was furious. She pointed at Alicia, her hand trembling, too angry to speak. Aaron put on his elder brother act. ¡°Alicia, look what you¡¯ve done to Mom. Apologize now, finish that painting for Tiffany, and hand it over. Do that, and we¡¯ll let this go.¡± Alicia curled her lips into a faint smile. ¡°In that case, don¡¯t bother letting it go. I won¡¯t apologize, and I will never paint for Tiffany again.¡± Aaron could hardly believe what he was hearing. As the eldest brother, he had always received Alicia¡¯s respect and obedience. She used to do almost anything he asked. But today, she dared to talk back, which made him feel deeply humiliated. His hands unconsciously tightened into fists. He was about to speak when Alicia continued, ¡°Since you all see me as a cuckoo in Tiffany¡¯s nest, I¡¯ll leave. I¡¯m giving her ce back to her.¡± ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± Andrewughed. ¡°Stop ying games, Alicia. If you really meant it, you would¡¯ve left when Tiffany returned. You waited until we were all here, just to throw a fit and make us beg you to stay, so you could steal even more of Tiffany¡¯s moment. But it won¡¯t work. We see right through you.¡± Archie nodded in agreement. ¡°Exactly. We¡¯re not ying along. If you want to leave, then go. We¡¯d be happy to see you out. Did you really think we¡¯d beg you to stay? Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡± Aaron sighed and shook his head dismissively, a look of faint contempt in his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t make a fool of yourself. No one here is going to stop you.¡± 3:31 pm 55 vouchers Only Adam stepped forward and took hold of Alicia¡¯s arm. ¡°Alicia, that¡¯s enough. Apologize to Mom, and we can put this behind us. Look how hard it¡¯s raining outside. Where could you possibly go all alone?¡± Alicia stepped back, pulling her arm away. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± She turned to leave without looking back. The source of th?s content is FindN()vel Adam nced at the heavy rain, which was now streaked with lightning and rumbling with thunder. He reached out to grab Alicia¡¯s backpack, his face full of concern. Alicia was caught off guard, so Adam managed to pull the backpack off her shoulder. He froze for a moment, ¡®Is this all she¡¯s taking?¡¯ He stared at Alicia. ¡°This is all you have? You don¡¯t even have an umbre.¡± Archie snorted, a mocking smirk ying on his lips. ¡°She barely brought anything. She¡¯s not really nning to leave. She just wants us to beg her to stay.¡± Andrew added with a scornfulugh, his eyes cold and dismissive as he nced toward Alicia¡¯s backpack. ¡°Even her act is so fake. Disgusting.¡± Alicia snatched her backpack back from Adam. ¡°Everything in here is what I bought with my own money. I won¡¯t take a single thing your family bought.¡± With that, she walked toward the door. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± A cold, authoritative voice rang out from upstairs: Alicia turned and saw her adoptive father, Hugh Lawrence, standing on the staircase, holding a coffee cup and watching her with icy eyes. ¡°To where I belong,¡± Alicia replied, her voice calm and her gaze steady, showing no trace of hesitation. Then, without another word or a backward nce, she turned and walked away. ¡°Stop.¡± Hugh¡¯s cold voice halted Alicia. He descended the stairs, handed his coffee cup to a maid, and settled onto the sofa, his icy gaze never leaving Alicia. ¡°Don¡¯t push this too far. You can¡¯t ruin something this important. Is the painting for Tiffany done?¡± Hearing his father¡¯s question, Andrew grinned triumphantly. ¡®Let¡¯s see if this stubborn girl still dares to act tough now. I can¡¯t wait to watch her beg. He cut in before Alicia could speak, ¡°Dad, Alicia said Tiffany¡¯s business doesn¡¯t matter. Only her own does. She says she owes Tiffany nothing and won¡¯t lift a finger for Tiffany anymore. She even wants to leave our family.¡± He drew out thest few words, emphasizing each word. Hugh¡¯s eyes grew even colder, edged with disdain. ¡®A stray we took in years ago actually thinks she¡¯s above Tiffany? How delusional. Tiffany is my real daughter, the true Lawrence heiress.¡¯ ¡®Let her go. When she can¡¯t make it on her own andes crawling back, we¡¯ll have her exactly where we want her. She¡¯ll be Tiffany¡¯s shadow for the rest of her life. With that thought, Hugh said coldly, ¡°If you want to leave, then go.¡± AD Comment Send gift No Ads Chapter Luxurious 4 Alicia said nothing more. She slung her backpack over her shoulder and pulled open the door. A cold, damp wind blew in, chilling her to the bone. It was early autumn, and Riverdale was in the middle of its rainy season. No one could say how long the downpour wouldst, but Alicia knew she had to leave now, no matter what. Follow current nov?ls on Find~Novel From behind, Maria called out, ¡°Alicia, if you walk out that door today, don¡¯t you daree back! Without the Lawrence name, no one out there will even look your way.¡± Alicia acted as though she hadn¡¯t heard a thing and walked on without looking back. She had no intention of ever returning. Adam watched the wind and rain raging outside, his anxiety growing. He hurried over to stop Alicia. ¡°Alicia, it¡¯s pouring out there. Where will you go? Just listen to me. Apologize to Mom and Dad. It¡¯s better than being out in this storm.¡± Alicia, however, reached out and pried Adam¡¯s hand away, finger by finger. ¡°Your real sister is back now. You should focus your attention on her. Just leave me alone.¡± Adam stared at his empty hand, momentarily stunned. ¡°But you¡¯re my sister too,¡± he blurted out, the wordsing out louder and more bluntly than he intended. Tiffany saw Adam caring for Alicia and even calling her his sister. She felt a sudden surge of anger. ¡°That Alicia is just a nobody who doesn¡¯t even know her own parents. How can she be my elder sister? My brother should only care about me and only love me.''¡± Jealousy burned in Tiffany¡¯s chest. When she saw Alicia walk toward the outdoor pool, a sly glint shed in her eyes. She rushed out, grabbed Alicia¡¯s arm, and pleaded, ¡°Alicia, please don¡¯t go. I know you¡¯re upset that I¡¯m back. You¡¯re afraid I¡¯ll take your ce. But I have nowhere else to go. Can¡¯t I stay? I promise I won¡¯tpete with you. Please don¡¯t leave.¡± Alicia took one look at Tiffany¡¯s act and let out a coldugh. ¡°Save your performance for someone who¡¯ll believe it. It doesn¡¯t work on me. Once I¡¯m gone, you can put on a show for your precious family. They¡¯ll fall for every bit of it.¡± After speaking, Alicia tried to pull her hand free. But Tiffany shed a provocative smile, tightened her grip, and whispered for only Alicia to hear. ¡°Today I¡¯ll show you who the real Lawrence daughter is and exactly who the family truly care about.¡± With that, she yanked Alicia hard toward her. Alicia raised an eyebrow. Quick and agile, she was ready to throw Tiffany into the pool. Suddenly, she heard a car pull up outside. She nced over and instantly recognized the license te number. With a full set of eights, it was Charles¡¯s car. Alicia changed her mind. ¡®If Tiffany drags me into the pool and the whole family gangs up on me right in front of Charles, would he feel even a tiny bit of sympathy for me? I still have that brooch, which means I¡¯m his savior. If his savior is in trouble, shouldn¡¯t he help?¡¯ ¡°This time, I won¡¯t let him support Tiffany. If I can win him over, that¡¯s even better. If not, I¡¯ll at least show him Tiffany¡¯s true colors. So she shifted her position, making sure anyone outside could see Tiffany pulling her. Then she let herself fall into the water with Tiffany. The moment she hit the water, Alicia swallowed a mouthful. She choked so hard that it felt like half her life had drained away. into the open sea. Sheined silently to herself. ¡®I¡¯ve lived through nine lives. Howe I¡¯ve never learned how to swim?¡¯ Now all she could do was thrashing helplessly in the water. At that moment, Alicia heard the noise around her, her mother shouting, her father calling out, her brothers yelling, all of them frantic as they cried out for Tiffany. And through the family¡¯s panic, she made out a voice she knew all too well. It was her boyfriend, Henry Yates. Alicia suddenly realized she had almost forgotten she even had a boyfriend. So much time had passed that he had nearly faded from her memory. ¡®Why is he here? I didn¡¯t see him when I came downstairs.¡¯ She struggled in the water, forced her eyes open, and looked toward Henry, only to see him swimming directly toward Tiffany. By then, Tiffany¡¯s brothers were also rushing through the water to reach Tiffany. And if she remembered correctly, Tiffany knew how to swim. ¡°Typical. My boyfriend would rather save Tiffany than me, and I¡¯m the one who can¡¯t even swim. What a joke. But why am I surprised? I¡¯ve known all along he¡¯s trash. I need to see how the man outside in the car reacts.¡¯ Alicia thought. She tried to turn toward the door, but in the water she had no control. Before she could even see it, she started to sink. ¡®Did I go too far? I never should have jumped in with Tiffany, Alicia already regretted it. ¡®Now that no one¡¯sing to save me. I have to save myself. Just as she was working out how to get out, arge hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her from the water. The understated modified car was parked outside as usual. Every time it returned this way, it would stop for a while in front of the Lawrence house. Kevin Quinn pulled over and stole a nce toward the back seat through the rearview mirror. He had been driving for Charles for over three years. Every time Charles came home and passed the Lawrence house, he would stop here for more than ten minutes. During those ten minutes, Charles never left the car. He just sat quietly, watching the Lawrence house. Sometimes Kevin wondered if Charles had taken a liking to this house. Every time Charles gazed at the house from the back seat, Kevin would also nce at it from the front. But after looking so many times, he still couldn¡¯t figure out what was special about the house. It was nothingpared to Yates Manor. But today, as soon as he nced back, he saw a sh of panic in Charles¡¯s eyes. Charles¡¯s hand went to the door handle, looking ready to step out. Kevin reached quickly for an umbre, but before he could take it, Charles let go of the handle. He stayed in the car. The wind is howling and the rain is pouring. I¡¯m not even sure this umbre would help. I was worried Mr. Yates would get soaked, so it¡¯s a good thing he stayed in the car, Kevin thought, feeling a sense of relief. Both Alicia and Tiffany were brought under the poolside sunshade. Maria wrapped her own shawl around Tiffany, her eyes red with worry. ¡°My precious Tiffany, are you all right?¡± Hugh rushed inside and called out to the kitchen staff, ¡°Prepare some ginger tea, now. Make sure it¡¯s hot and strong. We need it right away.¡± Andrew gently patted Tiffany¡¯s back. ¡°Tiffany, sweetheart, did you swallow water? Try to cough and get it all out. Just take your time and breathe.¡± Archie watched anxiously, rubbing Tiffany¡¯s hands to warm them. Even Henry looked on with concern, gently brushing the wet hair away from Tiffany¡¯s forehead and tucking it behind her car. As for Alicia, only Adam remained by her side. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked with concern, ¡°My clothes are soaked too. Can you walk? If not, wait here. I¡¯ll get you a nket to keep warm.¡± With that, he hurried toward the house. AD Comment Send gift No Ads Luxurious 5 Alicia instinctively nced toward the door. The car was still there, but she couldn¡¯t see inside the car or tell if Charles had seen what happened. ¡®Why hasn¡¯t he gotten out? How else can I show him the brooch? Should I go over there myself?¡¯ Thinking this, she struggled to her feet. She also saw Adam had thoughtfully brought her backpack and ced it beside her. So she picked it up and turned to leave. Noticing Alicia was about to leave, Henry frowned, stepped forward, and blocked her way. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± ¡°Leaving,¡± Alicia replied, her voice cold and distant, her gaze fixed somewhere beyond Henry. She showed no intention to exin or stay. ¡°Leaving? You pushed Tiffany into the water. She¡¯s freezing, and you won¡¯t even stay to take care of her? Is that how a sister should act?¡± Henry¡¯s voice was sharp with anger. Hearing his usation, Archie, Andrew, and Aaron all turned to re at Alicia, their faces full of agreement. Alicia was stunned. ¡®Did I hear that right? Has Henry lost his mind? Tiffany pushed me in, but no one cares about me. And now I¡¯m supposed to stay and take care of her?¡¯ Then she realized she should not be surprised at all. In her past life, her so-called boyfriend had always taken Tiffany¡¯s side without question. She had argued with him about it, but he said Tiffany once saved his life. He even asked Alicia to help Tiffany more, so she could repay that debt for him. Every time she and Tiffany had a conflict, all Tiffany had to do was cry and act like the victim in front of Henry. Then he would immediately me Alicia for being ungrateful. He even used to say, ¡°If Tiffany hadn¡¯t saved me back then, you wouldn¡¯t have such a good boyfriend like me now.¡± So Alicia ended up having to repay the debt he owed Tiffany. Alicia could never forget the most painful memory. In her past life, after the Lawrence family had locked her up, she managed to escape once. With nowhere else to turn, she ran to Henry, sure that he would help her. Instead, he called her vicious and handed her straight back to them. To this day, Alicia still remembered his words clearly. ¡°Alicia, how can I have such a cruel girlfriend? Are you trying to ruin Tiffany? She¡¯s an inte famous artist now. If you stop painting for her, what is she supposed to do? She¡¯ll be torn apart online and face terrible cyberbullying. She¡¯s your sister. How could you do that to her?¡± Hearing those words at the time, her heart felt as if it had been torn apart. She broke up with him and tried to leave, but he had his people stop her. In the end, he dragged her back to the Lawrence family himself. As the memories rushed back, Alicia lost all patience for being polite to Henry. She said coldly, ¡°Tiffany and I both fell in the water, but all that water must have flooded your stupid brain, Henry.¡± It was the first time anyone had ever called Henry stupid. His face darkened. ¡°You were jealous of Tiffany, so pushed her into the water. And now she might catch a cold. Don¡¯t you think you should stay and look after her?¡± ¡°Did you actually see me push her? And what is there to be jealous of? Her ugly face? Herck of talent?¡± Alicia shot back mockingly. Tiffany¡¯s face twisted in anger at Alicia¡¯s words. ¡®Fine. The more angrily Alicia acts, the more Mom, Dad, my brothers, and even Henry will take my side. People always pity the weak one. And Alicia is too stupid to y the victim. She gently wiped the water from her face with a pitiful expression, her voice soft, ¡°Alicia, I know you¡¯re upset with me, but please don¡¯t take it out on Henry. He just feels sorry for me.¡± Wrapped in Maria¡¯s shawl and leaning into Aaron, she looked fragile and heartbreakingly vulnerable. Hearing Tiffany defend him even now, Henry looked at her with tenderness, and then turned sharply to Alicia. ¡°You could learn a thing or two from Tiffany.¡± Alicia had had enough. She raised her hand and pped Henry across the face. ¡°Learn from her? You want me to learn how to be a two-faced hypocrite? Get out of my way. Go be with your little faker. We¡¯re done.¡± Henry never saw iting. The p left him stunned. Tiffany was startled by Alicia¡¯s outburst, but secretly pleased. ¡°This will only make Henry hate her even more. She probably doesn¡¯t even realize who he is. Henry is from the Yates family, and he is Charles¡¯s nephew. A sly gleam flickered in Tiffany¡¯s eyes as she rushed to defend Henry. ¡°Alicia, how could you hit him? If you¡¯re mad at me, hit me instead. Don¡¯t take it out on Henry.¡± Alicia ignored Tiffany and walked straight toward the door. Henry finally snapped out of it. He touched his stinging cheek, his jaw tight with anger. ¡°Alicia, have you lost your mind? How dare you hit me? Listen. If you don¡¯t stay and take care of Tiffany today, I will never forgive you.¡± Alicia sneered inwardly. ¡®What a self-centered jerk.¡¯ Without looking back, she reached the main gate and pushed open the wrought iron door. Adam came out with a nket just in time to see Alicia leaving. He grabbed an umbre, rushed after her, and wrapped the nket around her shoulders. ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? find~novel ¡°What are you doing out here? You¡¯re still soaked. Come back inside with me. You need to change and have some ginger tea, or you¡¯ll catch a cold,¡± Adam said. Alicia looked quietly at Adam, digging through her memories of him from her past life. Back then, he rarely came home, but whenever he did, he always brought her a gift. Later, after Tiffany started pretending to be bullied every time he visited, the gifts slowly stopped. Alicia thought to herself, ¡°Today is Adam¡¯s first time back since Tiffany returned. She probably didn¡¯t have time to put on her act before I left. That¡¯s why he doesn¡¯t hate me like the rest. We did grow up together. But so what? In the end, he still hurt me in my past life¡¯ ¡°Go take care of your real sister,¡± Alicia said coldly. ¡°I don¡¯t need your concern. Keep your nket and your umbre. I don¡¯t want anything from the Lawrence family.¡± When Adam saw her push the umbre and nket away, he said, ¡°Alicia, I know you¡¯re upset that Mom and Dad made you paint for Tiffany. They were wrong to do that. I¡¯ll talk to them.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± Alicia said, looking at him. ¡°And you won¡¯t change their minds anyway.¡± If it were that easy to persuade them, she wouldn¡¯t have suffered so much in her past life. Besides, she was sure Adam would soon be swayed by his parents, his brothers, and Tiffany. At her words, Adam nced back. He saw his parents and brothers all crowded around Tiffany, fussing over her with worry. Then he looked at Alicia, who was also soaking wet but alone. A pang of guilt hit him. He knew convincing his parents to stop making Alicia paint for Tiffany would not be easy. ¡°If you¡¯re set on leaving, I won¡¯t stop you. But take these and this card. He pressed the umbre and nket into Alicia¡¯s arms, then took a bank card from his pocket and held it out to her. ¡°There¡¯s some money on it. Use this for now. I¡¯ll send more each month. Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let you suffer¡± As he spoke, he reached up to brush the wet hair from Alicia¡¯s face. Luxurious 6 But Alicia stepped back, avoiding Adam¡¯s hand. Her voice stayed cold. ¡°Thank you, but I don¡¯t need it. Keep your money and your concern for someone who does.¡± Just as she was about to push everything back to Adam, Archie¡¯s angry voice carried over. ¡°Adam, what are you doing? Tiffany fell in the water. Why aren¡¯t you over here looking after her? What¡¯s so important out there?¡± Adam nced back inside and met Tiffany¡¯s tearful, pleading eyes. She looked truly hurt. After all, she was his real sister. He couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for her. He turned quickly to Alicia. ¡°Just take these, Alicia. Rent yourself a decent ce, and let me know where you end up. I have to go.¡± With that, Adam turned and hurried back inside. Following Hugh¡¯s order, a servant soon came and closed the gate. Adam walked over to Tiffany and asked with concern, ¡°Tiffany, are you all right?¡± She clutched her chest, coughing violently without a word. Andrew grew angry and raised his voice. ¡°Adam, Tiffany fell into the water and you know she has a weak constitution. You are a doctor, but you wasted time chasing after that ungrateful girl instead of checking on your real sister. Do you even care about Tiffany?¡± Adam frowned. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you taken Tiffany inside yet? You know she fell into the water. Why keep her out here in the cold wind? She could catch a chill.¡± Andrew grew even angrier. ¡°We tried to carry her inside, but every time we touched her, she gasped for air like she couldn¡¯t breathe. We didn¡¯t dare move her again.¡± Adam turned to look at Tiffany. As a doctor, her condition did not seem serious to him. ¡°Tiffany,¡± he asked, ¡°are you really unable to move?¡± Hearing Adam¡¯s skeptical tone, Tiffany burned with anger. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with Adam? When I fell in, he didn¡¯te to save me. Instead, he went to help Alicia. And now he¡¯s questioning me? Is this really my brother? I¡¯ll make sure he learns the lesson. She looked up weakly, her eyes shining with tears. ¡°Adam, do you not like me? Do you think I¡¯ve been stealing from Alicia since I came back?¡± Tears started to fall as she spoke. ¡°I never wanted to take anything from her, or make her leave. I¡¯m sorry. I never should havee back. I should have just died out there long ago. It¡¯s all my fault. I made Alicia unhappy, and now I¡¯ve upset you too.¡± She spoke between sobs, looking fragile enough to copse at any moment. Seeing Tiffany so upset, Hugh, Maria, and the other Lawrence brothers all turned their angry stares toward Adam. Aaron snapped, ¡°Adam, what is wrong with you? Have you forgotten Tiffany is our real sister? Why are you taking that Alicia¡¯s side instead of caring for your own family?¡± Andrew added, ¡°Adam, you¡¯ve been away too long. You have no idea how kind and timid Tiffany really is. All she has ever done is try to fit in, while Alicia has done nothing but bully her since day one.¡± Archie chimed in, ¡°Exactly. Adam, you don¡¯t even know what really happened, and yet you¡¯re making Tiffany feel guilty? That¡¯s not right. She deserves better from her own brother.¡± Adam was dumbfounded. ¡°What? I didn¡¯t even do anything.¡± He stood therepletely bewildered. I haven¡¯t done anything wrong. I just asked her, as a doctor, if she really couldn¡¯t move. Since when is that such a terrible sin?¡¯ Maria couldn¡¯t stand to see Tiffany so upset any longer. She raised her hand and pped Adam across the face. ¡°You ungrateful child! The first thing you do when youe home is make your sister cry? Get out of my sight, and don¡¯t you daree back.¡± Adam opened his mouth to exin, but Hugh cut him off impatiently. ¡°What else is there to say? Hurry up and find a way to carry your sister inside. It¡¯s windy and raining out here. She¡¯ll only get worse if we dy.¡± Adam feltpletely wronged, but he could not say another word. Seeing Adam¡¯s frustration, Tiffany smirked inwardly. ¡®Serves you right for helping Alicia.¡¯ Still not satisfied, she held out her hand to him. ¡°Adam, will you carry me inside? Aaron, Andrew, and Archie aren¡¯t doctors. They don¡¯t know how to hold me properly. I could hardly breathe,¡± she spoke in a pitiful, wounded tone. Then, with her head lowered, she added softly, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, it¡¯s okay. I can walk by myself.¡± She tried to stand up, but the moment she moved, she started gasping for air, looking as though she might stop breathing any second. Under heavy pressure, Adam had no choice but to bend down and lift Tiffany into his arms. Her years away had clearly taken a toll. She was painfully thin for a twenty-year-old, her body so underdeveloped that she could have passed for fifteen or sixteen. After all, Tiffany was his biological sister. Adam couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of pity for her. He held her a little tighter and said, ¡°I¡¯ll help you regain your health. You¡¯ll feel better soon.¡± As her anger finally ebbed away, Tiffany softened her tone. ¡°Thank you, Adam,¡± she said. Adam carried Tiffany towards the house, and the entire family swarmed around them, following closely until they were all swallowed up by the warmth inside. Tiffany savored the attention. ¡°This is the life I was meant to have. Alicia stole what wasdy was supposed to be me, not her.¡¯ rightfully mine. This proper young The injustice burned inside Tiffany. ¡®I¡¯ll make Alicia pay. I won¡¯t be satisfied until she suffers so much that she¡¯d rather be dead.¡¯ Kevin watched the entire scene unfold from the car outside the Lawrence house. He nced cautiously toward the back seat and froze. There sat Charles, a man known for his icyposure and merciless demeanor. And he was smiling, a faint but unmistakable curve softening his lips. Kevin felt like he had seen a ghost. He pinched his thigh hard. The sharp pain confirmed this was no dream. ¡®Mr. Yates is actually smiling. But why is he smiling? His own nephew just got pped, and he¡¯s amused? Did that whole Lawrence family drama actually entertain him?¡¯ Kevin was totally confused. Then he checked the time and realized they had already been parked here much longer than usual. A chill of panic shot through him. ¡®Crap, I got so distracted by the drama that I forgot to drive! So he asked cautiously, ¡°Mr. Yates, shall we head off now?¡± ¡°Wait a little longer,¡± Charles replied, his voice clear and cold, cutting through the quiet interior of the car. His eyes remained fixed on the scene outside, unwavering and intent. Kevin breathed a sigh of relief. At least he wasn¡¯t being scolded for wasting time here. But then he was a bit surprised. ¡®Mr. Yates told me to wait? Does he actually want to see what happens next? Is there a secret gossip lover hidden under that icy shell?¡¯ Charles had no idea what Kevin was thinking. If he had, he might have dryly remarked, ¡°You have quite the imagination.¡± ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? ?ovelFind Kevin kept watching Charles closely, but Charles¡¯s attention remained entirely fixed on the girl who had just left the Lawrence house. AD Comment Send gift No Ads Luxurious 7 Charles watched Alicia step out, her figure drawing closer. On instinct, he looked away, not wanting to be caught staring. But he couldn¡¯t help himself. His eyes kept drifting back, stealing glimpses of Alicia from the corner of his eyes. As Alicia drew closer to the car, Charles felt a bit nervous. He sat stiffly in the back seat, his hands clenched into tight fists. He even felt the urge to check his reflection, worried he might not look put together enough. After all these years, his little girl had grown up, yet he had never actually spoken to her face to face. He had no idea what expression to wear when meeting her. None felt quite right. In the end, he could only keep his face nk and still. ***** In the end, Alicia kept the nket and umbre. She had no intention of suffering needlessly in the heavy rain, especially with her clothes soaked and her stomach aching. Wrapping the nket around herself and opening the umbre, Alicia walked steadily toward Charles¡¯s car. ¡®I must look utterly pitiful right now, she thought. The rain was pouring down, but Alicia knew Charles was a cold-hearted man. He wouldn¡¯t offer sympathy easily. Her only chance was to make sure he saw the brooch. That was the only way to change what happened in her past life. Gathering her courage, she walked up to the car and tapped lightly on the window. Kevin waspletely shocked that she hade over to knock. Unsure whether to roll down the window, he instinctively nced Updates are released by FindN()vel toward the back seat. Charles stared straight ahead, his body tense in the back seat, his face still unreadable. ¡®Does Mr. Yates hate this girl?¡¯ Kevin wondered. ¡®He was smiling a moment ago, but now he¡¯s stiff as a statue. So he quickly offered, ¡°Should I get out and send her away?¡± Charles shot Kevin a cold nce, his voice dropping to an icy tone. ¡°Send her away?¡± Kevin shrank back under Charles¡¯s icy stare. ¡°Mr. Yates, she really does look pitiful. She only tapped on the window and hasn¡¯t done anything wrong. She¡¯s just a young girl with nothing left. We can¡¯t just run her over, right?¡± Charles¡¯s expression turned even colder. ¡°Run her over? Who do you intend to run over?¡± Kevin stammered, ¡°I don¡¯t want to run anyone over, Mr. Yates. I just think she looks so pitiful.¡± His voice faded under Charles¡¯s stern look and frosty tone. ¡®I never should have felt sorry for her,¡¯ Kevin thought. Finally, he asked outright, ¡°What would you like me to do with her, Mr. Yates?¡± Charles said tly, his gaze fixed ahead and his posture unmoving, ¡°Let her in.¡± His tone left no room for debate, cold and absolute. Kevin¡¯s eyes widened in shock. He stared nkly for a moment,pletely caught off guard. ¡°What?¡± he ????? finally managed, the word slipping out in a stunned whisper. Charles turned his cold eyes toward Kevin, his voice low and cutting. ¡°Your hearing is failing. It seems this job no longer suits you.¡± Kevin swallowed hard and rushed to answer, ¡°Mr. Yates, no, no. I heard you perfectly clearly.¡± He quickly reached to open the door. Charles¡¯s voice came anxiously from the back, ¡°Be careful when you open the door. Don¡¯t hit her.¡± Kevin opened the door, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead. He grabbed an umbre, stepped out of the car, and offered a strained smile to Alicia. ¡°Miss Lawrence, how can I help you?¡± Alicia saw only Kevin had stepped out. ¡®Still not the one I need to show the brooch to. Do I have to get in the car myself? Fine, I¡¯ll go in. Mr. Yates hates when strangers chat him up. I¡¯ll just act like I don¡¯t know whose car this is. Not sure if it¡¯ll work, but I have to try.¡¯ Clenching her teeth, she forced herself to calm down, making sure she looked as helpless as possible. Her eyes shone with panic. ¡°Sir, my family just threw me out. I need to get to the city center, but there are no cars around. Could I get a ride with you?¡± Kevin hesitated. ¡®Mr. Yates only said to let her in, not to give her a ride. Am I even allowed to say yes?¡¯ He stayed silent, unsure how to respond. Alicia¡¯s heart raced. ¡®Did he see through my act? That can¡¯t be. In two of my past lives, I was an actress. I even won Best Actress. ying a helpless girl shouldn¡¯t be hard for me, right?¡¯ Just as neither spoke, Charles¡¯s cold voice came from inside the car, his words slightly gritted. ¡°Let her in.¡± When Alicia heard that voice, a shiver ran through her. It wasn¡¯t the typical ¡°deep, rumbling baritone¡± she had read about in novels. It was younger than that, steady andpelling, full of raw masculine charm, exactly the kind of voice she liked. But there was a sharp edge of impatience in his tone. After lingering on the sound for a moment, Alicia suddenly became worried. ¡®Did I annoy him? Maybe I should back out. What do I do now. Should I find another way?¡¯ Kevin understood immediately what that grittedmand meant. ¡®Mr. Yates hates repeating himself and he has just said that twice. So Kevin quickly urged Alicia, ¡°Get in, hurry. Look how hard it¡¯s raining out here.¡± He walked around to open the front passenger door, thinking to himself, ¡®I can¡¯t let a young girl sit next to Mr. Yates, right?¡¯ But the moment he pulled open the front passenger door, Charles spoke again from the back. ¡°We¡¯re picking someone upter. He gets carsick. He needs the front seat.¡± Kevin froze for a moment,pletely baffled. ¡°We¡¯re picking someone upter?¡± He didn¡¯t remember such arrangement had been made. Charles shot him a cold nce and responded with a low, dismissive ¡°Mm¡±. Kevin was utterly bewildered. He had no idea who they could possibly be picking upter. It would never have crossed his mind that his respected, almost god-like Mr. Yates had just told the first lie of his life, just to make sure the girl sat beside him. Kevin quickly closed the front passenger door, then rushed to the back seat, pulled open the door, and said to Alicia, ¡°Miss Lawrence, please get in.¡± Alicia felt nervous, but she forced herself to stay calm as she got in. She had nned to greet the person inside casually, pretending she didn¡¯t know who he was. But the moment she saw his face, she lost all her He was strikingly handsome, his features sharp as if sculpted by a master¡¯s hand. With a straight nose, lightly pressed thin lips, and deep eyes that seemed to hold the whole universe, he drew people in with a single look. Mostpelling was his aura, both rxed and distant. Alicia had heard countless tales of Charles¡¯s power and ruthlessness, but no one had ever mentioned he was this handsome. She frozepletely. ¡®I¡¯m not usually one to care about looks, so why has this man left me speechless twice in one day?¡¯ She tried to steady herself faint smile, and gave a slight nod toward Charles. Luxurious 8 At the sight of Alicia¡¯s gentle smile and bright eyes, Charles felt his heart lurch. Clenching his fists, he managed only a slight nod before turning to stare out the window. No one noticed, however, that the tips of his ears had turned bright red. Alicia watched Charles cast her only a faint nce before turning to stare outside. ¡®He really is as cold and distant as everyone says,¡¯ she thought. She dropped her gaze. ¡®If I can¡¯t start a conversation, I¡¯ll just show him the brooch straight out!¡¯ So she turned to Kevin, her voice soft, ¡°Sir, my coat¡¯s still damp and dripping. I¡¯m really sorry about getting your car wet. I¡¯ll take it off right away, and I¡¯ll cover the car washter.¡± As she spoke, she pulled off the nket wrapped around her and took off her outer coat. When the brooch came into view, she finally let out a quiet sigh of relief. She stole another nce at Charles. He was still looking out the window, ignoring herpletely. ¡®How can I get him to notice the brooch? Should I fake losing my bnce and lean into him? That feels too cheap. Even though I¡¯ve acted this out as an actress in my previous lives, I just can¡¯t do it in real life. Just as she was struggling to find a way to show Charles the brooch, a clean white towel was suddenly offered to her. She froze, her eyes tracing from the towel up to the hand holding it. It was long and well-shaped, yet slightly calloused, with a few faint scars. Seeing Alicia hesitate to take the towel, Charles kept his hand extended, his expression calm but his steady. ¡°Dry your hair,¡± he said, his voice low yet clear. ¡°It¡¯s still dripping.¡± gaze Alicia quickly reached out and took the towel. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said softly. She began drying her hair gently, stealing nces at Charles from the corner of her eye. After handing her the towel, he had taken out his phone and started scrolling, still not noticing the brooch on her chest. Panic began to set in. ¡®Can he not see it? But where else should I put the brooch if not on my chest? Or is my chest too t? If it were bigger, maybe he would look this way!¡¯ She suddenly wished she had padded her bra a little. She straightened her back subtly, lifting her chest a little, but Charles still didn¡¯t nce over. Finally, she spoke up, ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve dried my hair. Would you like me to wash the towel and return it, or would you prefer I buy you a new one?¡± Charles finally turned his head. His eyes fell on the brooch and darkened instantly, but he quickly looked away, pretending not to have noticed. Alicia lifted her chest slightly and edged closer to him without a sound. Watching her move, Charles couldn¡¯t help but twitch the corner of his mouth. ¡®Is she trying to show me the brooch? Does she recognize who I am?¡¯ When he still didn¡¯t ask about it, Alicia could wait no longer. She pulled the brooch off her chest, gently wiped it with her fingers, and muttered under her breath, ¡°It¡¯s all wet from the rain.¡± Charles watched her deliberate movements with a hint of helplessness. He wasn¡¯t ready to bring up the brooch with her yet. Alicia¡¯s fingers grew stiff from wiping. She was growing nervous. After all, she knew very little about the brooch, only what Tiffany had bragged about in her past life. If Charles started asking questions, she was sure to slip up. Noticing her stiff movements, Charles frowned. ¡®She doesn¡¯t seem to recognize me. She isn¡¯t using the brooch to im a connection. If anything, she looks afraid. But why?¡¯ He kept his eyes on her and asked, ¡°Are you afraid of me?¡± ¡®Of course I¡¯m afraid. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll see right through me, afraid all this will be for nothing, afraid you¡¯ll end up backing Tiffany again.¡¯ Alicia replied in her heart. She lowered her eyes, her longshes hiding the panic in her gaze. ¡°Your car rides so smoothly. It must be expensive. And these leather seats, will they be ruined if they get wet? I don¡¯t have much money to pay for damages.¡± She used her poverty to cover her guilt. Hearing this, Charles knew she wasn¡¯t telling the truth, but he was impressed that she noticed how smoothly his car rode. Most women would dismiss his modest-looking car without a second thought, let alone appreciate its subtle qualities. His car was a modified version of amon model. It looked ordinary, but every internal part had been upgraded to top tier specs. The leather seats needed careful maintenance every few weeks and could not get wet. But he would never let Alicia feel worried about it. ¡°It¡¯s just ordinary leather,¡± he said. ¡°A little water won¡¯t damage it.¡± Kevin¡¯s lips twitched when he heard that. ¡®Good grief, he calls this ordinary? These seats cost a fortune and one drop of water could ruin them.¡¯ Then he realized something. ¡®Mr. Yates smiled again just now. Does he actually like Miss Lawrence?¡¯ Kevin felt as if he had uncovered the secret of the universe, swelling with pride at his own sharpness. But his moment of pride was short-lived. After a brief pause, he asked, ¡°Mr. Yates, where are we heading to pick up your friend?¡± At the question, Charles¡¯s gaze cut toward him like a de. Kevin shivered under the look, realizing he had spoken out of turn. ¡°No one needs to pick anyone up,¡± Charles replied tly. Kevin was baffled. ¡®Now we don¡¯t need to go? And why is he looking at me like that?¡¯ But he wasn¡¯t slow. It dawned on him. ¡®Did Mr. Yates ever really have a friend to pick up? Or did he make it up just to have Miss Lawrence sit beside him? But does she even know how he feels?¡¯ Kevin nced at Alicia instinctively and froze. ¡®Why is Miss Lawrence giving me such a cold, sharp look too? Does she also like Mr. Yates? Is she annoyed I interrupted them?¡¯ In fact, Alicia was annoyed by the interruption, not because she liked Charles, but because she had finally started talking to him and was so close to getting him to notice the brooch. ¡®Now that we¡¯re interrupted, when can we get back to the brooch again? I can¡¯t just keep wiping it again and again. That would be way too obvious.¡¯ Aliciained secretly. Charles watched Alicia shoot Kevin a resentful look. ¡®She must be upset he interrupted her n to show me the brooch. She¡¯s clearly determined to make me notice it today. Fine. If that¡¯s what she wants, I¡¯ll y along.¡¯ So he said, ¡°That¡¯s a nice brooch you¡¯re wearing.¡± Hearing this, Alicia felt as if she had heard an angel speak. ¡®Finally, he mentioned the brooch!¡¯ Her spirits lifted at once. She looked up and offered Charles a soft smile. ¡°This brooch¡­¡± Chapter Y ???? ????s? ???????s ?? Find[?]ovel Luxurious 9 55 vouchers Suddenly, Alicia found herself at a loss for a story about the brooch. ¡®The more I say, the more I might slip up. If I lie too much, he¡¯ll see right through me. After a moment¡¯s thought, she decided to stick to the truth. ¡°I¡¯m not even sure where this brooch came from. It has always been in my drawer, like something I¡¯ve had since childhood. When I was kicked out, I didn¡¯t have much to take. Since it has been with me since I was little, I brought it along, thinking maybe I could sell it if I ever ran out of money.¡± Charles watched her intently as she spoke, and her heart raced with anxiety. She was terrified that one wrong move would send this influential man straight back to Tiffany. Only when she finished did Charles finally respond, ¡°Since you¡¯re willing to sell the brooch, I¡¯ll buy it. I feel drawn to it.¡± Alicia froze. This was nothing like her past life. Back then, when Tiffany got the brooch, Charles saw her as his savior and became her backer. But now, with Alicia holding it, he wanted to buy it back. ¡®So it all depends on who you are,¡¯ she thought, a faint disappointment lingering in her heart. But after a few seconds, she quickly let it go. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter. As long as he doesn¡¯t help Tiffany, that¡¯s enough. I can avenge myself on my own. I don¡¯t need to rely on anyone else.¡¯ She held out the brooch to him and said, ¡°Since you feel drawn to it, I¡¯ll just give it to you. Thank you for giving me a ride today. This can be the fare.¡± Get full chapters from f¦É?dn¦Ïvel She looked out the window. They had already left the vi district and entered a busy street. She could easily catch a taxi from here, and the car could pull over nearby. ¡°I¡¯ll get off here,¡± she said, then turned to Kevin. ¡°Sir, could you please pull over?¡± Charles reached out and took the brooch from Alicia. ¡°If this is the fare, then I owe you a ride to your destination. Where would you like to go?¡± Alicia froze for a moment. She had no idea where to go. After leaving the Lawrence family, she had no home to return to. She wanted to go back to the ce where she had lived with Richard, but twelve years had passed. That neighborhood was probably gone by now. She couldn¡¯t think of a single ce she could go to. ¡®Maybe I should rent somewhere, but where should I even look?¡¯ She looked out the window and noticed a rental agency right outside. She was about to ask Kevin to stop there when a sharp pain suddenly stabbed her stomach. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead as she clutched her abdomen, suddenly unable to speak. As a child, she had often gone hungry, leaving her with a weak stomach. Later, with Richard¡¯s care, she was much better for a time. But after joining the Lawrence family, her eating habits became irregr again, and her old stomach problems returned. Recently, forced to paint for Tiffany, she had barely eaten, surviving on just two pieces of bread a day. Now her stomach was rebelling. 55 vouchers She held her stomach, waiting for the pain to ease. Just as she was about to speak, she heard Charles ask, a hint of worry in his voice, ¡°Your stomach hurts again?¡± Alicia nodded, missing the key word ¡°again¡±, which seemed to show he had already known about her stomach issues. Charles frowned deeply and turned to Kevin, ¡°Take us to the hospital.¡± Kevin hesitated, a worried look crossing his face. ¡°But Mr. Yates,¡± he said cautiously, ¡°we¡¯re already more than ten minuteste today.¡± He nced nervously toward the rearview mirror, unsure how his reminder would be received. When Alicia heard this, she quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ll just get off here. Thank you both for today.¡± With that, she reached for the car door handle. Suddenly, a long, slender hand pressed down on hers. The calluses on his palm were a little rough, but his touch was dry and warm. ¡°Go to the hospital,¡± he insisted, looking at her. Surprised, Alicia looked up and met his deep eyes. It felt like she was about to sink into those eyes. She was unable to say a single word of refusal. Charles¡¯s voice turned even colder, sharp with authority, as he addressed Kevin, ¡°Take us to the hospital now.¡± Startled, Kevin quickly turned the car around. ***** By the time they reached the hospital, Alicia was in so much pain that she could barely stay conscious. ¡®This stomachache is worse than usual,¡¯ she thought dazedly. After being carried out of the car, she fainted. When she woke up again, she was lying in a clean, soft white bed. Alicia stared nkly for a moment. It wasn¡¯t until she looked up and saw Kevin that she realized she had fainted from a stomachache. ¡°Sir,¡± she called out. Kevin was just telling a young woman nearby something. When he heard Alicia¡¯s voice, he hurried over with a smile. ¡°Miss Lawrence, you¡¯re awake?¡± Alicia offered a faint, grateful smile. ¡°Yes,¡± she said softly, her eyes tired but sincere. ¡°Thank you for bringing me to the hospital.¡± ¡°It was nothing,¡± Kevin replied, looking somewhat awkward. He had been reluctant to take her to the hospital earlier. It was Mr. Yates who had insisted. Now, receiving her thanks, Kevin felt he didn¡¯t deserve it. He cleared his throat and asked, ¡°Miss Lawrence, are you feeling any other difort? Should I call the doctor for you?¡± Alicia sat up slowly, her movements weak but deliberate. ¡°No, I¡¯m alright,¡± she said. ¡°I just need some medicine, then I can be on my way.¡± ¡°Lie down.¡± A cold voice cut in from the doorway. Startled, Alicia slipped back under the covers. 55 VoucheTS Then a yfulugh followed. ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought our Charles would fall for such a sweetheart?¡± Alicia pulled the covers up to her eyes, peeking out at the two men entering the room. One was Charles. The other was a stranger with a yful, almost flirtatious look in his eyes. Charles shot the man a cold re, a clear warning in his eyes. The man touched his nose, cleared his throat, and walked over to Alicia. He held out his hand to Alicia and introduced himself, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Harvey Johnson, Charles¡¯s friend.¡± Alicia recognized the name. She had never met him in her past life, but the Lawrence family had mentioned him countless times. He was a doctor at Maplewood General Hospital, where Adam also worked. They were known as the ¡°Maplewood Duo,¡± though in reality, they were rivals. Both Harvey and Adam were chief physicians in internal medicine, locked in a fierce rivalry. Two yearster, Harvey made a critical error during surgery that resulted in a patient¡¯s death, ending his medical career. Then Adam became the top doctor in Maplewood General¡¯s internal medicine department and sailed smoothly ever after. But Alicia knew a secret. That medical ident had been set up by the Lawrence family. They had framed Harvey to clear the way for Adam. She remembered how Harvey had been brutally beaten by the patient¡¯s family back then. They had even struck his head with a brick. Yet he stoodpletely still, as if he had already given up on life. His look of despair and self-doubt had stayed with Alicia for a long time. Yearster, she wore that same expression herself. She knew that despair, the kind that made them surrenderpletely. She knew it all too well. It was the feeling of a heart turning cold. The memory stirred a flicker of sympathy in Alicia, even a sense of shared suffering. She was about to sit up and shake Harvey¡¯s hand when Charles suddenly took Harvey¡¯s arm. ¡°Come outside with me,¡± he said. ¡°We need to talk.¡± Luxurious 10 Harvey winked yfully at Alicia, a charming, slightly roguish smile spreading across his face. ¡°I¡¯lle check on youter, sweetie,¡± he said in a light, flirtatious tone, before turning to follow Charles out. Alicia¡¯s lips twitched, her expression a mix of amusement and disbelief. ¡®Who does this guy think he is? Sweetie? We¡¯re not that close.¡¯ When Kevin saw Charles and Harvey leave, he turned to Alicia and said, ¡°Miss Lawrence, this is Brooke O¡¯Hara. She¡¯s your personal caregiver, arranged to assist you throughout your hospital stay.¡± Alicia was taken aback. ¡®Why did they hire a caregiver for me?¡¯ She waved her hand dismissively. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine with just some medicine. I don¡¯t need to stay in the hospital, and I certainly don¡¯t need a caregiver.¡± But Kevin ignored her protests. He turned to Brooke and said, ¡°Miss Lawrence has a stomach condition. You¡¯re a professional. I believe you know how to care for her properly.¡± Brooke immediately broke into a warm, confident smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sir,¡± she replied in a calm and reassuring tone. ¡°I know exactly how to care for her.¡± Satisfied, Kevin gave a brief nod, then turned to Alicia. ¡°Please rest well, Miss Lawrence. I¡¯ll be going now.¡± With that, he quickly made his way toward the door. Outside the ward, Charles released Harvey¡¯s arm, his gaze icy and unwavering. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about hitting on her,¡± he warned, his voice low and leaving no room for argument. ¡°Huh? Who?¡± Harvey asked, feigning innocence as he rubbed his sore wrist. ¡°Seriously, man,¡± he continued wrist.¡± with a pained grin, ¡°why are you so strong? You nearly broke my ¡°Don¡¯t make me say it again,¡± Charles said, his voice dropping to a dangerous calm. His eyes narrowed slightly, leaving no doubt he meant every word. ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯ll send you straight home to take over the family business.¡± Kevin, who had just reached the door, froze in ce. ¡®Is he really using the family business as a threat? But most people would fight tooth and nail for that chance. He didn¡¯t dare step out, afraid he might hear more shocking things. Harvey raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh? So you¡¯ve got your eye on that girl? I didn¡¯t know you like the sweetheart type. I thought you preferred someone bold and straightforward like Isolde. So how far have you gotten? Let me tell you, with women, you¡¯ve got to win their body before you win their heart. You-¡± ¡°Shut up. Mind your own business,¡± Charles cut Harvey off, his eyes sharp with a serious warning. ¡°In short, don¡¯t mess with her. And this isn¡¯t a suggestion.¡± Harvey held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. ¡°Alright, alright. She¡¯s yours. I won¡¯ty a finger on her.¡± Charles had just withdrawn his icy stare when Harvey leaned in again with a yful grin. ¡°I can still be her friend though, right?¡± Charles¡¯s eyes turned cold again. Harvey coughed lightly and said, ¡°Really, just friends. I won¡¯t lead her astray.¡± Charles simply stared back in silence. Intimidated by that look, Harvey coughed again and quickly gave in. ¡°Fine, fine. No friends either. Got it.¡± Only then did Charles speak, his tone low and his gaze still intense. ¡°Can her stomach problem bepletely cured?¡± he asked, his expression serious but worried. Harvey¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡°Hold on. When you asked me earlier if chronic stomach issues could be fully cured, were you talking about this girl? No way. Have you been interested in her that long? Just who is she?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ask questions that don¡¯t concern you,¡± Charles said coldly, his voice dropping to a warning tone and his eyes narrowing slightly. ¡°Okay,¡± Harvey replied, his tone noticeably t. ¡°Like I said before, her stomach problem is due to irregr eating. The only real solution is careful nurturing over time. That¡¯s the most effective approach. Sure, you could go for a stomach transnt, but nothing works better than the original, right?¡± Charles gave a slight nod and ended the conversation with Harvey. Seeing his chance, Kevin, who had been lingering by the door, finally stepped out. ¡°Let¡¯s head back,¡± Charles said to Kevin. ******** As soon as both were in the car, Kevin started the engine without dy. Just then, his phone rang. He nced at the screen. It was Charles¡¯s father, Samuel Yates. He stole a quick look at Charles in the rearview mirror before answering. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you back yet?¡± Samuel¡¯s voice sounded annoyed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you leave thepany ages ago?¡± ¡°We¡¯re on the way now, sir. We ran into a small issue, but we¡¯ll be there within 30 minutes,¡± Kevin replied. Samuel¡¯s tone was sharp with disapproval. ¡°You¡¯re over an hourte today. As a driver, failing to keep to schedule is a failure in your duty. Do not let it happen again.¡± He hung up before Kevin could even respond. Kevin felt utterly helpless. I¡¯m just a driver. How am I supposed to stop Mr. Yates from doing whatever he wants? It¡¯s not like I can tell him what to do.¡¯ Noticing Kevin¡¯s bitter expression, Charles spoke calmly but firmly. ¡°From now on, you don¡¯t need to take those kinds of calls. You¡¯re my driver, my personal driver, not the family¡¯s. Is that clear?¡± Kevin froze for a moment, then a relieved smile spread across his face as he nodded eagerly. ¡°Understood, Mr. Yates.¡± The closer the car got to Yates Manor, the colder Charles¡¯s expression became. Kevin, who often stole nces at Charles during these returns, had initially thought his boss was simply detached person, someone who wore the same stern face even whening home. But today, Kevin realized Charles did have expressions and had even smiled today. Yet the closer they got to home, the darker Charles¡¯s mood seemed to be. ¡®He must really hateing back,¡¯ Kevin thought. Kevin knew a little about the situation. Charles Yates and his father Samuel Yates did not get along, and every return home put Charles in a foul mood. ¡®People say money solves everything, but the Yates have more than enough, and Mr. Yates is still unhappy. Goes to show every family has its problems, rich or poor. Kevin reflected inwardly. After Charles and the others left, Alicia finally took a proper look around the ward. It was a private room with a single hospital bed that was soft and warm. ???? ????s? ???????s ?? find¡¤novel Spacious at over 30 square meters, the room was furnished with a wardrobe, a coffee table, and a sofa. There was even a balcony with a small table and two matching chairs. A few magazines tucked neatly on the lower shelf of the table. This doesn¡¯t feel like a hospital room at all. It¡¯s more like a hotel suite, Alicia thought to herself. ¡®Can I even afford a ce like this?¡¯ She got up from the bed. Then she turned to Brooke, her expression resolute but polite. ¡°I¡¯ve decided to check out now. How much do you charge per day? I¡¯d like to settle the payment with you directly.¡± Brooke replied earnestly, ¡°Miss Lawrence, Mr. Quinn has already paid me for a full week. He instructed me to care for you for seven days, and Dr. Johnson also rmended you stay here that long due to a mild gastric ulcer.¡± ¡°Mr. Quinn, Alicia thought for a moment before realizing that must be Mr. Yates¡¯s driver. ¡®I don¡¯t even know him. How can I let him pay for me?¡¯ She cleared her throat gently and tried to negotiate with Brooke. ¡°Could you please return the payment to Mr. Quinn? I¡¯ll pay you for two extra days instead, and you won¡¯t need to care for me anymore. I¡¯m checking out now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Lawrence, but I can¡¯t do that,¡± Brooke exined patiently. ¡°I signed a contract with Mr. Quinn. Doing as you ask would mean breaking that agreement. Besides, I¡¯m responsible for making sure you remain here for the full week.¡± Alicia was left speechless. Feeling helpless, Alicia decided not to cause trouble for Brooke and agreed to stay for the time being. ¡®Anyway, I can repay Mr. Quinnter, she thought. Not wanting to lie in bed all day, she got up and began looking around for her backpack so she could check on her painting. Brooke immediately stepped forward and said warmly, ¡°Miss Lawrence, if you need anything at all, please allow me to get it for you. That¡¯s what I¡¯m here for.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s my backpack?¡± Alicia asked, ncing around the room with a slightly worried expression. ¡°I had it with me when I came in.¡± ¡°Right here,¡± Brooke replied. She opened the wardrobe and carefully took out the backpack, handing it to Alicia with a reassuring smile. ¡°I made sure to keep it safe for you.¡± Luxurious 11 Alicia picked up her bag-it waspletely dry. Unzipping it, she found every piece of clothing washed and warm from the dryer. Her brows lifted in surprise as her gaze slid toward Brooke. ¡°Your bag and clothes have all been cleaned and tumble-dried.¡± Brooke exined softly. Alicia reached straight for the roll of waxed paper inside. She unwrapped it carefully and spread the canvas across the bed. Most of it was intact, protected by the waxed paper. Only the edges had suffered-water had blurred the once-crisp mountain ridge, leaving the colors faint and pale. Brooke leaned closer, genuine pity in her tone. ¡°Such a gorgeous piece. What a shame about the edge.¡± Then she tilted her head, recognition sparking. ¡°Wait a second-this looks just like Sweetheart Queen¡¯s work! Miss Lawrence, where did you buy it? My dad¡¯s crazy about her. I wanted to get one for his birthdayst month, but she doesn¡¯t sell. I even messaged her once, and she replied that every painting was like her own child, with a soul of its own, and she could never sell her children. Artists, right? Brilliant and a little strange. Paint something this good and then just keep it locked up?¡± Brooke kept going, words tumbling out. ¡°Sweetheart Queen¡¯s blown uptely. Feels like everyone online is praising her. Collectors keep saying her work is an investment, that she¡¯s destined to be a great artist. Buy now, cash inter. Everyone¡¯s begging for her paintings¡ªsome even throwing out ridiculous offers.¡± Alicia turned her head, eyes narrowing, the corner of her gaze sharp as ss. Sweetheart Queen. Tiffany¡¯s username. That ridiculous, sugar-sweet handle had managed to take over the inte in just three short months. And every single painting behind it was hers. Alicia¡¯s. She had been churning out canvases like clockwork¡ª one every two, three days. The Lawrence family had spotted her talent early, but not to nurture it, only to drain it. Back then she was foolish enough to think they finally saw her worth, because they would only talk to her when they wanted another painting. Day after day, it was nothing but eat, sleep, and paint. And every finished piece was photographed, posted online under Tiffany¡¯s username. Only ny days, the Lawrence family had packaged Sweetheart Queen into a viral art darling. There had been countless offers, sky-high prices-and not a single sale. The Lawrence family wasn¡¯t holding back for nothing. They were crafting Tiffany¡¯s persona,ying the groundwork for her grand debut as Edward West¡¯s future disciple. This time, Alicia hadn¡¯t given Tiffany a new canvas. Which meant Tiffany would have nothing fresh to take to Edward West. The only cards left were those dozen paintings Alicia had burned through in the past three months. But they were already online. Old news. No spark. For original chapters go to f?ndnovel So the n was obvious. They would y the reveal-expose Tiffany as the real Sweetheart Queen. That identity was their leverage now. 65 vouchert, Alicia thought back. In herst life, Tiffany hadn¡¯t made it into Edward West¡¯s art studio during that round of recruitment. Only after her ¡°Sweetheart Queen¡± persona went public did she start circling closer to him. A yearter, she finally became his apprentice. This time, things had shifted. Alicia¡¯s return had forced their hand. They were moving the reveal up. Her lips curved, a cold edge hidden in the smile. Yes. Time Tiffany¡¯s mask came off. She turned to Brooke. ¡°These paintings, they¡¯ll be for sale.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Brooke¡¯s eyes widened, thrilled. ¡°Miss Lawrence, do you know Sweetheart Queen?¡± Before Alicia could answer, Brooke waved a hand at herself. ¡°Listen to me, asking something so dumb. Of course you know her-Sweetheart Queen¡¯s paintings are sitting right here. I believe you. I¡¯ll just wait until Dad¡¯s birthday next year and buy one for him.¡± Then, a little hesitantly, ¡°Next year¡­ will she sell?¡± ¡°She will.¡± Alicia gave a small nod. Edward West would be in Riverdale in a little over a week. It was time for the world to meet Sweetheart Queen. Brooke beamed, showering her with thanks until her phone buzzed. She excused herself, promising, ¡°Rest here, Miss Lawrence. I¡¯ll bring your dinner.¡± Alicia expected cafeteria food. Instead, Brooke returned with twocquered boxes, the kind stamped with the crest of Noble Leaf Bistro. Noble Leaf Bistro wasn¡¯t big, but it was infamous. The owner was entric-every morning he picked a number between one and a hundred. That number was the quota for the day. Once it was filled, no more dinners. Everything was fresh, made from scratch. No frozen shortcuts. Each dish bnced by a nutritionist, perfected by the kitchen until vor and health met in the same bite. No phone reservations. No exceptions. You showed up, queued, and prayed you made the cut before the day¡¯s number ran out. There was always a line outside Noble Leaf Bistro. Some people queued an entire day and still never got in¡ª once the owner¡¯s number was reached, the doors were closed. Whether it was the rarity or the quality, the effect was the same-dinners from Noble Leaf were treated like treasure. Alicia remembered Tiffany bragging about it in herst life. She asked now, ¡°Where did you get this food?¡± ¡°Oh, Mr. Quinn ordered it.¡± Brooke replied. Alicia blinked, caught off guard. She hadn¡¯t expected the driver-not only to bring her to the hospital and arrange her stay-but to somehow secure a meal that was nearly impossible to book. Too thoughtful. But why would Mr. Quinn go that far for her? She turned the question over in her mind, finding no answer. By then Brooke had already lifted the lids off the twocquered boxes. At once, a warm smell drifted through the room. Alicia nced down. One tray held a delicate bowl of clear chicken broth with a few soft grains of rice-gentle enough for her stomach. The other was a neatly divided te with fourpartments, each holding a small portion of steamed vegetables. Nothing too heavy-everything perfectly portioned for someone recovering. Brooke ced the spoon into her hand. ¡°Dinner¡¯s ready, Miss Lawrence.¡± Alicia stirred the clear broth once before bringing a spoonful to her lips, savoring the warmth. Then she moved on to the vegetables-tender and crisp, their natural sweetnessing through without any heavy seasoning. Seeing her eat, Brooke didn¡¯t hover. She smiled lightly instead. ¡°I¡¯ll step out. Call me if you need anything.¡± Alicia nodded, and the door clicked shut behind her. She tried the other three sides, each just as light, the vors gentle yet distinct. Nothing rich, nothing overwhelming-only freshness. Only then did she turn to the oatmeal. She had expected it to be nd, maybe even hard to swallow. But the first spoonful surprised her-warm, smooth, carrying the natural sweetness of oats with a faint nutty note. Comforting, simple, and gentle on the stomach. She finished every bite, then set the empty boxes neatly aside. Luxurious 12 Brooke had set out toiletries for Alicia. After a hot shower, Alicia felt the weight of the day pressing down. Exhaustion wrapped around her bones. ???? ????s? ???????s ?? find{n}ovel ¡°Brooke,¡± she said lightly, ¡°go home and rest.¡± Brooke shook her head. ¡°Miss Lawrence, I¡¯m your live-in caregiver. I stay in the room overnight-on a cot or even the couch-so I¡¯m close if you need anything.¡± Alicia let out a softugh. ¡°It¡¯s just a stomach bug, not like I can¡¯t move. I sleep through the night just fine- once I¡¯m out, I don¡¯t wake up till morning. You should go home and get some real rest.¡± Brooke hesitated, ready to protest again. Alicia nodded toward the call button beside the bed. ¡°If anything happens, I¡¯ll press this. Don¡¯t worry. And no need toe too early tomorrow either.¡± Brooke blinked, a little touched-she¡¯d never had an employer this considerate. But hesitation still lingered. Walking away now felt like not doing her job. Alicia sighed, gentle but firm. ¡°I don¡¯t sleep well with someone in the room.¡± That eased her. Brooke smiled. ¡°You¡¯re really kind, Miss Lawrence. Then I¡¯ll head out. But if you need me, call anytime. My phone stays on, day and night.¡± Alicia had never heard anyone speak with such simple warmth. She smiled back, a small nod. ¡°All right.¡± The Yates Manor. Charles had barely stepped through the door when his stepmother, Samantha Hunter, appeared with a practiced smile. ¡°Charles, you¡¯re back. Quick, wash up for dinner. Everything¡¯s been reheated once already- any more and it won¡¯t taste the same.¡± He gave her nothing more than a nod. The moment Samuel Yates saw Charles, irritation red. ¡°Why are you back sote today?¡± He lifted his wrist, checked the time, and added coldly, ¡°Nearly two hourster than usual.¡± ¡°Business.¡± Charles¡¯s voice was cool, detached. ¡°What business?¡± Samuel pressed. Charles lifted his gaze, dark eyes cutting across the room. One look, sharp and cold, and Samuel felt it- pressure, like the air had thinned. His own son, staring him down. He forced himself steady, jaw tightening. ¡°Youe home barely once a month, never stay the night. We hardly see you. Tonight you¡¯re two hourste, and now it¡¯s just one meal before you vanish again. Charles, you¡¯re nearly thirty. Still alone. You live like a machine-work, nothing else. I only called you back because I want this family to spend more time together.¡± Charlesughed then, low and edged with mockery. ¡°When I needed a father, mine was busy with someone else. Now I don¡¯t need one-and suddenly you want to y family. Tell me, Samuel Yates, when will you finally learn your ce?¡± Samuel bristled at Charles¡¯s words. Anger rose in his chest-he wanted tosh out. But he held it back. His son barely came home as it was, only because Charles¡¯s grandfather-George Yates had ordered him to show up once a month. Without that, Charles wouldn¡¯t bother seeing him at all. Samuel forced down the fury, drew a slow breath. ¡°Charles, it¡¯s been so many years. Do you still hold this grudge? I never imagined someone would dare kidnap you. And I never imagined your mother would die saving you¡­ 20 Pain twisted his face as his voice cracked. ¡°You miss her? You think you¡¯re the only one? I¡¯ve missed her all these years.¡± At that, the shadows in Charles¡¯s eyes deepened. He shot to his feet. ¡°You miss her? You lost that right long ago.¡± ¡°I was her husband-¡± Samuel began, but the words never finished. Charles¡¯s hand snapped out, sending the cup beside him crashing to the floor. Porcin shattered, the sharp crack knifing through the silence. Every head in the room jerked up, servants frozen where they stood. Charles stood like ice forged into flesh, the air around him so frigid it was hard to breathe. The room held its breath. No one dared move. ¡°You call yourself her husband?¡± His voice was a de. ¡°What kind of husband cheats while his wife is carrying his child? You said you loved her. All you ever gave her was pain.¡± His re cut straight through Samuel. Samuel¡¯s lips trembled. ¡°I thought¡­ I thought she wouldn¡¯t mind. It was just a distraction. Nothing serious.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t deserve to be called a husband.¡± Charles¡¯s teeth ground the words out, each syble iron. Samuel clutched his chest, breath ragged, unable to find an answer. Samantha rushed to Samuel¡¯s side, steadying him. ¡°Please, don¡¯t work yourself up. Think of your health.¡± She rubbed his chest gently, then turned to Charles with a cating smile. ¡°Charles, don¡¯t be angry. Your father was only asking out of concern. Let¡¯s drop it now. Come, sit. Let¡¯s have dinner.¡± She waved quickly at the staff. ¡°Dorothy, bring out the dishes. Dinner is ready.¡± Dorothy jolted into motion, hurrying toward the kitchen. Charles¡¯s gaze cut to Samantha, a sharp, mocking curl to his lips. ¡°Still ying the saint? You were the affair, weren¡¯t you? And now, sitting in her ce-you must be so pleased.¡± With that, he turned and walked out. ET 55 vouchers Samuel opened his mouth, wanting to call after him, but the words died before they could leave his throat. Outside, Charles¡¯s driver-Kevin was still waiting. He always waited. Every time Charles came back to the old estate, Kevin would be there to take him home again. Charles never stayed at the Yates manor. He lived at Lavender Court. Normally, he endured a few hours inside before leaving. Tonight, he hadn¡¯tsted thirty minutes. Kevin nced at his watch, startled, then hurried from the car to open the door. Charles slid into the back seat, leaning his head against the leather rest, his voice low with fatigue. ¡°Back to Lavender Court.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Quinn asked nothing more, only started the engine. Charles closed his eyes. He stayed that way, still and silent, his mind reying the house, the words, the ghosts of his parents¡¯ ruin. His father, Samuel Yates, was the only son of the senator. At the time, his grandfather-George Yates was consumed with army, climbing his way through the ranks, and had little time to spare for his child. Left unchecked, Samuel grew up spoiled by his mother, reckless and untamed. Samuel had no interest in following his father into army. Instead, under his mother¡¯s influence, he turned to business. And to his credit, he had a head for it. In just a few years, he pushed the Yates family fromfortable middle ss into Riverdale¡¯s elite circles. But even then, the Yates name hadn¡¯t reached the level of the city¡¯s most powerful families. Samuel thought only of business, never of love. For the sake of advancing the family, he chose to marry a woman whose connections would benefit his career. That woman was Hannah Sharp, the mother of Charles¡¯ half-brother, Cameron Yates. The marriage fueled Samuel¡¯s rapid rise. Under his hand, the Yates family cemented its ce among the city¡¯s top echelon. But Hannah died giving birth to Cameron. Luxurious 13 Cameron had been raised by nannies until he was eleven. Around that time, Samuel met Rosalie Spencer. She was still in college then, he was already well into his thirties. But he fell for her at first sight, pursued her relentlessly for two years-every trick, every plea, even ying the victim-until Rosalie finally gave in. After graduation, she married him. She embraced Cameron as her own, poured herself into that house with devotion. For six months they lived as if in a honeymoon. Then she fell pregnant, the child fragile, and was confined to bed rest. It was during that time Samuel began his affair with Samantha Hunter, then a no-name actress. And yet at home, he still yed the loving husband-hovering at Rosalie¡¯s bedside, tending to her needs. She believed she was the luckiest woman alive. After Charles was born, she gave up the painting she loved most, choosing instead to devote herself to her husband and the home. Samuel lied to her for five years. When Charles was four, Rosalie discovered the affair. The fight that followed shook the house. Charles had been too young to understand every word, but he understood enough that his father didn¡¯t love his mother anymore. And he didn¡¯t love him either. Rosalie wanted a divorce. Samuel refused, threatening her with her own family¡¯s standing. She didn¡¯t leave him legally-but she walked away from the Yates family, taking Charles with her. Samuel pressed harder, tightening the screws on their life, determined to force her back. Life back then had been brutal. Every time it felt like they couldn¡¯t go on, Samuel would appear-like some savior-trying to force Rosalie intopromise. But each time, her answer was the same-another fight. Charles grew up in those battles, piecing the truth together from every word hurled across the room. That was when the hatred for his father took root. Checktest chapters at find{n}ovel To stay away from him, Rosalie kept moving them from ce to ce, until they ended up in an old, crumbling apartment block. That was when he first met Alicia. He was twelve. She was four. By then, the weight of home had closed him off, made him solitary, friendless. Rosalie worked herself to the bone, juggling multiple jobs, rarely home beforete. Most afternoons, he¡¯de back from school, unable to get into the apartment, and sit on the stairs with his homework, waiting. The first time he saw Alicia, she was carrying a little te piled with potato wedges. He had his head bent ove his notebook when she suddenly popped into his line of sight. He jerked his head up-and crashed into the clearest, widest eyes he had ever seen. For a moment, he could only think, how could anyone¡¯s eyes be that big? 17.55 vouchers Hershes were long, impossibly so. They framed her gaze like soft fur, reminding him of a rabbit. And when she blinked, they fluttered like tiny fans, brushing straight across his guarded heart. She smiled at him, a tiny snaggletooth peeking through, her wide eyes curving into crescent moons when sheughed. Her voice was small, innocent. ¡°Big Brother, are you also a child nobody wants?¡± He didn¡¯t answer. Just stared. But inside, the words lodged deep. Also? What did ¡°also a child nobody wants¡± mean? The little girl didn¡¯t mind his silence. She held out her te. ¡°Buddy, these are potato wedges Grandpa Richard made. They¡¯re so good-honestly the best thing I¡¯ve ever had. Aren¡¯t you hungry? Here, have one!¡± He was starving, but he ignored her. So she plopped down right in front of him, nibbling on a wedge. ¡°Yummy! So, so yummy!¡± He kept writing his homework, not looking up. She ate two pieces, then stopped, setting the te in herp while she watched him work. Later, when his mother came home, he went back upstairs with her. Behind them, he heard the girl sigh with envy. ¡°So¡­ you do have a mom.¡± Then she carried her te back inside. The next day, she showed up again, still holding a te. This time it was stacked with egg sandwiches. ¡°Grandpa Richard made these. No meat, but there¡¯s egg in them. That counts as something, right?¡± He ignored her again. But she kepting back, day after day, sitting with him for two whole weeks. Until the day he fell sick, fever burning through him. He fainted on the stairwell, and when his body slumped forward, he tumbled down. She was only four-tiny-but she threw herself at him, trying to catch him. Instead, she went down with him, the two of them rolling together to the bottom of the stairs. When he woke in the hospital, the first thing he saw was her-face bruised and scraped, still smiling at him. ¡°Buddy, you¡¯re awake! That¡¯s great. Your mom said she¡¯ll be here soon.¡± ¡°You¡­ what happened to your face?¡± That was the first thing he ever said to her. Alicia touched her cheek, winced at the pain, then grinned through it. ¡°Guess.¡± He didn¡¯t. Later, his mother told him everything. He¡¯d thought she was foolish then. But little by little, she broke into his guarded heart. He wanted to treat her like family. 455 voucheryd From then on, they shared their meals. She still sat beside him while he did homework-but now it was in the little apartment she shared with Grandpa Richard, not on the stairwell. She grew older. It was time for school. ¡°I want to go to the same school as you.¡± She dered. Grandpa Richard and his mother bothughed. ¡°You¡¯re just starting elementary, and he¡¯s already in middle school. That¡¯s not the same school.¡± ¡°Then the closest ones.¡± she insisted. And she meant it. She really did end up in the school nearest his. They walked to school together. Walked home together. If he waste, she waited for him. If she waste, he went to find her. If anyone bullied her, he was the one who stood up for her. If ssmates picked on him, the little girl would puff herself up, fierce in her childish way, swearing to defend him. He never let her. But she was clever, always finding a way to make the bullies pay. He thought they could go on like that forever-simple, happy. But when he was sixteen, everything shattered. He was kidnapped, locked inside an abandoned warehouse. The men who took him never showed their faces. They all wore the same clothes, heads covered, never spoke a word. When they needed tomunicate, they wrote. He couldn¡¯t recognize them. He tried speaking, but they ignored him. At one point he even wondered if they were disabled. On the third day, he saw two of them outside. He couldn¡¯t hear, but he read their lips: burn him alive. They didn¡¯t want ransom. They only wanted him dead. Panic wed at him. He was terrified. He wanted to fight, to escape-but his hands and feet were bound. He could barely move. Atst, someone came in. The man didn¡¯t speak, didn¡¯t move. He just stood there, watching. Silent. Watching. Until the fire caught, mes licking up the walls. Only then did he turn to leave. And Charles-tied to the chair-forced himself up, lunged at him, half- hopping, half-falling forward. He knew he couldn¡¯t stop him. The man tore free almost instantly. But not before Charles ripped a brooch from his clothes. He thought that was the end-that he would burn alive in that ce. But then his mother came. Rosalie Spencer fought through the mes to reach him. She saved him. Instead, the fire took her. Luxurious 14 Thinking of this, Charles Yates¡¯ hands clenched into fists, his body beginning to tremble. He had watched his mother just like that, smiling at him from inside the ze. He had tried to rush in and save her, but the Yates family had held him back. The more he thought about it, the more suffocating it became. Cold sweat broke across his forehead, the air around him sinking into a heavy, oppressive stillness. From the front seat, Kevin Quinn could feel the grief and fury radiating off him. ¡°Mr. Yates, we¡¯re here.¡± The car stopped at the entrance of Lavender Court. Kevin¡¯s voice cut through the memory. Charles slowly opened his eyes. Hatred and grief swam in the depths of his gaze. He closed his eyes again, and when he reopened them, only coldness and indifference remained. It was as if everything before was just an illusion. Charles got out of the car and said to his driver, ¡°Go home.¡± Kevin hesitated for a moment. ¡°You haven¡¯t had dinner yet, sir? Want me to bring Helen over to cook for you?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Charles replied, walking toward the vi. Therge iron gate opened. Charles walked in, and the gate closed behind him. From outside, Kevin sighed. It seemed Charles Yates and Samuel Yates had fought again. What was it that kept father and son at odds like this? When Charles entered the vi and saw the enormous space standing empty except for him, a wave of loneliness crashed over him. He missed his mother. He missed¡­ Alicia. He walked over to the sofa and sat down. From his pocket, he took out the brooch Alicia had given him. His thumb brushed lightly over the cold metal. This was the brooch. The one he¡¯d ripped from that person¡¯s clothes all those years ago. It was supposed to be his only clue. But it had vanished. He never thought he¡¯d see it again. And now¡­ it was with Alicia. The little girl must¡¯ve just thought it looked pretty and taken it to y with. In a way, Alicia had helped him. After his mother died, he hadn¡¯t returned to the Yates family, but had stayed in their rented house for a while. Back then, his grandfather George Yates had sent someone to protect him, so his life wasn¡¯t in danger. But every time he went out and came back, he would notice signs that the ce had been searched-even though everything had been put back exactly as it was. 68 vouchers Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n F¦ÉndNovel If Alicia hadn¡¯t taken the brooch, they would¡¯ve found it long ago, and it would never have made its way back to him. And if he had kept it on him, he might¡¯ve been targeted. After all, this brooch could¡¯ve led him to the kidnappers¡¯ identity. They had been so careful-even stayingpletely silent-so he wouldn¡¯t find out who they were. It had to be someone he knew, someone afraid of the Yates family. When the brooch was lost, he had been quite desperate. There was no way he could find his mother¡¯s killer on his own. Later, at his grandfather¡¯s suggestion, he finally went back to the Yates family. He had thought the people who wanted him dead would try again. But after the brooch was lost and he returned to the Yates family, no one hade after him since. This could only mean one of two things. One, they thought the brooch was lost and they were no longer at risk of being exposed. And with his grandfather¡¯s protection, they stopped targeting him. Or two, their goal from the very beginning wasn¡¯t him, but his mother. With her death, they no longer had a reason to kill him. If it was the first reason, then Alicia taking the brooch back then had, in a way, saved his life. But if it was the second reason¡­ then the person who killed his mother was likely Samantha Hunter. As long as his mother was alive, his father could never divorce her, and Samantha could never be the legitimate wife. She would always remain an unacknowledged mistress. That must have been why she struck at his mother. Still, it was only a guess. When he had first returned to the Yates family, Samantha hadn¡¯t treated him well. But as she grew older and remained childless, she gradually softened toward him. Because of his suspicions, however, he could never bring himself to get close to her. After returning to the Yates family, his grandfather had him trained in various skills and even sent him to the military for experience. He could now protect himself. He reopened the old case to investigate, but still found nothing-no clue who those people were or why they had kidnapped him. He had even drawn the brooch¡¯s pattern and gone to various ces to inquire about it. But the final result was that the pattern was the mostmon one. Brooches like that were sold everywhere on the streets. After a long search, he had found nothing and had no choice but to give up. He turned the brooch over in his hand. If it were truly ordinary, those people wouldn¡¯t havee looking for it. It had to hold something more. Back then, the pattern alone hadn¡¯t led him to any clue. But now that it was back in his hands, he was sure he could trace it to them. A faint smile tugged at his lips. Alicia was truly his lucky star. He recalled the way she had tried to show him the brooch in the car and couldn¡¯t help but smile again. He had seen the brooch the moment Alicia revealed it. The brooch was too important for him to miss. But he 65 vouchers couldn¡¯t let it show. There had been a third person in the car, and although Kevin had been his driver for years, there was no guarantee he wasn¡¯t one of them, lurking around him in secret. Maybe he was just being paranoid. But when it came to Alicia¡¯s safety, he had to be cautious. He put the brooch away, took out his phone, and opened WhatsApp. Typed in Alicia¡¯s number, and hit ¡°Add¡±, For all these years, he had been worried that his kidnappers would harm Alicia, so he had never contacted her. But he had always kept tabs on her. He had her number the whole time and desperately wanted to add her as a friend but never had the right opportunity. To see her life and her Moments, he had even joined her alumni group and quietly watched her posts as a stranger. But she was different from other girls-she rarely posted. Aside from a few school events, her private life was almost nonexistent. Now, he had the ability to protect her, and he could finally add her as a friend with a proper reason. The moment he pressed ¡°Add¡±, his eyes were fixed on the screen. He felt incredibly nervous. Would she ept? A light sweat was forming on his palms. He found itughable. Back in the special forces, when facing a notorious crime lord, he had never felt this nervous. Now, his heart was racing. At that moment, Alicia was lying in a soft, warm hospital bed. Though exhausted, she couldn¡¯t sleep-maybe it was just the new bed. After tossing and turning for a bit, she picked up her phone, ready to scroll through Moments or watch some videos. But the moment she opened WhatsApp, a friend request popped up. Luxurious 15 Alicia froze for a moment. It had been a long time since anyone had sent her a friend request on WhatsApp. She tapped on it and saw the request was from a profile with no picture. Not that it was an empty profile-it was a generic blue background. She scrolled down and saw the verification message: [It¡¯s Charles Yates.] Seeing the message, Alicia was surprised. ¡®Had Mr. Yates¡¯s ount been hacked?¡¯ Still, she quickly epted the friend request. Charles stared at his phone for half an hour. He finally saw the confirmation and a smile touched his lips. He opened the chat, wanting to say something, but for a moment, he had no idea what to say. He sat there for a long moment, thinking. After epting the friend request, Alicia checked her phone, waiting for any word from Mr. Yates. But no message came. She wondered if Charles had added her Or maybe it was someone else pretending to be him antiquatengut mistake-or if his ount really had been Forget it, she thought, and decided to just scroll through Twitter instead. At that moment, Charles typed into the chat: [Does your stomach still hurt?] As soon as he typed it, he deleted it. Would that sound too familiar? Would she think he was too quick to care about a girl? After a moment, he typed again: [Have you had dinner?] Looking at the time, he saw it was already past nine o¡¯clock. ¡®She must¡¯ve eaten by now.¡¯ He thought. He deleted that too. Atst, he typed: [The brooch is beautiful.] This time, he didn¡¯t hesitate. He sent it. When Alicia¡¯s phone buzzed, she stared at the message for a long time, a sense of panic washing over her. ¡®What does Mr. Yates mean by bringing up the brooch now? ¡°Think it¡¯s not mine? ¡®Or does he want to ask me for details about saving him that day? ¡®I didn¡¯t save him at all. And I don¡¯t even know if Tiffany really did!¡¯ If she answered poorly now, and he eventually found out that it was Tiffany who saved him back then, he would be Tiffany¡¯s backer once again. No, she absolutely couldn¡¯t let that happen. Alicia¡¯s fingers gripped her phone tightly, for a moment unsure of what to do. ¡®What should I do? Pretend I didn¡¯t see it and just ignore him? ¡®If I don¡¯t reply, he¡¯ll get suspicious. Even if I dodge him this time, there¡¯ll just be a next-and another after that. ¡®I¡¯ll just stick to what I said in the car today: I don¡¯t know why the brooch is with me-it¡¯s just always been with me since I was a kid. ¡®But he hasn¡¯t asked about that yet. That message seemed like a simple greeting, so I¡¯ll just reply with something unimportant for now.¡¯ After thinking for a moment, she replied: [It seems you really like that brooch.] Charles sat frozen, staring at his phone. When her reply finally came through, his whole body loosened-only for him to fall silent again when he read what she wrote. After thinking for a long time, he finally sent a message: [To thank Miss Lawrence for giving me such a beautiful brooch, I¡¯d like to give you a gift in return.] Alicia saw the message and also breathed a sigh of relief. It was a good thing he wasn¡¯t asking for details about saving him. She read Charles¡¯s message again, and suddenly something clicked. She sat bolt upright on the hospital bed, her eyes lighting up. ¡®So, he wasn¡¯t texting me thiste to test me, but to give me a gift in return? ¡®Was he treating me as his lifesaver now? Was he going to repay me?¡¯ Although he hadn¡¯t treated her as well as he had treated Tiffany in her previous life, a gift was still nice-and she had no idea what he¡¯d choose. Just as she was wondering whether to be polite and reply, another message came through: [What do you want, Miss Lawrence] Seeing the message, Alicia¡¯s eyes lit up even more. So, she could choose the gift herself? Then she definitely had to make it count. She carefully sent a message: [Can it be anything?] Charles replied: [Anything within my means.] Alicia clutched her phone, her pulse quickening. After a brief pause, she typed: [I haven¡¯t thought of what I want yet. Can I save it forter?] After sending the message, Alicia felt like something was off. She was making him owe her, yet she had spoken so humbly. She let out a quiet sigh. In front of a man like him, no matter who you are, you end up bowing your head. Charles was pleased with hertest message. Owed? Perfect. ¡®If I owe her, I¡¯ll always have a reason to stay tied to her.¡¯ He immediately replied with a single word: [Good!] Seeing his agreement, Alicia¡¯s heart leapt. She knew she had to make this return gift count. Maybe¡­ when he finds out she isn¡¯t his lifesaver, she can use this opportunity to ask him not to help Tiffany deal with her? But wait that¡¯s contradictory. If he finds out she¡¯s not his lifesaver, this gift won¡¯t even count. She should use it before he finds out. Or¡­ should she use it to make him crush Tiffany? Alicia was hazily thinking about these things, and she had no idea when she fell asleep. Charles, however, was still sitting on the sofa, waiting for a message from the girl. This waitsted for four hours. But Alicia never replied again. He began to feel a little panicked. Did he say something to make Alicia unhappy? Why isn¡¯t she replying to him? He thought for a long time but couldn¡¯t figure out why. So, he opened a four-person group chat and sent a message: [Is everyone asleep?] N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on Find¡ïNovel The guys in the group were all heirs of prominent families in Riverdale. Like Charles, they had been sent to the military for training. They became friends after shing a few times, fought side by side in brutal conflicts, and survived life-and-death situations together. Now, their bond was stronger than blood. Those men have all since left the military and are now running their family businesses. In their downtime, they still shoot the breeze in the group chat, but Charles rarely joins in-he usually just lurks. Probably because of his childhood, he had always been a man of few words. Even with the friends who had shared life-and-death moments with him, he was never overly warm. When his message suddenly appeared in the group chat, his three friends immediately came out of the woodwork, even in the middle of the night. Harvey Johnson, who was on duty, was the first to reply: [Is the sky falling? Charles is actually talking in the group?] The others were asleep, but as military veterans, they were extremely vignt. As soon as the group chat pinged, they immediately woke up. Jeffrey Smith: [I was sleeping, and you woke me up again.] Xavier Sullivan: [Same.] Charles: [Since you¡¯re awake, don¡¯t sleep yet. I¡¯ve got a tough problem and need you guys to weigh in.] The three of them were stunned. Was there really anything that could stump ¡°Zealous Yates¡±? Yes-within their circle, everyone privately called Charles by that nickname. His persistence bordered on madness. Luxurious 16 It was precisely Charles Yates¡¯ madness that made his friends believe that what they once thought impossible could, in the end, be miraculously achieved. So, in their minds, there was nothing in this world that could challenge Mr. Yates. Harvey Johnson: [Whatever it is, just say it. Anything but dying-I can do for you.] Jeffrey Smith: [If it¡¯s something tricky, all we can say is-we¡¯ll try.] Jeffrey Smith: [If it puts you in a tough spot, all we can say is we¡¯ll do our best.] Seeing them reply, Charlesid out the situation in the group. But he didn¡¯t say it was himself. He said it was a friend-a friend who was lost, not knowing what had upset a girl-and asked them to help figure it out. Xavier Sullivan: [No way. You¡¯ve got friends besides us? Do we even know this friend?] Jeffrey: [I¡¯d like to know too-what kind of friend is this? You¡¯re worried about something like this¡ªthere must be a strong bond. Bring him into the group. If he¡¯s your friend, he¡¯s ours too.] Is that really the point? Charles was speechless. He had never realized his friends could miss the point sopletely. Only Harvey hadn¡¯t replied yet. Staring at Charles¡¯s string of words in the group, he lifted a brow. This guy¡ª what friend? When did he have friends? Who else would want to be his friend, except for them? For original chapters go to fin?novel That must be about him. But who¡¯s the girl? Could it be Miss Lawrence, the one he took to the hospital this afternoon? He thought for a moment, then called the nurse over. He asked her to check on Alicia and see how she was doing. Soon, the nurse on duty returned and said, ¡°Doctor Johnson, Miss Lawrence has fallen asleep. She seems fine and is sleeping soundly. It seems like her stomach isn¡¯t hurting anymore.¡± ¡°Alright, go on with your work.¡± Harvey nodded and sent the nurse off. Only then did he finally type in the group chat: [I think you might be overthinking it. She¡¯s probably not upset-just fallen asleep.] Reading Harvey¡¯s message, Charles paused. Then he nced at the clock-already 2:30 in the morning. He¡¯d been so caught up texting her that he lost track of time. He finally let out a sigh of relief. A momentter, he sent another message to the group: [It¡¯s not me. It¡¯s my friend. Alright, get some sleep.] Then he logged off WhatsApp, freshened up, and went to bed. Charles called the other three awake, theny down himself, leaving them wide awake. Eb vouchers Xavier sent a message to Jeffrey: [What kind of friend is Charles talking about? He¡¯s worrying over him like that, but he never treated us this way.] Jeffrey: [Didn¡¯t Harvey already say it? It¡¯s Charles himself.] Xavier: [Really? But didn¡¯t he insistter that it was his friend? Charles wouldn¡¯t lie to us¡­ would he?] Jeffrey: [Heh, go to sleep, go to sleep.] Xavier sent another message to Harvey: [You don¡¯t know which friend he meant either?] Harvey: [It¡¯s him.] Xavier: [Is that so? Butter he kept insisting it wasn¡¯t him.] Harvey: [Go to sleep. As a doctor, I¡¯m telling you seriouslyck of sleep can hinder brain development. And clearly, your brain still has some developing to do.] Xavier: [Beat it.] The next day. Brooke O¡¯Hara arrived early, heading straight to the ward to check on Alicia. Seeing that she was fine, she letting out a breath of relief. For all her years as a caregiver, she had always stayed by her patients¡¯ side at night-whether on folding beds, sofas, or the floor. Last night, for the first time, she went home to sleep, but she hadn¡¯t rested well. She kept dreaming-Miss Lawrence writhing on the bed with stomach pain, and no one caring. She also dreamed of Miss Lawrence getting to the restroom, falling hard, and sitting on the floor in pain with no one to help her up. By 5:00 in the morning, she was already rushing to the hospital. Slipping quietly into the ward, she was finally at ease when she saw Miss Lawrence safe and sound. She washed Alicia¡¯s clothes fromst night and waited at the hospital door at 7:00 for the meal Mr. Quinn had arranged to be delivered. With the breakfast in hand, she finally returned to the ward. By then, Alicia was already up and had washed. As she walked in, she smiled and said, ¡°Miss Lawrence, time for breakfast.¡± Alicia nodded, ncing at the meal box in Brooke¡¯s hand-it was still from the same ce, Noble Leaf Bistro. She asked, ¡°Are all these meals ordered by Mr. Quinn?¡± Brooke said, ¡°Yes, Mr. Quinn is really good to you.¡± Alicia thought to herself. Yes, he were treating her so well-but why? She had never even met Mr. Yates¡¯ driver, so why was he being so kind to her? Maybe it was all arranged by Mr. Yates? Did he see her as his lifesaver and want to repay her? The more she epted his kindness, the more uneasy she felt. If he found out the truthter, would he hate her even more? But now, how could she turn it down? But how could she refuse now? ¡°Miss Lawrence, your utensils.¡± Lost in thought, Brooke had already handed her the utensils and opened the box. Alicia could only eat in silence. Brooke warmed a ss of milk for Alicia, set it down, and then went out to get her own breakfast. After finishing her breakfast, Brooke came back looking cheerful. ¡°Miss Lawrence, the rain has stopped for now. How about I take you out for a little walk? Just to help with digestion?¡± Alicia thought to herself, the rain had been falling for more than half a month. Since it finally paused, it really was a chance to step outside. She agreed, and the two of them left the ward together. But since it had just rained, the air outside was still chilly. Brooke fetched her own jacket and slipped it over Alicia¡¯s hospital gown. As they reached downstairs, Alicia saw many people walking in the courtyard. The rain hadsted over ten days before finally stopping. ¡°Let¡¯s go over there.¡± Brooke pointed toward the flower arbor on the east side of the courtyard. Alicia nodded, and they strolled over at a slow pace. The doorway of the flower arbor was low. Alicia ducked her head as she stepped inside, and before she could lift it again, a mockingugh sounded. ¡°Well, well-finally realized your mistake and came to apologize, huh?¡± Alicia didn¡¯t need to look to know whose voice it was. Andrew Lawrence always let his words trail off, carrying a hint of careless yfulness. As he liked to put it, that was just the way rich people talked. What bad luck. Alicia frowned. What was Andrew doing at the hospital? She looked up at the sound-and froze. It wasn¡¯t just Andrew. The whole Lawrence family was there¡ªHugh, Maria, Aaron, Andrew, and Archie. Only Adam was missing. The family set around Tiffany Lawrence on the bench under the flower perg. At this moment, Tiffany was dressed in a hospital gown, looking frail and pitiful. Andrew spoke again, ¡°I thought you had more backbone. Couldn¡¯t evenst a day? Now you¡¯re already here wanting to apologize ande home? Hah¡­ ¡± Luxurious 17 Archie sneered as well. ¡°Coming back now? That won¡¯t be so easy. We¡¯ll have to ask our Tiffany first-see if she¡¯s even willing to let you return.¡± ¡ª Maria said coldly, ¡°I told you once you stepped out of that house, don¡¯t think abouting back. But if Tiffany is kind enough to let you return, then I¡¯ll stand by her.¡± After saying that, she softened her tone and asked Tiffany, ¡°Sweetheart, do you want to let here back?¡± Tiffany nestled in Maria¡¯s arms, looking pitiful and helpless. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll do whatever you say. It¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯m afraid Archie won¡¯t ept me in this family. But it¡¯s fine. As long as all you want her back, I don¡¯t mind. From now on, I¡¯ll keep out of my sister¡¯s way. Whatever she wants, I¡¯ll step aside and let her have it.¡± Hearing this, Maria immediately got mad. ¡°If she dares not ept you, then she doesn¡¯t deserve toe back. Just let her go beg on the streets. Tiffany, remember this-you are the true daughter of the Lawrence family. Everything in this house belongs to you. You don¡¯t owe her anything.¡± Hugh knew that, for his daughter to make a name for herself and be a disciple of Edward West, she would still need Alicia. After all, Tiffany had only just returned and had only just begun learning to paint. Even if she became Mr. West¡¯s student, if she doesn¡¯t produce good work, Mr. West would surely be disappointed in her. She would still need Alicia to paint for her for a few more years. Anyway, after going through this, Alicia will be even easier to handle. She tried to act tough this time, but couldn¡¯t evenst a day. Next time, she probably won¡¯t dare to rebel again. But he couldn¡¯t agree too quickly. He needed her to feel thating home this time wasn¡¯t easy, so she¡¯d have fewer wild thoughts in the future. He signaled Aaron a knowing nce. Aaron was the eldest son of the family. Hugh had always kept him close, and so there was a natural understanding between father and son. Aaron caught on to Hugh¡¯s meaning right away. He said, ¡°Alicia, if you want toe back this time, you must give Tiffany a proper apology. At school, you¡¯ll have to look after her. At home, you¡¯ll do as you¡¯re told. Pushing Tiffany into the pool was way out of line. Otherwise, you can wash her clothes by hand for a whole year as punishment, and only then will we let youe home.¡± Hugh listened, feeling satisfied. He stayed silent, waiting for Alicia to apologize. If she agreed, once she returned home, he¡¯d add a few more conditions. With so many people around, he couldn¡¯t mention making her paint for Tiffany just yet. After listening to the Lawrence family¡¯s nonstop talking, Alicia smiled. ¡°Sorry to disappoint you. I was just passing by. Mind letting me through?¡± Andrew had been chewing without saying a word. He finally swallowed and said, ¡°Still so stubborn. If you¡¯re not begging us to let you back, then why are you following us?¡± Only then did Brooke, standing to the side, react and speak.up for Alicia. ¡°You must be mistaken. Miss Lawrence is only here because she¡¯s ill, staying in the hospital.¡± ¡°Tch, so you even found someone to act along with you? I¡¯m telling you, if you apologize right now, maybe we¡¯ll consider letting youe back. But keep being stubborn, and you¡¯ll nevere home again,¡± Andrew said. Brooke felt like the Lawrence family couldn¡¯t understand anyone else, just talking among themselves. Anxious, she wanted to exin again. But Alicia grabbed her and turned to leave. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your breath on people who can¡¯t understand human words.¡± Brooke nodded and pointed toward the small garden on the other side. ¡°Then let¡¯s walk over there instead.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Alicia nodded, and the two of them went off to stroll somewhere else. The Lawrence family could only watch as Alicia walked away, all of them stunned. Could it be that she really hadn¡¯te to beg toe back? Archie muttered, ¡°This time, she¡¯s actually showing a bit of backbone.¡± Andrew gave a cold snort. ¡°It¡¯s only the first day. There¡¯s still a long stretch ahead. Let¡¯s see how long she can hold out.¡± Aaron nodded, analyzing, ¡°She¡¯ll probably onlyst until she¡¯s discharged. She¡¯s got nowhere to live. For now she¡¯s in the hospital, but how many days can she stay there?¡± Andrew and Archie both nodded in agreement. Hugh narrowed his eyes at Alicia¡¯s back. It seemed he would have to trip her up somehow to force her back home quickly. Tiffany¡¯s apprenticeship was the top priority now¡ªnothing could go wrong. Alicia had to return as soon as possible. At that moment, Tiffany put on a show of guilt and self-me. ¡°Alicia must be refusing toe home because I¡¯m still here. It¡¯s all my fault. I shouldn¡¯t havee back. After all, she¡¯s the daughter Mom raised.¡± With just those words, she managed to remind the family once again. It was Alicia who had stolen her identity and enjoyed the Lawrence family¡¯s wealth for years¡ªshe was the one in debt. As expected, Maria¡¯s heart ached at her words. Sheforted her gently, ¡°Sweetie, you¡¯re my darling, the one I love most. She stole your ce for so many years-don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure she pays back every bit she owes you.¡± Nestling in Maria¡¯s arms, Tiffany¡¯s eyes were shining with smug satisfaction. She had to make Alicia suffer every hardship she once endured. Why should Alicia get to enjoy the Lawrence family¡¯s riches in her ce? Did she really deserve that? Just then, Hugh¡¯s phone rang-it was Adam calling. ¡°Dad,¡± Adam said, ¡°a patient was just discharged from the VIP ward. A room is now avable, so Tiffany can be admitted.¡± Hearing this, Hugh felt displeased. He said coldly, ¡°I told you to arrange a VIP ward for Tiffany. It took you a whole hour, and now it¡¯s only because someone else was discharged that she can move in. I really don¡¯t know how you¡¯re managing at that hospital. You¡¯re already an attending physician, and you can¡¯t even secure a single room?¡± Adam felt deeply ufortable at his father¡¯s words. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m a doctor, not the director. The VIP wards are full. What could I do? Someone else was already in there, I can¡¯t just throw another patient out to make room for Tiffany, can I?¡± Hugh felt Adam was absolutely useless. All he ever did was bury himself in surgical cases,pletely ignorant of social dealings. If Hugh hadn¡¯t pulled strings for him back then, how could he have ever be an attending physician? By now, he¡¯d probably still be just an ordinary doctor-the kind who wouldn¡¯t even be trusted to perform surgery. He was about to say more, but Maria cut him off. ¡°Enough, stop talking. There¡¯s a room avable now, isn¡¯t there? Take Tiffany and get the admission done. She can¡¯t stay in a regr ward. If we wait any longer, someone else might take that VIP room.¡± After all, Adam was still her own son, and Maria didn¡¯t like hearing her husband criticize him all the time. Hugh said coldly, ¡°I refuse to believe Adam can¡¯t even hold onto a hospital room. What¡¯s the rush? Tell him to keep it.¡± Listening to his parents on the other end, Adam hung up without another word. Lately, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that his parents had changed. Ever since Tiffany came back, they had bepletely unreasonable. The source of th?s content is Find_Novel(. Luxurious 18 Adam knew the truth well enough. After losing their daughter for more than a decade, his parents were bound to dote on Tiffany. Buttely, they¡¯d tossedmon sense out the window. And as for Tiffany, she had been acting weird too. Adam still remembered the day they brought Tiffany back from that remote town. The ce was practically falling apart, yet she¡¯d survived there all those years. But now she was iming she couldn¡¯t handle an ordinary hospital ward? This was just too unreasonable. Adam rubbed his temple, hoping to figure out some exnations. With a sigh, he hung up the phone and returned to the stack of patient files on his desk. Several of his cases were critical, and he had to keep tabs on them constantly. Since he¡¯d been out of the hospital today, the nurses had logged everything in detail. He flipped open a chart-barely two cases in-when his office door banged open. A nurse tried to block the intruder but got shoved aside. Adam¡¯s head snapped up. Standing there, arms crossed and looking self-important, was none other than Andrew Lawrence. ¡°Doctor Lawrence,¡± the nurse said quickly, flustered, ¡°I told him you were busy, but he insisted¡­ ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Adam cut her off with a calm nod. ¡°Go on.¡± As she retreated, Andrew let out a cold snort. ¡°Told her I¡¯m your brother and she still had the nerve to stop me.¡± He then shot Adam a look. ¡°You really need to train your nurses better. She has no respect.¡± Adam pinched the bridge of his nose, ignoring his words. ¡°What is it, Andrew?¡± Andrew finally remembered why he¡¯d barged in. His expression shifted from arrogance to urgency. ¡°Listen, Adam, you¡¯ve got to move Tiffany to another room,¡± he quickly replied. ¡°The one she¡¯s in now is stuck between two wards. If anyone gets noisy on either side, she won¡¯t be able to rest. Shift her to the end room- it¡¯s bigger, brighter, and I heard it¡¯s even got a balcony. Good for her recovery.¡± Adam¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°There¡¯s only one VIP room left. And all of them are soundproofed. Even if someone next door was yelling their head off, you wouldn¡¯t hear a peep.¡± ¡°But it doesn¡¯t have a balcony,¡± Andrew waved him off. ¡°Tiffany loves balconies.¡± ¡°Andrew, all the VIP wards, only 606 has a balcony,¡± Adam said, staring at him. ¡°That¡¯s it. The others don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then move her into 606,¡± Andrew said matter-of-factly, as though it were the most obvious solution in the world. 55 vouchers ¡°Look, Andrew, this is a hospital, not a five-star hotel. You don¡¯t just waltz in and pick whatever room you want,¡± Adam tried to convince Andrew. ¡°Even at a hotel, if someone¡¯s already checked in, you can¡¯t just toss them out. And right now, there¡¯s only one vacant VIP ward left. If you don¡¯t grab it soon, even that¡¯ll be gone, and Tiffany will have no choice but to stay in a regr room.¡± But Andrew wasn¡¯t letting go. He leaned forward, voice rising. ¡°Adam, that¡¯s Tiffany we¡¯re talking about. Haven¡¯t you thought about what she¡¯s been through? She¡¯s suffered since she was a kid¡­¡± The pounding in Adam¡¯s head spiked. Finally, he shoved his chair back and stood. ¡°Enough. Fine. Let¡¯s go take a look.¡± Andrew¡¯s scowl flipped instantly into smug satisfaction. ¡°Knew you¡¯d see reason.¡± The two brothers strode down to the VIP wing. Sure enough, the entire Lawrence family was camped out in the corridor. Tiffany leaned weakly against Maria, pale and fragile as porcin. ¡°We understand you want the best room for your loved one. But Room 606 is already upied,¡± on the other side, a nurse was patiently trying to reason with the Lawrences. ¡°There¡¯s another VIP room avable. If you¡¯lle with me, we canplete the paperwork. And once 606 is vacated, we¡¯ll transfer Miss Lawrence immediately. How about that?¡± Maria lifted her chin like a duchess. ¡°My daughter wants that room. We¡¯ll pay extra.¡± The nurse almost burst outughing. ¡°This isn¡¯t about money, madam. This is a hospital. Please follow our arrangements.¡± Archie barked, ¡°Why are you being so stubborn? My sister wants that room. Just tell the patient in there to move. Problem solved.¡± For more chapters visit Find~Novel The nurse pressed her lips together, unsure how to answer. Watching the scene, Adam wanted nothing more than to walk away, pretending not to know them. Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t an option. With a stiff smile, he stepped forward and spoke up. ¡°Sorry, Ms. Ullman. They¡¯re my family. I¡¯ll handle it.¡± The nurse, Elizabeth Ullman, blinked in surprise, clearly not expecting these entitled loudmouths to be rted to Adam. But she gave a curt nod and turned to leave-only to nearly bump into someone. ¡°Oh! I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she gasped, stepping aside. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± came a soft voice. The Lawrence family¡¯s heads all swiveled at once. It was Alicia. ¡°Well, well,¡± Archie sneered instantly. ¡°Didn¡¯t want toe home, but here you are tailing us. Figures.¡± Andrew¡¯s lip also curled. ¡°Do you even know where you are? You don¡¯t belong here.¡± He then turned to Elizabeth, puffing up his chest. ¡°What kind of hospital lets just anyone wander into the VIP wing? No wonder it¡¯s so noisy. How are patients supposed to rest in this chaos?¡± Elizabeth twitched her mouth, but didn¡¯t reply. She gave Adam a look of pure pity. ¡®Poor guy, she thought. ¡®What a family to be stuck with. Adam¡¯s face burned. He rounded on Andrew. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Andrew. The whole corridor can hear you.¡± Andrew opened his mouth to argue again, but Aaron shot him a sharp look that shut him up. Aaron¡¯s gaze shifted to Alicia. Cold, hard, and judgmental. Finally, he yed the elder brother card. ¡°Alicia,¡± he said. ¡°Whatever you have to say, wait until Tiffany is settled. Leave now. This isn¡¯t where you should be.¡± Maria didn¡¯t bother to speak. She red at Alicia with a cold gaze. And Hugh didn¡¯t even look Alicia¡¯s way. He spoke only to Adam. ¡°Handle Tiffany¡¯s ward, Adam,¡± said Hugh. ¡°Go talk to the patient in 606 and have them move. We¡¯llpensate them.¡± At that, Alicia raised an eyebrow. Without a word, she started forward, intending to pass right through them. ¡°Alicia,¡± Adam called after her. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Alicia said lightly, brushing past them. ¡°Alicia, don¡¯t make a scene here,¡± Aaron suddenly grabbed her wrist. ¡°This is a hospital. Go wait outside. Whether youe home or not, we¡¯ll discuss itter. But stop hanging around here.¡± Alicia sneered. ¡°Do you ever take a good look in the mirror? You strut around like you¡¯re the center of the universe!¡± She then wrenched her arm, eyes shing. ¡°I wasn¡¯t looking for you, just going back to my own ward. And don¡¯t touch me again. It¡¯s disgusting.¡± With that, she strode straight toward Room 606. At the door, she paused. Slowly turning back, she tossed over her shoulder, every word sharp as ss. ¡°I¡¯m not switching wards,¡± said Alicia. ¡°I don¡¯t care how much money you wave around-I. Won¡¯t. Move.¡± Luxurious 19 With that, Alicia followed Brooke O¡¯Hara, her caretaker, into the room, shutting the door behind them and muffling the Lawrences¡¯ noise into silence. The Lawrence family stood frozen, eyes wide in disbelief. ¡°She actually went into Room 606?¡± Archie gasped. Andrew¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°No way. How could she possibly afford a VIP ward?¡± ¡°So she¡¯s really admitted here?¡± Aaron frowned. ¡°She¡¯s not just here to look for us?¡± Hugh, meanwhile, stayed silent, but the sharpness in his gaze at Adam spoke volumes. His eyes demanded answers without a single word. Adam, however, was lost in his own guilt, furrowing his brows. Alicia¡¯s in the hospital, but we didn¡¯t even know about this,¡¯ he thought, regretfully. ¡®I wonder how sick she might be¡­¡¯ ¡°She actually took the best room?¡± Maria suddenly snapped, paning her tone. ¡°Adam! Go on, get her out of that ward and move Tiffany in there!¡± ¡°Mom, what are you talking about?¡± Adam blinked, totally taken aback. ¡°Alicia is your daughter too. She¡¯s already in that room. Why not just let Tiffany take the next avable one? What¡¯s the big difference?¡± Maria realized the harshness of her words sounded awfuling from her. She cleared her throat, trying to exin. ¡°Tiffany was admitted today, and Alicia barged in to grab the best room ahead of time¡­ I just¡­ I¡¯m too furious.¡± Hugh, on the other hand, didn¡¯t believe Alicia had the clout to snag the VIP room on her own. To him, Adam, the hospital¡¯s chief, had surely made it happen. Seeing her enter that room earlier had already made him suspicious. Now, hearing Adam¡¯s words, he was certain that room was arranged by Adam himself. Anger bubbled inside Hugh. He couldn¡¯t believe he had raised someone who sided with outsiders over his own flesh and blood. But with people around now, he couldn¡¯t confront Adam. He only shot him a cold re, silently promising to deal with him at hometer. Tiffany¡¯s eyes zed with fury. Adam was her brother, but now he was siding with an outsider. This was totally uneptable. Clutching her chest, she huffed, looking faint. ¡°Forget it, Mom. Don¡¯t trouble Adam. If it¡¯s going to be like this, I won¡¯t stay. Let¡¯s go home.¡± She spun on her heel, intent on leaving. But Maria grabbed Tiffany¡¯s arm, voice sharp while turning towards Adam. ¡°Adam, you¡¯re driving Tiffany to death!¡± Adam exhaled deeply. ¡°Mom, Alicia¡¯s already in that ward. What exactly am I supposed to do?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the chief! How hard is it to switch a patient¡¯s room?¡± Maria¡¯s face tightened. For the first time, she raised her voice at Adam. ¡°I¡¯m asking you-are you part of the Lawrence family? Will you do it or not?¡± Cornered, Adam drew in a long breath. ¡°Fine¡­ ¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± Elizabeth shook her head before turning to leave, pity written all over her face. She could see just how powerless Adam felt in front of his own family. ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? FindN0vel ¡°Go wait in the other VIP room,¡± Adam continued. ¡°Just don¡¯t crowd the corridor.¡± Maria protested, voice tight with irritation. ¡°No! I won¡¯t leave until you secure that ward for Tiffany.¡± ¡°This is the hospital¡¯s VIP wing. Everyone here is either rich or important,¡± Adam¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Mom, are you sure you want the whole family clogging this corridor and making a mess? You want people thinking the Lawrences have no manners?¡± Maria opened her mouth, but nothing came out. It was Hugh who finally spoke up. ¡°Let¡¯s go wait in that vacant room for now.¡± Hugh¡¯s words carried weight. One by one, the family moved into the vacant ward without objection. But only Hugh lingered a moment longer, giving Adam a piercing look. ¡°Adam,¡± he warned. ¡°Remember who¡¯s family and who¡¯s not.¡± Adam met his gaze but said nothing, lowering his eyes. Hugh turned on his heel, cold as steel. After the Lawrences had left, Adam went to knock on Room 606. It was Brooke who opened the door for him. Brooke often helped out at the hospital as a caretaker and knew Adam well enough. She¡¯d always thought well of him, so she smiled and asked, ¡°Doctor Lawrence, what brings you here?¡± ¡°I need to speak with Alicia,¡± Adam said softly. Brooke hesitated, knowing the Lawrence family¡¯s reputation firsthand. Earlier, she¡¯d realized that Adam, the hospital chief, was Alicia¡¯s brother and had just stepped in to secure the VIP room for Tiffany. She stepped closer to block the doorway, frowning. ¡°I can pass the words for you. I¡¯m Miss Lawrence¡¯s caretaker,¡± she said. ¡°Is there something you want me to pass along?¡± Adam shook his head, replied, ¡°This is a family matter.¡± Brooke raised an eyebrow but pressed further, eyes serious. ¡°You¡¯re not here to make Alicia give up her room for Tiffany, are you?¡± Adam didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Alicia is my sister as well,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m here to check on her.¡± ¡°Look, Doctor Lawrence, you know the nurses-and even us caretakers-like you and Doctor Johnson a lot. You¡¯re both good people,¡± said Brooke, standing firm at the door. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t force Alicia, right? Because if you did¡­ then Doctor Johnson would be the better one. Much better than you.¡± Adam couldn¡¯t help but chuckle bitterly. He could see that Brooke had guts-she¡¯d say anything for Alicia. Unlike his rivalry with Harvey Johnson, where nothing was ever spoken out loud, Brooke¡¯s boldness was refreshing. Still, he couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit pleased. After all, it was nice to see someone truly care for Alicia. Before he could respond, Alicia¡¯s voice came from inside the room, ¡°Let him in.¡± Brooke nced back at Alicia and finally stepped aside. Adam walked in. ¡°I¡¯d like to have some fruit, Brooke,¡± sitting on the bed, Alicia turned towards Brooke. ¡°Could you bring some for me?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Brooke nodded and left. As soon as she disappeared from the ward, Alicia turned her gaze to Adam, cold and sharp. ¡°I¡¯m not giving up this room, Adam,¡± she said. ¡°If you¡¯ve got the guts, go ahead and use your position to force me.¡± Her words were a challenge. She wanted to test Adam. If he did force her, she¡¯d report it to the hospital director, giving Harvey the support he deserved. Alicia didn¡¯t know Harvey personally, but in her past life, she knew he was a genuinely good doctor, someone who shouldn¡¯t be cornered by dirty tricks in his profession. Luxurious 20 Adam forced a bitter smile, ¡°Alicia, I didn¡¯te here to make you move rooms.¡± Alicia arched an eyebrow, a teasing smirk curling her lips. ¡°Then what brings you here?¡± she sneered. ¡°Surely you¡¯re not here to care about me?¡± Adam shook his head, his voice gentle but firm. ¡°I¡¯m here to check on you,¡± he replied. ¡°Are you feeling unwell? Just give me your report. I¡¯ll make sure you get the best treatment possible.¡± ¡°Doctor Johnson is responsible to me. No need to trouble you, Doctor Lawrence,¡± Alicia replied coolly. Adam¡¯s expression tightened, frustration bubbling. ¡°I just need a quick look. That Johnson is not someone who¡¯d ever treat you half-heartedly!¡± He didn¡¯t know that, as he was trying to convince Alicia, Harvey was just at the doorway, overhearing their conversation. Leaning against the doorframe, he listened quietly, amused. ¡®Well, well¡­ Adam¡¯s running over here to badmouth me again,¡¯ he raised a brow. ¡®Let¡¯s see what nonsensees out of this guy¡¯s mouth this time.¡¯ ¡°Why?¡± Alicia asked. Adam¡¯s eyes flickered with a mix of guilt and helplessness, ¡°Because you¡¯re my sister.¡± He let out a helplessugh before continued, ¡°As my sister, you¡¯ve never really enjoyed any benefits from it. And yet, you¡¯ve been treated unfairly. I really owe you. Just show me your report, and I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡± Hearing this, Harvey¡¯s temper red. ¡®What¡¯s Adam babbling about? Questioning my professional integrity like this?¡¯ he thought. There might be tensions, sure, but Harvey knew that when it came to work and patients, he had always been fair and thorough¡ªa doctor through and through. He bristled, ready to step in and set Adam straight, but Alicia¡¯s next words stopped him in his tracks. ¡°I trust Doctor Johnson,¡± said Alicia. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t do that. Doctor Lawrence, I guess you think ill of others because you¡¯d do the same yourself?¡± A small smile crept across Harvey¡¯s face. With that, he stepped fully into the room, shing a perfect grin at Adam. ¡°Hey, Doctor Lawrence. Don¡¯t judge a man by your own shadow,¡± said Harvey. ¡°Bringing personal grudges into work¡­ you¡¯ve done that plenty, haven¡¯t you? Is that why you¡¯re so suspicious of me?¡± Adam¡¯s face darkened. ¡°You¡¯d better treat Alicia well. If you think of crossing her, I won¡¯t forgive you.¡± Harvey chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m a doctor, and I care for my patients. But you¡­ your own sister is sick, yet you have others to send her here? Tell me, how does that make you an elder brother?¡± Adam was left speechless. He turned to Alicia. ¡°I¡¯ll leave now,¡± heforted. ¡°Rest well. If anything happens in the hospital, reach out to me.¡± He started to turn, but Alicia¡¯s voice stopped him, ¡°Wait.¡± Hearing that, Adam felt an odd flutter of hope. It would be so nice if Alicia was not rejecting him anymore. He turned, eyes shining faintly as he looked at her. ¡°Here. Take it,¡± to his surprise, Alicia pulled the debit card he¡¯d given herst time from her pocket and held it out. ¡°From now on, I have nothing to do with the Lawrences. You don¡¯t need to give me any money either. Adam stared at the card. It was the same one he had handed her when she left. Panic rose in his chest. ¡°Alicia, you grew up in the Lawrence family. You¡¯ve never known hardship,¡± he tried to protest. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t survive without money. Trust me. Just take this. I¡¯ll make sure you live asfortably as you would in the Lawrence family. You won¡¯t suffer.¡± Alicia cut him off quickly. ¡°No, no. I want a lighter life. I don¡¯t want the kind of life I had in the Lawrences.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Adam frowned, confused. ¡°You had everything in our family, right? Good food, nice clothes¡­¡± He paused, a thought dawning on him. ¡°I know what Mom and Dad made you do, and that wasn¡¯t right. But that was after Tiffany returned. Before that, you were the Lawrence heiress.¡± He didn¡¯t explicitly mention making Alicia paint for Tiffany, mindful that Harvey was still there. But Alicia understood his implication perfectly. Sheughed, sharp and scornful. ¡°Adam¡­ are you dumb? Or just incredibly naive?¡± Alicia sneered. ¡°The Lawrence heiress? That only belongs to Tiffany now, after she returned. Not me. I¡¯m just a puppet for you to put on a show for Maria.¡± Adam shook his head in disbelief. ¡°No, that¡¯s impossible. Before Tiffany came back, you were the only heiress. Mom and Dad, and all of us, we cared for you. Even if I was busy¡­ the others often went home to apany you, didn¡¯t they?¡± ¡°And what good did that do me?¡± Alicia¡¯sugh wasced with sarcasm. ¡°If I didn¡¯t buy groceries and cook myself, I ate leftovers from the servants. I couldn¡¯t use your washing machines-had to hand-wash thick winter clothes, no hot water. The Lawrence family gave me a roof and nothing more.¡± Mentioning that, she seemed to recall something. ¡°That¡¯s right-living in the Lawrence family meant doing chores to pay rent and preparing gifts for everyone on holidays,¡± added Alicia. ¡°If I ever ran out of money, you Lawrences called me ungrateful. I was only eight at that time, and you guys pushed me as if I could make money on my own.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Adam stumbled backward, dumbfounded. ¡°We have servants for cooking and washing. Before we started our jobs, Mom and Dad gave each of us a few thousand bucks a month as pocket money!¡± ¡°That was for you. Not me,¡± Alicia replied coldly. ¡°Leaving your family was a relief. Just leave me alone. I never want anything to do with you or your family again.¡± This update is avable on find{n}ovel Adam¡¯s face drained of color, as if something inside him had copsed. He stepped out of the room numbly, heading toward where the Lawrence family were waiting. Now inside 606, only Harvey and Alicia remained. Harvey hade for a routine check-up on Alicia. Hearing her defend him earlier had genuinely pleased him. He knew she had a sharp eye. However, he was taken aback by her conversation with Adam regarding the Lawrence family. He didn¡¯t even know someone could endure such a life for so many years. Watching Alicia, so pale and skinny, Harvey felt a pang in his chest. ¡°Doctor Johnson?¡± Alicia noticed his gaze and called softly. Only then did Harvey snap back into reality. ¡°If life in the Lawrence family was so unhappy, why didn¡¯t you just run away?¡± he suddenly asked. AD Comment Send gift No Ads Luxurious 21 Alicia froze for a second, then gave a crooked smile. ¡°Doctor Johnson, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re starting to feel sorry for me,¡± she said. Harvey hadn¡¯t expected her to toss that line out so casually. He chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°No, not pity. I¡¯m just amazed. How do you put up with so much?¡± Alicia tilted her head, pretending to think before answering, ¡°Guess I¡¯m part punching bag.¡± Harvey blinked, then burst outughing. ¡°You really are something else,¡± he said. ¡°No wonder Charles¡­¡± He cut himself short, recalling that Charles hadn¡¯t exactly confessed his feelings to Alicia yet. ¡°Hm?¡± Alicia¡¯s eyes narrowed with curiosity. ¡°What was that?¡± Harvey cleared his throat, quickly steering the topic elsewhere. ¡°I mean, why do you trust me so easily?¡± he asked. ¡°What if I really was the kind of doctor Adam described? And what if I messed with your treatment just to teach him a lesson? You¡¯d be the one to suffer.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Alicia threw the question back at him with a calm smile. ¡°But would you?¡± Harvey stared at her for a beat, then broke into anotherugh. ¡°No. I wouldn¡¯t. That¡¯s why you can trust me.¡± ¡°Then thank you,¡± Alicia smiled back. ¡°Are you here for the usual checkup?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Harvey nodded. He ran her through a round of routine questions, then turned to the nurse with a few quick instructions before continuing with Alicia. ¡°I¡¯ll switch up your meds and put you on IV¡¯s for two more days, he instructed. ¡°After that, you can go home. But you¡¯ll still need plenty of rest.¡± Alicia nodded. ¡°Got it.¡± Just then, Brooke returned with a fruit basket. Alicia¡¯s eyes lit up the moment she spotted the cherries in her hands. Her whole face brightened like amp. ¡°Wow, cherries! They look so good,¡± Alicia cheered. ¡°I haven¡¯t had them in forever.¡± Harvey paused at the doorway. Her delighted voice made him turn his head. Alicia was reaching eagerly for the fruit, her in face glowing under the light. She looked genuinely happy-over something so small. ¡®What a good girl, thought Harvey. After everything she¡¯s been through, she can stillugh like this¡­ so innocent and so pure. Harvey lingered for a few seconds longer at the door, then finally walked away. ¡°Take it slow, Miss Lawrence,¡± back in the ward, Brooke handed Alicia a napkin. ¡°You¡¯ve got to chew carefully now, and don¡¯t overdo it.¡± She studied Alicia closely, watching her face for any flicker of difort or irritation. But nothing. Brooke frowned. This felt strange to her. As a caretaker, reading people¡¯s moods was supposed to be second nature-especially with demanding clients. It was survival 101 in this line of work. And she prided herself on being a master at it. But she couldn¡¯t read Alicia at all. Her expression stayed calm and measured, and her emotions were tucked away. To Brooke, Alicia was more like someone who¡¯d learned to hide too much. Finally, Brooke couldn¡¯t help but blurt out, ¡°Miss Lawrence, Doctor Lawrence didn¡¯t bully you, did he?¡± ¡°No. Why?¡± Alicia shook her head with a soft smile, plucking a cherry from the basket. She held it out to Brooke. ¡°Here, have some cherries.¡± Brooke quickly waved her hands. She knew those cherries were imported, and Mr. Quinn had them sent over. They were way too expensive for her. Meanwhile, Adam had just walked into Room 602, where Tiffany was staying. The moment she saw him, Tiffany¡¯s face lit up with excitement, and Maria smiled warmly too. ¡°Tiffany, start packing up. We¡¯re moving you over there,¡± said Maria, then she turned to Adam. ¡°By the way, make sure the room Alicia stayed in gets properly disinfected. And everything she touched-sheets, quilts, pillowcases-throw it all out and rece it.¡± The rest of the Lawrence family nodded in agreement. Hugh patted Adam on the shoulder. ¡°Good job this time,¡± he said. ¡°All right, you can go. We¡¯ll take care of Tiffany.¡± Adam nced around at his family. Not one of them asked what illness Alicia had, or how serious it was. All they cared about was swapping Tiffany into her room. He finally understood what Alicia had been trying to tell him before. Drawing in a deep breath, Adam said firmly, ¡°No one¡¯s moving. The room stays as it is.¡± Everyone turned to stare at him. But Adam¡¯s gaze locked on Maria. ¡°Mom, when Alicia lived at our house, did you ever give her any pocket money?¡± Maria hadn¡¯t expected that question. She frowned, then answered matter-of-factly, ¡°No. She lived with us- room and board covered. What would she need pocket money for?¡± Adam¡¯s voice shook as he shot back, ¡°But the rest of us all get it. A few thousands a month. Every month.¡± ¡°She¡¯ not like you,¡± Maria didn¡¯t even blink. ¡°You¡¯re my real children.¡± Adam¡¯s lips trembled. It was like his whole worldview had shattered. ¡°So you never saw Alicia as your daughter, did you?¡± Maria¡¯s tone turned sharp. ¡°She¡¯s not my blood. Why should I treat her like one? I gave her food, clothes, a roof over her head. That¡¯s more than enough.¡± ¡°Food and clothes?¡± Adam¡¯s voice was bitter. ¡°Did you ever invite her to the dinner table? Did she ever eat what you ate? Did she really get enough food, enough warmth?¡± Maria opened her mouth but no words came out. Truth was, they¡¯d never called Alicia to meals. She couldn¡¯t even recall what Alicia usually ate. But Alicia had survived twelve years under their roof-so Maria thought she must have eaten something. Before she could defend herself, Adam pressed on. ¡°If you never saw her as family, then why take her in the first ce?¡± Maria faltered, unable to answer. Archie tugged at Adam¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Adam, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± asked Archie. ¡°Did Alicia fill your head with something? I knew she¡¯s nothing but trouble. Always stirring up drama. I¡¯ll go deal with her right now.¡± Archie rolled up his sleeves and made for the door, but Adam yanked him back with such force that Archie stumbled and hit the floor. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Clutching his arm, Archie snapped. ¡°Dad and Mom asked you to get Tiffany a room, but instead youe back throwing a fit?¡± Readplete version only at F¦Énd£Îovel Andrew chimed in, ¡°Exactly. What did Alicia say to you? Brainwashed you already?¡± Aaron also frowned. ¡°Adam, seriously. What¡¯s your matter? Apologize to Mom now.¡± Adam didn¡¯t move. His eyes swept over all of them. ¡°Did any of you ever care if Alicia had enough to eat? Enough to wear?¡± he demanded. ¡°She¡¯s sick right now-has anyone asked what she has, or how bad it is?¡± His voice rose with every word. ¡°For twelve years, she regarded you as her brothers, gave you gifts, and not one of you truly cared about her. Don¡¯t you selfish people see it?¡± Luxurious 22 ¡°Listen, Adam,¡± Aaron¡¯s voice suddenly sharpen, rising a pitch. ¡°Do you realize you¡¯re standing here, using your own family? You sound like Alicia¡¯s brainwashed you!¡± Adam¡¯s face darkened, but Aaron didn¡¯t stop. ¡°It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t care about her-she¡¯s the one who¡¯s vicious,¡± he continued. ¡°You barelye home since you started working, so you don¡¯t know. Ever since Tiffany came back, Alicia¡¯s been trying to trip her up. How could we treat her like family?¡± Adam froze at those words, but only for a second. His jaw clenched as a thought clicked into ce. ¡°And before Tiffany came back? She never pulled anything like that. You just ignored her, and now you¡¯re trying to use Tiffany as an excuse to cover up your own selfishness and hypocrisy.¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Hugh, who¡¯d been silent until now, finally spoke. ¡°Adam, I never imagined you¡¯d bitten the hand that feeds you. If I¡¯d known you¡¯d turn out like this, I never would¡¯ve lifted a finger to get you a foothold at the hospital.¡± He red at Adam before continued. ¡°And now you¡¯re telling me the best room in this ce should go to a stranger instead of your sister? Alicia¡¯s ward-was it your doing?¡± Every head in the room turned toward him. Adam shook his head, pale but steady. ¡°No. I only just found out she was admitted.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb with me.¡± Hugh¡¯s anger snapped like a whip. ¡°Without you, she¡¯d nevernd in a VIP room. She¡¯s a penniless orphan-how the hell could she afford it?¡± Adam had no answer. He only remembered what Harvey had said¡ªAlicia had been sent here by someone else, but he didn¡¯t know who was that. He opened his mouth to exin, but Hugh cut him off with a sneer. ¡°You¡¯re nothing but a leech, Adam. You dare look down on us, but what about you?¡± said Hugh. ¡°Your career was built on the Lawrence family¡¯s blood and name. You wouldn¡¯t even be a chief if it weren¡¯t for us. And now you strut around acting holier-than-thou? You¡¯re the biggest hypocrite of us all.¡± Adam¡¯s face went sheet-white. ¡°Dad¡­ what are you saying? I earned that promotion myself. What do you mean I relied on the family?¡± ¡°On your own? What a joke. You were stuck as an intern for years, couldn¡¯t even make it to a resident. Then suddenly, you soared straight up thedder,¡± Hugh gave a harsh, bitterugh. ¡°Without me greasing the wheels, you¡¯d still be fetching coffee. Don¡¯t tter yourself. You want to throw stones at us? Fine. But don¡¯t you dare do it while standing on the foundation we built for you.¡± For original chapters go to Adam staggered back a step, his knees nearly buckling. His lips trembled, and a hollow whisper slipped out. ¡°So¡­ that¡¯s the truth?¡± A dry, brokenugh burst from him. ¡°And here I thought I was capable. Turns out it was never me at all. So that¡¯s it. That¡¯s all it ever was.¡± He felt like the punchline of a cruel joke. All those years-his pride, his ambition, his fights with Harvey, his refusal to bow-were all jokes. He finally realized that he was nothing but a puppet propped up by the Lawrence¡¯s strings. The walls seemed to close in on him. He spun around and stumbled out of the room, half-running, half- falling. Maria¡¯s face pinched with worry. She turned on Hugh, voice sharp with me. ¡°Honestly, Hugh, why would you say all that to him? What if he does something stupid?¡± She then turned to Archie. ¡°Archie, go check on Adam.¡± Archie, still sore from being yanked to the floor earlier, scowled. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± Maria looked to Andrew, but Andrew shook his head quickly. ¡°Forget it. He¡¯s lost his mind. I¡¯m not poking that ho¡¯s nest.¡± Finally, Aaron sighed and pushed to his feet. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll go after him. Someone has to make sure he doesn¡¯t do anything rash.¡± After Aaron left, the rest of the Lawrence family sat in the ward, trading uneasy nces. And then, the silence broke with Tiffany¡¯s soft, pitiful sobs. Maria¡¯s heart lurched. She clutched Tiffany¡¯s trembling hands. ¡°Sweetheart, what is it? Why are you crying?¡± ¡°Mom, does Adam hate me? He¡¯s standing up for Alicia because he thinks I stole everything from her?¡± Tiffany lowered hershes, tears dripping onto herp. Her voice quavered, fragile as ss. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. Maybe I should just leave.¡± She started to rise, but Maria pulled her into a fierce embrace. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense! How could Adam ever hate you? This has nothing to do with you. It¡¯s Alicia poisoning his mind.¡± Archie jumped in quickly. ¡°Exactly. It¡¯s her fault. She¡¯s brainwashed him.¡± ¡°So what about the ward now?¡± Andrew folded his arms. ¡°What¡¯s the n?¡± Tiffany gave a weak shake of her head, her voice faint. ¡°Forget it. I don¡¯t want to stay here. That room was Alicia¡¯s first, so I¡¯ll just go home.¡± ¡°Nonsense,¡± Maria frowned, eyes shing. ¡°You¡¯re sick. What if something happens while you¡¯re at home? Stay here. I¡¯ll make Alicia give up that room.¡± ¡°But Mom¡­ ¡± Tiffany reached as if to stop her, but her grip slipped loose, letting Maria march away. Meanwhile, in Room 606, Brooke was chatting with Alicia. ¡°Miss Lawrence, I just came back from outside,¡± she leaned close to Alicia, whispering. ¡°I heard the Lawrences in 602 arguing.¡± Alicia didn¡¯t even blink. Whatever fights they had weren¡¯t her concern. She only cared about herself now. ¡°Sounded like Doctor Lawrence was quarreling with his family,¡± Brooke continued, lowering her voice further. ¡°He was standing up for you-called them ¡®selfish people.¡± That made Alicia pause, her brows lifting. In herst life, that had never happened. Adam had rarely returned home, and the few times he did, Tiffany always filled his ears with rumors. Adam¡¯s indifference had turned into dislike. He¡¯d never hurled insults like the other Lawrences, but when she¡¯d begged him for help, he would always reply with the same words. ¡°I want nothing to do with you,¡± those cruel words of Adam still lingered, seared into her memory. ¡°You¡¯re not my sister-you¡¯d just reaped what you sowed.¡± Ìï AD Comment Send gift No Ads Luxurious 23 Thinking of this, Alicia let out a coldugh. 88 Jouchen So this time, Tiffany hadn¡¯t had the chance to poison Adam¡¯s cars against her, and since Alicia had spoken of her suffering in the Lawrence family earlier, he¡¯d actually felt a twinge of pity for her. But to her, that didn¡¯t change anything. In this life, she had determined that she didn¡¯t need anyone¡¯s pity. She wouldn¡¯t survive on sympathy. This time, she would rely only on herself, guard what was hers, and never again let Tiffany take a single thing from her. Brooke, seeing Alicia remain silent, tried cautiously to speak up for Adam. ¡°Miss Lawrence, Doctor Lawrence is actually a good man. He¡¯s not like the rest of your family.¡± Before Alicia could respond, the door to the ward was shoved open with a bang that echoed against the wall. Both she and Brooke looked up to see Maria storming in, arrogance written all over her face. ¡°Alicia,¡± she dered, ¡°Tiffany will be staying in this room. You need to pack up and move out immediately. This room belongs to her now.¡± Original content can be found at F?nd-Novel Maria thought she knew Alicia well. Alicia would always craved her affection, and had once clung to every word as if it were sacred. Yesterday¡¯s temper tantrum, Maria assumed, was just a ploy for attention. Surely, if Maria herself came to her now, spoke to her personally, Alicia would give in. Thinking about this, Maria turned to Brooke without waiting for Alicia¡¯s reply. ¡°And you-aren¡¯t you Alicia¡¯s friend? Hurry and help her pack. Move her things out.¡± She didn¡¯t believe Alicia could possibly afford a caretaker. To her, Brooke was just some penniless ssmate from Alicia¡¯s ss. Brooke¡¯s cheeks flushed with anger, but she dared not speak up. Maria screamed of wealth and power, and that wasn¡¯t a mere caretaker aide to fight back. All she could do was fume in silence, secretly cursing Maria to trip and fall t the moment she stepped outside. ¡°Oh, and don¡¯t bother moving to Tiffany¡¯s ward,¡± Maria added coolly. ¡°You can go to a regr room-four beds to a space. That¡¯s more than enough for you.¡± It wasn¡¯t just that she wanted Tiffany to have the best. She also intended to humiliate Alicia with the worst. Brooke nearly burst with outrage. She nced anxiously at Alicia, terrified she might actually agree to such a unreasonable demand. But Alicia only smiled faintly. ¡°Mrs. Lawrence,¡± she spoke up. ¡°After all these years in the family, I never realized your memory was this poor.¡± What? Maria blinked, not immediately catching her meaning. ¡°If I recall correctly.¡± Alicia said coldly, ¡°I made myself perfectly clear this morning. I will not give up this room. So please, Mrs. Lawrence. Leave.¡± Maria hadn¡¯t expected defiance. Her temper spiked. ¡°Alicia!¡± she demanded. ¡°If you still want toe back to the Lawrence family and call me ¡®mother, then you¡¯d better¡­ ¡°But I don¡¯t want to return to the Lawrence family,¡± Alicia cut her off, her voice hard as ice. ¡°And I certainly don¡¯t want to call you mother. So no, I will not be giving up this room.¡± Maria had always thought it a gift to let Alicia call her ¡°Mom.¡± Now, hearing Alicia cast that away so casually, herposure cracked. All the polished manners of a socialite vanished in an instant. ¡°Look at you, Alicia!¡± Maria almost screamed. ¡°Do you think you deserve to live in a room like this? You have ten minutes to move out, or else¡ª¡± ¡°Or else¡­ what?¡± Alicia arched a brow, calm and cool as Maria ranted. That poise only infuriated Maria further. She didn¡¯t even expect Alicia to remain unshaken when the Lawrence clearly had the upper hand. ¡°You shameless brat!¡± Maria snapped, lifting her hand high. ¡°Who gave you the right to speak to me like this? I¡¯ll teach you a lesson!¡± Brooke gasped, frozen in fear as Maria¡¯s palm arced through the air, certain it would strike Alicia¡¯s face. But the p nevernded. Before it could fall, Alicia¡¯s slender hand shot up, mping Maria¡¯s wrist in an iro grip. Her eyes were ice. Never again would she give Maria the chance to hit her. Alicia was sure about this. In this life of hers, never again did Maria have that right. Maria¡¯s shock was in. She never thought the girl she¡¯d once bullied so easily now resisted her openly. Snarling, she raised her other hand to strike-only for Alicia to seize that wrist too. She cried out in pain as Alicia squeezed, certain her bones would snap beneath that strength. Alicia had worked like a servant in the Lawrence household for years, beaten down with endless chores. ¡°Do it well, or the family won¡¯t like you,¡± they¡¯d said, handing her all the roughest, heaviest tasks. Without realizing it, she¡¯d grown strong. ¡°Alicia, what are you doing? Have you lost your mind?¡± Maria shrieked. ¡°I¡¯m your mother! Are you really go against me?¡± Brooke could barely contain her glee. She wanted to p for Alicia, to cheer out loud. But instead, she bounced with silent delight. Her joy was short-lived. The door banged open again, and one by one, the rest of the Lawrence family filed in, faces full of usation-all turned against Alicia. Panic shot through Brooke. She knew Alicia couldn¡¯t win against so many. Heart racing, the bolted from the ward, phone already in hand. She quickly dialed Kevin Quinn, Charles¡¯ chauffeur. ¡°Mr. Quinn! Pleasee to the hospital right away!¡¯ she pleaded breathlessly. ¡°Miss Lawrence they¡¯re all here, ganging up on her, trying to force her to give up her room for their real daughter She spoke so fast, she didn¡¯t even make the situation clear. But Kevin wasn¡¯t Charles¡¯ chauffeur for nothing He¡¯d been with him too long not to understand what was happening. He knew well enough the cruel treatment Alicia had suffered in the Lawrence family. ¡°Stay close to Miss Lawrence,¡± Kevin ordered at once. ¡®I¡¯ll call Mr. Yates right now.¡± He hung up immediately and dialed Charles. At that very moment, Charles was in a boardroom, deep in a meeting. As always, his phone wasn¡¯t with him. It rested on his secretary, Tracy Shepherd¡¯s desk outside. When the phone rang, Tracy nced at the caller ID, and then hung up the call without hesitation. But Kevin called again. And again. Finally, Tracy strode into the meeting room, phone in hand, a tight frown on her face. ¡°Kevin, what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± she answered sharply, voice clipped with irritation. ¡°You of all people should know Mr. Yates¡¯ schedule. He¡¯s in a meeting, so stop blowing up his phone.¡± ¡°It¡¯s urgent,¡± Kevin said quickly. ¡°A serious matter-life-and-death urgent. Please, put Mr. Yates on the line.¡± Tracy¡¯s tone turned icy. ¡°You¡¯ve been driving for a few years and now you think you¡¯re important enough to interrupt a meeting? I said no. Whatever it is can wait.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Kevin ground his teeth. ¡°Tell Mr. Yates it¡¯s about Miss Lawrence. She¡¯s being bullied by her family right now. He needs to know.¡± Tracy¡¯s frown deepened. For years, she knew no one had ever been close to Mr. Yates. He¡¯d kept his world clean, untouched. So who was this Miss Lawrence? Tracy thought, hesitated. And what gall she must have had, to think she could catch Mr. Yates¡¯ attention? Luxurious 24 ¡°I told you, Mr. Yates is tied up. Don¡¯t bother him with these trivial matters. Tracy¡¯s voice was firm over the phone. ¡°Today¡¯s meeting is crucial. If anything goes wrong, you¡¯ll be the one responsible And with that, she hung up, leaving Kevin helpless. Kevin sighed. A chauffeur like him couldn¡¯t really help Miss Lawrence, but Brooke¡¯s anxious voice had him worried. He gritted his teeth and called Brooke back. Brooke picked up almost immediately, her voice trembling. ¡°Mr. Quinn, where are you? They¡¯re all ganging. up on Miss Lawrence, and Mrs. Lawrence even tried to hit her!* Latest content published on Find_Novel(. Kevin¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t do much from here. Maybe get Doctor Johnson? He should be in the hospital. He can get there fast and help her.¡± Without a word, Brooke hung up and ran off to find Harvey. On the other side, Harvey had been on duty the night before and was supposed to finish his half-day shift after routine rounds. But just as he was packing up, Brooke burst into his office. ¡°Doctor Johnson, please, you have to help Miss Lawrence. Her family¡¯s bullying her!¡± Brooke¡¯s voice shook. ¡°They¡¯re even trying to hit her!¡± Hearing Brooke¡¯s plea, Harvey clenched his fists. He remembered what Alicia had told Adam yesterday. To him, the Lawrence family was surely brutal and unreasonable. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll see what¡¯s happening,¡± he said, leaving his bag on the desk and following Brooke to Room 606. By the time they arrived, a small crowd had gathered outside the ward-VIP patients and their families, all watching themotion. Harvey frowned. He didn¡¯t expect this mess had drawn in the whole floor. He strode forward, and someone waved nervously. ¡°Oh hello, Doctor Johnson. Here to watch the drama too ¡°I think you¡¯d better lie down and rest,¡± Harvey said sharply. ¡°Your condition doesn¡¯t allow standing too long The patient blushed, muttered an apology, and scurried back to bed. Harvey didn¡¯t say a word. He pushed through the crowd. Inside, the Lawrence family had surrounded Alici ¡°Alicia, I know you¡¯re upset because I came back, and you¡¯re worried I¡¯ll take your things. I promise I won¡¯t take anything,¡± a soft, pitiful voice rang from the room. ¡°Just please don¡¯t be so harsh with Mom. I don¡¯t nee this room-don¡¯t fight with her anymore, okay?¡± Hearing Tiffany¡¯s words, Maria¡¯s heart softened. She reached out, hugging Tiffany. ¡°This room is yours. Wh don¡¯t you take it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want it, Mom,¡± Tiffany shook her head weakly. ¡°I¡¯ve caused you enough trouble. I don¡¯t need to stay in the hospital-I can just stay at home.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do. We can¡¯t guarantee you get treatment in time at home,¡± Andrew chimed in. ¡°Tiffany, you¡¯ve endured so much, now you need to stay in the hospital. Don¡¯t worry about Alicia-she owes you that much. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Archie red at Alicia. ¡°Why are you alwayspeting with Tiffany? Now even a hospital room? She¡¯s sick, and you still want it?¡± ¡°Competing with her?¡± Alicia¡¯s patience snapped. The Lawrences had pushed her too far. ¡°Get your facts straight. I moved in here first. If anyone¡¯s taking someone else¡¯s room, it¡¯s you, not me.¡± ¡°Alicia, can you stop making a scene? Tiffany¡¯s ill, and here you are arguing,¡± Aaron frowned. ¡°Pack up your things and let her stay. You were enjoying privileges under her identity while she suffered outside. That¡¯s why she¡¯s getting sick easily now.¡± Maria added, ¡°Alicia, do you forget? For years, you lived as the heiress. What you owe her, you should repay. Everything you have now belongs to her.¡± The bystanders murmured, shocked. Everyone knew the family had lost a daughter, but few knew the truth. Now Aaron¡¯s words were misleading everyone. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Some whispered. ¡°The adopted daughter enjoying the life meant for the real daughter? Did the real daughter get trafficked? That¡¯s horrible!¡± ¡°I heard the adopted one was eight when she came to the Lawrences. She should¡¯ve understood,¡± another chimed in. ¡°If her rtives switched her with the real daughter, she can¡¯t bepletely innocent either.¡± ¡°And the Lawrences kept her for so long? She deserves punishment,¡± the others nodded. ¡°Enough. Kids squabble andpete for attention-fine. But you need to know time and ce, Alicia,¡± Just then, Hugh spoke. ¡°You may be the adopted daughter, but we raised you. You¡¯re our child, and also Tiffany¡¯s sister. You need to take care of Tiffany, understand?¡± If this had been her previous life, Alicia might have felt guilty. But this time, she only thought Hugh really excelled at maniption. ¡°Is the whole Lawrence family born without shame?¡± Alicia¡¯s eyes went cold. ¡°You lost a daughter, so you wanted another. It was you who forced me from my grandfather¡¯s care-he disappeared because of you-and took me. And now you dare me me?¡± She cleared her throat before continued. ¡°And what ¡®privileges¡¯ did I enjoy? I lost my only grandfather, so I tried my best to pay you back. I treated you as closest kin, but still toiled harder than any servant-heavy chores, exhaustingbor. That¡¯s what you call enjoying privileges?¡± With that, Alicia held out her hands, revealing the calluses and roughness from years of back-breaking work. Luxurious 25 Harvey had been a little worried about Alicia carlier, but now, he wasn¡¯t. Alicia might act quiet, but Harvey knew she had learned how to bite. He didn¡¯t rush to step in. Sometimes it was more fun to watch the show. Leaning casually against the doorframe, he let a small smirk y at the corner of his lips. Yet when his fell on Alicia¡¯s hands-rough, slightly scarred-he couldn¡¯t help the flicker of concern. eyes The crowd around her couldn¡¯t help but nce at her hands, too. They were actually elegant-long, slender fingers and fair skin, but the skin was rough, cracked from hard work. Gasps spread through the onlookers. ¡°My god¡­ what¡¯s going on? Forcing this little girl into a family like that-is this kidnapping?¡± one murmured. ¡°If you really want a daughter, adopt her properly! Why treat her like this?¡± another agreed. ¡°And seriously¡­ she isn¡¯t even their real daughter, but they talk as if she owes her everything. What kind of logic is that?¡± Hugh, watching, noticed the crowd slowly starting to side with Alicia. His eyes darkened. Alicia had surely changed. She never would¡¯ve dared defy us before, and she wasn¡¯t this sharp-tongued. When did it start? Hugh frowned. He never knew when had she grown a backbone. But still, to him, no matte how clever Alicia got, she was still just an orphan. With so many VIPS in the ward, he couldn¡¯t let her keep making a scene, so he spoke up. ¡°Alicia, I didn¡¯t expect you to take my lessons as our displeasure. If you didn¡¯t like it, you should have said something sooner,¡± he said. ¡°I have three sons and only one daughter-of course I pay extra attention. Thoug you¡¯re adopted, when Tiffany wasn¡¯t around, you were my only daughter.¡± He shot her a warning look. If she didn¡¯t back down now, he would make she regret it. This was his way of giving her a face-saving exit. ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s all about the lessons for the kids,¡± someone nearby whispered. ¡°These days, many families send their children out on ¡®trial¡¯. Just look at the Yates family-after the trial, the heir came back ready to run the family business.¡± Alicia¡¯s eyes flickered. Her voice softened, almost touched. ¡°So Dad¡­ all of this, it was just training me? I¡¯m sorry. I misunderstood you.¡± Hugh allowed himself a small, satisfied smile. Good, he thought. Alicia was finally acknowledging the family line. Now the Lawrence family could salvage its reputation. But then Alicia tilted her head, eyes wide and innocent. ¡°If this training is just for me, does that mean you n to let me manage the Lawrence family someday?¡± She looped her arm through his, awe in her expression. ¡°I never expected, as an adopted daughter, to be valued like this. Honestly, my brothers are all far more talented than me.¡± The crowd murmured, finally speaking out. ¡°So the Lawrence family trains only the adopted daughter but not their sons? Are they really going to hand the family over to her?¡± someone asked, curiously. ¡°Hey, Mr. Lawrence, another chimed in. ¡°How many shares will you give your adopted daughter?¡± ¡°Yeah, tell us! There are so many of us here-we want to witness it!¡± Hugh¡¯s face darkened. He wanted to shake her off and scold her. An orphan, and now daring to cover the family fortune? This was uneptable to him. But with so many eyes on him, all he could do was force out a stiffugh. On the other side, Harvey almostughed outright. He never thought Alicia was this brilliant-she¡¯d rattled that Hugh Lawrence and still kept her cool. Alicia didn¡¯t stop. If Hugh loved theatrics, she could y along. She wasn¡¯t going to lose-once an award- winning actress, never out-acted by a rookie. ¡°So Dad,¡± she tilted her head again, eyes wide with innocence. ¡°This time, because I¡¯m sick, you want me to give my room to Tiffany¡­ is this also part of my ¡®training¡¯?¡± Then she lowered her gaze, hope shining in her eyes. ¡°I know you¡¯re training me for my own good, but how I wish to feel your love just once. Could you give me a break when I¡¯m feeling unwell and have me keep my room? Tiffany¡¯s already in Room 602-why should I give mine up?¡± Her expression softened everyone present. Murmurs of disapproval shifted toward Hugh. ¡°Mr. Lawrence, she¡¯s sick, and you wants her to give up her room for your real daughter?¡± one snapped. ¡°Are you serious?¡± This update is avable on F?nd-Novel ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. I¡¯ve been in the hospital a few days. I think I know what happened,¡± another exined. ¡°Th adopted daughter got sick first, brought here by a kind stranger. The real daughter got sick the next day, bu refused to stay anywhere else¡ªinsisted on 606. And now the family¡¯s forcing her to give it up? Ridiculous.¡± ¡°Well, the Lawrences call this ¡®training,¡¯ but it¡¯s just mistreatment,¡± someone else agreed. ¡°Poor girl¡­ she¡¯s hoping for a bit of love, and they¡¯re squeezing her dry. She should run. What love could she possibly get fro them?¡± Hugh¡¯s face darkened further, but with so many of Riverdale¡¯s wealthy and influential watching, he couldn¡¯ argue. ¡°Alicia, don¡¯t y the victim!¡± Maria, overhearing the whispers, snapped. ¡°You took Tiffany¡¯s favorite room when she¡¯s sick, all for your own selfish reasons. We raised you, and now you try to hurt our real daughter?¡¯ Alicia didn¡¯t answer, but Brooke had had enough. Seeing Miss Lawrence cornered and bullied¡ªand with Harvey still silent-she stepped forward. ¡°Ma¡¯am, I think you¡¯ve got it all wrong. Miss Lawrence is hospitalized for her stomach. The hospital would let a healthy person take a room,¡± Brooke protested, frowning. 65 vou her ¡°She¡¯s Dr. Johnson¡¯s patient, and this room was assigned by him. What a nonsense talking of her ¡®ying the victim?¡± She then shot a nce at Harvey. ¡°Right, Doctor Johnson?¡± Luxurious 26 Chapter 26 $450 65 vouchers Harvey, who had been leaning against the wall watching Alicia hold her ground, finally stepped forward when he was called out. ¡°I¡¯m Doctor Johnson, and Miss Lawrence is my patient. She¡¯s suffering from a serious gastric ulcer, so she needs hospitalization,¡± said Harvey. ¡°If it lead to an infection, it can spread through the abdominal cavity, trigger peritonitis, and, frankly, it could be fatal.¡± Harvey¡¯s name carried weight in Maplewood General Hospital. He¡¯d treated plenty of patients here over the years. More than a few people in the crowd had either been under his care or heard about him, and his testimony was as good as gold. The onlookers gasped. ¡°Good Lord. She¡¯s that sick? And the Lawrences had no clue?¡± ¡°Figures. The Lawrence family only have eyes for their precious blood daughter,¡± one snapped. ¡°Poor girl- this is tragic.¡± ¡°Not only do they treat her like dirt, now they¡¯re spinning delusions that she¡¯s plotting against their darling Tiffany?¡± the others agreed. ¡°How ridiculous.¡± Hearing the whispers, Tiffany¡¯s face drained of color. She clutched her head and leaned heavily on Maria. ¡°Mom, help me. I feel so dizzy¡­¡± Before she could finish, her knees buckled and she copsed into Maria¡¯s arms. ¡°Tiffany, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Maria shrieked, nearly hysterical. ¡°Hang on there, I¡¯ll take you back right now!¡± The other Lawrences scrambled forward in a panic. Aaron scooped Tiffany up in both arms, hurried her back to 602, and the whole Lawrence family rushed after him. With the main yers gone, the show was over. The crowd, disappointed that the drama had fizzled out, slowly drifted away. Alicia turned to Harvey, her voice soft. ¡°Doctor Johnson, thank you.¡± Harvey arched a brow, azy smile tugging at his lips. ¡°No need. I¡¯m just telling the truth.¡± He stretched like a cat, let out an exaggerated yawn, and waved her off. ¡°I¡¯ve been on duty all night. Time to crash. You get some shut¨Ceye too.¡± And with that, Harvey left, as carefree as ever. Alicia let out a tired breath andy back for a short nap. After lunch, Brooke tried to coax her outside for some fresh air. But Alicia wasn¡¯t having it. Thest thing she wanted was to bump into the Lawrence family again. She¡¯d rather hole up in her room with a book. 15:39 Wed, Oct 1 : But the problem was, she hadn¡¯t brought a single textbook. 45 55 vouchers At the Lawrence house, studying was practically forbidden. The moment she picked up a book, they shoved a paintbrush in her hand instead. So she¡¯d stopped bringing her study materials there at all, keeping everything safely at school. Frustrated, she phoned her best friend, Sienna, to bring her the books. Sienna agreed before Alicia could even finish the request. Until then, Alicia could only nap and scroll through her phone, trying to kill time. ***** Back in 602, Tiffany simmered with resentment. Alicia hadn¡¯t handed over the room, and worse, she¡¯d made Hugh embarrassed in public. ¡®Does Alicia even realize this kind of suite cost a fortune?¡® thought Tiffany. ¡°That doctor had the gall to arrange it for her, and she actually had the nerve to stay? Fine. Let¡¯s see how long shests when the billes due!¡® ¡°Mom, with both Alicia and me in the hospital, these VIP rooms must cost a fortune,¡± Tiffany tugged Maria¡¯s hand and sighed pitifully. ¡°Alicia¡¯s condition is more serious, so let her keep the suite. I¡¯ll discharge myself and save us some money.¡± ¡°Nonsense. We¡¯re not strapped for cash,¡± replied Maria, heart breaking. ¡°Besides, Alicia left our family ages ago. Why should we pay for her hospital stay? Just let her foot the bill herself.¡± Only then did Tiffany¡¯s lips curve into a faint smile. ¡°But¡­ won¡¯t Alicia resent me even more if I stay?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? She¡¯s got no right. Forget her. You stay right where you are.¡± Maria smoothed Tiffany¡¯s hair like she was the most fragile treasure in the world. Nodding sweetly, Tiffany leaned on Maria¡¯s shoulder. ***** By four¨Cthirty, Alicia¡¯s phone buzzed. She picked up, and Sienna¡¯s cheerful voice came through the phone. ¡°I¡¯m at the hospital gate. Come grab your books.¡± Throwing on a jacket, Alicia dashed out. Sienna had stuffed everyst textbook into a bulging backpack. Taking it, Alicia grinned. ¡°Thanks, Sienna. You¡¯re a lifesaver.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Sienna grinned. ¡°Hey, you eating okay in there? If not, I¡¯ll get my mom to make extra and I¡¯ll drop it by every day.¡± Alicia¡¯s chest warmed. She chuckled softly. ¡°I¡¯ve got food, don¡¯t worry. Just focus on midterms, okay? Study hard.¡± ¡°Fine, fine. I¡¯m heading home then. Sienna waved and trotted off. 15:39 Wed, Oct 1 Alicia stood there until her friend¡¯s figure disappeared into the distance. Only then did she heft the heavy backpack onto her shoulder and turn back toward the hospital entrance. ¡°Alicia,¡± a familiar voice came from behind. She turned¡ªand her mood plummeted. Henry Yates. Of course. 45 She gave him a single t nce and kept walking. Henry frowned, his jaw tightening. He jogged a few steps to catch up. ¡°You came to see Tiffany, didn¡¯t you?¡± he asked. Alicia ignored him, eyes forward. But Henry didn¡¯t stop there. ¡°Or was it for me?¡± his voice turned smug. ¡°You knew I¡¯d be here, so you waited out front just to bump into me?¡± Alicia almost tripped over her own feet from rolling her eyes so hard. She wondered where on earth did this guy get his ego. Still, she kept silent, lengthening her stride. Henry¡¯s gaze fell to the backpack on her shoulders, and his tone iced over. ¡°If you¡¯re not here for Tiffany, then you¡¯re obviously trying to win me back. But let me spell it out, you¡¯re wasting your time. Don¡¯t even bother seeing her today,¡± hemanded. ¡°When you¡¯ve repented¨Cif Tiffany forgives you then, maybe, I¡¯ll consider us again.¡± Alicia had no patience for his nonsense. She quickened her pace, overtook him, and headed straight toward her ward. It was the same direction as Tiffany¡¯s ward, and Henry assumed she was hurrying there. He strode forward and blocked her way. ¡°Listen, Alicia,¡± said Henry, voice dangerous. ¡°Don¡¯t think you can just walk all over Tiffany because she¡¯s kind. You push her around, blow her off, and now you show up empty¨Chanded, without a shred of sincerity. Even if she lets it go, I won¡¯t.¡± That was it. Alicia stopped dead, spun on her heel, and let him have it. ¡°Wow. The confidence,¡± she replied. ¡°Henry, maybe you¡¯ve missed something. I was the one who dumped you. Why would I need your forgiveness? Dumbass.¡± She punctuated it with an eye¨Croll, and off she strode, leaving him choking on her words. Henry¡¯s face went crimson. He could practically taste blood. But when he noticed Alicia heading toward Tiffany¡¯s ward, his fury doubled. He jogged ahead, grabbed her wrist, and snapped, ¡°Alicia, I told you¡­ ¡± Tiffany¡¯s soft, fragile voice drifted from behind him. ¡°Henry, is that you?¡± Henry froze, head jerking up. Without realizing it, they had reached the door of 602. 15:39 Wed, Oct 1 Chapter 27 Find the newest release on F?ndNovel Luxurious 27 45 56 vouchers Henry shot Alicia a sharp, warning look, then shoved the fruit basket he¡¯d been holding into her hands. ¡°Alicia came to see you. I ran into her at the hospital entrance¨Cshe was too shy toe in at first,¡± said Henry. ¡°She doesn¡¯t me you, and you¡¯ve done nothing wrong. So stop overthinking, okay?¡± Tiffany¡¯s face twisted as she watched the basket being stuffed into Alicia¡¯s arms, looking like she was about to choke on her own expression. Alicia, on the other hand, nced at the basket that had been forced on her, and without hesitation, loosened her grip. tter! The basket hit the floor, apples and oranges scattering across the hallway. Henry¡¯s eyes red. He ground his teeth and muttered low enough for only Alicia to hear. ¡°Listen, Tiffany¡¯s too kind, and you are not to hurt her again,¡± he demanded. ¡°Ever since you left the Lawrence family, she¡¯s been drowning in guilt. Are you seriously going to wound her twice?¡± Alicia stepped back, putting distance between them, and fixed Tiffany with a cold stare. ¡°Is that so?¡± she raised her voice. ¡°My sweet little sister feels so guilty she had to steal my ward?¡± Tiffany¡¯s eyes shimmered with unshed tears, her voice trembling as she whispered, ¡°Alicia¡­¡± ¡°Cut the act, Tiffany. Your performance disgusts me.¡± Alicia couldn¡¯t stomach it anymore. She snapped the words out, spun on her heel, and marched back into her ward. Watching Alicia leave, Henry froze. ¡°Wait¡­ why¡¯s she going into that room?¡± Tiffany hesitated. She bit her lip, having choice but to answer. ¡°She¡¯s also hospitalized.¡± ¡°She¡¯s sick?¡± Henry blinked. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I have no idea,¡± Tiffany¡¯s gaze flickered, but she lowered hershes demurely. ¡°Word is¡­ she copsed in front of someone¡¯s car after leaving home. He brought her here, and even arranged the best ward for her.¡± Henry¡¯s brows drew together. ¡°Someone? Who was he?¡± Was Alicia really pulling stunts to make him jealous? Henry was unsure. If so, the more she yed games like this, the more disgusted he felt. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Tiffany shook her head, keeping her tone airy. She knew better than to say too much. A single hint was enough. Men didn¡¯t need the full picture¨Cthey¡¯d fill in the nks themselves. And once the seed of suspicion was nted in Henry¡¯s mind, Tiffany knew Alicia would never again have a chance to stand by his side. With Henry¡¯s background, Alicia didn¡¯t even have the right to dream of being with him. 15:39 Wed, Oct 1 20 Unable to identify the man¡¯s name, Henry had to drop it. He had no intention of coaxing Alicia, because he believed that once she found out who he really was, she¡¯d be the one crawling back, begging to reconcile. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside,¡± he said simply. Then the two of them walked into the ward together. By the time Charles wrapped up at the office, it was already past five in the evening. He¡¯d been swamped all day, hadn¡¯t even touched lunch. Kevin got his call and drove straight to the entrance. Once Charles slid into the back seat, he closed his eyes, leaning back as though he could finally steal a moment¡¯s rest. Kevin stole a nce at him through the rearview mirror, then another, hesitant. Without opening his eyes, Charles asked, ¡°Spit it out.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Kevin coughed lightly. ¡°Mr. Yates, Miss O¡¯Hara called me today¨Cthe caregiver you arranged for Miss Lawrence. She said the Lawrence family showed up at the hospital and gave Miss Lawrence a hard time.¡± Charles¡¯s eyes opened slowly. No one could read what he was thinking. Kevin sneaked another look at him, baffled. ¡®Strange, thought Kevin. ¡®Mr. Yates clearly cares about Miss Lawrence. But she¡¯s being bullied and he just¡­ sits there? Shouldn¡¯t he be furious?¡® He couldn¡¯t wrap his head around it. Charles didn¡¯t seem to like Alicia. But if he did¡¯t, there was no reason he¡¯d kept tabs on her. And if he did, why this cold front? It was just a mess. Kevin sighed. He really couldn¡¯t figure it out. ¡°All right. Drive to the hospital,¡± Charles said suddenly after a long pause. Hearing that, Kevin finally lit up with a grin. Knew it. He does care. He whipped the steering wheel, making a turn toward Maplewood General Hospital. But when they pulled up outside, Charles didn¡¯t get out. Instead, he asked tly, ¡°How exactly did they bully her?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Kevin faltered. ¡°You¡¯ll have to ask Miss O¡¯Hara or Doctor Johnson. Miss O¡¯Hara only said they caused trouble. I called you right away, but you were in a meeting.¡± Charles¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°A meeting? If I was in a meeting, who answered the phone?¡± ¡°Ms. Shepherd did. I told her it was urgent, but she said the project you were handling was too important,¡± replied Kevin. ¡°I had no choice but to tell Miss O¡¯Hara to find Doctor Johnson instead.¡± Kevin swallowed, suddenly remembering. Yesterday Charles had warned Doctor Johnson not to make a move on Miss Lawrence. And now he¡¯d sent the man straight to her rescue. He was afraid that Charles would blow a fuse at him. 15:39 Wed, Oct 1 55 vouchers ¡°I swear I wasn¡¯t trying to shove Doctor Johnson at Miss Lawrence,¡± quickly, he exined in a rush. ¡°But what else could I do? You couldn¡¯t exactly swoop in mid¨Cmeeting, and I couldn¡¯t just let her be bullied, right, Mr. Yates?¡± He¡¯d barely finished when Brooke came jogging out of the in¨Cpatient wing, food carrier swinging from her hand. Kevin squinted. It was Noble Leaf Bistro delivery. ¡°Mr. Yates,¡± he said quickly, ¡°there¡¯s Miss O¡¯Hara now. Should I call her over to exin?¡± Charles gave a single nod, so Kevin waved Brooke down. ¡°Miss O¡¯Hara, over here.¡± Seeing him, Brooke broke into a grin and hurried over with the dinner box. ¡°Hello, Mr. Quinn!¡± she chirped. Kevin nodded back. ¡°About what you told me earlier¨Cthe Lawrence family bullying Miss Lawrence. How did it end?¡± Brooke puffed up proudly. ¡°Miss Lawrence was amazing. They didn¡¯t get the better of her at all.¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t get hurt, did she? No fights broke out?¡± Kevin pressed. ¡°Nope,¡± Brooke shook her head. ¡°Though Mrs. Lawrence¡¯s wrist ended up bruised when Miss Lawrence grabbed her. You should¡¯ve seen it! Miss Lawrence was a total badass.¡± Kevin nced toward the car, then continued, ¡°All right, walk me through it. Start from the beginning.¡± Brooke beamed. ¡°Well, it started this morning. After breakfast, the rain cleared, so I dragged Miss Lawrence out for a walk¡­¡± ¡°Good. Start from there,¡± Kevin said, settling in. So Brookeunched into a dramatic retelling, hands flying, voice rising and falling with excitement. By the end, Kevin was fired up too, smacking his thigh. ¡°Now that¡¯s how you handle them! But wait¨Caren¡¯t those wards soundproof? How¡¯d so many people show up?¡± Brooke grinned slyly. ¡°Miss Lawrence told me not to shut the door. And Mrs. Lawrence was yelling so loud it drew attention.¡± Kevin frowned. ¡°But the other patients wouldn¡¯t hear her with their doors closed, right?¡± ¡°Well, I knocked for them,¡± Brooke admitted, eyes sparkling with mischief. Kevin burst intoughter. ¡°Smart girl.¡± The two of them stood there, cackling, retelling the scene like they¡¯d won a small war. But inside the car, Charles sat in silence, his chest tight, as though something heavy was lodged in it. It hurt more than he could admit. 15:39 Wed, Oct 1 Chapter 28 For more chapters visit f?ndnovel Luxurious 28 :- At twenty, she should have been protected by her father and brothers, cherished by her mother, and adored by a boyfriend. Yet here she was, facing life¡¯s pressures alone¨Calong with condemnation from her entire family. When Charles had first returned to the Yates family, Alicia had been taken in by the Lawrences. He had assumed they would treat her well, so he had left without concerns to join the military, Who would have thought this was how they would treat her? Later, he had believed Henry Yates would protect her and make her happy. Never did he imagine that half her suffering woulde from him. How had she endured all this alone, handling so many matters, facing so many people? Yes, she had won this time. But how many times had she suffered such humiliation before bing this strong, this resilient? She never deserved to be trampled upon like this. His hands clenched into fists, barely containing the fury burning in his chest. Brooke finally finished speaking. Kevin added one more reminder, ¡°Take good care of Miss Lawrence. Hurry back with the food before it gets cold.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going now, Kevin.¡± Cheerfully, she picked up the food container and left. Kevin got into the car and nced back at Charles before remarking warmly, ¡°Miss Lawrence can protect herself now. She¡¯s quite capable and very clever.¡± But Charles responded quietly, ¡°It¡¯s rather cruel learning to protect yourself at an age when you should be protected.¡± Kevin paused, thinking. If his own daughter ever had to learn self¨Cdefense like this, it would break his heart too. He said nothing more. Charles also remained silent. Several minutester, Charles opened the car door and walked toward the inpatient building. He stopped outside room 606, watching through the door crack. Alicia was eating. She had taken portions of each dish and arranged them over rice to make a donburi bowl. Then she mixed everything together with her spoon and began eating. She tookrge mouthfuls, yet it didn¡¯t appear messy ¨C rather, she ate with a certain grace, as if cherishing each bite. 15:39 Wed, Oct 1 Charles stood there watching for a long time, until she had finished everyst grain. Kevin stood beside him, also watching Alicia cat. When she finally finished everything, Kevin asked, ¡°Shall we go in? Should I knock?¡± But Charles shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Kevin was thoroughly confused. ¡®Charles hade all this way¡­ without meeting Miss Lawrence, without even speaking to her¡­ just leaving like this?¡¯ Wait¡­ had he juste to watch her eat? Now that he thought about it, Miss Lawrence did eat with genuine appetite ¨C taking big bites,pletely without pretense. Charles was already walking ahead toward the exit. Kevin hurried to catch up. On the road, Kevin nced in the rearview mirror. ¡°What would you like for dinner, Mr. Yates? Should I book your usual table?¡± Charles stared out the window for a moment. ¡°Get me the same meal they sent to Alicia. Have it delivered to Lavender Court.¡± ¡°Sir, that¡¯s the stomach¨Cfriendly menu,¡± Kevin reminded gently. ¡°Yeah,¡± Charles said quietly. ¡°My stomach¡¯s been acting up too.¡± ¡°Right away,¡± Kevin responded promptly. The food arrived within twenty minutes. Charles sat alone at his dining table, staring at the simple meal. He opened the container exactly how he¡¯d seen Alicia do it through the hospital door, spreading the dishes over the rice, then mixing everything together with a spoon. Newest update provided by ?ovelFind Each bite tasted like memory. Back when they were kids living next door to each other, when his mom workedte, he¡¯d always eat at Alicia¡¯s. he ar Richard would make them two simple dishes, and after they finished, he and Alicia would always argue over who got to pour the leftover sauce over their rice¨Cconvinced it made the inest rice taste magical. They¡¯d especially fight over that tomato¨Cegg sauce. He kept eating until every grain was gone. 15:39 Wed, Oct 1 2200 Wiping his mouth, he made up his mind. ¡°If nobody else can make you happy,¡± he whispered to the empty room, then I guess I¡¯ll have to do it myself¡± The next morning, Charles hadn¡¯t even reached his desk when Tracy appeared with his coffee. Let¡¯s be real¨Cthe guy lived alone at Lavender Court with nobody to make breakfast, so he usually just grabbed ck coffee at the office. Tracy knew the drill. But today¡¯s cup was different. Normally he drank his coffee ck ¨C no sugar, no cream, just straight bitter goodness. But this? This had steamed milk with some fancy leaf design she¡¯d poured herself. See, yesterday she¡¯d overheard Kevin mentioning some ¡°Miss Lawrence, and suddenly it all made sense. The boss wasn¡¯t opposed to women. He just hadn¡¯t met one he liked enough. She¡¯d done some digging. This ¡°Miss Lawrence¡± turned out to be some young, innocent thing ¨C sweet, naive, the easy type. So that¡¯s what he was into? For two years, Tracy had been the perfect professional secretary. But now? Now she decided to be exactly what he wanted. She¡¯d been going about it all wrong, thinking killer work ethic would impress him. Turns out Mr. Yates didn¡¯t want a strong, capable woman Instead, he wanted a delicate little rose. Well, if that¡¯s what he liked¡­ she could y that game too. She set the coffee on Charles¡® desk, her voice sweet and yful. ¡°Mr. Yates, try today¡¯s brew¨CI made it myself with a hint of vani for a unique vor. And thette art¡­ I poured it myself¡ª¡± Before she could finish, Charles looked up from his screen, his deep, calm eyes seeming to see right through her. Tracy¡¯s words trailed off. She fell silent. Charles didn¡¯t speak either. The office was utterly quiet. That cold, heavy silence made Tracy feel like she was about to explode. Her hands began to tremble. Finally, Charles spoke, his voice low and icy. ¡°How long have you been(my secretary, Tracy?¡± ¡°O¨Cover a year,¡± she stammered. ¡°Then you should know what I dislike most in a secretary.¡± His tone remained calm and detached¨Cno yelling, no obvious anger, yet the weight of his words felt suffocating. Trembling, she reached for the cup. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Yates. I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll rece it right away¡± ¡°No need,¡± Charles said mildly. 45 As vouchers 45 For a second, she looked up hopefully¨Cbut his expression hadn¡¯t changed. Still cold. Still detached. Her heart sank. ¡°Answer my question,¡± he repeated. She swallowed hard. ¡°Overstepping. You dislike when secretaries act on their own. I understand, sir. Please give me another chance.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Charles said. ¡°I¡¯m not an unreasonable man.¡± Just as she began to rx, he added, ¡°We¡¯ve hired many neerstely. Report to HR¨Cyou¡¯ll be assisting with training for a while.¡± ¡°I-¡± She wanted to refuse, but didn¡¯t dare. AD Luxurious 29 50 vouchers ¡°You know what new employee training covers, right?¡± Charles said, his voice t and eyes sharp. ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone else making the same mistake you just did.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Tracy whispered, nodding quickly. ¡°Then get out.¡± He waved her off without another look. Tracy stumbled out of his office, her legs shaking so badly she could barely walk straight. Charles picked up the fancy coffee cup she¡¯d brought, nced at it for half a second, then tossed it straight into the trash. Alicia spent two more days in the hospital. Her best friend Sienna brought her homework to the entrance every day¨Csometimes Brooke went down to grab it, sometimes Alicia went herself. She ran into Tiffany a few times during those trips. Each time, she acted like Tiffany was aplete stranger. Didn¡¯t even look her way. But every time, Tiffany put on this pitiful act, calling out to Alicia like some wounded puppy. And when Alicia ignored her? Tiffany¡¯s brothers saw it all. Their hearts broke for their ¡°poor little sister,¡± and they just got angrier at Alicia. On the third day, Sienna showed up with graded assignments. Since it was the weekend, she wasn¡¯t in a rush, so she headed straight up to Alicia¡¯s room. When she saw how nice the private room was, Sienna raised an eyebrow. ¡°Did your foster parents grow a conscience? Since when do they spring for the good rooms?¡± Alicia had never outright bad¨Cmouthed the Lawrences to Sienna, bute on¡ªthey spent every day together. Sienna knew exactly how things were. Alicia worked her butt off just to pay for school, food, clothes¡­ everything. So yeah, seeing her in a fancy hospital room? Total shock. So yeah, seeing her in a fancy hospital room? Total shock. Alicia shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m paying for it myself.¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± Sienna¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Did you win the lottery or something?¡± Alicia let out a tiredugh. ¡°No, no. It¡¯s¡­plicated.¡± This update is avable on Find[?]ovel ¡°Give me the short version then,¡± Sienna said, leaning forward with curiosity. ¡°Alright. So the day I left the Lawrence house, it was pouring rain. I was standing there shaking and freezing when this car pulled up. The driver offered me a ride out of the neighborhood. Halfway through, my stomach : 45 55 vouchers started killing me¨Cnext thing I know, they¡¯re dropping me off here. They even covered this room and got me a private nurse.¡± Sienna burst outughing. ¡°Sounds like they forced you into a five¨Cstar vacation! Was it a hospital spy or something?¡± Alicia smiled. ¡°Probably not.¡± Suddenly, Sienna¡¯s expression shifted. ¡°Wait¨Cwhat did you just say? You left the Lawrence family?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alicia nodded calmly. ¡°I¡¯m out.¡± ¡°Where are you gonna live now?¡± Sienna asked, her voice full of concern. After a pause, she brightened. ¡°You should stay with me! I¡¯ll talk to my parents¨Cyou can share my room!¡± ¡°I appreciate it, but I¡¯m gonna find my own ce,¡± Alicia said gently. ¡°Rent costs money though! Just move in with me¨Cmy parents love you!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t live with you forever, Sienna. Besides, I¡¯m still looking for Richard. When I find him, he¡¯ll need a ce too. Can¡¯t exactly move him into your room.¡± Sienna scratched her head. ¡°Okay, fair. But my parents are actually looking for a new ce¨Cmy brother¡¯s getting too old to share their room. They want a three¨Cbedroom. When we move, there¡¯ll be space! Richard can bunk with my brother, you with me, my parents get their own room. Perfect, right?¡± Looking at Sienna¡¯s hopeful face, Alicia felt a sharp pang in her chest. This sweet, loyal friend¨Cin her past life, Tiffany had her gang¨Craped, leaked the video online, and watched as bullying and cyber abuse drove Sienna to suicide. All because Sienna chose to be her friend. All because she refused to side with Tiffany. But this time, things would be different. She wouldn¡¯t let that darkness touch Sienna again. Not ever. Until she was strong enough to truly protect her, she had to keep her distance. Tears welled in Alicia¡¯s eyes, but she kept her voice light. ¡°Thank you, Sienna. Really. But I need to do this on my own first. I¡¯ll find a ce, get settled, and when we bring Richard home, he¡¯ll have somewhere to go right away.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Sienna said softly. ¡°But if you need money¡ªask me, alright? I have all my Lunar New Year cash saved up. My parents never took it¡ªit¡¯s all still there.¡± ¡°But ¡°Alright, if I run short, I¡¯ll borrow from you,¡± Alicia agreed with a nod. ¡°But for now, let¡¯s focus on this homework, yeah?¡± Sienna pulled their assignments from her backpack. ¡°Y¡¯know, it¡¯s crazy¨Cyou haven¡¯t even been to ss, but you¡¯re acing every assignment. Even the teachers say you¡¯ve improved. Some of these questions¡­ the top student in ss couldn¡¯t solve them, but you got them all right.¡± 45 55 voucher It hit Alicia then¨Cin her past life, she¡¯d only been above average. But after nine lifetimes of learning the same material, of course it came easily now. Would people find it suspicious if she improved this fast? Better take it slow. Sienna waved a hand in front of her face. ¡°Hello? How¡¯d you get so good all of a sudden?¡± Alicia smiled softly. ¡°Let¡¯s just say I figured out a few study tricks.¡± ¡°Really? Can you teach me?¡± Sienna leaned in, eager. ¡°Of course.¡± Alicia spent the next while exining techniques she¡¯d gathered over lifetimes¨Cmemory. patterns, concept¨Clinking, how to break downplex theories. Sienna was her best friend. She wouldn¡¯t hold back. But some methods were hard to grasp just by listening. Sienna nodded along, though her eyes zed over once or twice. ¡°I¡¯ll write everything down once I¡¯m out of the hospital,¡± Alicia promised. ¡°We¡¯ll improve together.¡± Sienna threw her arms around her. ¡°You¡¯re the best, you know that? I love you!¡± They didn¡¯t talk much longer before Sienna had to head home. Walking her out, Alicia ran straight into Tiffany¨Cagain. They went to the same school now¨CPremier Academy. Of course Tiffany knew Sienna. When the Lawrences first enrolled Tiffany, they¡¯d asked Alicia to ¡°look after her,¡± so they¡¯d ced them together at Premier. But Premier wasn¡¯t a typical college. It offered everything¨Cart, music, acting, flower¨Carranging, physics, chemistry, biology, botany¡­ you name it. Students could pick whatever interested them. The whole idea was well¨Crounded learning. There were no set majors. Liked a ss? Attend every lecture. Not your thing? Skip it. Mildly curious? Try a few sessions. It saved students the trouble of changing majors down the road¡­ and let everyone learn what they truly cared about. 15:39 Wed, Oct 1 Luxurious 30 55 vouchers Most kidsing into Premier Academy were still figuring themselves out. That¡¯s why they gave everyone a whole week to try different sses before picking. Alicia kept it simple¨Cshe signed up for music and art. The only reason she took acting was because Maria was obsessed with those drama series and made her do it. Sometimes, when Maria was bored, she¡¯d even make Alicia perform little skits for her. So she ended up sticking with just three sses: music, art, and drama. Then there was Tiffany. Yeah, she¡¯d been missing for twelve years, but from birth to age eight, she¡¯d been the Lawrence family¡¯s little princess. Hugh didn¡¯t just spoil her¨Che made sure she got the best training money could buy. She started sses at three years old¨Cmusic, dance, you name it. Five solid years of lessons until she disappeared at eight and got sold to some vige. But she doesn¡¯t just forget all that training. Sinceing back three months ago, the Lawrences hired a army of private tutors to help her brush up. Now she¡¯s basically good at everything. At school, she takes every ss possible and somehow aces them all. In just three months, she¡¯s basically famous on campus. And of course, she signed up for all three of Alicia¡¯s sses¨Cmusic, art, and acting. Not just that, she constantly targets Alicia, making her look bad in front of everyone. She¡¯s turned Alicia into her personal contrast¨Cthe unpopr one. Right now, Alicia¡¯s only got one friend left at Premier: Sienna. But for Tiffany? That¡¯s one friend too many. She wants Aliciapletely alone. So when she spots Sienna leaving the hospital, she puts on her sweetest smile. ¡°Sienna! Here to visit my sister?¡± Sienna looks surprised to see Tiffany in a hospital gown too. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re sick as well?¡± She knew Tiffany had been absent from schooltely, but that was normal¨Cthe Lawrences always had her taking some exam orpetition. She never imagined she¡¯d been hospitalized too. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sick too,¡± Tiffany said with a sad little sigh. ¡°But I¡¯m not as lucky as my sister¨Cshe¡¯s got such a good friend like you visiting her in the hospital. No one¡¯se to see me at all.¡± Then she spotted the homework in Sienna¡¯s hands and her voice got even more pitiful. ¡°You even brought her assignments and notes¡­ It must be so nice to have a friend like you. At least she won¡¯t fall behind. Not like me -with no one to help, I¡¯ll probably fail all my sses this week.¡± ¡®You skip ss all the time anyway¡®, Sienna thought. ¡®Since when do you care about falling behind?¡® But she kept quiet. Everyone knew Tiffany was the new ¡°it girl¡± on campus¨Cespecially with Elliot Clifford, the school chairman¡¯s son, wrapped around her finger. He protected her like she was made of ss. 15:39 Wed, Oct 1 255 vouchers That talented girl everyone called ¡°the prodigy¡°? She made a fewments about Tiffany once. Next thing anyone knew, she was expelled¨Cand no other school would take her. Her future? Basically ruined over a few words. No way was Sienna risking that. ¡°Your grades are so good already,¡± she said politely. ¡°Missing a day or two won¡¯t matter.¡± Tiffany shot a smug look at Alicia, as if to say, ¡®See? Even your best friend knows I¡¯m better! Alicia actually felt relieved. Thest thing she wanted was for Sienna to defend her and make herself a target. This time, she wanted her friend safe. Ignoring Tiffany¡¯s gloating, she said gently, ¡°You should head back now, Sienna.¡± Sienna nodded. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go.¡± But Tiffany cut in sharply, ¡°Since you brought the notes, let me take a look. Come to my room¨Cwe can go over them together.¡± Sienna hesitated, but Alicia stepped forward and straightened her cor, whispering quietly, ¡°Just go. Agree with whatever she says¨Ceven if she insults me. y along.¡± For now, keeping Sienna safe meant keeping her on Tiffany¡¯s good side. Sienna looked surprised, but finally nodded and followed Tiffany to room 602. The moment they entered, Tiffany sat on the bed and stared at Sienna. She¡¯d always wondered¨Cwhy did everyone in ss flock to her¡­ except this one girl? Why did Sienna still stick with Alicia? Sienna stood there awkwardly under her gaze, ncing around the room to avoid eye contact. Tiffany¡¯s voice turned cold. ¡°Do you think Alicia¡¯s room is much nicer than mine?¡± ¡°Why do you always have topete with her?¡± The words slipped out before Sienna could stop them¡ªa thought she¡¯d held back for way too long. Instantly, she knew she¡¯d messed up. She looked cautiously at Tiffany. Sure enough, her face had darkened. Oh no, Sienna thought in a panic, is she going toin to Elliot? Is he going toe after me next? She bit her lip nervously, then quickly cleared her throat. ¡°So¡­ didn¡¯t you want to see the homework? I can, um, go over it with you?¡± Instead of answering, Tiffany covered her face and burst into tears. ¡°You think I¡¯m alwayspeting with her? Is that really what you think of me? I would never¡­ It¡¯s always herparing herself to me¡­¡± She spoke between sobs, putting on a performance more dramatic than any Shakespearean tragedy. Sienna stood frozen,pletely lost. She remembered Alicia¡¯s advice¨Cjust agree with whatever Tiffany said -but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to im Alicia was the jealous one. That was too far from the truth. 15:39 Wed, Oct 1 ¡°Maybe¡­ you should calm down first,¡± she stammered. ¡°I should probably go.¡± Without waiting for a response, she bolted from the room like it was on fire. 45 255 vouchers. The moment the door closed, Tiffany¡¯s tears vanished instantly. Her eyes turned cold and snake¨Clike. ¡°Fine,¡± she muttered under her breath. ¡°If she won¡¯t y nice, she¡¯ll pay for it.¡± Just then, the door swung open. Aaron walked in holding flowers, as he did every day during his visits. ¡°My sweet, I brought you-¡± He stopped mid¨Csentence, startled by the expression on his sister¡¯s face. He¡¯d never seen her look so venomous. This wasn¡¯t the sweet, gentle girl he thought he knew. 1 E wift For original chapters go to Find~Novel AD Luxurious 31 Chapter 31 45 55 vouchers Tiffany¡¯s face changed lightning¨Cfast the second she heard Aaron¡¯s voice. A sugary smile spread across her lips as she jumped off the bed¨Cbarefoot¨Cand flung herself into his arms. Aaron blinked. Was he seeing things? Now she just looked sweet and innocent¨Cthat dark, scary expression from a second ago must¡¯ve been his imagination. ¡®Probably just tired, he thought. Didn¡¯t sleep wellst night¡® He scooped her up gently. ¡°Why are you running around without shoes? You¡¯re already sick¨Cyou¡¯ll make it worse.¡± ¡°I just missed you so much, big brother!¡± She nuzzled her face against his cheek, clinging to his neck. Aaron¡¯s heart melted. He loved how close they¡¯d be. Back in her own room, Alicia had left the door cracked open, keeping an eye out for Sienna. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her friend hurry away down the hall. That afternoon, Harvey finished his final check¨Cup and gave her the news. ¡°You¡¯re good to go. Just remember -stomach issues take time to heal. Take it easy.¡± ¡°Got it. Thanks, Dr. Johnson.¡± Alicia smiled, her eyes curving into crescents, tiny canine teeth peeking through. She looked pure and yful. Harvey felt like her smile was a clean wave washing over him¨Cclearing out all the noise in his head. For a second, he just stared, caught off guard. Then he quickly looked away. ¡°Go ahead and get discharged. You should get a refund for the unused days.¡± ¡°Will do,¡± Alicia nodded. After he left, Brooke looked a little sad. ¡°You¡¯re really leaving, Miss Lawrence? Will I ever see you again?¡± ¡°Of course! We¡¯re connected on WhatsApp, remember? We can go shopping sometime.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Brooke lit up. ¡°Let me help you pack!¡± Watching her excitement, Alicia couldn¡¯t help butugh. Once everything was packed, Alicia went to handle the discharge paperwork while Brooke called Kevin. ¡°Mr. Quinn, Dr. Johnson said Miss Lawrence can leave today. You paid me for seven days, but she only stayed five. I can refund you the difference.¡± Kevin had just pulled up outside Bluebelle Private Salon where Charles was meeting a client. 15:40 Wed, Oct 1 30 voucher Charles had his hand on the door handle but paused when he overheard the call. Kevin nced at him nervously. ¡°Don¡¯t refund it,¡± Charles said calmly. ¡°Add more. Have her deliver meals to Miss Lawrence¡¯s school every day from now on.¡± Kevin nodded and ryed the instructions. Brooke¡¯s voice brightened immediately. ¡°Yes! Of course! Absolutely!¡± Just as Kevin was about to hang up, Charles added, ¡°If anyone asks who sent the meals, say it¡¯s from a secret admirer.¡± Content originallyes from F?nd-Novel Kevin froze, staring in disbelief. ¡°You mean¡­?¡± But Charles was already stepping out of the car, heading into the upscale lounge without another word. On the other end, Brooke asked, ¡°Mr. Quinn? Was there something else?¡± Clearing his throat, Kevin ryed the message, ¡°If anyone asks who¡¯s sending the meals, just say it¡¯s from an admirer.¡± ¡°Of course! Absolutely!¡± Brooke replied eagerly. She¡¯d faintly heard that deep, maic voice through the phone¨Cwhoever it was sounded handsome and important. And from how respectfully Mr. Quinn spoke to him, he had to be someone powerful. Maybe rich. Either way, Miss Lawrence had someone looking out for her now. ¡®How exciting!¡® she thought. After finishing the discharge paperwork, Alicia received a refund of over 3,000. She turned to Brooke. ¡°Do you have Mr. Quinn¡¯s contact? I need to return this money.¡± ¡°Yes, definitely!¡± Brooke quickly shared his number. Alicia called right away. Kevin answered promptly, ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°This is Alicia Lawrence¨Cthe person you brought to the hospital the other day,¡± she said, unsure if he¡¯d remember. Kevin immediately sat up straighter. ¡°Miss Lawrence! How can I help?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been discharged and received a refund of 3200. Should I return it in cash or transfer it to you? I also need to repay all my hospital expenses.¡± Kevin paused. He couldn¡¯t take credit for this¨Cnot when Mr. Yates was clearly interested. But with his boss¡¯s reserved personality, who knew how long it would take for him to make a move? Time to give things a little push. 15:40 Wed, Oct 1 45 55 vouchers ¡°Oh, it wasn¡¯t me who paid,¡± Kevin said smoothly. ¡°It was Mr. Yates. Perhaps you could return the money directly to him?¡± So it really was Charles who paid, Alicia realized. Just as she¡¯d suspected. Is he repaying me because he thinks I¡¯m his savior?¡® she wondered. That day in the car, when he took the brooch from her¨Cdid he decide right then she was the one who¡¯d helped him years ago? Was that why he rushed her to the hospital so urgently? But the more he did for her, the more anxious she felt. What would happen when he eventually discovered the truth? ¡°Miss Lawrence?¡± Kevin¡¯s voice pulled her back. ¡°Are you still there?¡± ¡°Yes, sorry. I¡¯ll return the money to Mr. Yates,¡± she replied quickly. ¡°Would you like me to give you his number?¡± ¡°I already have his WhatsApp,¡± Alicia said. ¡®She has his number? Kevin blinked in surprise. When did that happen?¡® He thought. He didn¡¯t even have Mr. Yates on WhatsApp¨Cthey only evermunicated by phone. ¡°Alright then, you can message him directly,¡± Kevin said, trying to sound casual. He¡¯d just hung up when Charles returned to the car. Kevin stared¨Cthe meeting had onlysted twenty minutes? That had to be a record. ¡°Back to the hospital,¡± Charles said calmly. ¡°Right away,¡± Kevin replied, starting the engine. On the way, Kevin mentioned, ¡°Miss Lawrence called earlier. She asked about returning the refund and covering her medical expenses. I told her to settle it with you directly.¡± Charles remained silent, but just then his phone vibrated. A faint light flickered in his usually calm eyes, and the corner of his mouth lifted slightly as he opened the message. Alicia: [Mr. Yates, thank you for taking me to the hospital. I¡¯m being discharged today and would like to return the refunded amount along with all medical and caregiver fees via transfer. Is that alright?] Charles: [No. Cash only.] 15:40 Wed, Oct 1 Luxurious 32 : Alicia was literally mid¨Ctransfer when Charles¡® text popped up. She stared at her phone. ¡®Cash? Who uses cash anymore? Okay, okay. Dude¡¯s old¨Cschool. Fine.¡® She thought. ¡®He helped her out, so she¡¯d y by his rules.¡® She typed back fast: [OK. I¡¯ll get cash. Where u at?] Charles: [Almost there. Don¡¯t move.] Alicia: [Fine] $45 55 vouchers So she waited on a bench outside. Sun was actually out for once¨Cshe tilted her face up, eyes closed, just soaking it in. Light hit her just right¡ªmaking her already fair skin glow like fresh snow. No makeup, but damn if she didn¡¯t look like some painting right now. All sharp cheekbones and soft light. Honestly, she looked like some rare flower that only grows on cliffs¨Cpretty but untouchable. From the car, Charles couldn¡¯t look away. Even Kevin was lowkey shook. ¡®How does someone look both innocent and dangerous at the same time?¡® he thought. Then some random guy walked up, phone out. ¡°Hey, can I get your number?¡± Alicia opened her eyes, blinking like she just woke up. ¡°No.¡± A voice cut through from behind her. She looked up¨CCharles stood there, backlit by the sun like some manga protagonist. ¡°Mr. Yates.¡± She smiled, standing up. ¡°Get in the car.¡± He said. She nced at the ck sedan, nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± And just like that, they left. The guy stood there, phone still in hand, looking confused. ¡°Damn,¡± he mumbled as the car drove off. ¡°They look like a power couple. I never stood a chance.¡± In the car, Alicia pointed toward a bank. ¡°I can get cash there.¡± Charles didn¡¯t even look. ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten.¡± N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on fin?novel 15:40 Wed, Oct 1 She blinked. ¡®Wait. Is he¡­ asking me to buy him food?¡® 45 55 Vouchers She had some savings from her time with the Lawrences, but hospital bills already took most of it. ¡®How fancy was this guy gonna want to cat?¡® She wondered. But how could she say no when the boss basically asked for a meal? So she said timidly, ¡°There¡¯s a pretty good ce nearby, Mr. Yates. Maybe we could eat there?¡± Charles nodded. ¡°Sure.¡± Alicia let out a quiet sigh of relief. Sienna had taken her there before¨Cit was cheap but tasty. Even if she ordered a bunch of dishes, she could afford it. Following her directions, Kevin pulled up in front of a small, modest restaurant. He nced at the ce and hesitated. ¡°Sir, maybe we should pick somewhere else?¡± Charles looked at Alicia. ¡°You like the food here?¡± ¡°Love it,¡± she said eagerly. ¡°It¡¯s delicious, honestly! And clean too¨Cgood ingredients, just simple home¨Cstyle dishes.¡± Then she added cautiously, ¡°Do you¡­ eat home¨Cstyle food, Mr. Yates?¡± Charles almost smiled. Did she think he ate gold for every meal? ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s eat here.¡± Alicia led the way, still chatting nervously. ¡°They have private rooms too, if you¡¯d prefer that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind sitting out here. Back in the military, I ate everywhere.¡± Right, Alicia remembered. He¡¯d been in the army¨Che wasn¡¯t some delicate prince. They settled at a corner table. Alicia proudly handed Charles the menu. He scanned it quickly and ordered four dishes. Alicia stared. He¡¯d chosen all her favorites¨Cit was like he read her mind. He passed the menu back. ¡°You pick a couple too.¡± Without even looking, she added sweet grilled pork. itf. It was her go¨Corder here every time with Sienna, who refused to eat it ¡°Who wants sweet meat?!¡°¨Cbut Alicia loved it and wished everyone else did too. The food came out fast. The owner handed them each a bowl, chopsticks, and a spoon. Noticing there were no serving chopsticks, Kevin asked for an extra set. ¡°That¡¯ll be three cents,¡± the owner said 15:40 Wed, Oct 1 firmly. $45 Boysuchere Kevin didn¡¯t argue. He just took the extra set and used the chopsticks and spoon as serving utensils. The three began eating¨Ca bit formally at first, since they weren¡¯t exactly close. Alicia kept sneaking nces at Charles, wondering if he was really okay eating in a ce like this. What she saw surprised her. She¡¯d never known someone could eat so elegantly. No fancy moves, just naturally graceful¨Clike he belonged in a fine¨Cdiningmercial, not a cramped little restaurant. Charles noticed her staring. He looked up, then used the serving chopsticks to ce a piece of fish on her te. ¡°It¡¯s boneless. Good vor.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± she said quickly, putting it in her mouth. ¡®Okay, so he doesn¡¯t hate it. Good.¡® She thought. Relieved, she rxed and ate more freely. She¡¯d been stuck on those stomach¨Cfriendly meals from Noble Leaf for days¨Cno matter how fancy, you get sick of anything after a while. This felt real. Satisfying. The sweet grilled pork camest. The owner reminded them, ¡°Eat it while it¡¯s hot!¡± Alicia nodded eagerly, picked up a piece with her chopsticks, and held it out toward Charles without thinking. ¡°You have to try this! Sweet meat is actually amazing-¡± Then she froze. This wasn¡¯t Sienna. This was Charles Yates. She just didn¡¯t realize that. Her face flushed. She started to pull back, nning to just eat it herself. But before she could, Charles leaned forward¨Cand took the bite right from her chopsticks. Ìï Luxurious 33 56 vouchers Alicia froze. So did Kevin, who was happily eating nearby¨Cthe piece of fish he¡¯d been holding slipped right off his chopsticks. Charles chewed the sweet and sour pork thoughtfully, then nodded calmly. ¡°Not bad.¡± Alicia¡¯swallowed hard, staring at her chopsticks. She couldn¡¯t see anything, but she knew¨Cthey¡¯d just been in Charles Yates¡® mouth. ¡®Was I supposed to keep using them?¡® she thought. ¡®If I did, wouldn¡¯t that be like¡­ an indirect kiss?¡® Oh god. Just thinking about it made her face heat up. She cleared her throat and put the chopsticks down. ¡°Um, I¡¯m full. I¡¯ll go pay. You guys keep eating.¡± Then she quickly stood and hurried toward the cashier. Charles watched her go, his expression unreadable. He tightened his hand slightly, feeling a pang of disappointment. ¡®She stopped eating because I used her chopsticks. I moved too fast¨CI scared her.¡® He quietly set his own chopsticks down too. Kevin watched them both stop eating. He really wanted to keep going¨Cthat pork was legit¨Cbut he couldn¡¯t just sit there feasting alone. He reluctantly took onest bite before putting his chopsticks down as well. Alicia paid the bill, then said she needed to use the restroom. She stayed in there awhile, pulling herself together before finally stepping out. When she returned, she acted like nothing had happened. She pointed toward a bank nearby. ¡°Should we go get the cash now?¡± Charles shook his head. ¡°Just give me the refund from the hospital.¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t feel right,¡± she insisted. ¡°I must have cost a lot.¡± ¡°A fortune teller once said I¡¯m cursed with bad luck,¡± he said withplete seriousness. ¡°I have to do one good deed a day to bnce it out. If you pay me back, today¡¯s good deed won¡¯t count.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ ¡± Alicia had no idea how to respond to that. Kevin bit his lip to keep fromughing. Since when did Mr. Yates believe in fortune tellers? But he wasn¡¯t about to call him out. He just watched quietly as Charles¨Clike a clever fox¨Cgently guided the clueless little rabbit forward. 15:40 Wed, Oct 1 Outside the restaurant, Charles asked, ¡°Where are you headed next?¡± ?? 2705 vouchers Alicia figured she¡¯d start apartment hunting. ¡°I should find a rental agency. Don¡¯t let me keep you, Mr. Yates.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not busy,¡± he replied. ???? ????s? ???????s ?? find[?]ovel Well. What was I supposed to say to that?¡® So she said nothing. Charles spoke again, ¡°I have an apartment sitting empty. No one¡¯s lived there for a while, and things are starting to wear out. If you don¡¯t mind, Miss Lawrence, would you help maintain it for me?¡± Alicia blinked. ¡®Was he offering her his apartment? As a caretaker?¡® She thought, ¡®A ce of his had to be nice¨Cand probably expensive! ¡°How much would the rent be?¡± she asked cautiously. ¡°Would ten thousand be eptable?¡± Charles replied. She nearly choked. ¡°Maybe¡­ let¡¯s forget it.¡± Seeing her reaction, Charles thought he¡¯d lowballed her. ¡°Too low? How about thirty thousand?¡± Alicia gave an awkwardugh. ¡°Mr. Yates, honestly, I can¡¯t afford that kind of rent.¡± Charles paused, then smiled slightly. ¡°You misunderstood. The thirty thousand isn¡¯t rent¨Cit¡¯s the monthly fee I¡¯d pay you for maintaining the property.¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± Now Alicia was truly stunned. He¡¯d let her live there for free, and pay her thirty thousand a month on top of that? ¡®Holy crap. If I y my cards right, I could basically retire.¡® But taking money from someone like him felt risky. What if he thought she was greedy and turned against her? She waved her hands quickly. ¡°No, no¨CI can¡¯t take payment! Just being allowed to stay there is more than enough.¡± Charles¡® smile deepened. ¡°So you agree? Good. I¡¯ll take you there now.¡± Alicia felt dazed. That was¡­ fast. Then she thought it over. Living in his ce would let her get closer to him. If he ever found out she wasn¡¯t really his savior, maybe he¡¯d go easier on her since she¡¯d taken good care of his home. ¡°Okay,¡± she nodded. ¡°I just need to grab my things from the hospital.¡± She¡¯d left her bag at the storage counter earlier, thinking she¡¯d just be gone briefly to withdraw cash. 15:40 Wed, Oct 1 Charles¡® phone rang just then. I¡¯ll take this call and wait in the car.¡± 45 59 Vouchers Alicia agreed, and Kevin stayed behind too¨Cthough she insisted, ¡°It¡¯s just one bag. Brooke can help me.¡± Back in the hospital, Tiffany frowned upon hearing Alicia had been discharged. ¡°She paid the bill in full?¡± ¡°Had to. They won¡¯t let you leave otherwise,¡± Archie said, peeling an orange for her. ¡°That room¡¯s free now. Want to move into it?¡± Tiffany felt insulted. Was she supposed to take Alicia¡¯s leftovers? Never. But she kept her tone sweet. ¡°I¡¯m being discharged too, Archie. No need to move.¡± He handed her the orange. ¡°You feeling better? Any more chest pain?¡± ¡°Much better,¡± she said softly. ¡°But¡­ there¡¯s something about Alicia I¡¯m not sure I should mention.¡± She hesitated dramatically. Archie couldn¡¯t stand seeing his sister look so troubled. ¡°You can tell me anything. Never hesitate with me.¡± Tiffany bit her lip. ¡°Where did she get the money for such an expensive room? I haven¡¯t seen anyone visit her except that one friend. It¡¯s¡­ suspicious.¡± Archie¡¯s face darkened. ¡°You think she stole from us? She has been acting uptely. I¡¯ll call the police¡ª¡± ¡°No!¡± Tiffany cut in, ying the concerned sister. ¡°Let¡¯s not assume. Maybe we should check if anything¡¯s missing first. I don¡¯t want her to be wrongly used.¡± But Archie was already convinced. ¡°I¡¯m going home to check right now. I¡¯ll make sure Mom, Dad, and the others see if anything¡¯s gone.¡± The thought of putting Alicia in her ce excited him. That adopted sister had gotten too boldtely¡ªit was time she learned her lesson. AD Comment Send gift No Ads Luxurious 34 2 vouchers Archie was all set to rush home and check if anything was missing when he ran into Andrew just outside the hospital room. ¡°Where are you off to?¡± Andrew asked. Archie quickly shared his theory andined, ¡°That brat¡¯s been acting so weirdtely¨Cnever listens anymore. If she really stole from home to pay for this fancy room, I¡¯m gonna teach her a lesson.¡± But Andrew just smirked. ¡°Why bother checking? Whether something¡¯s missing or not, if we say she stole, then she stole. It¡¯s that simple.¡± Archie stared for a second, then broke into a grin. ¡°You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s do it.¡± Alicia had just returned to the hospital entrance when Andrew and Archie stepped forward, clearly waiting for her. ¡°Alicia! You¡¯ve got some nerve stealing from your own family!¡± Archie shouted the moment he saw her. They¡¯d chosen the busy entrance on purpose¨Cmore people to witness her humiliation. Alicia looked up calmly. Archie¡¯s face was twisted with anger. ¡°If you needed something, you could¡¯ve asked. Why steal?¡± He¡¯d said ¡°steal¡± twice now loudly enough for everyone in the lobby¨Cpatients, visitors, staff¡ªto hear. Heads turned. Eyes narrowed. Alicia felt a familiar rage burn in her chest. They¡¯d done this to her so many times before. In the past, she¡¯d stay silent because arguing back only made it worse- ¡°How dare you talk back after what you did!¡± So she¡¯d swallow the injustice and take the me. She¡¯d carried their secrets and their lies for years. When Archie broke their father¡¯s favorite vase¨Che said she did it. ???? ????s? ???????s ?? find?novel When Aaron mixed makeup remover into Maria¡¯s foundation and embarrassed her publicly¨CAlicia was beaten for it. When Andrew scratched up the leather sofa with his toys¨Che pointed at her. Every time she took the me for them, they¡¯d call her a ¡°good girl.¡± As she grew older, desperate to win their approval, she became even morepliant¨Cagreeing with whatever they said, never talking back, never arguing. She thought if she pleased them enough, they¡¯d finally love her. She craved their approval¡ªtheir affection¡ª so badly. 15:40 Wed, Oct 1 55 Vouchers But all she ever got was hit. And over time, they didn¡¯t even thank her anymore. They just expected it Two years ago, Andrew got into race car driving. He stole money from Maria to rent a car¨Cand let Alicia take the me. That time, she was beaten so badly she almost died. Looking back, she felt stupid. So stupid. Love and family couldn¡¯t be earned by swallowing humiliation. Well, not anymore. She met Archie¡¯s re coldly. ¡°Whose money did I steal? Tell me.¡± ¡°Ours! The family¡¯s!¡± he shot back, chin raised. Andrew jumped in, adding fuel to the fire. ¡°Face it, Alicia¨Cyou¡¯re a thief.¡± He turned to the crowd that had gathered, raising his voice. ¡°Hey, everyone¨Ckeep an eye on your stuff! This girl¡¯s been staying here, and she¡¯s a pro. Been stealing since she was a kid.¡± People immediately clutched their bags tighter. A few stepped back. ¡°Wow, she looks so sweet though.¡± ¡°Guess you really can¡¯t tell by looks.¡± ¡°Thieves are the worst. My cousin¡¯s hospital money got stolenst week¨Cimagine how low you gotta be?¡± Whispers and stares shot through the crowd. Andrew and Archie exchanged smug looks. Perfect. Archie seethed inside. This is what she gets for not ying along anymore. If she¡¯d just stayed quiet and obedient like before, he wouldn¡¯t have lost his whole allowance this month after scratching Dad¡¯s car. He could¡¯ve pinned it on her like always, kept his 3k, and who knows¨Cmaybe even tossed her a couple hundred for her trouble. But she had to go and grow a backbone. So now she¡¯d learn. They¡¯d always thought she never fought back because she was slow¨Ctoo dumb to talk her way out of things, That¡¯s why they were so bold now. Alicia justughed coldly. ¡°Got any proof? And since I¡¯m such a habitual thief, what exactly did I steal?¡± ¡°You stole Mom¡¯s money! You almost got beaten to death, remember? Andrew said, looking pleased with himself. Alicia smiled. ¡°Did I, though? You know who really took it. And I¡¯ve still got the transfer records to prove it.¡± Andrew¡¯s face went white. Yeah¨Che¡¯d sent the money from Mom¡¯s ount to hers first, then had her forward 15:40 Wed, Oct 1 it to him. All to make her take the fall. But that was two years ago. How could Alicia still have those records? He refused to believe it. ¡°You¡¯re bluffing, Alicia. You can¡¯t scare me.¡± She just smiled, pulled out her phone, and shed the transfer history right in front of his eyes. 45 55 Vouchers She didn¡¯t show the crowd¨Cthey wouldn¡¯t know who ¡°Mom¡± or ¡°Andrew¡± was anyway. But he knew. And if he admitted it, everyone would know the truth. Sure enough, Andrew went pale. ¡°You kept those records all this time? Are you insane? Were you just waiting to use this against me? God, you¡¯re so calcting. It¡¯s disgusting.¡± Yeah, Alicia thought. Maybe she was insane. Back then, her brothers rarely messaged her. She cherished every little interaction¨Ceven a transaction record. So she¡¯d held onto it, like some sad souvenir of the family she wished she had. How ironic that it¡¯de in handy now. ¡°Guess I am crazy,¡± she said, voice steady. ¡°I used to care so much about having a real family. That message from you was one of the few you ever sent me. I treated it like something precious.¡± Andrew stared, speechless for once. Around them, the crowd¡¯s tone shiftedpletely. ¡°What kind of brother does that? Steals from his mom and mes his sister?¡± ¡°Seriously, she kept his chat history because she cared? And he calls her calcting?¡± ¡°I saw the screen¡ªjust those two cold messages. He only talked to her when he needed a scapegoat.¡± AD Luxurious 35 :- 45 55 vouchers Archie saw Andrew faltering¨Cand the crowd turning against them. He jumped back in, ¡°So what if you didn¡¯t steal back then? That doesn¡¯t mean you didn¡¯t steal now! Where¡¯d you get the money for this hospital stay? The family didn¡¯t give you a cent!¡± Before Alicia could respond, someone in the crowd muttered, ¡°Wait, he¡¯s questioning how she paid for being sick? Is she not allowed to get treatment unless she steals?¡± Another added, ¡°Even if she did take money¨Cwhich she didn¡¯t¨Cisn¡¯t saving your own life kinda justified?¡± Archie spun around, ring. ¡°Stealing is stealing! Defending her just makes you aplices!¡± The speakers went quiet, but the damage was done. Aliciaughed: ¡°Now you wonder how my moneye, Archie? Then what about all those expensive gifts you kept asking on birthdays and holidays? You never ask before.¡± Archie stumbled, ¡°You¨Cyou lived at home! Obviously Mom and Dad gave it to you!¡± ¡°Did they?¡± Her voice turned sharp. ¡°They gave each of you 3k a month in allowance. I got nothing. You knew that. You just didn¡¯t care¨Cas long as you got your presents.¡± Archie clenched his jaw. ¡°We¡¯re your brothers! You should want to give us gifts! We praised you, didn¡¯t we? Called you a good sister. You seemed happy enough!¡± The crowd erupted again, ¡°They get 3k a month and she gets nothing?¡± ¡°And the brothers ask her for gifts? Shouldn¡¯t it be the other way around?¡± ¡°Let me get this straight¨Cshe buys them expensive presents, and all they give in return is¡­ apliment? That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°Yep. No gifts back. Just ¡®emotional value.¡® What a joke. I¡¯ll take cash overpliments any day.¡± Archie was getting overwhelmed by all the judgmental stares. He¡¯d totally lost control of the situation¨Che came here to use Alicia, not get exposed himself. Frustrated, he snapped, ¡°Stop changing the subject! I¡¯m asking you one thing: where did the money for the hospitale from? Did you steal cash or sell something you took?¡± ¡°I paid for it.¡± A cool, sharp voice cut through the noise from the edge of the crowd. It wasn¡¯t loud, but it carried¨Ccold enough to freeze the air. Everyone turned. It was A tall, strikingly handsome man was making his way through the gathering. 15:40 Wed, Oct 1 He moved with an intensity that made people instinctively step aside. ¡°Wh¨Cwho are you?¡± Archie stammered, unnerved by his presence. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve to know,¡± Charles replied, his voice icy. 35 voueners Archie wanted to call him rude, but one look at those frostbitten eyes made him swallow his words. Charles scanned Alicia quickly, checking she was okay, then turned his gaze to Andrew and Archie. ¡°She¡¯s your sister. She¡¯s sick, in the hospital, and instead of caring, you use her of stealing to pay for treatment? Is her money only good when it¡¯s spent on you?¡± The crowd erupted. ¡°The Lawrences are insane! She can buy them gifts but not get medical care?¡± ¡°Why treat a daughter like that? Is it favoritism?¡± ¡°Not even¨Cshe¡¯s adopted. Their real daughter gets everything.¡± ¡°So they neglect the adopted one? But denying medical care? That¡¯s cruel.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just cruel¨Cit¡¯s like killing her slowly!¡± ¡°People like this should be exposed. Everyone should see what they¡¯re really like.¡± As people spoke, some began recording videos and uploading them online. Andrew and Archie tried to grab the phones, but they were quickly pushed back by the crowd. Outnumbered and overwhelmed, they could only cover their faces, desperate to avoid being recognized. On their way to pick up Alicia¡¯s bag, she asked quietly, ¡°Mr. Yates, what brought you back?¡± ¡°Mr. Yates noticed you were taking longer than expected and came to check,¡± Kevin said, still fired up. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect to find those two jerks bullying you again.¡± Alicia smiled faintly. ¡°They won¡¯t get another chance.¡± Charles remained silent, his expression unreadable. After retrieving her bag, they got back into the car. Charles instructed the driver, ¡°Take us to Linen Bay Residences.¡± The driver¡¯s eyes widened slightly. Linen Bay Residences? That exclusive, high¨Csecurityplex in the city center¨Cknown for its luxury, privacy, and sky¨Chigh prices. Most owners wouldn¡¯t even consider renting it out. This content belongs to f?ndnovel ¡®She must really mean something to him.¡¯ He thought. She must really mean something to him. 15:40 Wed, Oct 1 ?? When they arrived, Kevin efficiently handled the paperwork with the property management¨Cregistering her face, iris, and fingerprints into the security system. During the process, Charles¡® phone rang four times. Once everything was settled, Charles said to the driver, ¡°Back to the office.¡± On the way, he instructed Kevin, ¡°The incident at the hospital is probably already online. Buy a few days of trending spots¨Clet this story develop.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Kevin replied immediately, mentally giving Charles a thousand thumbs¨Cup. He felt a surge of satisfaction. Watching the Lawrence brothers nder Miss Lawrence today had made his blood boil. Now, with this spreading online, the Lawrence family¡¯s reputation would definitely take a hit. But he still had one more task¨Cmaking sure Mr. Yates wasn¡¯t involved. Any videos uploaded couldn¡¯t include him. He¡¯d have to contact someone to edit those out. Alicia took the elevator up to Charles¡® apartment and realized only then that each floor had just one unit¨Cthe elevator opened directly into the home. No wonder ess was so strict: facial recognition, fingerprints¡­ nothing was left to chance. Stepping out of the elevator, she found herself in an entryway with a floor¨Cto¨Cceiling storage system¨Cshoe cabs below, racks for coats and bags above. Ìï AD Comment Send gift No Ads 15:40 Wed, Oct 1 Luxurious 36 Alicia suddenly realized she didn¡¯t have any slippers. Even though the shoe cab was packed with shoes, she didn¡¯t dare touch any of them. Alicia slipped off her shoes, rummaged through her bag for two clean stic bags, put them over her feet, and finally made her way inside. Stepping into the living room, Alicia found it huge and almost empty. There wasn¡¯t a single unnecessary item; everything was spotless. Clearly, no one had ever lived here before; it was just like one of those pristine show ts one would see in a sales center. The whole ce was decorated in shades of gray, which looked upscale but also felt a bit suffocating. Alicia walked around for a bit. The ce was enormous, yet had only one bedroom¨Cand that bedroom was bigger than some folks¡® entire apartments. Besides the bed, there was an open bathroom, and right across from the bed was a massive home theater setup. Alicia thought to herself, ¡®Mr. Yates really knows how to live. Watching movies on a screen bigger than an entire wall while chilling in bed? Now that¡¯s the life. The kitchen, living room, and dining area flowed together as one huge open space, making the whole ce feel even more massive. The kitchen was fully stocked with every utensil imaginable, but not a single trace of anyone ever cooking here no oil, no smoke, nothing. Alicia was going to start cooking to save some cash, but she¡¯d have to ask Charles first if that was cool. Read full story at find?novel Alicia was just about to start cleaning up when she suddenly realized the giant living room floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows could actually slide open. Alicia pushed one open and was stunned. There was a rooftop courtyard. It looked like it stretched on forever, easily 4,000 square feet¡ªand there was absolutely nothing there, just wide open space. ¡®Oh my gosh, this ce is amazing. It¡¯s my dream home,¡® Alicia thought to herself. ¡®When will I ever own a ce like this? He¡¯s amazing. I still have a long way to go. Alicia closed the sliding door to the courtyard, got ready to tidy up, and then headed downstairs to grab some essentials. But just as Alicia was putting her clothes away in the closet, the doorbell rang. Alicia rushed to the door and answered the video doorbell. Outside stood a courier in a service uniform, clutching a giant box. ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± Alicia asked. 15:40 Wed, Oct 1 The courier responded. ¡°I¡¯m with delivery. I have a proxy purchase package here for Miss Lawrence. Is it convenient for me to bring it up to you now?¡± Alicia thought for a moment and said, ¡°Just leave it downstairs. I¡¯lle get it in a bit.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± The courier left the box at the front desk downstairs and took off. Alicia went downstairs, grabbed the box, and brought it back up. When she opened it, she was shocked to find all the essentials she had just nned to buy. There were toothbrushes, toothpaste, towels, women¡¯s slippers, and even tissues. She dug a little deeper and even found sanitary pads. ¡°This is way too thorough,¡® Alicia thought. Alicia pulled out her phone and sent Charles a quick WhatsApp message. [Thanks.] Charles was in the middle of a meeting with some top executives at thepany when his phone buzzed. He nced at it and saw Alicia¡¯s message. He couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡®Wow, my girl¡¯s actually texting me first. Feels pretty great,¡® he thought to himself. Even after settling in, Alicia treated the ce like a museum, afraid to touch a single thing. She kept everything spotless, always putting things back exactly where she found them. Honestly, she was moving around like she was walking on eggshells. All Alicia wanted was to stash away some cash as fast as she could and finally buy her own ce. Then she could decorate it however she liked and make it her own¨Cno rules, no limits. Alicia grabbed her phone and logged into an international art site where she sold her paintings. Staying afloat in the Lawrence family took more than just a few outside gigs; just buying presents for all those Lawrence family members was a money pit. Selling art online was her real lifeline. Her paintings did surprisingly well overseas. Lots of folks loved her work; honestly, as soon as she uploaded a new piece, it was usually snatched up in no time. With Tiffany back these past few months, Alicia had been tied up doingmissions for her, so she hadn¡¯t posted much new art online. But in the past month, since she hadn¡¯t taken any requests from Tiffany, she¡¯d managed to upload three fresh pieces. Alicia checked her ount and grinned; all three paintings were gone. One sold for 1,000 dors, and the other two brought in 1,500 dors each. The three paintings sold for a total of 4,000 dors. ¡®Guess it¡¯s time to upload more, Alicia thought to herself, pulling out her sketchpad and pencil, diving right into her work. Fueled by her dreams, Alicia was bursting with motivation. 44 53 vouchers Hugh had just finished lunch and returned to the office when he received two unexpected calls from business partners canceling their contracts. Only then did he catch the news about the incident at the hospital online. Hugh was so furious that he could barely breathe, flinging his phone across the room. Maria was startled. ¡°What happened, Hugh?¡± Hugh gritted his teeth. ¡°You gave me twoplete fools. Call Andrew and Archie right now. Tell them to get back here immediately.¡± Seeing how angry Hugh was, Maria didn¡¯t dare ask any more questions. She quickly dialed Andrew¡¯s number. By now, Andrew and Archie had already rushed out of the hospital. Maria called to tell them their dad wanted them home. After hanging up, Andrew nced at Archie and said, ¡°Mom wants us back. When we get there, just zip it. Whatever happened today, Dad can¡¯t hear a word about it.¡± Archie nodded. ¡°Please, I¡¯m not a fool. There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll spill to Dad. Let¡¯s just get this over with. Talk about bad luck.¡± They caught a cab and headed home. As soon as they walked in, a ss came flying across the room. Andrew dodged, leaving Archie to take the hit straight on his arm. Archie winced in pain, shooting Andrew a re. ¡®Seriously, why¡¯d he have to duck?¡® he grumbled to himself. Archie rubbed his sore arm, then shuffled over to Hugh, who was ring like thunder. Archie shot his dad a nervous look and asked, ¡°Dad, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Hugh exploded, ¡°You really have the guts to ask me that? Are you two total idiots or what?¡± Archie stammered, ¡°Us? What did we do?¡± ¡°Still won¡¯t tell me the truth? Still acting innocent?¡± Hugh snapped. ¡°Take a look online and see what people are saying about the Lawrence family. ¡°You two have made us aughing stock, and now thepany¡¯s getting dragged down, too. Do you even realize that?¡± As soon as Andrew heard thepany was affected, he fumbled for his phone and went straight to check Twitter. Sure enough, everything they did at the hospital had been posted online, and it was now trending on Twitter. Archie muttered softly, ¡°Dad, we really were just trying to teach that girl a lesson.¡± ¡°Teach her a lesson?¡± Hugh banged on the table. ¡°You¡¯re teaching me a lesson, that¡¯s what. The inte is flooded with people saying we mistreat our adopted daughter, and we¡¯ve already lost several partnerships. 15:40 Wed, Oct 1 ¡°Do you have any idea how much money thepany has lost? You two idiots, no allowance for the next three months.¡± When Andrew heard he was losing his allowance for three months, he panicked. He had ns to hit up the racing club with his friends this month. Without pocket money, he had no way to go. Feeling desperate, Andrew blurted out, ¡°Dad, Archie kept insisting we go. I tried to talk him out of it, but he wouldn¡¯t listen.¡± Archie was stunned. ¡®Andrew, tossing all the me on me when things get tough?¡® he thought. Archie fired back immediately, ¡°Dad, that¡¯s not what happened. Andrew¡¯s making things up. ¡°Tiffany told me Alicia couldn¡¯t afford her hospital bills, so I started to think maybe Alicia stole money or something from the house to pay for that nice room.¡± She continued, ¡°I was just nning to check if anything was missing at home. If nothing was gone, I wouldn¡¯t have gone after Alicia. ¡°But then I bumped into Andrew, and he said it didn¡¯t matter if Alicia really stole anything¨Cif we used her, then everyone would believe it. That¡¯s why I went with him.¡± AD Luxurious 37 Andrew was fuming. He¡¯d been hoping that if Archie took the fall, he¡¯d get some of the allowance money But now, Archie had thrown him under the bus. Andrew shot Archie a re. Archie didn¡¯t back down, ring right back. Hugh was furious. Seeing his sons squabble over something so silly nearly gave him a heart attack. Hugh snatched up the whisk from the sofa and sent it flying at both of them. ¡°Ah-¡± The first swing hit Archie, who howled like he¡¯d just been murdered. Maria had been fine letting Hugh scold the boys for losing money, but the moment she saw him going in for a real smack, her heart broke. She wasn¡¯t always a saint, but she was the kind of mom who¡¯d go full mama bear when it came to her kids. Maria jumped in front of Archie. ¡°Calm down. What¡¯s the point? It¡¯s already happened. Smacking them is totally useless.¡± ¡°They deserve it. Move aside. You just don¡¯t understand. And it¡¯s not just about today,¡± Hugh said, utterly exasperated. ¡°Look at them¨Cfighting over something so petty, pushing me onto each other. ¡°They¡¯re real brothers. They¡¯re supposed to look out for each other, support, and care for one another. That¡¯s how the Lawrence family keeps moving forward, gets stronger and better. ¡°If they keep acting like this, our family is doomed.¡± Andrew understood instantly what had Hugh so fired up. He didn¡¯t hesitate¨Che owned up right away. ¡°That was on me, Dad. ¡°Archie was just following what I said. I promise I won¡¯t lose my head again, and I¡¯ll make sure Archie keeps his cool, too.¡± Hugh finally started to let it go. ¡°Alright, just don¡¯t go pulling any stupid stunts from now on.¡± Andrew let out a sigh of relief. ¡°I have to hit the restroom.¡± He bolted for the bathroom, and Archie followed right behind. ¡°Me too.¡± ***** Inside the bathroom, Archie faced Andrew. ¡°Man, that was messed up. We agreed not to tell Dad, and you went and snitched on me. ¡°But hey, since you took the fall in the end, I¡¯ll let it go. You¡¯re still my buddy.¡± 15:41 Wed, Oct 1 Andrew gave Archie a frosty stare. ¡°Idiot.¡± Then he turned and walked out. Archie, pissed off by Andrew¡¯s words, stomped out after him, grumbling. (44 55 vouchers Maria watched the boys duck into the bathroom, then came over to give Hugh a massage, trying to smooth things over. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t stay mad. ¡°The kids were just all riled up. If you really need to me someone, me that Alicia¨Cshe¡¯s a real piece of work Hugh, enjoying the massage, chimed in, ¡°You should keep an eye on Tiffany. Make sure she doesn¡¯t keep egging her brothers on to do dumb things.¡± Maria had only recently gotten Tiffany back, so of course, her mom instincts kicked in. She immediately jumped in to defend her girl. ¡°What are you saying? ¡°Tiffany¡¯s not like that at all. She was probably just curious and made some offhand remarks; those two troublemakers are the ones who went and did something dumb. ¡°No way was Tiffany behind it. She¡¯s as pure as theye; she¡¯d never do that sort of thing.¡± Hugh nced at Maria, but let it go. Truth was, a little bit of cunning in his daughter wasn¡¯t the worst thing; it¡¯s the ones who are too sweet that really make him worry. Seeing Hugh drop the subject of Tiffany, Maria quickly changed the topic. ¡°So, who do you think paid for that brat Alicia¡¯s hospital bill?¡± With the inte going wild over the Lawrence brothers and no sign of Charles in the video, Hugh had no clue there was more to the story. He just figured Adam had footed the bill for Alicia. After a moment, Hugh said, ¡°My guess is it was Adam, that ungrateful brat. He¡¯s been working for years and hasn¡¯t brought a single cent home, but he¡¯s got money to blow on Alicia.¡± Maria chimed in, ¡°Well, it¡¯s not really Adam¡¯s fault. That sly girl knows how to y him. Adam¡¯s too kind- hearted, and she totally scammed him. ¡°We took care of her all these years, and now she turns on us; if we don¡¯t put her in her ce, it just doesn¡¯t sit right.¡± Hugh¡¯s eyes turned cold, his expression downright ruthless. ¡°Oh, she¡¯ll get what¡¯sing to her.¡± ¡°So how are we going to teach her a lesson?¡± Maria asked. Hugh replied, ¡°This isn¡¯t something we can rush; we¡¯ll need to think it over carefully. For now, let¡¯s go pick up Tiffany from the hospital. She said she¡¯s ready to leave.¡± Just then, Andrew, who had juste out of the bathroom, piped up, ¡°I¡¯ll grab a nket for the car. We don¡¯t want Tiffany getting cold.¡± With that, Andrew was already on his feet, heading to get the nket. 15:41 Wed, Oct 1 ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? find¡¤novel 65 vouchers Archie quickly added, ¡°Tll grab some snacks for Tiffany. We don¡¯t want her getting hungry¡± Watching the two brothers fussing over Tiffany, Hugh couldn¡¯t help but nod with satisfaction. Yet, the moment he thought about Adam, his brows instantly knit together. Why can¡¯t Adam ever put the family first? Hugh grumbled to himself. ¡®If all five siblings really stuck together. the Lawrence family would be unstoppable; no one in this city could touch us The Yates family did very well in this aspect. Back when Hugh was younger, he¡¯d gotten a rare chance to visit the Yates family and saw how fiercely united they were. Yeah, maybe those big families had their dramas behind closed doors, but whenever an outsider showed up, they closed ranks in a heartbeat. And now? The Yates were livingrge, right up at the top. That was why, ever since starting his family, Hugh had hammered it in¨Cstick together, watch each other¡¯s backs, always keep the Lawrence family united. Only then could they get strong¨Cand never get knocked off their throne. Hugh couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡®When they were kids, they¡¯d always stuck together, always followed the rules. So what happened to Adam? Why does he always stick up for outsiders instead of his own family these days? Hugh would have to find a chance to sit Adam down and set him straight. If Adam kept pulling this crap, there wouldn¡¯t be a ce for him in the Lawrence family. Just as Hugh was lost in thought, Aaron walked in. ¡°Dad, it¡¯s time to head to the hospital and pick up Tiffany.¡± Hugh nodded, then asked, ¡°How did it go when you went looking for Adam after he took off that day? Did you talk to him?¡± Aaron let out a sigh. ¡°I couldn¡¯t find him.¡± Hugh¡¯s frown deepened, but he didn¡¯t say anything more. Soon, the whole family was there¨Ceveryone except Adam. They had to take two cars to fit everyone. As soon as they got to the hospital, Hugh turned to Aaron. ¡°Go find Adam and have him help Tiffany with her discharge paperwork.¡± Andrew chimed in, ¡°Yeah, Adam¡¯s a doctor; he¡¯s here every day, knows all the ins and outs. If he handles it, we won¡¯t have to run around or wait in line. He can get it sorted way faster.¡± Aaron nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go find Adam.¡± Aaron headed straight for Adam¡¯s office, but after knocking for what felt like forever, no one answered. Just then, a doctor passing by noticed him and asked, ¡°Looking for Doctor Lawrence? He¡¯s not here; he¡¯s been on leave for a few days.¡± Luxurious 38 Aaron blinked in surprise. ¡°He¡¯s been on leave for several days? Did he take leave on the 4th? ¡°Yes,¡± the doctor replied. Aaron thanked the doctor and quickly left.. When Aaron arrived, the Lawrence family hadn¡¯t headed to Tiffany¡¯s ward yet. Aaron was out of breath as he said, ¡°Adam¡¯s not here. I heard from another doctor that he¡¯s been on leave for several days¨Cspecifically, he started his leave on the 4th.¡± Maria¡¯s face paled with anxiety as she immediately turned to Hugh. ¡°Why did you have to say all that to him that day? If something really happens to him, what are we supposed to do?¡± Hugh frowned. ¡°He¡¯s a grown man; what trouble could he possibly get into? Aaron, call him and make sure hees home today. ¡°If he doesn¡¯te back today, then he shouldn¡¯t bothering back ever again.¡± Aaron hesitated. ¡°Dad, Adam¡¯s just having a rough patch. Don¡¯t be mad at him.¡± Andrew, realizing Hugh was serious, quickly spoke up for Adam. ¡°Dad, you know how stubborn Adam can be. Give him some space¨Conce he¡¯s sorted things out, he¡¯lle back on his own.¡± Archie, even if he was still annoyed about getting shoved by Adam for Alicia, couldn¡¯t stand the idea of Adam being kicked out for good. After all, they were brothers. He added, ¡°Dad, he¡¯s my brother and your son.¡± ¡°If he weren¡¯t my own son, I¡¯d have had someone break his legs by now,¡± Hugh snapped. ¡°Enough, you all stop defending him. Aaron, call him.¡± Maria, clearly anxious, tried to step in. ¡°Hugh, Adam is our son. How could you-¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t your concern,¡± Hugh cut her off. ¡°Go help Tiffany get her things together. We¡¯re not going into the ward¨Cwe¡¯ll just wait for her outside.¡± When Hugh got serious, no one in the Lawrence family dared to argue with him. For original chapters go to find[?]ovel Maria was worried sick about Adam but didn¡¯t dare say much. On her way to the ward, she stopped beside Aaron and whispered, ¡°If you manage to talk to Adam, try to get him to make peace with your dad. Deep down, your father really does(care about him.¡± Aaron nodded. With that, Maria went off to check on Tiffany in her ward. 15:41 Wed, Oct 1 Aaron tried calling Adam. The phone was on and connected¨Cjust nobody answered. $449 66 vouchers Aaron nced over at Hugh, then sent a WhatsApp message: [Adam, Dad needs you home today. It¡¯s really important. You muste back, seriously¨Cdon¡¯t ignore this.] After firing off the message, Aaron wondered if Adam would even see it. Maybe he¡¯d have to check Adam¡¯s dorm after picking up Tiffany. Hugh was watching Aaron¡¯s calls. When he saw Adam hadn¡¯t picked up, he just snorted coldly and didn¡¯t say another word. When Maria led Tiffany out of the hospital, Hugh and the Lawrence brothers were already waiting outside, all smiles, ready to wee her back. Aaron grinned, ¡°Wee back home, Tiffany.¡± Andrewughed, ¡°So d to see you¡¯ve recovered, Tiffany.¡± Archie called out, ¡°Tiffany, I¡¯m here to pick you up.¡± Hugh opened his arms wide. ¡°My precious girl, you¡¯ve finally recovered; make sure to take good care of yourself from now on, alright?¡± Tiffany threw herself into Hugh¡¯s arms, smiling sweeter than ever. She couldn¡¯t help but feel a little smug; Alicia never got weed home like this, did she? ¡®Yeah, she took my ce in the Lawrence family for twelve years, but that doesn¡¯t matter. When ites to Mom, Dad, and the boys, I¡¯m still the one they care about most,¡® Tiffany thought. Tiffany stepped out of Hugh¡¯s arms and nced around at her other brothers, but Adam was nowhere to be seen. Her brows furrowed. ¡°Where¡¯s Adam? Is he still busy in his office at the hospital?¡± Tiffany couldn¡¯t help but feel pretty hurt inside that Adam hadn¡¯te to pick her up. Adam literally worked at the hospital, so he should¡¯ve been the first to show up, but he was nowhere to be found. Seriously, it was like she didn¡¯t matter to him at all. Tiffany put on her best pitiful look and said, ¡°Is Adam still upset with me because of Alicia? If that¡¯s really it, I¡¯ll go apologize to Alicia, okay? Would that make things right?¡± Aaron gave her a reassuring smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Tiffany. Adam¡¯s just wrapped up with work. Let¡¯s head home first.¡± Tiffany bit her lip, mumbling to herself, ¡°Is something really that important that he can¡¯t even bother to show mportant up when I¡¯m leaving the hospital?¡± Tiffany just whispered it under her breath, and nobody answered her. ¡®Adam¡¯s getting way out of line,¡® Tiffany thought to herself, her anger bubbling up. ¡®Is he actually going to side 15:41 Wed, Oct 1 with Alicia now? No way am I letting that happen. He¡¯s supposed to be my brother. 220 I have toe up with something to pull Adam back to my side. If only I could make him see just how nasty Alicia really is. But now that Alicia doesn¡¯t live with us. I¡¯ll have to make my move at school instead. Tiffany spent the whole trip home plotting ways to win Adam back over, but still hadn¡¯te up with anything by the time they arrived. As soon as they got home, Aaron said he had something to deal with and headed out to Adam¡¯s dorm. The rest of the family crowded around Tiffany, showering her with care. Andrew was busy peeling an apple. Archie worked on an orange, and Tiffany just sat there, enjoying the attention. Tiffany waited as Maria lovingly took the fruit her brothers had prepared, slicing it up and feeding each juicy bite right to her mouth. Hugh, meanwhile, went straight to his study. An hourter, Hugh came out of his study and announced, ¡°I¡¯ve decided to make Alicia withdraw from Premier Academy.¡± Archie and Andrew¡¯s faces lit up with excitement. Andrew pped his hands together. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s perfect. She thinks she¡¯s so tough, huh? I want to see how tough she is when she can¡¯t even get an education.¡± Archie grinned, ¡°Dad, you¡¯re the best. She really needs a wake¨Cup call. I can¡¯t wait to see here crawling back, begging us for help.¡± Just then, Aaron and Adam came in from outside, arriving just in time to hear those words. Adam stormed in, fury written all over his face. ¡°Dad, Alicia called you Dad for twelve years. How could you be so cruel?¡± ¡°She chose to leave the Lawrence family,¡± Hugh replied coldly. ¡°Since she¡¯s no longer one of us, she doesn¡¯t get to rely on anything from us anymore. That applies to everyone, including you, Adam.¡± Adam¡¯s face drained of color. He gave a cold, mockingugh and took a step back. ¡°Alright. I get it.¡± Adam spun around and left without another word. Tiffany¡¯s eyes lit up with an idea. ¡°This is the perfect chance to win Adam over. Plus, I don¡¯t want Alicia to leave school just yet,¡¯ she wondered, ¡®I still need her around as my personal foil¡® Tiffany jumped up from the couch and rushed over to Adam, wrapping her arms around his waist. ¡°Adam, please don¡¯t go. ¡°Dad¡¯s just saying that because he¡¯s mad. I promise, I won¡¯t let Alicia leave school. I¡¯ll talk to Dad. I¡¯ll make him change his mind.¡± Adam froze mid¨Cstep, his voice rough and quiet. ¡°Tiffany, let go. I can¡¯t stay in this house anymore.¡± 15:41 Wed, Oct 1 155 voucher ¡°No, I won¡¯t. I¡¯m not letting go, Adam. You¡¯ll always be my brother, no matter what.¡± Tiffany wrapped her arms tighter around Adam¡¯s waist, refusing to let him leave. Then Tiffany spun around, practically begging Hugh. ¡°Dad, please don¡¯t make Alicia drop out of Premier Academy, okay? She just left home because she was upset. ¡°It¡¯s not really her fault. I¡¯ll talk to her and convince her toe back. Please, Dad, I¡¯m really begging you this time. Can you let her stay at school for me?¡± Hugh looked at Tiffany, his brow furrowed slightly. Maria¡¯s heart ached as she spoke, clearly feeling for her daughter. ¡°Tiffany, you really are too kind. Even after everything Alicia¡¯s put you through, you¡¯re still willing to speak up for her.¡± Tiffany replied gently, her tone soft and sincere, ¡°Mom, no matter what, Alicia¡¯s still the daughter you and Dad raised. ¡°I know you two don¡¯t really want to see her leave either. I¡¯ll talk to her and try to bring her back; please, let¡¯s not make her quit school, alright?¡± AD Luxurious 39 1: Hugh was silent for a few seconds before he said, ¡°Alright, I promise.¡± ¡°Thank you, Dad,¡± Tiffany said happily. 256 vouchers ?????? ???? Then Tiffany turned to Adam and said softly, ¡°Adam, see? I did it. Dad said he won¡¯t make Alicia leave school. Now you can stop worrying, right?¡± Adam felt a little relieved. At least Tiffany was a good girl and still had a conscience. Adam turned around and ruffled Tiffany¡¯s hair. ¡°I¡¯ll thank you on Alicia¡¯s behalf, Tiffany, You¡¯re such a kind girl¨Cnever lose your kindness, remember who you are.¡± At Adam¡¯s words, Tiffany felt a wave of irritation. ¡®Really, Adam? You¡¯re thanking me for Alicia now? Who gave you that right? He¡¯s putting Alicia first, not me, Tiffany thought to herself. But I¡¯m his real sister. Even though she was upset, Tiffany still said brightly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Adam. I¡¯ll look after Alicia.¡± Adam smiled, ¡°Silly girl, you¡¯re also my sister, and you need someone to look out for you. From now on, I¡¯ll protect both you and Alicia.¡± Tiffany fumed inside, but she kept a smile on her face. ¡°Okay.¡± Hugh noticed Adam treating Tiffany quite well, and his anger faded a bit. He was just about tounch into a whole speech about how family should stick together and know who was closest to them, but before he could get a word out, Adam suddenly cut in, ¡°I came back today for one reason only.¡± Adam nced around at everyone in the Lawrence family and went on, ¡°Since Dad believes every bit of my sess is thanks to the Lawrence family¡¯s connections, then fine. ¡°I¡¯ll give everything I got through the family right back. From now on, I¡¯m going after my dreams on my own. I¡¯m quitting my job at the hospital-¡± p. Hugh smacked him across the face before Adam could even finish. ¡°Adam, what the hell are you saying?¡± Hugh shouted. ¡°Do you have any idea how hard it was to get you that job and how much money and effort I sank into it for you? ¡°You think you can just walk away? You¡¯re crazy. If you really quit, then you¡¯re no son of mine. Don¡¯t ever show your face in this house again. And all that family wealth? Forget it¡ªyou won¡¯t see a single dime.¡± Maria grabbed Hugh¡¯s arm, trying to calm him down. ¡°Please, let it go. He¡¯s just acting out. Take it easy, let me talk to him.¡± Maria hurried over to Adam, grabbing his hand. ¡°Adam, go apologize to your dad, OK? He was just speaking 15:41 Wed, Oct 1 out of anger. : 44 F vouchers ¡°Think about it¨Cif you leave home, quit your job, where are you even going to stay? How could you possibly survive out there?¡± Adam looked at Maria, giving her a mncholy smile. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m a grown man, been working for years, and I¡¯ve got some savings. You¡¯re worried about me leaving. But what about Alicia? ¡°She¡¯s just a student¨Ca girl with no job experience. If she leaves home, how will she get by? When she walked out, did you ever try to make Dad change his mind?¡± Maria was stunned into silence by Adam¡¯s words. Hugh scoffed, ¡°Listen to what he¡¯s saying. Just for an outsider, he¡¯s turning his back on his own family. ¡°Don¡¯t bother trying to talk sense into him, and don¡¯t try to change my mind either. Let him go. From now on, he¡¯s dead to me.¡± Adam took a step back and bowed. ¡°Thank you, Mom and Dad, for giving me life. Today, I leave¨Cand from this day forward, I will never return to this house.¡± Adam bowed deeply to Maria and Hugh, then rose to his feet and walked away, never once looking back. This time, Tiffany didn¡¯t bother trying to talk him out of it. Before, she thought Adam was still worth something, at least with that hospital job. She wondered, ¡®But now, he¡¯s quit, cut ties with the Lawrence family¨Cwhat does he even have left to offer? A guy with nothing¨Cwhy waste my energy pretending to care?¡® After Adam left, Hugh smashed a coffee set in rage. Tiffany quickly went over tofort him, massaging his shoulders as she said, ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry. No matter who else leaves you, I¡¯ll never abandon you. I¡¯ll always be your little sweetheart.¡± Hugh gave Tiffany a fond pat on the head, his relief clear in his eyes. After a short pause, he said, ¡°Meeting Mr. West is just a few days away. Are you all set?¡± Tiffany replied with confidence, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad. I¡¯m pretty much ready. I¡¯ve been putting in the hours with my art teachertely. ¡°And trust me, once I reveal that I¡¯m actually the Sweetheart Queen online, Mr. West will totally want me as his apprentice.¡± Hugh nodded, though concern still lingered on his face. ¡°That¡¯s good, but try to get Alicia back to help out with your paintings ASAP. ¡°Even after you be Mr. West¡¯s student, you¡¯ll need to keep showing him fresh stuff regrly. If you don¡¯t keep making new art, he¡¯s going to lose interest.¡± Tiffany shed a determined smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad¨CI¡¯ll work super hard on my art. Next time, I¡¯ll show Mr. West something that¡¯ll blow him away.¡± 15:41 Wed, Oct 1 But Hugh shook his head. ¡°No matter how much effort you put in, you¡¯ll never catch up to Alicia¡¯s level. She¡¯s been hailed as a genius painter you only see once in a millennium by masters of painting ¡°Stop pouring your energy into this¨Cyou¡¯ve got way too much to learn, and twelve years is a massive gap. Time¡¯s precious, so focus where it¡¯ll count. From now on, let Alicia handle the painting for you! When Tiffany heard her dad say she¡¯d never measure up to Alicia, her chest tightened in frustration. Tears sparkled in her eyes as she softly whimpered, ¡°Dad, so you really think I¡¯m not as good as Alicia?¡± Hugh frowned, giving her a stern look. ¡°I¡¯m mapping out your future so you can shine the brightest. Try thinking on a bigger scale¨Cnot obsessing over whether youpare to Alicia. ¡°If you keep getting hung up on such petty stuff, there¡¯s no reason for me to n anything for your Tiffany looked up at Hugh, her lower lip trembling, eyes pitifully wide. ¡°Dad, I get it. I¡¯m really sorry? She¡¯d been hoping Hugh would tell her she was the best at everything¨Cbetter than Alicia, better than anyone. But instead, he said something that totally crushed her. Her chest tightened with fear, worried he might decide she wasn¡¯t worth it and just throw her away, too. ¡°Be a good girl and listen up. Trust me, I won¡¯t ever let anything bad happen to you. I¡¯ll take care of everything¨Cyour future, your happiness. You¡¯ll live like royalty,¡± Hugh promised. Hugh was dead set on making every one of his kids a legend, the kind of people everyone talked about. He was going to be the father that every family envied. Tiffany nodded. But then Hugh frowned again. ¡°I nned to get Alicia kicked out of school so she¡¯d have no choice but toe home and paint for you. ¡°But you wouldn¡¯t let me. Tiffany, you can¡¯t always be so sentimental¨Ceven in family, you¡¯ve got to weigh the pros and cons.¡± Tiffany, worried Hugh might be disappointed with her, quickly said, ¡°Dad, I wasn¡¯t doing it for Alicia. But- Before she could finish, Hugh held up his hand. ¡°I know, it was for Adam. Maybe not the smartest solution, but it¡¯s something. ¡°Actually, you¡¯ve got plenty of other ways to keep Adam close; it doesn¡¯t always have to mean jumping in to help Alicia. You helped her this time, but you can¡¯t do that for her every single time, right?¡± 15:41 Wed, Oct 1 Luxurious 40 : 44 55 Vouchers Tiffany saw that her dad thought she was just trying to make Adam stay, so she didn¡¯t bother to exin further. If she insisted, her dad would only use her of always wanting topete with Alicia. Tiffany just nodded sweetly. ¡°Okay. So, Dad, now that Adam¡¯s left, do you still want to-¡± ¡°No need,¡± Hugh replied. ¡°Since I already promised you, I won¡¯t use that method anymore. I¡¯ll handle it some other way.¡± Aaron looked at Hugh. ¡°Dad, what¡¯s your n?¡± Andrew and Archie exchanged eager nces at their father, hoping he¡¯de up with a way to really get back at Alicia. She¡¯d made them look foolish, so they figured she deserved some proper payback. Hugh sneered, ¡°Alicia won¡¯t have anywhere to stay when she leaves. If she tries to rent a ce, I¡¯ll make sure she can¡¯t find one. I bet she¡¯lle crawling back to us eventually.¡± ¡°But what if she doesn¡¯t rent? What if she crashes at a friend¡¯s ce?¡± Andrew frowned, genuinely worried. Hugh smirked, ¡°We¡¯ll see which of her so¨Ccalled friends has the guts to take her in. Honestly, I wouldn¡¯t mind making things difficult for them, too.¡± Tiffany¡¯s eyes sparkled when she heard that. She thought smugly, ¡®Like Alicia even has any friends, other than Sienna, she¡¯spletely alone. ¡®If I can just convince Sienna to ditch her, Alicia will be left with no one. She¡¯ll have no choice but toe begging us to take her back. ¡®And when that momentes, I¡¯m going to make her taste every bit of what I suffered because of her. Andrew and Archie nodded in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s a good n.¡± After discussing their strategy, the family members went their separate ways. ***** Meanwhile, Alicia was totally clueless that the Lawrence family was scheming to make here back using some dirty tricks. Right now, she was fully wrapped up in her art, analyzing every detail of the oil painting. Suddenly, inspiration hit her. Alicia¡¯s eyes sparkled as she grabbed her brush and started sketching. After an hour of careful work, she managed to restore the painting. Gazing at her finished piece, Alicia couldn¡¯t help but feel even prouder than before. A scarecrow stood before the vivid rice fields, while a few crows swept across the sky. Seen from the front, it all came together into a wlessposition. 15:41 wea, Uct 1 Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n Find_Novel(. 50 vouchers¡± Alicia gazed at the painting, and out of nowhere, liked it even more. When she¡¯d first painted it, her goal was to create something warm and peaceful, but once it was done, it just felt empty. Sure, the scene was quiet and calm, but it didn¡¯t have a soul. Now, though, that little chimney and the gentle smoke seemed to bring everything to life. Even though there wasn¡¯t a single person in the picture, one could almost imagine a cozy family inside¨Cand feel the gentle, slow beauty of time passing by. Alicia stashed the painting away, just waiting for Edward to show up. Now, she swore she would never let Tiffany be Edward¡¯s apprentice ever again. A new day dawned, and Alicia finally made her way back to school, slipping into ss like everything was back to normal. For the old Alicia, it was just a week away, but for her now, it felt like she¡¯d been gone for ages. As Alicia took in the surroundings that were both familiar and strangely foreign, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a rush of nostalgia. She was back at square one. Alicia walked slowly toward the entrance, taking in the sights with each step, letting herself relearn the rhythm of this ce, reconnecting with every little detail. ¡°Alicia?¡± called a voice from behind her. Alicia spun around and saw Sienna rushing over, her face lighting up. ¡°You¡¯re actually here. Why didn¡¯t you give me a heads up?¡± Alicia smiled, ¡°I wanted it to be a surprise.¡± Sienna giggled, ¡°It totally is. I¡¯m so d you showed up. Seriously, it¡¯s been so lonely without you around. I¡¯ve had to eat all by myself, and I swear, the cafeteria food isn¡¯t even tasty anymore.¡± With their arms linked, the two headed off to ss together. Suddenly, a car pulled up next to them. Sienna and Alicia instinctively stepped aside. The door popped open, and Tiffany hopped out. The moment she got close, she grabbed Alicia¡¯s hand and put on a worried face. ¡°Alicia, I heard you were discharged from the hospital. ¡°You didn¡¯te homest night, the whole family was worried sick. Where did you spend the night?¡± Alicia looked at Tiffany calmly, suspicion flickering in her eyes. ¡®Why is she really asking me this?¡® Alicia wondered. Seeing Alicia stay silent, Tiffany sneered inwardly. ¡®No way you¡¯re escaping this. Tiffany deliberately raised her voice so everyone around could hear. ¡°Alicia, you¡¯re a girl; you stayed out all 15:41 Wed, Oct 1 night by yourself? That¡¯s really dangerous, you know.¡± 255 vouchers Tiffany¡¯s words were meant to stir up gossip, making people immediately think Alicia had spent the night who¨Cknows¨Cwhere doing who¨Cknows¨Cwhat. Just as expected, students nearby immediately started giving Alicia the side¨Ceye, whispering, and shooting her odd nces. Sienna saw the strange looks and jumped in right away. ¡°Alicia stayed over at my cest night. Is that so weird? We¡¯re best friends¨Cher spending the night at my house is totally normal.¡± With Sienna backing her up, everyone quickly went back to minding their own business. Tiffany gave a little smirk. ¡°Oh, so she was at your ce, Sienna. Alright then, I¡¯ll let Mom and Dad know, so they won¡¯t worry.¡± With that, Tiffany picked up her bag and strode off toward the ssroom. Alicia watched Tiffany¡¯s back as she walked away, her gut telling her that these questions had nothing to do with making Alicia look bad. Tiffany just wasn¡¯t one to drop things so easily. Alicia thought, suspicion sharpening in her mind, ¡®If Tiffany were really after my reputation, she would¡¯ve kept poking and prodding until the whole school was talking. Why let it go so quickly? ¡®She¡¯s definitely up to something else.¡¯ After thinking it through, Alicia suddenly put the pieces together. Ever since she left the Lawrence family, Tiffany had lost her private artist. No one was left to do her paintings. Of course, they wanted to push Alicia intoing back. But they didn¡¯t want Alicia returning on her own terms¨Cthey wanted her cornered and desperate, begging toe home. That way, they could keep her under their thumb for good. They were probably going to use Alicia¡¯sck of a ce to stay to back her into a corner. After all, without the Lawrence family, she had nowhere else to go. No matter where Alicia tried to live, the Lawrence family would just put pressure on whoever owned the ce and force her out. Alicia wondered, ¡®And now, with Sienna saying Alicia spent the night at her house, isn¡¯t that just painting a target on Sienna¡¯s back? That silly girl is just asking for trouble and doesn¡¯t even know it.¡® Alicia couldn¡¯t risk letting Sienna get caught up in her family¡¯s mess. ask(a Knowing how suspicious Hugh was, he¡¯d never just send Tiffany to ask a few questions and call it a day. He¡¯d be sure to have someone digging behind the scenes to find out exactly where Alicia was staying. Alicia needed Hugh¡¯s spies to think she wasn¡¯t living at Sienna¡¯s ce; that way, Sienna wouldn¡¯t end up tangled in the feud between her and the Lawrence family. 15:41 Wed, Oct 1 Just as Alicia was deep in thought, Sienna piped up, ¡°Hey, Alicia, where are you staying now? $44 51 vouchers ¡°If you haven¡¯t found a ce yet, why don¡¯t you just crash at my ce for a while? Or maybe see if there are any dorms still open?¡± Premier Academy had students from all over, so of course, there were dorms. But for Alicia, getting a dorm room wasn¡¯t really on the table. With the Lawrence family trying to squeeze her, there was no chance they¡¯d let her get one approved. ¡°Dorm rooms are only avable at the start of the semester,¡± Alicia replied, sounding rxed. ¡°It¡¯s toote to apply now. Seriously, don¡¯t worry¨CI¡¯ve got somewhere to stay.¡± Alicia didn¡¯t mention the whole mess with the Lawrence family pressuring her; no need to get Sienna worried over it. As far as Sienna knew, Alicia¡¯s biggest issue was finding a ce to live. Now that Alicia said she had it covered, Sienna was visibly relieved. Sienna immediately linked arms with Alicia, beaming. ¡°Awesome. Come on, let¡¯s get to ss before we¡¯rete.¡± As they walked together, Alicia was already working out her next move in her mind. ¡®Guess I¡¯ll be sticking around at Charles¡¯s ce for a while longer. Hugh would never dare to make trouble for the Yates family, she calcted. Äê AD Luxurious 41 Chapter 41 : 44 55 vouchers As soon as Alicia and Tiffany settled into their seats, the bell rang, signaling the start of ss. Gloria Clifford, their music teacher, walked to the front of the room, her eyes scanning the students. Without a word, she picked up a piece of chalk and wrote on the board: [Characteristics of Roman Music Culture]. After finishing, she set the chalk down and turned to face the ss. ¡°This was the topic we coveredst time. Who can summarize it for me?¡± Silence filled the room. No one raised their hand. Gloria smiled, her tone light, ¡°Looks like nobody was paying attentionst time. Let¡¯s do a quick review then.¡± Before Gloria could finish, Tiffany suddenly stood up. ¡°Mrs. Clifford, can I take this one?¡± Th?s chapter is updated by fin?novel Gloria¡¯s smile softened. ¡°Of course.¡± Tiffany spoke gently, a little timid. ¡°But I wasn¡¯t in ssst time. I was sick and missed a whole week. I¡¯m worried I might mess it up.¡± Gloria looked surprised. ¡°You missed ss? So why do you want to try answering?¡± Tiffany smiled, looking earnest, ¡°I¡¯ve yed the piano and loved singing ever since I was a kid. I really like music, so I¡¯ve picked up some music history along the way.¡± Gloria¡¯s interest was piqued. ¡°Alright then, go ahead.¡± Tiffany gave a self¨Cassured, almost perfect smile as she began, ¡°Roman music mainly featured drums and wind instruments. It was divided into court music and folk music. ¡°Court music often came with dance, while folk music was all about telling stories. ¡°The court music was known as ceremonial music¨Cvery refined and elegant¨Cwhile folk music was seen as a bit vulgar and rarely got passed down through generations.¡± Gloria nodded approvingly. ¡°That¡¯s very good. You weren¡¯t in ss, but you still managed to give such a thorough answer.¡± At that moment, a few of Tiffany¡¯s friends jumped in. ¡°Mrs. Clifford, Tiffany¡¯s super talented. She already knows all this stuff¨Cshe doesn¡¯t even need to be here.¡± ¡°Yeah, Mrs. Clifford, shouldn¡¯t she get some kind of reward for being so awesome?¡± another girl teased. Tiffany gave a modest smile. ¡°Seriously, guys, it¡¯s nothing. I just love music, so I picked up a few things on my own. It¡¯s really not a big deal.¡± Gloria waited for all the teasing to die down, then raised an eyebrow and grinned. ¡°Come on, folks, are you really going to let someone who skipped ss leave you in the dust? 15:41 Wed, Oct 1 44 Da vouchers ¡°Anyone else want to take a shot at this?¡± Silence filled the room once more, At that moment, Tiffany shot a meaningful nce at Nora, her trusty sidekick. Nora, seated right beside Alicia, caught the signal. Alicia was still absorbed in her book when Nora suddenly grabbed her hand and shot it up in the air. ¡°Mrs. Clifford, Alicia here says she¡¯s got another answer,¡± Nora piped up. Gloria looked calmly between Alicia and Nora. ¡°If Alicia wants to answer, she should raise her own hand. Pulling up a ssmate¡¯s arm isn¡¯t the right way to do it.¡±, Now that they were in college, Gloria made sure not to embarrass anyone by calling on them out of the blue. She always waited for students to volunteer, letting them take the initiative when they felt ready. Nora quickly replied, ¡°Alicia¡¯s just feeling a bit awkward about raising her hand herself, so I thought I¡¯d help her out.¡± ¡®Nora at it again, all for Tiffany,¡® Alicia thought, her gaze icy. She¡¯d seen this move more times than she cared to count since Tiffany had started at their college three months ago. ¡°Tiffany just wants to set me up as her foil, Alicia mused. ¡®If I mess up answering or can¡¯te up with anything, it¡¯ll only make her look more brilliant and knowledgeable. ¡®That¡¯s how it went in my previous life, too, Alicia recalled bitterly. ¡°Tiffany trampled right over me¡ªbecame the school goddess, a celebrated artist, Riverdale¡¯s rising star¨Call by using me as her stepping stone. ¡®Not this time, Alicia vowed silently. ¡®I won¡¯t let her walk all over me again!¡® ¡®If I want to stand out, I¡¯ll do it on my own,¡® Alicia thought to herself, determination ring in her eyes. So Alicia rose to her feet, refusing to let anyone steal her chance. Tiffany smirked coldly, her gaze full of scorn. She couldn¡¯t wait to see Alicia embarrass herself. Still ignoring Tiffany¡¯s cold smirk, Alicia faced Gloria and spoke with steady confidence. ¡°Roman music culture, after absorbing the music traditions of earlier periods, evolved into a vibrant, multi¨Cfaceted scene. ¡°It had acrobatics, masquerades and imitation acts, dance, and even sports. Roman instrumental music was closely linked to traditional political thought, filled with strong political themes. ¡°It also drew from earlier philosophies, especially ideas about morality and etiquette, using music as a way to reflect on humanity, life, and how people improve themselves.¡± Gloria¡¯s smile grew even broader, her eyes shining with genuine approval. The other students just stared at each other,pletely lost. Nora scrunched up her nose. ¡°Seriously, what is she even saying? I can¡¯t understand a word. Does she think 15:41 Wed, Oct 1 tossing out a bunch of fancy words makes her some kind of genius?¡± But Gloria just smiled and asked, ¡°Anything else?¡± 44 56 vouchers Alicia continued, ¡°Tiffany was right that Roman music was split into court and folk styles, but I see their roles a bit differently than most people do.¡± Gloria leaned forward, really interested. ¡°How do you see it?¡± Alicia exined, ¡°Court music was considered elegant, and folk music was seen as more down¨Cto¨Cearth. ¡°But during theter period, music culture evolved while still keeping the older traditions¨Ckind of like everyone celebrating together, no matter who they were.¡± She continued, ¡°Both court and folk music flourished. There were folk performances in the pce, and court music made its way out among regr people. ¡°They mixed and influenced each other, and both were appreciated by all. It wasn¡¯t that folk music got left behind just because it wasmon¨Cactually, now, very little of either has survived.¡± When Alicia finished, Tiffany looked absolutely livid. Right then, Nora piped up, ¡°Alicia, if you don¡¯t get it, just stop pretending you do, will you? h h h- nobody gets a word you¡¯re saying. ¡°And you really think you can disagree with Tiffany? Or are you just mouthing off to stir up drama about your own sister?¡± Then another girl, Tanya Woods, who was close to Tiffany, threw in with a snicker. ¡°Wow, maybe we should all learn from Alicia¨Cjust talk a lot about what you don¡¯t know. ¡°Guess all you need is to keep talking and people will think you actually know your stuff.¡± The whole ss cracked up, and someone whispered, ¡°Just keep yapping, maybe people will think you¡¯re cultured or something.¡± Alicia didn¡¯t even bother replying. She just turned to Gloria. Gloria¡¯s face grew stern. ¡°Don¡¯t act like you know everything when you don¡¯t.¡± At that, the whole ss went silent and looked up at her. Gloria said, ¡°Alicia¡¯s answer was not just good¨Cit was fantastic, detailed, and really on point. It¡¯s obvious she was paying attentionst session and genuinely loves studying music and its culture. ¡°Frankly, I don¡¯t get why some of you bothering to ss if you¡¯re not going to learn anything, and then have the nerve to criticize someone who actually puts in the effort.¡± The ssroom buzzed in shock. ¡°Wait¨Cdid Mrs. Clifford seriously just say Alicia¡¯s answer was excellent? And that she actually listened in ss? But wasn¡¯t she out sickst week, too?¡± 15:41 Wed, Oct 1 Luxurious 42 44 55 vouchers ¡°No way. She wasn¡¯t even in ss, and she nailed it? She just outshone Tiffany,¡± someone whispered. ¡°Wait, what? She disagreed with Tiffany. Does that mean Tiffany got it wrong?¡± another voice chimed in. ¡°No way. Tiffany¡¯s a genius. She¡¯s been into music forever, ys the piano and violin. There¡¯s no way she messed up,¡± someone else argued. Tiffany¡¯s cheeks flushed hot, then drained of color, her fists clenched tight. ¡®Seriously, how could this even happen?¡® she thought, panic and disbelief swirling inside. ¡®How could Alicia possibly know all that stuff?¡® Tiffany wondered, trying to wrap her head around it. Her parents had always said they weren¡¯t nning to really nurture Alicia. Sending her to Pryce Academy was all for appearances¡ªthey just didn¡¯t want people gossiping about how they mistreated their adopted daughter. The real goal was to make it sound good, so when Alicia was old enough for a marriage alliance, she couldnd someone halfway decent for the family. ¡®It¡¯s impossible for Alicia to actually learn anything here, not with all the housework she¡¯s forced to do at home, Tiffany thought, dismissing Alicia¡¯s chances. ¡®Why, though? Why on earth was Alicia able to answer the questions today?¡® Tiffany asked herself, frustrated and totally confused. Tiffany wondered, her mind racing and suspicion gnawing at her, ¡®Did she collude with the teacher to cheat? ¡®But that¡¯s impossible. Alicia is just an orphan¨Chow could she possibly have the power to make Mrs. Clifford join in cheating with her?¡® Tiffany felt her thoughts spiraling; everything seemed to be slipping further and further out of her control. Ever since Alicia walked out on the Lawrence family, things had started to unravel, one after another. ¡®Where did it all start to go wrong?¡® Tiffany thought, anxiety bubbling up in her chest. She couldn¡¯t figure it out, but seriously, she totally made a fool of herself today. Nora gently tugged on Tiffany¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Tiffany, Mrs. Clifford actually said she answered really well. What happened?¡± ¡°How should I know?¡± Tiffany snapped at Nora. ¡°Why¡¯d you have to meddle? That¡¯s why she got called on to answer.¡± Nora felt wronged. ¡®Didn¡¯t she give me that look?¡® she thought, feeling all the mend on her. Back then, whenever Tiffany gave her that look, it always meant it was time for Alicia to get dragged into something embarrassing in front of everyone. 15:42 Wed, Oct 1 200 36 youchu ¡®What the heck, why am I getting thrown under the bus now? Nora thought,pletely baffled. As they muttered and bickered, Alicia shot them a frostbitten look and curled her lips into a half¨Csmile. From this moment on, she swore to herself¨Cshe¡¯d never let Tiffany use her as a doormat again. Once the pre¨Css questions were over, Gloria dove into her lecture. Alicia paid full attention, taking notes with absolute focus¨Cdetermined not to miss a single detail. Meanwhile, Tiffany could barely take in a word; her mind was all over the ce. Something about Alicia just felt different now, and she couldn¡¯t shake off this uneasy feeling gnawing inside her. As the bell rang, everyone started packing up, ready to leave. Gloria suddenly called out to Alicia, ¡°Girl, hang back a sec.¡± Hearing that, Tiffany shot Alicia a frosty re, gritted her teeth, and stomped out of the ssroom, simmering with resentment. As soon as Tiffany stepped out, she heard two girls gossiping. ¡°Mrs. Clifford actually kept Alicia after ss. Think she¡¯s getting some private coaching? ¡°Man, I¡¯d love to be a fly on that wall. I¡¯m a music major, and Mrs. Clifford is the best in the business. If Alicia¡¯s caught her eye, that girl¡¯s going to go far.¡± Another girl said, ¡°Same here, I¡¯m majoring in music too. Since Alicia¡¯s got Mrs. Clifford backing her, maybe we should buddy up to her. ¡°If she¡¯s getting special tutoring, maybe we can get her to lend us her notes. Wouldn¡¯t hurt, right?¡± ¡°So, should we just wait here for her?¡± someone suggested. Listening to those two, Tiffany could feel her blood boiling. ¡®Damn Alicia, I¡¯ve been grinding for three whole months, and with just one lucky break, Alicia¡¯s suddenly got everyone wanting a piece of her?¡® Tiffany fumed to herself. Back then, after every ss, it was always her people who flocked to her. Now, even if Alicia wasn¡¯t surrounded yet, they were already hanging around, just waiting for Alicia. Her rage hit a new peak. ¡®Just wait, Alicia. I¡¯ll make sure you never get back up again,¡® Tiffany vowed, her jealousy burning hotter than ever. With an angry huff, Tiffany turned on her heel and stomped away. Alicia could feel Tiffany¡¯s re on her, but she wasn¡¯t fazed by her anger. She paused calmly, waiting for Gloria to approach. Gloria walked over and asked, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Alicia Lawrence,¡± she replied. 15:42 Wed, Oct 1 44 65 vouchers Gloria nodded. ¡°Do you enjoy studying the history of music? And are you interested in musical instruments?¡± Alicia nodded. ¡°Yes, I am, Mrs. Clifford.¡± ¡°Can you do me a favor?¡± Gloria asked, Alicia looked confused. ¡°What kind of favor?¡± Gloria said, ¡°Could you help me clean up the music room?¡± Alicia hesitated for a moment, but quickly nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Alright, so it¡¯s set. You cane by tomorrow afternoon, after your sses? Around 4 PM?¡± Gloria asked. Alicia smiled, ¡°Actually, Mrs. Clifford, I don¡¯t have any sses tomorrow afternoon.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Gloria blinked, a bit surprised. ¡°Most students here cram their schedules so full¨Cthey want to try everything, you know, so they¡¯ve got all kinds of stuff to talk about. ¡°Howe you¡¯re not loading up on sses?¡± Alicia let out a softugh. ¡°I just know what I can handle. I only picked art, music, and acting for now. The rest I¡¯ll look into when I¡¯ve got the time. I¡¯m really passionate about these three and want to dive deeper.¡± ¡°Great.¡± Gloria¡¯s eyes sparkled even more. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be waiting for you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Alicia nodded, agreeing softly. When Gloria left, Alicia walked out of the ssroom and spotted Sienna waiting for her. Sienna dashed over, slipped her arm through Alicia¡¯s, and grinned, ¡°You didn¡¯t catch it, did you? When Mrs. Clifford asked you to stay back, Tiffany looked so pissed when she stormed out.¡± ¡°I did see it,¡± Alicia replied. ¡°For real? She was sulking in front of the teacher? Isn¡¯t she worried it¡¯ll make her look bad?¡± Sienna said with a snicker. Alicia chuckled, feeling a bit amused, ¡°Mrs. Clifford didn¡¯t even spare her a nce.¡± Sienna paused for a moment, then burst outughing. ¡°So, Mrs. Clifford just straight¨Cup ignored her, huh?¡± ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? Find1Novel Alicia nodded. As they headed out of the building together, Sienna patted her stomach. ¡°Let¡¯s grab a meal at Dining Hall West. I¡¯m starving.¡± ¡°You got it. Let¡¯s really go big and get a lot,¡± Alicia grinned. ¡°It¡¯s on me today.¡± Sienna gasped in delight. ¡°Alicia, you¡¯re amazing. Did you hit the jackpot or something? You know the food there is pricey.¡± 15:42 Wed, Oct 1 44 55 vouchers ¡°No worries, I¡¯m just in a great mood today¨Clet¡¯s not stress about the money,¡± Alicia said, waving it off. ¡°But seriously? There¡¯s no way we can finish much,¡± Sienna said, thinking it over. ¡°Let¡¯s just order some to start, and if we¡¯re still hungry after, I¡¯ll treat you to some coffee.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Alicia nodded with a smile. They made their way to Dining Hall West, but what greeted them inside was so unexpected that both Alicia and Sienna were left speechless. The whole ce was packed, and there were two food carts set up¨Cnot the regr ones from the school. Each cart disyed the logo of Garden Nook Bistro, a famous restaurant from Riverdale. AD Luxurious 43 Chapter 43 44 1765 vouchers Garden Nook Bistro was the runner¨Cup in Riverdale¡¯s food scene, just behind Noble Leaf Bistro. Since the owner of Noble Leaf Bistro was super low¨Ckey and pretty much never did any interviews, Garden Nook Bistro pretty much hogged the spotlight across all the local food magazines and foodie blogs. ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Why is there a Garden Nook Bistro food truck, and it looks like they¡¯re handing out free food?¡± Sienna said, sounding confused. Get full chapters from Find_Novel(. Someone nearby caught Sienna¡¯s confusion and called out, ¡°You haven¡¯t heard? Someone¡¯s buying lunch for everyone today.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± Sienna asked. ¡°It¡¯s Tiffany. I heard her buddy felt bad that she had to eat cafeteria food all the time, so he ordered a ton of meals from Garden Nook Bistro for her,¡± the student exined, peeling open his own meal box. ¡°Garden Nook Bistro, you know¨Cthe second¨Cbest restaurant in Riverdale. Ordinary folks can¡¯t even get this stuff on a normal day,¡± he added. ¡°She ordered all that? Does she really think she can eat it all herself? What is she, a bottomless pit?¡± Sienna muttered under her breath. The other student, popping some chicken into his mouth, replied, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not just for Tiffany. She said it¡¯s not fair to treat only herself¨Cshe¡¯s got a ton of friends at school and wants everyone to eat well. ¡°So her buddy went all out and ordered a bunch. Anyone eating at Dining Hall West today can grab a box. You¡¯d better hurry and get one too. ¡°Seriously, Tiffany¡¯s beautiful and kind. God, this is my first time tasting anything from Garden Nook Bistro- it¡¯s incredible.¡± Another student chimed in, ¡°No joke, it¡¯s super tasty. Crossed off my second foodie dream today. All that¡¯s left is trying Noble Leaf Bistro¨CI¡¯ve heard their food is even crazier.¡± A nearby studentughed, ¡°Man, you really live for food. Your life goals are all about eating good stuff.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not here for the food, howe you¡¯re in line then?¡± the foodie shot back. ¡°This is food from the second¨Cbest spot on Riverdale¡¯s foodie rankings. Takes both cash and the right connections to even get a meal here¨Cno way I¡¯d miss out. I¡¯m not stupid,¡± the first student bragged. ¡°Just have to thank Tiffany for the hookup today,¡± another chimed in. Someone else joked, shouting at Tiffany, ¡°Hey, Miss Lawrence, when are you going to score us some treats from Noble Leaf Bistro?¡± A couple of girls who always hung out with Tiffany fired back, ¡°Sure, if you think you¡¯re that good, go ahead and hook us up. Money can¡¯t even buy you a meal at Noble Leaf Bistro.¡± 15:42 Wed, Oct 1 The group justughed. ¡°Hey, as if we ever could.¡± Sienna couldn¡¯t help but feel pissed off at Alicia after hearing all that. 44 65 vouchers Alicia¡¯s been living with the Lawrence family for years, grinding away at part¨Ctime jobs just to get by. ¡®Sometimes she couldn¡¯t even eat enough, and not once did her buddy ever get her a decent meal, Sienna thought bitterly. ¡®Meanwhile, Tiffany¡¯s only been back home for three months, always rocking some fancy designer outfit, ordering ten dishes every meal, and barely taking a bite before tossing everything out. ¡®And now she¡¯s got Garden Nook Bistro catering for her, like she¡¯s queen of the world, Sienna fumed. Sienna wondered, ¡®And as if that wasn¡¯t enough, she¡¯s even having meals ordered for a bunch of her ssmates just because she feels like it. Seriously? ¡®So what if Alicia¡¯s just adopted? She¡¯s still their daughter, still their sister. How can they treat her like she doesn¡¯t matter? ¡®And deep down, Alicia really cares about what her buddies think. Seeing something like this must hurt her a lot. She¡¯d definitely be heartbroken seeing all this.¡® Sienna nced over at Alicia, her voice gentle and careful. ¡°Hey, Alicia, maybe we should eat somewhere else today¨Cno food for a change. I¡¯m kind of craving barbecue, so how about we go to the other dining hall?¡± Alicia had time¨Ctraveled with a whole new attitude. After everything, she really couldn¡¯t care less about the Lawrence family anymore. Their drama didn¡¯t bother her a bit. She shed Sienna a carefree smile and said, ¡°Nope, I¡¯m set on the food here today. I saw the cafeteriadies making lots of delicious dishes¨Cthey look perfect. Just the way I like ¡®em.¡± Sienna shot her a worried look, but Alicia gently grabbed her hand, ignoring all the fuss outside, and led her past the food truck, heading into the dining hall instead. Tiffany, lounging with her crowd of admirers, immediately noticed Alicia from across the room. Tiffany slipped out from the group and stepped in front of Alicia, voice gentle and soft. ¡°Alicia, Aaron ordered Garden Nook Bistro for me¨Ceveryone eating in Dining Hall West today can grab a box.¡± Then Tiffany picked up a meal from the food truck and handed it to Sienna with a smile. ¡°Here, Sienna, you should grab one, too.¡± Sienna hesitated at first, but quickly thought, ¡®Hey, it¡¯s free. Why not?¡® for. Tiffany reached out to take the box, then said, ¡°Can I get another one for Alicia, too?¡± Tiffany blinked innocently, her tone all sweet and clueless. ¡°Oh no, there¡¯s none left, Alicia. Didn¡¯t Aaron send you lunch? I thought he would, so I didn¡¯t ask for an extra box for you.¡± But the look in her eyes was anything but innocent¨CTiffany was practically beaming with pride. ¡®See? Aaron 15:42 Wed, Oct 1 only thinks about me,¡¯ she gloated to herself. 44 55 vouchers Tiffany was certain Alicia would be upset, like every single time her buddies did something nice for her. She figured Alicia would crack, just like she always did before. But Alicia had changed; she just shrugged lightly, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t need.¡± With that, Alicia walked right past Tiffany, heading straight for the food line. But Tiffany wasn¡¯t letting Alicia leave so easily. She blocked her way, that sweet, innocent smile still on her face. ¡°Alicia, don¡¯t be upset with Aaron. He must¡¯ve just gotten busy and forgotten, that¡¯s all. Hey, why not eat with me instead? Aaron ordered way too much food¨CI seriously can¡¯t finish it all alone.¡± Just then, a staff member from Garden Nook Bistro came over, pushing the food cart. ¡°Miss Lawrence, where do you want your meal set up?¡± Tiffany nced around the dining hall and said, ¡°Let¡¯s push those two tables together and set everything up right there.¡± The staff did as told, moving the tables together, then started unpacking the dishes from their insted boxes on the food truck, one after another. There were ten dishes, two kinds of soup, fresh fruit tters, and even dessert to top it all off. Everyone who¡¯d snagged Tiffany¡¯s meal couldn¡¯t help but look on in envy. Someone whispered, ¡°Wow, Tiffany¡¯s buddy really spoils her. He¡¯s a total legend¨Cwish I had a brother like that.¡± Another said, ¡°Honestly, Tiffany¡¯s living the princess life. Some people really have it all.¡± Someone piped up, ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t Alicia also a Lawrence? So why didn¡¯t her buddy order her anything?¡± ¡°Clearly she¡¯s not the favorite in the family,¡± another student snorted. ¡°I heard Alicia¡¯s just a foster kid, not even their real daughter. No wonder she gets left out,¡± someone else whispered. ¡°Come on, she¡¯s just a stand¨Cin heiress. What does she think, she can get the same perks as the real deal?¡± another scoffed. As everyone started gossiping, Tiffany felt a surge of smug satisfaction. She never took her eyes off Alicia- just waiting for her to break down and flip out in front of everyone. If Alicia really lost her cool and threw a tantrum here, she¡¯d totally be the campus outcast. ¡®Go on, crack already. Let them all see just how pathetic you really are, Tiffany gloated to herself. ¡°This is payback for her snatching twelve years that should¡¯ve been mine, Tiffany thought with icy satisfaction. She stared at Alicia, practically buzzing with excitement. But much to Tiffany¡¯s frustration, Alicia lookedpletely indifferent¨Cno sadness, no breakdown, not even a 15:42 Wed, Oct 1 flicker in her eyes. Tiffany clenched her teeth, full of irritation. : $44 159 vouchers ¡®She¡¯s always cared so much about Aaron and the other buddies, and yet here he is, ordering a ton of Garden Nook Bistro just for me and my ssmates while Alicia doesn¡¯t even get a single box. ¡®How could she not lose her cool?¡® Tiffany wondered. AD Luxurious 44 :. 255 vouchers ¡®Like I can¡¯t tell she¡¯s putting on an act. Let¡¯s see how long she keeps up the charade, Tiffany thought to herself. Tiffany walked up to Alicia and took her hand with a bright smile. ¡°Come on, Alicia, let¡¯s eat together.¡± Alicia frowned. ¡°I already told you, I don¡¯t need your help.¡± Alicia pulled her hand free from Tiffany¡¯s grip, not even using much force, but Tiffany nearly lost her bnce and had to grab onto a ssmate for support. ¡®Unbelievable. Alicia isn¡¯t even getting mad, Tiffany thought bitterly to herself. ¡®No matter whether she flips out or not today, I¡¯m going to make sure everyone turns against her! Tiffany bit her lower lip, her eyes shimmering with tears, and whispered in her sweetest, most delicate voice, ¡°Alicia, I¨CI just wanted to invite you to a meal.¡± Alicia couldn¡¯t be bothered to watch her little performance anymore. Just as she was about to step around Tiffany, a bunch of students who always hovered around Tiffany cut off her escape. ¡°Alicia, you¡¯re just the adopted daughter in the Lawrence family. Nobody really cares about you¡ªTiffany¡¯s the only one who even calls you family. ¡°She saw you sitting there hungry and kindly offered to share her meal, but this is how you treat her? You¡¯re so out of line. Hurry up and apologize to Tiffany,¡± one girl snapped. ¡°Seriously. Just because you grew up in the Lawrence family doesn¡¯t make you some precious heiress. Who do you think you are, acting all high and mighty?¡± another sneered. All of them started ganging up on Alicia, taking turns to throw shade and me her however they could. Sienna was about ready to go off on Alicia¡¯s behalf. She wanted to speak up for her, but Alicia caught her by the arm, holding her back. Alicia didn¡¯t want Sienna getting involved and taking the heat from Tiffany all over again¨Cshe knew all too well how things went downst time in her previous life. So Alicia stepped up, her eyes locked on Tiffany. ¡°Did I not make myself clear? I said I don¡¯t need your help. Why are you so intent on dragging me into this? ¡°Just want to y the hero and show everybody what a saint you are?¡± invity ¡°Alicia, you haven¡¯t eaten yet. I just feel bad for you, so I wanted to invite you,¡± Tiffany said softly, her eyes glistening as she tried her best to look pitiful. Alicia couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to eat? Seriously, Tiffany? We¡¯re in the school cafeteria. ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m starving? Let me make this crystal clear: I don¡¯t want your food, and I sure as hell don¡¯t need it.¡± 15:42 Wed, Oct 1 Tiffany was caught off guard. She hadn¡¯t expected Alicia to shut her down so bluntly, without even bothering toe up with an excuse. For once, she was left speechless. But Tiffany¡¯s little squad wasn¡¯t about to drop it. One of them barked, ¡°Alicia, you really don¡¯t know how lucky you are. Tiffany¡¯s being super nice to you. She¡¯s offering you food from Garden Nook Bistro; do you even realize how exclusive that ce is?¡± ¡°Girl probably doesn¡¯t even know what Garden Nook Bistro is. She¡¯s got no taste at all,¡± another scoffed. ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s almost sad. She¡¯s never tasted anything real, so now she¡¯s actuallyparing Garden Nook Bistro, the second hottest spot in Riverdale, to cafeteria grub? That¡¯s just pathetic,¡± someone else snickered. The snarkyments just kepting, one after another, like waves crashing over Alicia. Sienna was practically steaming with anger. She snatched the boxed lunch Tiffany had handed her earlier and shoved it right back at Tiffany. ¡°We don¡¯t want your crappy lunch. Take it back.¡± Tiffany fixed Sienna with an icy, hostile stare. Just then, a guy came over to Tiffany, looking a bit nervous. ¡°Hey Tiffany, do you think I could have that lunch? ¡°My little sister saw Garden Nook Bistro featured on TV the other day, and she¡¯s been begging to try it. I was hoping I could bring it home for her.¡± Tiffany gave him a smug nce, then passed the lunchbox right to Nora standing beside her, her tone icy and dismissive. ¡°Give it to Hank,¡± she said, barely bothering to look at the guy. Nora wrinkled her nose in disgust at Hank Grant, shoved the box into his hands, and furiously wiped her palms against her clothes, as if she¡¯d just touched something filthy. Hank¡¯s eyes dimmed, but he went ahead and took the lunchbox, sighing heavily as he nced at Sienna. ¡°Man, passing up food from Garden Nook Bistro? That¡¯s just dumb.¡± Hank turned to Alicia, saying, ¡°Come on, Alicia, folks like us, with part¨Ctime gigs just to make ends meet, it¡¯s not every day we get a shot at something like Garden Nook Bistro. ¡°This could be a once¨Cin¨Ca¨Clifetime thing, and you¡¯re just acting like it means nothing? Have you forgotten what we used to dream about? Just getting a taste from Garden Nook Bistro or Noble Leaf Bistro. ¡°Sure, we still haven¡¯t made it to Noble Leaf Bistro, but this is already a big deal. Why are you ying it like you¡¯re above all this? Stop putting on airs, seriously.¡± Some of the students burst outughing at Hank. ¡°Seriously? Imagine having lunch as your life goal. That¡¯s hrious.¡± Fresh chapters posted on f?ndnovel ¡°How hopeless can you get? Why would the Lawrence family even bother sending someone like her here? Just throwing their money away.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t she just acting all superior, turning up her nose at Tiffany¡¯s invite? Turns out eating at Garden Nook Bistro is her biggest wish¨Cwhat a total poser.¡± ¡°She¡¯s probably sitting there trying not to drool. Guess that¡¯s why she hasn¡¯t said a word.¡± Alicia nced at Hank, and her thoughts shed back to some of her roughest days. ¾­ 44 E56 vouchers Back when she first started college, Aaron¡¯s birthday was just around the corner. He had this thing for collecting all kinds of rocks, and there was one piece in particr he really liked, too bad he couldn¡¯t afford it. Close to his birthday, he casually mentioned to Alicia how much he wanted that rock. Alicia just wanted her brothers to like her, so she was always trying to please them. Once she knew Aaron wanted that stone, she decided to buy it for him. The rock cost a whopping 10 thousand dors. Alicia didn¡¯t have much cash on hand. She¡¯d been juggling part¨Ctime gigs and secretly selling her art on foreign websites, but the money never seemed to , Oct 1 tired of it.¡± 44 55 vouchers Alicia also remembered how, back then, some ssmates tried to shame Hank, tossing their half¨Ceaten leftovers at him like dogs getting scraps. But Hank never epted any of it. Hank always said with pride, ¡°I won¡¯t eat food that¡¯s been thrown at me out of pity.¡± Despite his tough background, Alicia always thought Hank was a good guy¨Chardworking, resilient, and someone she genuinely considered a friend. But now, watching Hank today, Alicia could only think to herself, ¡®What is he even saying? And what is he doing?¡® Alicia met Hank¡¯s gaze and replied coolly, ¡°Maybe that¡¯s your dream, Hank, but it¡¯s never been mine.¡± Hank gritted his teeth, spitting out the words. ¡°Quit pretending, Alicia. Not your dream? Yeah, right. ¡°Back then, you were battling stray dogs over a single pie, licking greasy leftovers off tossed¨Cout lunch boxes. You seriously forgot all that?¡± As soon as Hank spat that out, Tiffany¡¯s crew jumped in,ying on the mockery. ¡°Oh my god, she actually went at it with stray dogs for scraps? That¡¯s nasty.¡± ¡°Fighting over food is one thing, but did you hear? She was out here licking the grease off other people¡¯s discarded lunch boxes. Who even does that? ¡°Most people are too grossed out to share a fork, but she was busy licking up leftover crumbs like it was normal. What a total weirdo.¡± ¡°Licking off other people¡¯s lunch boxes? That¡¯s not just weird, maybe she¡¯s got some kind of kink; maybe she¡¯s practicing her licking technique for other stuff.¡± B AD Comment Send gift No Ads Luxurious 45 Send gift No Ads 44 550 vouchers As the insults flew, Alicia turned to Hank, who looked pale and shaken. Hank¡¯s thoughts were a swirl of regret -he hadn¡¯t expected things to spiral out of control from just a singlement. How did this all happen?¡® he wondered uneasily. He¡¯d only meant to embarrass her, just like Tiffany asked, but now it was aplete disaster. Hank¡¯s fists clenched as he nced at Alicia, who somehow stayed perfectly calm. After time¨Ctraveling and spending years in the entertainment world, she¡¯d endured far harsher words and all kinds of online harassment. This was nothing to her. Besides, right now was so much better than thest. At least her reputation hadn¡¯t been ruined online, and nobody had photoshopped her into those revolting images. For now, she was chillingly unfazed. But when Hank faced Alicia and saw her calm, unyielding eyes, he couldn¡¯t help but recognize the truth. I¡¯m just a petty, despicable jerk,¡¯ he thought bitterly. Alicia had treated him as a real friend, confiding her past humiliations. And here he was, carelessly tossing salt into her wounds. But really, Hank had no choice. His mom was already in poor health, and now his little sister was sick with kidney failure. Hank needed money to save her, and Tiffany was the one who could give him the cash he desperately needed. So he had no choice but to go along with Tiffany. Hank said to himself in his heart, ¡®I¡¯m sorry! He lowered his gaze, unable to meet Alicia¡¯s eyes. Tiffany smirked at Alicia, a wave of satisfaction bubbling inside her. ¡®This is what happens when you mess with me, Alicia, Tiffany thought gleefully. Just as Tiffany was savoring her triumph, a breathless voice burst in from the doorway. ¡°Hey, Miss Lawrence. Finally tracked you down. Here¡¯s your lunch.¡± Alicia turned and saw Brooke lugging an impressively big wooden lunch box, stacked fiveyers high and looking fancy as ever. ¡°Brooke? What brings you here?¡± Alicia asked, genuinely surprised. ¡°I¡¯m here to deliver your lunch, Miss Lawrence. It¡¯s already past lunchtime¨Cc¡¯mon, you have to eat on schedule or your stomach will start protesting,¡± Brooke said. Original content can be found at find?novel As she spoke, Brooke pulled the elegant lunch box out of the bag. Alicia blinked and said, ¡°I¡¯m already discharged, so you really don¡¯t have to keep bringing me meals.¡± 15:42 Wed, Oct 1 ?? 44 55 vouchers ¡°Nope. I¡¯ve got strict orders to keep your mealsing every day,¡± Brooke replied with a big smile, passing her a small rectangr wooden box. ¡°Go ahead, and take it.¡± Alicia took the box and popped it open¨Cinside was a neatly arranged fork. Just then, someone blurted out in surprise, ¡°Whoa, is that a Noble Leaf Bistro lunch box?¡± ¡°No freaking way. Alicia¡¯s actually got lunch from Noble Leaf Bistro?¡± ¡°Dude, for real? Noble Leaf Bistro? That ce is impossible to get food from¨Cand the prices are insane. Seriously, who pulled the strings for Alicia? Must be the Lawrence family, right? ¡°Talk about being treated like royalty. You can¡¯t just order that online; you have to line up for hours, sometimes even a whole day just to get a spot.¡± ¡°So, who¡¯s really the number one heiress in the Lawrence family, Alicia or Tiffany?¡± ¡°Come on, it has to be Alicia, hands down. Just look at how much they¡¯re pampering her¨Cone gets Garden Nook Bistro, the other gets Noble Leaf Bistro. ¡°Garden Nook Bistro¡¯s nice and all, butpared to Noble Leaf Bistro? No contest.¡± Tiffany listened to everyone gossiping, her eyes glued to the Noble Leaf Bistro lunch box Brooke set down. Her fingers dug into her palm, burning with jealousy and disbelief. ¡®No way. How on earth is Alicia getting food from Noble Leaf Bistro?¡® Tiffany thought, her mind reeling. ¡®Impossible. Who the hell would order that for her?¡® Tiffany grumbled to herself. ¡®Could it be Mom and Dad? Or one of our brothers?¡® she wondered, biting her lip. After thinking it through, Tiffany realized, ¡®It¡¯s only Adam. Only Adam would go out of his way to do this for Alicia. Why would Adam betray me like this? ¡®Why the hell is Adam ordering Noble Leaf Bistro for Alicia and not for me? ¡®Seriously? He promised he¡¯d have my back, too. Didn¡¯t he say that just the other day? So why is Alicia the only one getting all this special treatment?¡® Tiffany felt like she was going to explode. ¡®Why is Adam treating me like this? I¡¯m his sister.¡¯ Right now, Tiffany could feel nothing but pure hatred for Adam. She stood there, shaking all over. Just then, a voice called out from the doorway, ¡°If you¡¯re going to fake it, at least put in some effort. Passing off this Noble Leaf Bistro meal as legit? delivery ¡°That¡¯s hrious. Don¡¯t you know Noble Leaf Bistro doesn¡¯t even do delivery?¡± Everyone turned to look. Elliot Clifford strolled right into the restaurant. Someone whispered, ¡°Whoa, that¡¯s Elliot. He¡¯s the school board chairman¡¯s son. He¡¯s got to know his stuff¡ª probably eaten at Noble Leaf Bistro a hundred times.¡± 15:42 Wed, Oct 1 ¡°So Alicia¡¯s really been ying games, huh? Dragged in a fake lunch just to embarrass Tiffany? How could she even know Tiffany was splurging on Garden Nook Bistro today?¡± ¡°She probably had no clue about Garden Nook Bistro, but someone like her¨Calways desperate to look fancy ¨Cdefinitely had a stash of fake stuff on standby just to flex. As the crowd turned its attention back to Alicia, Tiffany finally felt some relief. Tiffany walked up to Elliot, her smile radiant and sweet. ¡°Hey, Elliot, have you had lunch yet? I¡¯ve got tons of food¨Cwant to join me?¡± After asking, Tiffany sighed wistfully, ¡°I actually wanted Alicia to join, but she¡¯s got something way fancier. Guess my food isn¡¯t good enough for her. So, would you keep mepany instead?¡± Elliot¡¯s heart twisted at her words. He nodded, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll eat with you.¡± Sienna saw the way Elliot was doting on Tiffany and instantly started to freak out inside. ¡®His dad¡¯s the chairman of the school board¨Cno way we can afford to cross him,¡® she thought anxiously. Sienna leaned in, tugging Alicia¡¯s arm, and muttered, ¡°Alicia, Elliot¡¯s here. Let¡¯s bail; we seriously can¡¯t mess with a guy like him.¡± Alicia didn¡¯t n to stick around anyway. She nodded, snatched up her lunch box, and got ready to leave. But just as she was about to leave, a long arm shot out to block her way, and a mocking voice came from above her head. ¡°Alicia, ever thought about being honest for once?¡± Alicia shot Elliot a cold smirk. ¡°How about you, Elliot, try opening your eyes, for once? Or are you just pretending to be clueless?¡± Elliot¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°It means exactly what it sounds like,¡± Alicia said, her voice cool. ¡°So, could you move aside?¡± Elliot let out a mocking scoff. ¡°What, trying to make a quick getaway? Why don¡¯t you let everyone see if that Noble Leaf Bistro lunch is really as fancy as you im?¡± Saying that, Elliot reached out and snatched the lunch box straight from Alicia¡¯s hands. ¡°Let¡¯s find out what you¡¯re actually hiding in here; if it¡¯s legit, or just for show.¡± Not wasting a second, Elliot flipped open the box right there. The rich aroma of food instantly filled the room; inside were four tantalizing dishes, a heap of rice, plus a dessert and fresh fruit. Noble Elliot had smelled this before; no doubt about it, that was the real Noble Leaf Bistro aroma. Noble Leaf Bistro¡¯s chefs and nutritionists all studied medicine, turning out these miracle meals. His aunt was pretty much always sick, so his grandparents would send people to line up for hours to grab a meal from the ce¨Csometimes you got lucky, sometimes not. 15:42 Wed, Oct 1 474 Elliot remembered once knocking over his aunt¡¯s lunch and getting chewed out so hard by his grandparents that he never forgot that scent after Getting a whiff now, Elliot stopped dead in his tracks and muttered under his breath, ¡°Damn, this really is Noble Leaf Bistro¡¯s food.¡± As soon as those words left his mouth, everyone who¡¯d been mocking Alicia suddenly shut up. AD Luxurious 46 :.. 55 ROUGHNE Brooke didn¡¯t know Elliot at all, so she wasn¡¯t fazed by him. When she spotted Alicia¡¯s lunch lying open, she instantly darted over and snapped the lid shut, frowning. ¡°Seriously, what¡¯s wrong with you? ¡°Why would you go poking around in Miss Lawrence¡¯s food?¡± Brooke tidied up the lunch box, stuffing everything back inside, then turned to Alicia. ¡°Miss Lawrence, we probably shouldn¡¯t hang around here. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here. I¡¯ll call Mr. Quinn in a bit and ask if he can get you a fresh meal. Ugh, he is unbelievable; who just touches other people¡¯s food like that?¡± Brooke grumbled under her breath as they walked away. Alicia shot Elliot a nce, then, with Brooke and Sienna in tow, she headed out of Dining Hall West. Hank watched the three girls walk away, and unexpectedly, a wave of relief washed over him. With a faint, crooked smile, he grabbed his Garden Nook Bistro lunch and walked out of Dining Hall West as well. Hank didn¡¯t expect to find Alicia and the others waiting for him outside. As soon as Hank stepped out, Alicia called his name. ¡°Wait, Hank.¡± Hank pressed his lips together, then shed azy grin. ¡°Waiting for me, huh? You¡¯re here to ask why I betrayed you?¡± ¡°You really are clueless, Alicia¨Calways trusting people with everything. Consider this your wake¨Cup call. Next time, try not to be so naive,¡± Hank muttered, fists clenched so tight his nails bit into his palms. All he could hope was that his words would finally teach her to stop believing in others so easily. He didn¡¯t expect her to forgive him¨Che wasn¡¯t looking for that anymore. Sienna had had enough. She shouted at Hank, ¡°Why are you so ungrateful, Hank? Seriously. ¡°Alicia treated you like a friend, shared her worst moments with you because she wanted you to see that others have it even harder¨Cthat maybe you¡¯re not the only one. ¡°And you turn around and use her pain to hurt her? What the hell is wrong with you? Are you crazy?¡± Hank just smirked, thatzy attitude unshaken. ¡°I¡¯m just showing her how the world works.¡± Sienna was beside herself with rage. She swung her hand up to p Hank, but Alicia caught her by the arm before she couldnd the hit. Alicia kept her expression serene as she spoke. ¡°Hank, I just want to know one thing. Did you finally bow your head to reality?¡± Hank looked at her, startled, then let out a self¨Cdeprecatingugh. ¡°You know, I used to be wrong about a lot of things. 19:11 Wed, Oct 1 ¡­ 55 vouchers ¡°Those people who were born in Rome, whose lives were golden from the start, I could chase them my whole life and never catch up. Truth is, I can¡¯t even escape the quagmire I was born into.¡± He bowed his head slightly toward Alicia. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Then he turned and hurried away, not looking back. Alicia stared after him, memories of her previous life crashing over her. Back then, she¡¯d really thought Hank was a true friend. This text is hosted at find{n}ovel She remembered how, whenever Tiffany bullied her, it was Hank who had her back¨Calways telling her, ¡°You have to stand up for yourself. Don¡¯t just let anyone push you around. Grow a spine, Alicia.¡± Alicia used to be filled with guilt about Tiffany, constantly messed with by the Lawrence family, always believing everything was somehow her fault. But Hank was always there, hammering the truth into her. ¡°Tiffany getting lost wasn¡¯t on you. What do you even owe her? Why should you let her walk all over you? Are you really that clueless?¡± After Hank kept breaking things down for her, Alicia finally started to wake up¨Cslowly, she began to find her own voice. But in the end, Hank turned on her. In her previous life, it hadn¡¯t happened in the cafeteria, but he still used her worst memories against her, throwing in her face moments like scrambling with dogs for food or licking someone else¡¯s lunch box. Back then, it happened a yearter¡ªthis time, it all just came earlier. Back when it happened, the whole mess exploded online. People went wild, photoshopping her face onto every dirty image imaginable¡ªeating alongside stray dogs, licking lunch boxes, and even sticking her face onto explicit pics from those adult sites, making it look like she was the one doing degrading things. Overnight, she became the living symbol of scandal and shame. Whenever Alicia went out, folks would stare at her like she was a sideshow. Some even whispered, asking how much she charged for a night. She was so humiliated that she barely dared to step outside. It honestly felt like the entire world had turned its back on Alicia. After Sienna¡¯s ident, she¡¯d thought Hank was her only friend left. But he ended up jumping in with Tiffany, bullying her just the same. Alicia was so lost that she once tried to end her own life. After they managed to save her, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to face anyone anymore. She finally dropped out and shut herself away from the world. After Alicia dropped out, it was like she just disappeared. No one remembered her anymore. That was when the Lawrence family finally locked her away, turning her into nothing more than Tiffany¡¯s shadow. During that one time, Alicia managed to escape and went looking for Henry. She stumbled across a news article about a student from Premier Academy who had taken his own life. 46 55 vouchers That was when Alicia found out that Hank¡¯s mother and sister had both died from illness. After they were gone, Hank couldn¡¯t take it anymore and ended his own life. Before he died, he left a suicide note that went viral online. While she was waiting for Henry, she read it. Alicia couldn¡¯t remember every line he wrote, but the feeling was unmistakable¨Ca raw, tear¨Cstained confession. Hank admitted he¡¯d crossed lines for the sake of his mom and sister, hurting someone who¡¯d believed in him. Now they were both gone, and all he could do was face the debt he owed for betraying that trust. With nothing else left in the world, the only thing he could give back was his own life. Back then, when Alicia read through that note, she knew straight away that he was talking about her. So, even till the end, he carried that heavy guilt for what he¡¯d done to her. Hank was a totalputer geek, a real pro. In her previous life, he¡¯d put those mad tech skills to work for Tiffany, helping her with all kinds of shady stuff. If Alicia chose to treat him with kindness, even after everything he did, maybe he¡¯d actually feel grateful. Hank might even end up working for Alicia one day. Having a genius hacker on the squad would make her life way easier. Once she¡¯d straightened things out in her head, Alicia turned to Sienna and Brooke. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Sienna was still fuming, but Alicia and Brooke pulled her away. Back inside Dining Hall West, after a brief silence, the ce exploded with chatter. ¡°Dude, did you hear that? Elliot just said that was legit Noble Leaf Bistro food.¡± ¡°I got a whiff of it, and man, it smelled so good. Like, you can totally tell it¡¯s fresh¡ªnot just drowning in some regr old seasoning.¡± ¡°What are you, some kind of food detective now? You can sniff out the difference like that?¡± ¡°My family¡¯s got a restaurant, and we¡¯re all about herbal cuisine. I¡¯ve been around this stuff since I was a kid, so trust me, I know what real food smells like. ¡°That aroma? That¡¯s all fresh ingredients, not just sauces¨Cand I swear, there was this hint of actual herbs in there. I even caught a glimpse of one of her dishes, and the herb they put in it? ¡°You have to simmer it for like six hours just to get the herbal vors out. That¡¯s some seriousmitment. Plus, most of the herbs they used are supposed to be really good for your stomach.¡± ¡°No wonder Noble Leaf Bistro¡¯s food costs a fortune, and people are always lining up for it. Their dishes don¡¯t just taste amazing; they actually do you good. ¡°It¡¯s not just about satisfying your cravings or filling you up; you literally get healthier the more you eat. Man, 19:11 Wed, Oct 1 ¡­ I wish my family¡¯s ce could ever reach that level.¡± 46) E55 vouchers After hearing the foodie gush like that, everyone suddenly looked down at their own Garden Nook Bistro meals and couldn¡¯t help feeling they just weren¡¯t all that anymore. Elliot wasn¡¯t feeling like lunch anymore. He nced at Tiffany and said, ¡°I¡¯ve got things to handle today, so I¡¯ll pass. Next time, how about I take you to Garden Nook Bistro for the real deal?¡± He said it coolly, then just walked off without another word. Tiffany¡¯s fingers dug into her palms, jaw clenched so tight she could¡¯ve cracked a tooth. Fuming, she didn¡¯t touch her lunch; instead, she spun around, stomping off, barely keeping her anger from showing. Nora called after her, ¡°Tiffany, you haven¡¯t even eaten yet.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± Tiffany snapped, her voice sharp with irritation. Nora hesitated for a second, then asked, ¡°Well, if you¡¯re not going to eat, can we have it?¡± Tiffany didn¡¯t bother replying and just walked off, her frustration clear in every step. Nora and the others grinned, immediately grabbing seats and diving into the food with gusto. After leaving Dining Hall West, Tiffany headed back to her ssroom. She found herself all alone, so she pulled out her phone and dialed Maria. ¡°Mom,¡± Tiffany whimpered, barely holding back her tears as she spoke to Maria, ¡°Why doesn¡¯t Adam like me? It hurts so much.¡± AD Luxurious 47 65 vouchers Maria¡¯s heart ached as she heard her daughter¡¯s words. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did Adam bully you again?¡± Tiffany, voice trembling, sniffled as she spoke. ¡°Today, Adam ordered lunch from Noble Leaf Bistro for Alicia, but not for me. ¡°All the ssmates are saying Alicia is the real Lawrence family¡¯s eldest daughter, and I¡¯m just some poor kid that got dragged home. ¡°If Adam really wants Alicia back, I can leave¨CI just don¡¯t get why he has to treat me like this. It hurts my much.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± Maria burst out, furious. ¡°How could Adam do something like that? I¡¯ll talk to him and see what¡¯s really going on in his head.¡± Just as she was about to make the call, Hugh came down the stairs. Maria immediately told him what happened. Hugh frowned. ¡°Adam ordered lunch from Noble Leaf Bistro for her? ¡°That can¡¯t be right. I¡¯ve frozen all his cards, he quit his job, and he¡¯s basically broke now. I¡¯ve got someone watching him too; he hasn¡¯t even been to Noble Leaf Bistro.¡± Maria looked surprised. ¡°Then who could it be?¡± Hugh¡¯s frown grew even deeper, shes of Alicia¡¯s almost unreal beauty crossing his mind. His face turned cold. ¡°Anyone who can afford to order from Noble Leaf Bistro is clearly someone with money. Don¡¯t tell me that she is-¡± He left his sentence hanging, but Maria instantly caught his meaning. She snapped, ¡°Just as I thought. She walks out of the Lawrence family, and the first thing she does is throw herself at some rich guy to be kept.¡± Hugh frowned. ¡°We don¡¯t even know who this guy is. If he¡¯s someone our family can¡¯t mess with, it¡¯ll be real trouble. Bringing her back will be a hell of a lot tougher.¡± Maria gritted her teeth. ¡°Then we¡¯ll dig up who he is. If he¡¯s out of our league, we¡¯ll drag her name through the mud and make sure he wants nothing to do with her.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Hugh nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll look into it first.¡± ***** Meanwhile, after lunch, Alicia and Sienna chilled in the ssroom for a while. After powering through two more sses, Alicia packed up around four, nning to swing by the hospital to visit Hank¡¯s mom and little sister. But the moment she left campus, Alicia instantly sensed someone tailing her. IX 57 YOUCATE Alicia knew right away that it had to be Hugh¡¯s guys. They weren¡¯t out to harm her; they just wanted to figure out where she was staying. Once they knew where she was staying, Hugh would start putting the squeeze on herndlord. If Alicia were actually renting from some stranger, she¡¯d be worried about getting them into trouble. But since it was Charles¡¯s ce, Hugh couldn¡¯t do a thing to him. He wouldn¡¯t dare. Alicia figured it was better to let Hugh know outright that way Sienna wouldn¡¯t get dragged into this whole mess. Looks like hitting up the hospital would have to wait, she wondered. Alicia decided to head back to Linen Bay Residences and regroup first. Alicia skipped any detours, jumped onto the subway, got out at a station close to theplex, then hoofed it the rest of the way. After getting off the subway, Alicia saw that her stalker wasn¡¯t right behind her. Instead of rushing, she casually crouched down to tie her shoces, deliberately giving them time to catch up before she finally made her way to the front gate of theplex. Alicia went straight through the gate with a quick face scan, but her shadow was stopped in his tracks. That caught her off guard; she hadn¡¯t expected the security to be this tight. Checktest chapters at ¡®So, they can only figure out which building I¡¯m in, but there¡¯s no way they¡¯ll know my actual apartment Alicia thought, a bit amused by the turn of events. Still, part of Alicia wished Hugh would try to mess with Charles, if only to see how that showdown yed out. But whatever. As long as they saw that Alicia wasn¡¯t living with Sienna, that was good enough for Alicia When Alicia got back to the apartment, Alicia nced around. The ce was spotless, but felt lifeless¨Clike she¡¯d just stepped into a fancy hotel room. Alicia really didn¡¯t like that atmosphere. Sure, it was beautiful, spacious, andfortable, but it just didn¡¯t feel like home at all. After thinking for a moment, Alicia decided to send Charles a quick WhatsApp message: [Mr. Yates, would it be right if I cooked here? I promise I¡¯ll clean up afterward.] Charles had just dealt with a pile of paperwork and was taking a breather by the window, trying to clear his head, when his phone buzzed. He nced down, saw Alicia¡¯s name on the screen¨Cand in an instant, every bit of fatigue he¡¯d felt just disappeared. His girl had texted him again, the third time she¡¯d reached out first. A & CD He shot back a reply: [You can cook?] Alicia: [I can cook a little, I guess.] Charles: [Feel free to treat it like your own ce.] Alicia: [Thanks.] After that, Alicia nced out at the empty rooftop garden and sent Charles another message: [Would it be alright if I put a few potted nts out here? [I¡¯ll take them with me when I move out, and I promise everything will look just as it was.] Charles: [Sure.] Alicia made up her mind to swing by the flower market tomorrow, pick out some nts, and bring a bit of life, and maybe even a sense of home, into that lonely terrace. But first, Alicia needed to go to the hospital; this couldn¡¯t wait. As Alicia stepped out of theplex, Alicia looked around. Whoever had been tailing her earlier was nowhere to be seen, so she headed for the subway station. Once Alicia arrived at the hospital, she checked in with the front desk and had no trouble finding the room where Hank¡¯s mom and his little sister, Sasha Grant, were staying. Both were dressed in hospital gowns, lying there pale as sheets. Sasha looked especially bad, her eyes unfocused, her whole body weak, and she kept whispering how thirsty she was, asking for water over and over. Fiona Grant, Hank¡¯s mom, heard Sasha calling and tried to scramble out of bed to pour her some water. Her hands were shaking so much that the cup slipped, crashed to the floor, and hot water sttered all over her feet. Barely wincing at the pain, she went straight to picking up the scattered shards. Alicia pushed open the hospital room door, reached out to steady Fiona, and said softly, ¡°Mrs. Grant, let me take care of it.¡± Fiona¡¯s lifeless eyes flickered as she looked at Alicia. ¡°W¨CWho are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Alicia Lawrence, Hank¡¯s ssmate,¡± Alicia said. ¡°He¡¯s working a part¨Ctime job now, so he asked me to help take care of you for a while.¡± ¡°Oh dear, you really don¡¯t have to trouble yourself,¡± Fiona replied hoarsely. ¡°Hank is just too thoughtless, making you do all this. I¡¯m already grateful you came to see us; there¡¯s no need to look after us, really.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Just lie down,¡± Alicia reassured her, gently helping Fiona settle back into bed. Alicia went to the nurses¡® station to get a disposable cup, filled it with water, and helped Sasha drink a few sips. ncing at the clock, Alicia realized it was gettingte. ¡°Mrs. Grant, you and Sasha haven¡¯t had dinner yet, 19:12 Wed, Oct 1 right? I¡¯ll go to the cafeteria and bring something for you. Is there anything you¡¯d like to eat?¡± Fiona waved her hand. ¡°No, that¡¯s okay, really.¡± ?46) F55 vouchets ¡°It¡¯s no trouble. Just get some rest. I¡¯ll just pick up a little something,¡± Alicia said, making sure Fiona and Sasha were tucked in before stepping out of the room. Even though Alicia was mostly doing this, hoping to get Hank on her side, seeing Fiona and Sasha in such rough shape made her heart ache. Alicia picked up two cups with straws first, then went to the cafeteria for two servings of pasta. She gave one to Fiona and set the other aside for Sasha, who was still fast asleep. Alicia pulled out the little tray on Fiona¡¯s hospital bed and propped her up so she could sit morefortably. Fiona quietly took a sip, trying not to let her emotions show. But as she swallowed, her eyes suddenly filled with tears. ¡°Hank¡¯s already carrying so much on his shoulders because I¡¯m sick. ¡°And now that Sasha¡¯s ill, too. I honestly have no idea how that boy¡¯s supposed to cope.¡± Alicia tried to reassure her. ¡°It¡¯s just a rough patch, Mrs. Grant. Get through it, and things will look up again.¡± Fiona dabbed at her tears and let out a shaky sigh. ¡°I¡¯m getting on in years, and I really don¡¯t want to hold Hank back. Sometimes I think maybe it¡¯d be easier if I just left this world. ¡°But then with Sasha sick, too, now I just can¡¯t do it. If anything happened to me, I¡¯m terrified they¡¯d be all alone. I just want to see Sasha get better, and that¡¯s all.¡± AD Luxurious 48 : 55 vouchers Alicia didn¡¯t know what else to say. She just sat there quietly, pulled out a tissue for Fiona, and switched the topic. ¡°Does Sasha usually go to sleep around this time? ¡°When do you think she¡¯ll wake up? If we leave the pasta sitting here too long, it will get all mushy Fiona looked over at Sasha and sighed, ¡°Usually, she doesn¡¯t sleep now. Since she got sick, it¡¯s like she hardly sleeps anymore. ¡°She keeps saying she wants to be with me and Hank as much as possible, and doesn¡¯t want to waste her time sleeping. ¡°Today she just had her chemo; she threw up quite a bit, felt awful, and finally dozed off. How can a little girl like her end up with something like this?¡± Alicia felt her heart tighten as she watched the gray¨Chaired woman. She gently patted Fiona¡¯s back. ¡°Mrs. Grant, try to eat something. ¡°You need to hang in there. If something happens to you, how are Hank and Sasha supposed to cope? When you¡¯re strong, they can be strong, too.¡± ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? find(?)ovel Fiona nodded fiercely, gulping down pasta between tears. As Alicia sat quietly, watching this family, Hank¡¯s words echoed in her heart. ¡®Folks like them, born stuck in the mud, and no matter how hard you try, you¡¯ll never catch up to those who were born at the finish line. ¡®One wrong step, and you¡¯ll be swallowed up by the muck, never getting out.¡± While Alicia was brooding over just how unfair life could be, a guarded voice sounded suddenly at the door- Hank¡¯s. ¡°Alicia, what are you doing here?¡± Alicia quickly got to her feet, turning to see Hank hurrying into the room. Hank eyed her warily, and Alicia smiled, ¡°I just came to check on Mrs. Grant and Sasha.¡± Fiona quickly set her fork aside and said, ¡°Hank, how could you bring your ssmate over to take care of us? ¡°Sasha and I can look after each other. We don¡¯t need anyone else¡¯s help. Don¡¯t trouble her anymore, alright?¡± Alicia gave a lightugh. ¡°Mrs. Grant, really, it¡¯s no bother at all. Hank¡¯s a good friend, and he¡¯s helped me plenty of times, too. That¡¯s what friends do, isn¡¯t it? We look out for each other.¡± Hank shot her a frosty look. ¡°After everything I¡¯ve done to you, you still want to help me? Alicia, are you stupid or something?¡± Fiona caught the cold look on Hank¡¯s face and his snapping at Alicia. Suddenly, it dawned on her. She wondered, ¡®Could it be this girl is chasing after Hank, but he just isn¡¯t interested? He is clueless. Even with our family¡¯s mess, she still sticks around and even tries to win him over. She must really like him! With how much Hank was struggling these days, Fiona figured she¡¯d feel much more at ease if someone were there to care for him. Fiona couldn¡¯t let Hank chase this kind¨Chearted girl away. Fiona tugged Hank to the side, ¡°Hey, watch your mouth. Is that any way to talk to a youngdy?¡± Then Fiona turned to Alicia, her smile gentle as she took Alicia¡¯s hand. ¡°Hank¡¯s really lucky to have a friend like you. ¡°Things have been rough for Sasha and me, and he¡¯s got so much on his te. If he¡¯s a little rough on you, don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Fiona finished and looked back at Hank. ¡°Hank, I bet Alicia hasn¡¯t had anything to eat yet. Go on and take her out for a bite. ¡°She¡¯s been here since this afternoon, helping me and Sasha. I even broke a cup today, and see? She brought us a brand new one.¡± Hank took a moment to nce at the cups sitting on the table. After a few seconds of silence, he finally spoke up, ¡°Let¡¯s go get something to eat?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s wait till Mrs. Grant finishes eating, and we clean up a bit,¡± Alicia said. Hank nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± The two of them sat together and watched as Fiona finished her pasta. Alicia started gathering up the te to wash it, but Hank quickly reached out and took it from her. ¡°Let me do it.¡± Alicia didn¡¯t insist. She just passed the te to him. Fiona watched the two of them quietly, pressing her lips together in a gentle smile. While Hank was busy at the sink, Fiona gently took Alicia¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Alicia, Hank is so lucky to have a friend like you. Without you, I don¡¯t know how he¡¯d still be hanging on. ¡°Thank you. Seeing you two lean on each other like this really warms my heart. I hope you¡¯ll always look out for each other and never drift apart.¡± Alicia picked up on where Fiona wasing from, feeling a bit flustered. ¡®Wait, does she actually think I¡¯m Hank¡¯s girlfriend?¡® she wondered. Alicia jumped in to set things straight. ¡°Mrs. Grant, it¡¯s only natural for friends to help each other, but, you know, friends only walk alongside you for a while. ¡°In the end, everyone¡¯s got their own road to travel. It¡¯s not like anyone really sticks around forever.¡± Fiona was caught off guard for a moment, then let out a littleugh and didn¡¯t say anything else. Alicia thought that by saying this, she had made it clear that she wasn¡¯t Hank¡¯s girlfriend. But Fiona only assumed that her son hadn¡¯t agreed to be with Alicia yet, which left Alicia feeling a bit uncertain. El 55 vouchera Fiona silently vowed that she was definitely going to do everything she could to get Hunk together with Alicia. Hank came back quickly after washing the dishes, and since Sasha was still out cold, Fiona said, ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on Sasha. You two go get something to eat.¡± Then Fiona tugged Hank closer, dug around in her pocket until she fished out a cloth pouch stuffed with coins and crumpled bills, maybe around 50 bucks in total. Fiona pressed most of it into Hank¡¯s hand. ¡°Here, take this and make sure Alicia gets something good to eat. ¡°Mom, really, I¡¯m fine. I have money,¡± Hank said, refusing the cash as he headed to the door. Fiona grabbed his arm again. ¡°Come on, just take it. Be good to Alicia, alright? She¡¯s a great girl, and you ought to treat her right.¡± Hank nodded. ¡°I know, Mom, but you hang onto your money. I just got paid from my part¨Ctime job today.¡± With that, he followed Alicia out of the room. Hank asked, ¡°So, what do you feel like eating?¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to lose weight, so I¡¯ll pass,¡± Alicia said lightly. Hank gave her a look. ¡°Come on, you¡¯re already so skinny; no need for that. Let¡¯s just get a bite and talk for a bit.¡± Alicia nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± They walked out of the hospital together, and it was already pitch dark outside; it was past eight at night. Alicia picked a BBQ house nearby, not far from the hospital. Hank picked up the menu. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m skipping. You just go ahead and order,¡± Alicia replied. ¡°You really don¡¯t need to be on a diet.¡± Hank started to protest, but- Before he could get the words out, Alicia interrupted him, ¡°Honestly, with you sitting here, I just can¡¯t eat anything.¡± Hank¡¯s face instantly drained of color. He opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, but ended up putting the menu down and calling the owner for two beers. ¡°Guess you really can¡¯t stand me, huh?¡± he muttered. Alicia shook her head. ¡°Hating you? That¡¯s not it. I just can¡¯t help but think I was pretty ridiculous.¡± ¡®Seriously, my past self was so naive, so dumb,¡® Alicia thought. ¡®I used to think that telling people how bad I had it before Mr. Shaw took me in would somehow make them feel better, like their own problems might seem lighter. 19:12 Wed, Oct 1 ¡­ A 144 265 Vouchers ¡®But all that ever did was give them something to use against me, turning my pain into a target. That part of me? It¡¯s over. I¡¯m never letting myself be that pathetic again.¡¯ Hank popped open a beer. He didn¡¯t even bother offering one to Alicia and took a heavy gulp. Half the bottle was gone in seconds. After wiping his mouth, he finally spoke, ¡°Alicia, I swear, I never wanted to hurt you. You¡¯ve seen how desperate things are for me. I¡¯m broke, really broke. ¡°Tiffany said she¡¯d give me money. She just wanted me to make you look bad in public. I honestly had no idea they¡¯d twist things and make them so ugly.¡± He added, ¡°I get it. Nothing I say now can fix what I did. I really messed you up. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Alicia just smiled, ¡°Those words? They can¡¯t really hurt me. And after seeing what you¡¯re dealing with today, I can¡¯t bring myself to hate you.¡± Hank never expected her to react like that. He looked up at her, genuinely surprised. Alicia gave a small, almost teasingugh. ¡°I¡¯m curious. How much did Tiffany give you, exactly?¡± Hank hesitated for a moment, then muttered, ¡°$2,000.¡± ¡°And with that, how many chemo treatments can Sasha get?¡± Alicia pressed. Hank¡¯s lips tightened. ¡°Two, maybe three.¡± AD Luxurious 49 55 vouchers Alicia smiled, ¡°So, Hank, here¡¯s my offer. I will help Sasha get a kidney and pay for her surgery, and from now on, you help me out whenever I need it. Sound fair?¡± Alicia had no intention of winning Hank over with sincerity. After living through so much, she¡¯d learned feelings only made things messier; keeping things strictly business was way safer. Hank stared at Alicia in disbelief. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Did I not make myself clear?¡± Alicia asked, her tone calm and steady. ¡°Are you in or not?¡± ¡°Where are you getting all this money?¡± Hank asked, his voiceced with suspicion. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that,¡± Alicia shot back. ¡°So, are you agreeing or not? Just give me a straight answer.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in,¡± Hank said without hesitation. ¡°As long as Sasha gets better, I¡¯ll do whatever you want.¡± ¡°What if I asked you to die?¡± Alicia pressed him. Hank froze, then shook his head with conviction. ¡°I can¡¯t do that. My mom¡¯s still sick, and Sasha needs me. I won¡¯t die, not unless they¡¯re both taken care of first.¡± Alicia¡¯s mind shed to her previous life. After his mom and sister passed away, Hank chose to end his own life. They were his Achilles¡® heel, yet also his anchor in this world. Hank was never afraid of death. Back then, with no family weighing him down and all his abilities, he could¡¯ve lived free and easy. But that he chose to end it all spoke volumes about just how deep his feelings ran. Alicia sized him up, then let out a soft chuckle. ¡°Rx. I won¡¯t ask you to throw your life away. ¡°Turns out, I know a hospital with a matching kidney ready to go. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll head over there and see what they can do for us.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± Hank¡¯s eyes widened, like he¡¯d just been tossed a lifeline when he was drowning. Alicia nodded, her voice gentle but firm. ¡°Absolutely.¡± ¡°Enjoy your meal,¡± Alicia said as she stood up. ¡°I¡¯m heading out.¡± Hank jumped up, too, looking at her, sincerity in every word. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t thank me,¡± Alicia said, her voice cool. ¡°This is a deal. I help you, and you help me. Simple as that.¡± Checktest chapters at FindN0vel ¡°I will, Alicia. From now on, whatever you say,¡± Hank replied firmly. Alicia turned and walked away. 19.12 Wed, Oct 1 Alicia only knew about the kidney source because of her previous life¡¯s experience. …^ Back when Alicia was trapped down in the basement, Tiffany would pop in from time to time just to taunt her, boasting about her newest triumphs and feeding Alicia all sorts of news from the outside world, including this particr nugget. That happened right after Henry sent Tiffany back to the Lawrence family. Tiffany stormed in, waving some paperwork, all fired up. ¡°Alicia, guess what? Your bestie Hank is dead. ¡°What a moron. His mom and sister kicked the bucket, so he finally got rid of his baggage. You¡¯d think he¡¯d be thrilled, right? Nope, he went and jumped off a building Back then, Alicia had barely flinched. She kept her voice steady as she looked straight at Tiffany. ¡°He stopped being my friend the moment he betrayed me and took your side. ¡°Whether he¡¯s alive or dead, it¡¯s none of my business. You can¡¯t get to me with this.¡± Tiffany burst outughing, waving a stack of documents right in Alicia¡¯s face. ¡°Want to know why Hank betrayed you and started helping me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because his mom¡¯s sick and his little sister¡¯s got kidney failure. He didn¡¯t have the money to save them, so I handed it over. ¡°Let me tell you, hisputer skills are something else. Anytime I wanted to shine in some field, he¡¯d crack into whatever genius¡¯sptop and grab their secrets for me. ¡°Honestly, I owe my sess to him,¡± Tiffany bragged, a smug grin on her face. As Alicia stared at the files, it hit her. She actually found a kidney at Maplewood General Hospital, but now all that info was in Tiffany¡¯s hands. ¡°So you kept the news about the kidney from Hank?¡± Alicia asked, her voice low and steady. ¡°Of course, Tiffany replied nonchntly. ¡°If I let him know, once his sister was cured, how would I control him anymore? He¡¯d walk away and I¡¯d lose my leverage.¡± Then her tone turned sharp and mean. ¡°But his sister? Total disgrace. Only managed to hang on for two years -pathetic. ¡°And Hank was no better. After they both died, he couldn¡¯t handle it and threw himself off a building. Now I have to dig up someone else who¡¯s good withputers. What a freaking waste of my time.¡± Tiffany didn¡¯t even bother taking the kidney match files; she just spun around to leave. Right before stepping out, Tiffany sneered at Alicia, ¡°Go on, hold onto those files and cry your eyes out for your precious friend.¡± Lost in these thoughts, Alicia tightened her grip on her phone and called Harvey. The line barely rang once before Harvey picked up, a smile in his voice. ¡°Hey, Sweet Purr. What¡¯s gotten into you? Thought of me all of a sudden?¡± 2 Alicia¡¯s mouth twitched. She really couldn¡¯t stand that nickname. Clearing her throat, she said, ¡°Doctor Johnson, my name¡¯s Alicia. Not Sweet Purr.¡± Harvey burst outughing. ¡°You got it, Alicia. No more nicknames, at least for now.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alicia replied quickly. Harvey poured himself some water, then said. ¡°So, Alicia, what¡¯s up? Did you call because you need something?¡± Before she could answer, Harvey grinned. ¡°Or maybe you¡¯re calling because you¡¯ve secretly fallen for me, trying to cozy up a bit?¡± Alicia rolled her eyes. ¡°Not even close.¡± Harvey let out a dramatic sigh, faking heartbreak. ¡°Come on, Alicia, did you have to be that blunt? My poor heart can¡¯t take it.¡± Alicia was caught off guard and not sure how to respond. Seeing her difort, Harvey dropped the act and got serious. ¡°Alright, alright. What¡¯s up? Is it your stomach hurting again?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that,¡± Alicia replied. ¡°I actually need a favor from you, Doctor Johnson. Are there any kidneys avable at your hospital? I was hoping- ¡°A kidney donor?¡± Harvey¡¯s expression shifted, his voice turning serious. ¡°Is there something wrong with your kidney? Does Charles know about this?¡± Alicia blinked in confusion. ¡®Even if my kidney was in trouble, what¡¯s Mr. Yates got to do with it?¡± she wondered. Alicia cleared her throat and exined, ¡°It¡¯s not about me. My ssmate¡¯s sister has kidney failure. Doctor Johnson, is that kidney still up for grabs? Can she get tested for a match?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not spoken for yet,¡± Harvey replied. ¡°She can definitely get tested. So, where is your ssmate¡¯s sister now?¡± Alicia filled him in on the basics, and Harvey said, ¡°Alright, bring him by tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay, thanks, Doctor Johnson. I¡¯ll treat you to dinner,¡± Alicia said. Harvey chuckled, ¡°No need. I¡¯ll just have Charles take me out.¡± Alicia finally couldn¡¯t help herself. ¡°Doctor Johnson, why are you always dragging Mr. Yates into this? ¡°I owe you this favor, so I¡¯ll pay it back myself. This has nothing to do with him, so why should he be involved?¡± O 19:12 Wed, Oct 1 Harvey stopped for a second before cracking up. 46 65 vouchers ¡®So Charles hasn¡¯t even let her in on how he feels yet? Guy can¡¯t even work up the guts to chase her openly, Harvey thought, amused. ¡®For someone who¡¯s usually fearless? ¡®He¡¯s really chickening out when ites to this. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll talk about it when the timees,¡± Harvey said, still grinning. ¡°Alright, get some rest,¡± Alicia said before hanging up and heading home. ***** Meanwhile, back at the Lawrence Manor, the moment Tiffany walked in, she made a beeline for Hugh. ¡°Dad, I know where Alicia¡¯s staying now.¡± Hugh looked up at her, his gaze scrutinizing. Tiffany quickly softened her tone, putting on a worried face. ¡°Alicia¡¯s out there all alone. It¡¯s not safe. ¡°Dad, you should bring her back home. She¡¯s staying with Sienna Gray, one of our ssmates.¡± Hugh raised an eyebrow. ¡°How do you know she¡¯s staying with the Gray family?¡± Ìï Luxurious 50 : :. 55 vouchers Tiffany exined to Hugh how she managed to figure it all out, detailing the whole process she used to test Alicia. Hugh raised an eyebrow. ¡°Do you really think that trick was clever?¡± Tiffany looked up at him, her eyes pleading. ¡°Dad?¡± Hugh frowned. ¡°As my daughter, don¡¯t be so soft all the time. Sometimes, vulnerability is your weapon, but don¡¯t make it your default, understood?¡± Tiffany bit her lip and nodded. Hugh went on, ¡°It was clever to ask Alicia where she lives and then use gossip to push her for the truth. But did you ever stop to think she might lie to you, just to keep out of the rumor mill?¡± Tiffany¡¯s eyes dropped. ¡°I didn¡¯t really think it through, Dad. Sorry. Next time, I¡¯ll be smarter about it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not upset with you,¡± Hugh said, his voice gentler. ¡°Just showing you how things are done. Let me handle this from here. ¡°I¡¯ll have someone check into it. You just focus on your lessons and make sure you get everything your tutor¡¯s been telling you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Tiffany nodded. But Tiffany couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°So, Dad, where does Alicia actually live?¡± Hugh stood up from his desk. ¡°Let¡¯s go downstairs and talk about it.¡± Tiffany obediently followed him downstairs. Latest content published on Find?Novel Downstairs, Maria, Aaron, Andrew, and Archie were all sitting around, chatting over coffee. Maria turned to Aaron. ¡°Still no word on Adam?¡± Aaron shook his head. ¡°No, we still haven¡¯t found him.¡± Maria let out a worried sigh. ¡°Who knows how long he¡¯s going to keep shing with the family?¡± Maria might have been frustrated with Adamtely, but as his mother, she couldn¡¯t help but care deeply; he was still her child, after all. Hugh let out a cold snort when he heard them talking. ¡°What are you still searching for? I¡¯ve already made it clear. Just act like he was never born. None of you is allowed to look for him, ever again.¡± No one dared to stick up for Adam with Hugh looking that serious. Maria poured Hugh a cup of coffee. 1765 vouchers Hugh took a sip and said, ¡°Our lunch hunch was spot¨Con. Alicia really didnd herself a sugar daddy. My sources just found out she¡¯s living in Linen Bay Residences.¡± Tiffany¡¯s face dropped as soon as she heard the name. She¡¯d heard about Linen Bay Residences plenty of times. It was Riverdale¡¯s top¨Ctier neighborhood, stacked with high¨Cend facilities, beautiful scenery, and jaw¨Cdropping architecture. Only celebrities and the filthy rich lived there. ¡®How the hell did that bitch end up there?¡® Tiffany thought. Once, when Tiffany was out shopping with her friends, she caught a glimpse of the neighborhood from the top floor of a mall. It looked like something straight out of a fairytale¨Clike Snow White¡¯s magical forest, with uniquely designed buildings pecking out from all the lush greenery. The ce had way more green space than any other neighborhood she¡¯d ever seen. Tiffany had been so drawn to it that she dragged her friends over, dying to have a closer look. But when they finally got to the gate, there was just no way in. Her friends had told her, ¡°Linen Bay Residences is only for the elite. We can¡¯t get in, and that¡¯s okay.¡± That ce had always been a dream for Tiffany, somewhere she¡¯d only ever wanted to see. And now, Alicia was actually living there. Maria snorted, ¡°She¡¯s disgraceful, just throwing her life away.¡± Aaron frowned. ¡°She¡¯s so irresponsible with her life, doing all this just to get back at us. She¡¯s only messing herself up.¡± Andrew shrugged. ¡°If she wants to sink so low, that¡¯s her business. We can¡¯t do anything about it.¡± Archie chimed in, ¡°So, Dad, does this mean she won¡¯t evere back? To be honest, we¡¯re better off. She was just extra baggage in this house anyway.¡± Hugh thought for a moment, then said, ¡°My people can¡¯t get into Linen Bay Residences, and they can¡¯t find out who her sugar daddy is. Tiffany, this is something you¡¯ll have to handle.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Tiffany blinked in surprise at her dad¡¯s words, totally thrown. ¡°But, Dad, I can¡¯t get into Linen Bay Residences, either. ¡°Alicia¡¯s always had it in for me. Even if I tried to cozy up to her and ask, she¡¯d just shut me down.¡± Hugh sighed, ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to talk to her. I want you to go find Henry and ask him to dig around, see who her sugar daddy really is. ¡°The Yates family owns a ce there. He should have no problem getting in.¡± Tiffany¡¯s mind started working fast. She instantly replied, her voice sweet as honey, ¡°Sure, Dad. I¡¯ll ask Henry to check it out.¡± 220 Later that night, after her shower, Tiffany stood in front of her closet, carefully picking out a semi¨Ctransparent nightgown. It had a cute baby¨Cdoll neckline, but the sheer, see¨Cthrough fabric gave off that innocent tease vibe everyone talked about online¨Ca look that was all sweet on the surface but clearly made to turn heads. After picking her nightwear, Tiffany purposefully did up a natural makeup look, leaving her hair slightly damp so she looked both pure and a little sultry. Checking herself out in the mirror, Tiffany smiled slyly, totally satisfied with the effect. Sure, Henry was always ready to shield Tiffany whenever Alicia was around. But he never reached out to her first. He still thought Alicia was his girlfriend, and always acted like Tiffany was just his friend. ¡°Tonight¡¯s my chance, Tiffany thought, her confidence rising. There¡¯s no way Henry can see me like this and not feel something. Once she¡¯d perfected her look, Tiffany picked up her phone and dialed Henry for a video call. It kept ringing and ringing, and just when Tiffany was starting to lose patience, Henry finally picked up. Once the video connected, Tiffany instantly caught the sound of chatter in the background. Putting on her sweetest voice, she called out softly, ¡°Hello, Henry?¡± Henry didn¡¯t hear her at first; he was busy talking to someone nearby, barely paying attention to his phone. After a moment, he finally looked her way and said, ¡°Tiffany, what¡¯s up?¡± Tiffany gave her hair a yful toss, about to say something, when a tipsy guy suddenly leaned into Henry¡¯s screen. ¡°Henry, who are you on the phone with? Quit stalling,e back and drink.¡± The guy was obviously drunk. He peered at the phone and shed a dirty grin. ¡°Henry, this nightclub is crawling with girls who¡¯ll do anything. You want in? ¡°I can send one over right now. Got a girl here who¡¯s smoking hot. Why bother with video calls? All you can do is look, but you¡¯ll never get to touch. Boring, don¡¯t you think?¡± Tiffany¡¯s expression changed instantly. She clutched her chest, her eyes welling up as if ready to burst into tears. ¡°Henry, he¡¯s being really inappropriate.¡± Henry shoved the guy¡¯s face out of the shot, visibly annoyed, and barked, ¡°Cut the crap, man. That¡¯s my friend.¡± ¡°For real? Henry, you got such a pretty friend? Since when?¡± The guy chuckled, still trying to shove his face into the screen. ¡°Let me get a good look.¡± ¡°Knock it off. Get lost,¡± Henry shot back, sounding fed up. 19:12 Wed, Oct 1 :. With that, the guy finally backed off and disappeared from the video. 46 55 vouchers Henry nced at Tiffany through the screen, concern in his voice. ¡°It¡¯s pretty chilly these days, Tiffany. You ought to wear something warmer. Don¡¯t catch a cold.¡± Tiffany was practically bursting with frustration, but managed to put on her most pathetic face, voice trembling. ¡°The heat¡¯s cranked up too much at home, so I couldn¡¯t help wearing less.¡± ¡°Oh, got it. So, what¡¯s up? Why¡¯d you call?¡± Henry asked, his tone casual. AD Luxurious 51 No Ads Chapter 51 TZ 59 vouchers Tiffany¡¯s face clouded with worry. ¡°Henry, I need to talk to you about Alicia. Can we talk somewhere private?¡± ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? find?novel At the mention of Alicia, Henry frowned and ran his hand through his hair, a bit frustrated. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it tomorrow. ¡°I¡¯lle find you at school. For now, just try to get some sleep, okay? I¡¯m in the middle of something, so I¡¯m hanging up.¡± With that, Henry ended the call. Tiffany stared at the nk screen, feeling like she could scream. ¡®Seriously? All that time spent on my makeup and picking out the cutest outfit, just for him to hang up after one sentence?¡® she grumbled inwardly. But Tiffany forced herself to chill. ¡®Henry wasn¡¯t mad at me. He only rushed to hang up because I brought up Alicia. He looked super stressed,¡® she tried to reassure herself. ¡®He must be totally sick of Alicia, Tiffany mused. That thought made her feel a lot better. Tiffany figured she might as well make the most of her makeup, so she snapped a few selfies, edited them to perfection, and posted them on her social media before finally washing her face. After washing off her makeup, Tiffany quickly dialed up. ¡°Head over to Linen Bay Residences and stake it out. I want photos of Aliciaing and going. Hurry up and don¡¯t keep me waiting.¡± ***** On Henry¡¯s end, he was knocking back drinks at the bar with his buddies, not exactly in a great mood. As soon as Tiffany called to talk about Alicia, his night seriously went from bad to worse. Back when it was Alicia, no matter how much Henry lost his cool, she never freaked out at him. Instead, she¡¯d patiently exin things,fort him, and do everything she could to show him she genuinely cared about his feelings. They never went to bed mad, not once. Alicia always said, ¡°Real talk? People have to be genuine with each other, but honesty alone isn¡¯t enough. You¡¯ve got to actually open your mouth and work things out. ¡°Cold¨Cshouldering each other? That¡¯s thest thing you want in a rtionship.¡± Whenever they had a fight, Alicia would always patch things up before the night ended. She¡¯d seek him out, talk it through, and make sure everything was okay between them. But this time, it had been over a week, and Alicia hadn¡¯t even tried to patch things up. 19:12 Wed, Oct 1 45 1256 vouchers When he bumped into her at the hospital that day, Henry actually felt a flicker of happiness. He figured she was there just to see him. Henry just wanted her to own up to her mistake, but instead, she rolled her eyes and mocked him. She even imed she was the one who ended things, and said she wasn¡¯t going to ask him to take her back. And to top it off, she actually called him a dumbass. Henry fumed, ¡®Since when did she be so foul¨Cmouthed? Seriously, this is driving me insane! Henry picked up his ss and knocked back his drink in one go. One of his friends leaned in and joked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Henry? You look beat. This stuff¡¯s pretty strong. Drink like that and you¡¯ll have a monster headache tomorrow. ¡°And then your girlfriend¡¯s going to give us an earful for letting you get smashed.¡± Back in the day, Henry always ended up drunk, and it was Alicia who¡¯de to drag him home. She never could resist giving him a little speech, so his crew never missed a chance to rib him about being totally under her thumb. Henry tipped back his ss and said, ¡°You guys don¡¯t have to worry. We¡¯re done.¡± ¡°No way, really? So you¡¯ve moved on?¡± The guy who¡¯d been sneaking peeks at your video earlier nudged Henry. ¡°Is it that girl who just video called you?¡± Henry didn¡¯t say anything, and the guy rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t think she¡¯s girlfriend material. Maybe just a casual thing.¡± Henry shot him a look. ¡°Back off, man. I told you, she¡¯s my friend.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The guy nodded and dropped it. Henry kept slugging back his drink, griping to his buddies, ¡°Seriously, guys, isn¡¯t she the one who¡¯s always hyping me up, making sure I¡¯m good? ¡°So why¡¯s she flipping out on me this time? All I did was ask her to say sorry to her little sister; it¡¯s not like I asked her to move mountains, right?¡± His friends huddled closer, all curious. ¡°Henry, you talking about your girl? What¡¯s up?¡± Henry kept guzzling the booze, muttering under his breath, ¡°She¡¯s been living easy all these years, taking her sister Tiffany¡¯s ce while Tiffany was stuck suffering who¨Cknows¨Cwhere. ¡°Now Tiffany¡¯s finally back, and she¡¯s all paranoid her good life¡¯s going to get snatched away. Seriously, why do women have to be so stingy? Can¡¯t she just chill and get along with Tiffany?¡± He added, ¡°And Tiffany literally saved my life, you know? Can¡¯t Alicia show her a little kindness for my sake? If not for Tiffany, Alicia wouldn¡¯t even have a boyfriend like me. Hell, I¡¯d probably be dog food by now.¡± (U; TT 56 vouchers 55 Henry was totally hammered, just kept going in circles about Alicia and Tiffany, mumbling the same old drama over and over again. His crew watched him down bottle after bottle, and by now he was totally smashed. No way they¡¯d let him go
  1. on.
They all knew he was the heir of the Yates family, and letting anything actually happen to him was a total no- go, They tried to haul him up and take him home, but Henry just flopped out on the floor, yelling like a man possessed, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me. Get my girlfriend over here. I got a girlfriend, okay. Let here get me.¡± His friends had no choice but to call Alicia. Fresh out of the shower and still toweling off her hair, Alicia picked up her ringing phone. On the other end, Henry¡¯s best friend Bill Lloyd said, ¡°Hey, Alicia, Henry¡¯s totally wasted at Gilded Haze Lounge. Can you swing by and pick him up?¡± Alicia answered tly, ¡°I¡¯m not his girlfriend anymore. Call his family.¡± Alicia hung up without a moment¡¯s hesitation, not giving it another thought. Bill honestly couldn¡¯t believe what he¡¯d just heard. ¡®Did Alicia really say she wouldn¡¯te to get Henry? And that they¡¯re over? Since when did she start refusing him?¡® she wondered. She used to be so clingy, practically glued to Henry; every time they argued, she was always the first to give in. Bill had lost count of how many times he¡¯d seen this y out. Henry would hit the bar, trying to freeze her out, but Alicia would alwayse running, bringing hangover cures and fussing over him like he was royalty. Everyone knew Alicia practically couldn¡¯t live without Henry, so whenever he got wasted, they¡¯d call her toe pick him up. No matter howte or how far, she¡¯d always show. Bill was sure Alicia would show up, just like always. But this time, when she t¨Cout refused, he was left standing there in disbelief. Not quite convinced, Bill fired off a WhatsApp message: [Alicia, quit ying hard to get. Don¡¯t give Henry a reason to really kick you to the curb. I¡¯ll send you the address. Be a sport ande pick him up.] Bill started typing in the address, but when he hit send, he found himself cklisted. Bill stared at his chat screen in shock. ¡®No way? She actually blocked me?¡® he wondered. ¡°Shit,¡± he swore. ¡®So she wants to act all dramatic now? Fine, just wait. This time, I¡¯ll make sure Henry gives her a real lesson,¡¯ Bill thought, seething. ¡®But tonight, how the heck are we supposed to get Henry home? : Nobody wanted to volunteer. Every guy was quick to tap out. 55 others After all, everyone knew Patricia Stone, Henry¡¯s mom, seriously hated seeing hime home drunk. The truth was, none of them even liked asking Henry toe out drinking in the first ce. But if Henry didn¡¯t tag along, no one was going to pick up the tab. In the end, they always had to rope Henry in somehow AD Luxurious 52 :.. 46 65 vouchers They¡¯de up with a way to dodge Patricia¡¯s lectures. Every time Henry got drunk, they¡¯d call his girlfriend, Alicia, to pick him up and drop him off at home. That way, Patricia wouldn¡¯t tear into them. But tonight, Alicia just wouldn¡¯te; she totally refused to pick Henry up. With no other options, the guys kept trying to pawn the job off until they ended up drawing straws to decide who would take Henry home. Unlucky, Bill, who¡¯d just tried calling Alicia, ended up with the short straw. He looked thoroughly annoyed, but there was nothing he could do. Bill muttered under his breath, ¡®What a pain. But I¡¯ve got no other choice! He hailed a car by the curb, helped Henry inside, and jumped in after him. Henry and his folks didn¡¯t stay at the Yates Manor anymore. They¡¯d picked up a vi over at Bloomfield Estates, right in the development area, a quick hop from the bar they¡¯d been hanging out at. In just twenty minutes, they arrived. Bill stepped out of the car, took a deep breath, and gathered his nerve before finally ringing the doorbell at Henry¡¯s ce. The maid opened the door, and Bill practically handed Henry off to her. ¡°He¡¯s totally drunk. Get him settled in to sleep it off. I¡¯m heading out.¡± Bill barely finished his sentence before hurrying away. Henry was so wasted that he was out cold. The maid nearly dropped him when Bill handed him over. Good thing Patricia and Cameron were just chatting in the living room; they rushed out as soon as they heard the maid freak out. Cameron managed to catch Henry, while Patricia looked furious, seeing her son in such a mess. Patricia gritted her teeth, fuming. She wondered, ¡®Ugh, he¡¯s probably been out with that Alicia again, drinking. She¡¯s still in school. ¡®How does she end up dragging Henry out for drinks all the damn time? I¡¯m about to blow a fuse. No way am I ever letting Henry marry her! Since Alicia was always the one dropping Henry off, Patricia automatically assumed he¡¯d been out drinking with her. In Patricia¡¯s mind, Alicia was nothing better than one of those club hostesses, just some girl who hung around sleazy bars. Patricia looked down on her, through and through. Patricia turned to Cameron. ¡°Get Henry inside so he can sleep it off. Linda, get to work on a hangover remedy 19:12 Wed, Oct 1 for him.¡± : 2900 $5 Vouchers Once Patricia had finished barking out her orders, she walked out, fully intending toy into Alicia if the go the chance. But when Patricia stepped outside, Alicia was nowhere in sight. Her brows knit in irritation as she scanned the driveway and spotted Bill hurrying toward his car. The scolding she¡¯d been ready to unleash at Alicia died on her lips. Instead, she called out, ¡°Bill?¡± Bill instantly recognized Patricia¡¯s voice behind him and couldn¡¯t help but grimace, knowing he was caught. He turned around, scratched his head awkwardly, and managed a nervous chuckle. ¡°Hi, Mrs. Stone. Patricia fixed him with a frown. ¡°You were out drinking with Henry tonight?¡± Bill¡¯s eyes shed as he instantly came up with a way to toss the me. ¡°Yeah, so Henry and Alicia had a fight, man. He was feeling down and asked us to grab some drinks. ¡°We¡¯re his friends. What can you do? We tried telling him not to go so hard, but the dude was a wreck. No reasoning with him.¡± Bill deliberately pinned it all on Alicia. ¡®Serves her right for blocking him, he wondered. Bill figured this would teach her a lesson, and maybe now, it¡¯d be even tougher for her to marry Henry. Sure enough, Patricia¡¯s frown got even deeper. ¡°You¡¯re saying that adopted girl from the Lawrence family actually dared to argue with Henry?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what Henry told me. Alicia was jealous of her sister and shoved her right into the pool ¡°Henry saw the whole thing and tried to get Alicia to apologize, but she totally flipped out on him, iming he never takes her side.¡± Bill threw up his hands. Patricia just scoffed, herugh cold and sharp. ¡°Seriously, what does Henry even like about a girl like that?¡± Bill rubbed his nose awkwardly. ¡°Guess it¡¯s just because she¡¯s pretty or something.¡± ¡°Looks aren¡¯t everything. She¡¯s just a pretty face,¡± Patricia grumbled, still annoyed. Then she turned to Bill. ¡°Alright, it¡¯ste. Head home and take care. You¡¯ve been drinking, right? Don¡¯t even think about driving yourself. Make sure to get someone to drive you.¡± ¡°No worries, Mrs. Stone. I came by cab, and it¡¯s still waiting for me over there. I¡¯ll get going now.¡± Bill made his escape in a sh. Patricia¡¯s expression turned downright sour. She wondered, ¡®Looks like I need to figure out a way to make Henry dump Alicia for good. ¡®Honestly, I used to think¨Cfine, she¡¯s pretty, Henry¡¯s young, let him have his fun. It¡¯s just a fling anyway, not like he¡¯d ever marry her. 19:12 Wed, Oct 1 : : 46 65 vouchery She thought, ¡®But now, seeing Henry get drunk over her? Guess he¡¯s actually getting attached. That¡¯s trouble. ¡®They have to break up fast. Just some adopted girl from the Lawrence family¨Cno way she¡¯s on Henry¡¯s level. Patricia marched back in and headed straight to Henry¡¯s room. By then, he was awake, slumped over the side of the bed, and heaving violently. The hangover soup Linda had poured down his throat was now all over the floor, mixing with booze and whatever else he¡¯d had, all of it stinking up the ce. Patricia grimaced, pinching her nose with one hand and gritting her teeth. ¡°Move him to another room and get this cleaned; make it spotless,¡± she snapped, barely hiding her disgust. The maid wasted no time, propping Henry up and helping him stagger off toward the guest room. Henry, still groggy and drunk, grinned, ¡°I knew you couldn¡¯t quit me. Listen, don¡¯t get all mad at me like that again, alright? It really gets to me.¡± Patricia heard her son muttering, and her anger red even more. She gritted her teeth. ¡°Pathetic. Letting some wild girl mess you up so bad you drink yourself stupid?¡± Even after getting Henry settled, Patricia¡¯s anger hadn¡¯t cooled one bit. Seething, she grabbed her phone and called Alicia right away. Alicia finished her shower and sat down to paint; she was all business tonight. If Sasha¡¯s donor match came through, the surgery would be next, and Alicia had promised Hank she¡¯d cover the cost. She needed to scrape together some serious cash, fast. Just her luck, she¡¯dnded a high¨Cpaying gig: a big client sent her a photo of some woman and wanted three different action portraits. If her work impressed him, 30 thousand dors would be hers. The picture was just a formal headshot, showing only half the body and her face. She¡¯d even have to imagine her pose, every outfit. It was a serious brain workout. Alicia was totally absorbed in her painting when her phone suddenly started buzzing, snapping her out of it. Alicia frowned in annoyance and picked up. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Miss Lawrence, did you have a fight with Henry?¡± Patricia¡¯s voice was cold as ice. She wanted nothing more than to chew Alicia out, but forced herself to hold back, though the contempt in her tone was impossible to miss. Alicia instantly recognized Patricia¡¯s voice. She set her brush down and replied in a calm, almost indifferent tone, ¡°I didn¡¯t argue with Henry. We broke up.¡± For a split second, Patricia was taken aback, but she quickly regained herposure, In her heart, Patricia scoffed, ¡®She¡¯s got tricks, acting all distant now to lure Henry back, I bet. ¡®She used to hang onto him for dear life; there¡¯s no way she suddenly had a change of heart. With Henry¡¯s background, what girl could ever really walk away? She¡¯s just ying her cards. 19:13 Wed, Oct 1 ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? ?ovelFind Luxurious 53 : Patricia¡¯s voice was icy. ¡°Miss Lawrence, if you¡¯re still hoping to end up with Henry, then quit ying those hard¨Cto¨Cget and reverse psychology tricks.¡± ¡°Mrs. Yates, I don¡¯t want to be with Henry anymore, so there¡¯s no need for any of that,¡± Alicia said softly. ¡°You can rx. I¡¯m done with him. From now on, we¡¯re finished.¡± Patricia didn¡¯t buy it, but if Alicia wanted to keep up the act, Patricia wasn¡¯t interested in arguing. Alicia could y her games. Patricia would be waiting for her to slip up sooner orter. Patricia chuckled, ¡°Well, I hope you stick to your word, Miss Lawrence. Don¡¯t ever go chasing after Henry again.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t. Rest assured,¡± Alicia replied, her voice light. ¡°Is there anything else you want? If not, I¡¯m hanging up. I have things to take care of.¡± Patricia¡¯s eyes narrowed with irritation. Honestly, if it weren¡¯t for Henry, she wouldn¡¯t give Alicia the time of day. Updates are released by F¦ÉndNovel Through clenched teeth, Patricia said, ¡°Since you¡¯re officially done with Henry, Miss Lawrence, how about you do everyone a favor and mind your own business? ¡°Block him everywhere, delete his number, cut him out of your feed; don¡¯t just talk about moving on and then start fishing for sympathy online. ¡°Henry¡¯s way too soft¨Chearted, and if you¡¯re breaking up, make it clean. Understand?¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Alicia replied simply. Alicia hung up and, without hesitation, scrolled through her phone, found Henry¡¯s number and WhatsApp, then blocked him everywhere. After that, her whole workflow was thrown off; there was no way she could keep drawing anymore. Alicia stuffed the half¨Cdone sketch into her folder, nced at the clock. It was already past ten, and she just flopped onto her bed. No matter how hard she tried, sleep just wouldn¡¯te. Her mind started to drift back, and she couldn¡¯t help reminiscing about every little thing she¡¯d shared with Henry. It felt like ages ago, but she could still remember it all like it was yesterday. Back in her first year at Premier Academy, the student council hosted a mixer for everyone. Tickets were handed out, but Alicia wasn¡¯t there to have fun; she was working part¨Ctime at the event. The upperssmen on the council didn¡¯t want to bother with the decorations, setting up drinks, or cleaning up afterward, so they paid others to take care of it. Alicia was one of the temps they¡¯d hired to help with the whole thing. 19:13 Wed, Oct 1 : 55 youchers Alicia remembered this one time. She was arranging a fruit tter when someone bumped into her. Turning around, Alicia spotted Henry joking around with his friends, their arms tossed over each other¡¯s shoulders. Realizing he¡¯d bumped into her, he quickly apologized. Back then, Henry was this cheerful guy in sporty clothes, and his smile was really something. She just told him it was fine and went back to work, but Henry wasn¡¯t ready to give up yet. He kept following her about, saying he had to treat her to dinner to make up for it. Of course, Alicia turned him down. For one, it wasn¡¯t a big deal at all, and for another, she was super busy. She had several part¨Ctime gigs and barely any free time. Most days, she ate in the school cafeteria or just grabbed a pie to eat on her way. Henry saw she wasn¡¯t interested and didn¡¯t push it, just headed off. Later, one of her fellow part¨Ctimers said to her, ¡°Alicia, that was Henry. You really just rejected him? He¡¯s the campus heartthrob. How do you not get all flustered with such a good¨Clooking guy right there?¡± That was when Alicia realized Henry was actually a third¨Cyear and the school¡¯s heartthrob, no less. Every girl on campus seemed to have a thing for him, but he never dated around; he always kept his nose clean. The first real run¨Cin between them happened during Alicia¡¯s second semester as a freshman. She was up on the balcony of the school library, reading with her cup bnced on the railing. One careless swipe, and the cup tumbled straight down, smacking right into Henry, who just happened to be passing underneath. The poor guy ended up with a nosebleed from the hit. Alicia dashed downstairs to apologize, bracing herself for him to be angry. Instead, Henry just grinned and said, ¡°Guess my luck is good today. ¡°I figured I needed to let out some blood anyway. Haven¡¯t gotten around to it, but you did me a favor.¡± She watched as Henry tried stopping the bleeding with wad after wad of tissues, but the blood just kepting. Worried, Alicia hurried him over to the school nurse. Once they got there, the nurse finally managed to get the bleeding under control and mentioned that Henry had a bit of rhinitis; he¡¯d need to watch out for nosebleeds in the future. As they left the nurse¡¯s office, Henry shot her a wink and joked, ¡°I lost so much blood today. How about you treat me to dinner?¡± Alicia didn¡¯t really have a choice, so she took him out for a meal. During dinner, Henry turned on the charm; he was both gentlemanly and hrious, cracking a few jokes and saying he¡¯d love to be friends. So, they swapped numbers. After that, Henry started hitting her up on WhatsApp almost every day, asking her out. Alicia turned him 19:13 Wed, Oct 1 : 46 E55 vouchers down most of the time, but sometimes, for whatever reason, she just couldn¡¯t bring herself to say no. It probably didn¡¯t help that some ssmates saw them together. A few of the senior girls who secretly liked Henry began to make things tough for Alicia. It drove her nuts. All Alicia wanted was to study and keep to herself, but she didn¡¯t know why this mess had to find her. Eventually, Alicia just wanted it to be over. She told Henry straight¨Cup to leave her alone and stop reaching out. But then, he did something that totally caught her off guard. Henry actually managed to get those senior girls kicked out of school. Back then, Alicia had no idea how he pulled off something like that, but thinking about it now, it had to be the power and connections of his family behind the scenes. After that, nobody ever dared bother Alicia again. Thinking about all of this, Alicia suddenly realized she honestly couldn¡¯t remember how she and Henry first ended up together. Somewhere between waking and sleeping, Alicia drifted off and found herself in a dream¨Cone she hadn¡¯t had in a long time. Alicia was stuck in the ssroom, making up assignments way past dark. When she finally walked out, the sky outside was pitch¨Cck and silent. To get to her bus stop, she still had to cross a narrow alleyway with zero streetlights, and the shadows looked endless. Alicia felt a little nervous, but as soon as she stepped outside, she saw Henry waiting by the door, his backpack slung over one shoulder and a grin on his face. Henry said, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s head home.¡± For a second, Alicia froze. ¡®Go home?¡® she wondered. ¡®That doesn¡¯t make sense. Why would Henry say that?¡® Just as she was mulling it over, she turned around¨Cand realized Henry had somehow turned into Charlie. Cold and distant as ever, but this time, he was actually smiling at her. ¡°Silly girl,¡± Charlie said, a rare warmth in his voice. ¡°Keep moving forward. No matter what, I will always have your back.¡± But in a sh, Charlie was waving goodbye. ¡°Alicia, nobody can walk your path forever. We¡¯re only meant to share part of this journey together. ¡°We¡¯ve reached our crossroads now; it¡¯s time for me to head down my own road.¡± Alicia watched as Charlie disappeared down another path. She tried to chase after him, but someone yanked her back. Spinning around, Alicia saw the Lawrence family standing behind her, ring. ¡°You owe Tiffany,¡± they snapped, freezing her in ce. ¡°You need to pay her back. You¡¯re supposed to spend ::. your whole life serving her, being nothing but her maid¡± 2900 12 55 vouchers Alicia jolted awake, her heart pounding. And just like that, it all came rushing back why she¡¯d ended up with Henry in the first ce. AD Comment Send gift No Ads Luxurious 54 : ?? 363 55.VOUCITS That day, when Henry picked Alicia up after ss, she caught a glimpse of his profile, and it reminded her a little of Charlie. That day was her birthday, a day she used to celebrate with Richard, Charlie, and Rosalie. Ever since they¡¯d all left her, she never celebrated her birthday again. When Henry saw her, he wished her a happy birthday. For her, it felt like forever since anyone hadst said those words. He also told her, ¡°If you¡¯re ever tired, just look back. I¡¯ll always be behind you.¡± At that moment, Alicia just wanted someone to lean on. She didn¡¯t want to be alone anymore; she craved thefort of having someone close. So when Henry confessed his feelings to her that day, she agreed. But now, Henry was standing behind Tiffany, ready to cover for her and clean up every mess she made. Alicia gave herself a wry, self¨Cmocking smile, got up, washed up, and got ready for school. After finishing her first ss, Alicia checked the time; it was exactly ten in the morning. With only one course today, she headed off to Maplewood General Hospital with Hank. Harvey led both of them to look into the status of the kidney donor. Thanks to Harvey¡¯s assistance, the kidney matching was handled quickly and efficiently. Just like her previous life, the kidney turned out to be a perfect match for Sasha. Harvey turned to Alicia and Hank. ¡°The kidney donor is from Maplewood General Hospital. If your sister wants to have the kidney transnt, she¡¯ll need to be transferred here.¡± Hank looked at the hospital, saying, ¡°The hospital fees here must be pretty high, right?¡± Harvey noticed Hank¡¯s clothes and pursed his lips. ¡°I can apply for a poverty assistance program for you. The hospital fees will only be 30% of the usual cost, and we can also reduce some of the surgical fees.¡± Hank¡¯s eyes filled with tears, and he was about to bow in gratitude. Harvey quickly stopped him. ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me. If you want to thank someone, thank Ms. Lawrence. I¡¯m just helping her. Without her, I wouldn¡¯t have helped you, or even known you.¡± ¡°Alright, just get her transferred as soon as you can,¡± Harvey said. ¡°I¡¯ll go take care of the paperwork for the kidney match. She¡¯ll need to go through a bunch of tests, so the sooner we get started, the better.¡± With that, Harvey left. Hank turned to Alicia and bowed. ¡°Thank you, Alicia.¡± Alicia shook her head. ¡°No need to thank me. We¡¯re just making a deal. Just don¡¯t forget our arrangement.¡± 19:13 Wed, Oct 1 ¡°Trust me. I won¡¯t,¡± Hank replied. 42 56 voucher Alicia didn¡¯t go with Hank to the other hospital. Instead, she headed back to school; she still had to help Gloria clean the music roomter that afternoon. Alicia was sure Hank would get all the transfer paperwork done. Just after Alicia got back to school, Brooke turned up again with lunch in hand for her. Alicia took the lunch, letting out a small sigh. ¡®There¡¯s really no point bringing this up with Brooke, she thought to herself. ¡®I¡¯m going to have to talk to Charles about it directly! After Brooke left, Alicia sat at the edge of the garden and pulled out her phone, hesitating for a moment as she tried to figure out how to text Charles. After thinking it over, she figured, ¡®Every time I just get straight to the point. Maybe I should start with something a little more polite this time, Alicia mused to herself. So, she sent a message: [Mr. Yates, have you eaten yet?] At that moment, Charles¡¯s new secretary had just brought his lunch into his office. Charles was about to start eating when Alicia¡¯s message popped up on his phone. Instantly, his face softened, and a gentle smile appeared. He couldn¡¯t help it whenever he heard from her. Charles snapped a quick photo of his lunch and sent it over: [Just about to eat. What about you?] Alicia looked at her lunch and blinked in surprise; it was exactly the same as Charles¡¯s. She replied: [I¡¯m about to eat, too.] Charles: [Better eat up before it gets cold.] Alicia nced at his message and felt a little awkward. ¡®Is that really all? Well, if I¡¯ve got something to say, I guess I¡¯d better just get straight to the point,¡® she thought to herself. So, she sent another message: [Mr. Yates, my illness has cleared up, so you really don¡¯t have to send me lunch anymore.] Charles nced at her message, lingered for a few seconds, then asked: [What¡¯s up?] Alicia: [Honestly, it¡¯s kind of inconvenient. I¡¯m not always at school during lunch, and as long as I eat on time, my stomach¡¯s fine now. [There¡¯s really no need for Brooke to keep running around just to bring me food every day.] Charles couldn¡¯t help but picture her at that small diner the day she got out of the hospital, the way she looked, rxed and at ease, finally enjoying a real meal. ¡®She must¡¯ve gotten tired of that upscale Noble Leaf Bistro food,¡® he mused. So, he gently replied: [Alright.] 19:13 Wed, Oct 1 Alicia couldn¡¯t help but chuckle when she read his message. Ö»½ñ 45 55 vouchers ¡®Should I pay Mr. Yates back for those meals? But if I keep bringing up money all the time, would he get annoyed?¡® she mused. ¡®Honestly, this amount probably means nothing to him. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s better to just pay him back in some other wayter. Forget it¨Cno need to mention the bill right now.¡® She texted back: [Okay, enjoy your lunch.] Charles replied almost instantly with a single word: [Okay.] ¡°Alicia?¡± Just as Alicia put her phone down, she heard someone call her name from behind. She turned and saw Gloria standing not too far away. Alicia quickly stood up. ¡°Hello, Mrs. Clifford.¡± Gloria nced at the lunch Alicia was holding; it was from Noble Leaf Bistro. Gloria had heard a bit about the incident at Dining Hall West. ¡®She probably doesn¡¯t want to go back there and deal with all the whispers from the other students,¡¯ Gloria thought. The weather was starting to get chilly now, and eating out here meant her food would get cold fast. Gloria smiled gently, ¡°Why don¡¯t youe to the music room? We¡¯re about to eat, too. There¡¯s a small table in there.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Alicia nodded. Alicia walked alongside Gloria toward the music room. When they got to the door, Gloria smiled and said, ¡°Go ahead, Alicia. I need to run to the restroom first. ¡°There¡¯s someone inside, so just give the door a knock.¡± Alicia gave an understanding nod. Once Gloria headed off, she stepped up to the music room and knocked gently on the door. The door swung open almost right away, and to Alicia¡¯s surprise, it was Elliot standing there. To be honest, Alicia had never liked Elliot much. Just seeing him made her instinctively want to turn around and walk out. Still, she remembered the task Gloria had given her, so she steeled herself to just get to the point. Before she could even say a word, Elliot smirked and shot off with his usual sarcasm, ¡°Well, well. Alicia, you show up again, carrying yet another Noble Leaf Bistro lunch. ¡°What is it¨Ctrying to impress me or just desperate to catch my eye?¡± That killed any lingering patience for small talk. Alicia put on her best fake smile. ¡°I¡¯m not here for you. Don¡¯t tter yourself.¡± Elliot figured Alicia would probably y coy, maybe invite him to eat, or get all flustered and im it wasrit about him. He thought she¡¯d try to hand him that Noble Leaf Bistro Junch box, just to prove a point and tell him to sop making baseless usations. This kind of girl was nothing new to him; having a dad on the school board meant girls were always trying every trick in the book to catch his eye. Honestly, he waspletely over it. Elliot just assumed Alicia would act like all the rest. But to his surprise, she straight¨Cup told him the wasn¡¯t there for him and basically used him of being self¨Cabsorbed, Ìï For original chapters go to findnovel Luxurious 55 Chapter 55 71 55 2500Ueha Elliot¡¯s face twisted in annoyance at Alicia¡¯s words. But then he stopped to think, ¡®If she¡¯s not here for me, why the hell is she hanging around? Isn¡¯t she just trying to get my attention? ¡®Smart move, though. Instead of proving herself, she¡¯s flipped the script on me.¡¯ He felt disgusted and red at her. ¡°So if you¡¯re not here for me, why are you standing right in front of me? Don¡¯t think you can y smart. ¡°I¡¯ve seen right through those little games girls like you y. Let me make one thing clear. I don¡¯t like you, and I never will. ¡°Being pretty doesn¡¯t mean you can start dreaming about anything happening between us.¡± Just as he finished speaking, Gloria¡¯s voice cut through the tension. ¡°Elliot, what are you talking about with Alicia? Why are you standing in the doorway? Let her in.¡± Elliot looked up, startled. ¡°Mom, she-¡± When Elliot called Gloria Mom, it hit Alicia that Gloria was Elliot¡¯s mother. For a moment, Alicia was too stunned to speak. ¡®No wonder Mrs. Clifford always favored Tiffany so much in my previous life. Turns out, it was all because of Elliot,¡® Alicia realized. Back then, Tiffany rose to big¨Ctime fame in the music scene after she supposedly restored a fragment of a Roman musical score and yed it herself on the piano. That performance put her in the spotlight overnight. But as far as Alicia knew, Tiffany had never even studied traditional scores. ¡®How could she magically restore a Romanposition out of nowhere? Did she swipe it from Gloria?¡® Alicia couldn¡¯t help but suspect. ¡®Maybe Gloria had already finished the restoration but hadn¡¯t published it yet. Then Tiffany somehow got hold of it and rushed to take all the credit. ¡®Mrs. Clifford probably ended up believing Tiffany beat her to it and grew even more impressed by her,¡® Alicia thought, her mind spinning with possibilities. ¡®If Elliot ever found out that the person he¡¯s been defending so fiercely had stolen his mother¡¯s hard¨Cearned achievement, how would he react?¡® Alicia couldn¡¯t help but muse. But for now, it was all just spection. Alicia needed to dig deeper. Alicia called out to Gloria, ¡°Hey, Mrs. Clifford.¡± Gloria nodded at Alicia, then turned to Elliot. ¡°Alicia¡¯s here to help me tidy up the music room today. Let her Chapter 55 in, and let¡¯s grab lunch first, then we can start cleaning together 220 Elliot¡¯s face flushed red, then went pale. ¡®Wait, she¡¯s really not here for me? Elliot thought to himself ¡°Can Ie in now, Elliot?¡± Alicia asked, giving him a faint smile. To Elliot, that little smile looked almost like she was taunting him. He could feel the heat rushing to his cheeks as he stepped aside, letting Alicia stroll in with her lunch. Gloria followed them inside. ¡°Alicia,e on over. Let¡¯s eat here,¡± Gloria said, guiding her to a cozy corner of the music room. There was a small table with a few chairs, a shelf along the wall holding some daily essentials, and a curtain draped on the other side, hiding whatever was back there. Noticing Alicia ncing around, Gloria exined, ¡°I¡¯m researching some traditional instruments and working on restoring fragments of old Roman sheet music. ¡°Sometimes I just hang out here and take a break.¡± Alicia nodded and took a seat at the table, setting her lunchbox down. Gloria called out to Elliot, ¡°Hey, did your dad bring lunch over?¡± ¡°Yeah, he did,¡± Elliot replied, picking up two lunch boxes from the other table and cing them on the small dining table. The three of them gathered at the table, and Gloria opened the lunch boxes. She took a container of pickled cucumbers from the shelf and said, ¡°Alicia, give this a try. I made it myself; it¡¯s pretty crisp and refreshing.¡± Alicia nced at the pickled cucumbers in the dish and said, ¡°Gloria, I¡¯ve got a sensitive stomach. I can¡¯t handle spicy stuff.¡± Gloria nodded and scooped some pickled cucumbers into her lunch box. But Elliot couldn¡¯t help throwing shade. ¡°She¡¯s the type who only eats at ces like Noble Leaf Bistro, Mom. Don¡¯t bother with pickles; she wouldn¡¯t care for that sort of thing.¡± Gloria shot him a look. ¡°Not even food can keep you from talking. Just eat.¡± Elliot kept his head down while eating, a sarcastic twist at his lips. ¡®I just don¡¯t get Mom. There are tons of gifted students who¡¯d jump at the chance to be her apprentice, yet she singles out someone as maniptive and malicious as Alicia,¡¯ she wondered. He¡¯d heard from Tiffany¡¯s friend Nora that ever since Tiffany was weed back into the Lawrence family, Alicia had been crazy jealous. Supposedly, Alicia bullied Tiffany constantly, even going so far as to slipxatives into her food and hide needles in her clothes, downright vicious. 19:13 Wed, Oct 1 #56 vouchers Tiffany was such a good kid, talented at music, ying the piano like a dream. She wanted so badly to study under Gloria, but Gloria never gave her that nod of approval. ¡®Let¡¯s see what kind of tricks Alicia pulled tond an invite to the music room, Elliot thought, eyes narrowed. The instruments in this music room were all personallymissioned by Gloria; she spent ages working with master craftsmen to get every detail just right. There were a few modern instruments for her lessons, sure, but most were painstakingly made replicas of traditional ones. Unless one was someone Gloria personally approved of, she wouldn¡¯t even let youy eyes on those instruments, let alone actually touch them. Tiffany had been in here loads of times, but she could only look. Gloria never let hery a finger on anything. And now Gloria had invited Alicia to clean the music room. ¡®Did that mean Alicia could actually handle these precious instruments? I¡¯m definitely keeping a close eye on her,¡¯ Elliot thought, his gaze narrowing. Gloria gave Alicia a friendly, smiling look. ¡°Alicia, do you y any instruments?¡± Alicia thought about it for a second before saying, ¡°Yeah, I know how to y a few.¡± Gloria¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°A few?¡± Most people found it impressive enough to master a single instrument, but Alicia actually knew a few. ¡°So, Alicia, which instruments do you actually y?¡± Gloria asked, her curiosity obvious. Alicia took a quick scan around the room. Truth was, she knew nearly all the instruments here. Back in a previous life, Alicia had been the head of a ssical music troupe, a master at both traditional dances and traditional instruments. Of course, no way she could just blurt that out. So she just pointed casually. ¡°Piano, Appchian dulcimer, and violin,¡± she replied. As soon as she finished, Elliot burst outughing. ¡°You really y all three? Or do you just bang on them and call it music?¡± Alicia shot him a look but didn¡¯t respond. Gloria kicked Elliot under the table. ¡°Shut up.¡± Then Gloria turned back to Alicia with a friendly smile. ¡°So you y all three? Which one¡¯s your specialty?¡± Alicia replied, a little self¨Ceffacing, ¡°Honestly, I just know the basics, nothing fancy.¡± Gloria¡¯s smile faltered. Maybe she¡¯d gotten a little too excited earlier. Readplete version only at find?novel Who was I kidding? If Alicia was really a master at any of these, she¡¯d definitely let people know,¡® Gloria thought wryly. 19:13 Wed, Oct 1 : 55 vouchers Take Tiffany, for example¨Ceveryone at school knows she¡¯s a whiz on the piano. Gloria was always eager to give her extra lessons whenever she got the chance. Teachers just loved students with talent. If someone had real skills in a field, one could bet they would go all out trying to turn them into the next big thing. That was why at school, nobody ever hid what they were good at¨Cunless they were truly just a beginner, like Alicia said. When Elliot heard Alicia¡¯s words, he curled his lips into a mocking smirk. He couldn¡¯t stand people like her¨Cdabbling in everything, never sticking with anything long enough to get good at it, ssic jack¨Cof¨Call¨Ctrades who can¡¯tmit to anything. But Elliot didn¡¯t say anything else, just kept eating in silence. Gloria leaned in a little, her tone kind but firm. ¡°When ites to learning music, Alicia, sometimes less is more. ¡°Really mastering just one instrument is impressive enough; don¡¯t try to spread yourself too thin.¡± Alicia gave her a respectful nod. ¡°I understand, Mrs. Clifford.¡± Ìï Luxurious 56 After dinner, Alicia quickly tidied up the table. : 55 vouchere When she was out dumping the trash, Elliot looked at Gloria and said, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s going on in your head? There are tons of super¨Ctalented students dying to be yourst apprentice. ¡°Why pick her? She doesn¡¯t know the first thing about anything, always pretending she does. What makes her better than Tiffany?¡± Gloria was silent for a couple of seconds before replying, ¡°It¡¯s not a done deal yet. But yesterday, her answer in ss honestly blew me away. ¡°Most students only care about practicing the instrument, learning sheet music, and cramming for exams- almost nobody actually digs into music history. ¡°Every period¡¯s music has its own twist, but she was the only one who noticed that. So, I¡¯ll just see how she does. If she can¡¯t handle it, I¡¯ll go with Tiffany.¡± Elliot rolled his eyes. ¡°Whatever, go ahead and see for yourself. But you¡¯d better cross your fingers. ¡°If she messes up while cleaning your instruments and breaks something, you¡¯ll regret it big time. I bet she has no clue how precious those are.¡± Gloria felt a worry creeping in. Maybe she should just tell Alicia to forget about it and head home; maybe it wasn¡¯t worth the risk. But she just couldn¡¯t let it go. She¡¯d spent all these years trying to restore traditional sheet music fragments. Two years ago, she¡¯d been obsessed with one particr piece, but no matter what she did, her fixes never matched the real thing. She needed someone with fresh eyes, someone who could help her do it right. Now she¡¯de across a student who actually cared about music history. She wanted to give Alicia a shot. All these years, she¡¯d had loads of gifted students, kids with top scores in piano and violin, but none of them studied traditional music; none had the chops to help her fix those old fragments. Gloria looked over the music room, at the instruments she¡¯d cherished and cared for. ¡®Are these things just going to be forgotten, tossed out when I¡¯m gone?¡® she wondered. After going back and forth, Gloria made up her mind; she¡¯d let Alicia try. When Alicia came back in, Gloria and Elliot already had their gloves on and were holding suede cloths. Seeing Alicia enter, Elliot handed her a pair of gloves. ¡°Time to get to work. Put these on.¡± Alicia took the gloves, and he passed her a suede cloth as well. ¡°Let¡¯s start wiping from this side together,¡± he said. O Find the newest release on Find1Novel ¡°Okay, Alicia replied. Without another word, she grabbed the cloth and walked over to one of the instruments. 2906 It was a harp, the kind with a pretty head. Alicia leaned in for a closer look. The craftsmanship was top¨Ctier- the head looked almost alive. The strings had that vintage vibe, nothing like the modern stuff you see in stores. Gloria sure loved these traditional music relics; no doubt she¡¯d shelled out a ton of money for them. Alicia grabbed the cloth and started in, carefully working her way over the harp, slow and patient. Once Alicia had wiped down the head and the soundbox, she spotted the tuning pegs¨Cthick with dust, looking almost glued in ce. Clearly, this harp hadn¡¯t seen a proper tune¨Cup in ages. One of the pegs was jammed tight, as if something had wedged itself in there, making it nearly impossible to turn. Alicia picked up the dusting brush and carefully swept over the pegs. A little grime came off, but most of it clung stubbornly, and that stuck piece especially. It was wedged so deeply that it wouldn¡¯t move, no matter how gently she brushed. ¡®Maybe if I take it slow and steady, I can coax it out, Alicia thought, meticulously working at the peg. But before she could make much progress, Elliot suddenly exploded behind her, his voice ringing through the room. ¡°Alicia, what the heck are you doing?¡± Alicia nced up at him. ¡°I¡¯m cleaning the harp; there¡¯s a ton of dust on the tuning pegs.¡± Elliot snapped, ¡°Who told you to mess with the strings and pegs? Do you realize messing with those could mess up the tuning?¡± Alicia replied, a bit helplessly, ¡°I wasn¡¯t messing with anything, just brushed it lightly with the dusting brush. That¡¯s literally what it¡¯s for; it won¡¯t damage the instrument.¡± Elliot shot back coldly, ¡°Just because you say it can¡¯t hurt doesn¡¯t make it true. Seriously, have you got any at all? You shouldn¡¯t be messing with the strings and pegs if you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing.¡± Alicia was about to defend herself when Gloria hurried over, concern written all over her face. ¡°What happened?¡± Elliot shot her a cold look. ¡°Mom, she was messing with the tuning pegs on the harp.¡± Gloria nced at the harp¡¯s tuning pegs and immediately noticed something wedged in one of them. Startled, she quickly picked up the dusting brush and tried to clean it, but no matter how carefully she brushed, the thing wouldn¡¯te out. clue Regret flooded her. Gloria had been way too impatient, too obsessed with finding someone to pass her work down to. 19:13 Wed, Oct 1 ¡­ : punticivare That was why Gloria had ended up letting a total stranger help out, and now that string on the harp was probablypletely out of tune. Gloria didn¡¯t exactly me Alicia, but deep down, she was seriously disappointed. Gloria really thought she¡¯d found some fresh blood who could push things forward for her, but instead, everything had just gotten messier. This was all because she¡¯d rushed it. Elliot was losing his cool. ¡°Alicia, did you seriously just jam something in there? How could that even happen? No matter how much you brush, it¡¯s still stuck. ¡°You realize we¡¯ll have to loosen the peg to get it out, and then the whole harp¡¯s going to lose its tune. Alicia shot back, her patience wearing thin. ¡°Elliot, can you not just jump to conclusions? ¡°I didn¡¯t put anything there. I only saw it when I started cleaning. I grabbed the brush, hoping I could get it out, then you barged in and started freaking out.¡± ¡°If you didn¡¯t do it, then who did? It¡¯s only the three of us here. Mom¡¯s cleaning over there, and I¡¯ve been right here¨Cnever even touched that harp. ¡°You¡¯re the only one working on it.¡± Elliot¡¯s voice was tight with frustration. ¡°You really think we¡¯re just ming you out of nowhere?¡± Alicia hated being med for things she never did. She pointed at the stuck bit on the harp, frustration in her eyes. ¡°Are you serious? ¡°That thing¡¯s been jammed in there for ages¨Cjust look at the pile¨Cup of dust around it.¡± Elliot scoffed, his tone biting. ¡°Oh, so now you¡¯re saying Mom did it herself and is out to pin it on you? Give me a break. She treasures these instruments like gold. There¡¯s no way she¡¯d ever be that sloppy.¡± He red at Alicia. ¡°Cut the excuses already. If you screwed up, just admit it.¡± Gloria rubbed her temples, feeling a headache from their bickering. She took a deep breath and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Alicia. Just head home for today. We¡¯re done here.¡± When Gloria said that, Alicia instantly realized she¡¯d been made the scapegoat. There was no way she was going to shoulder the me for something she hadn¡¯t done. She¡¯d been given a new lease on life, and she wasn¡¯t about to let herself get bullied or wronged again. Alicia turned to Gloria and said, ¡°Gloria, I can¡¯t just leave. We have to figure out how this even got stuck in the harp. ¡°I don¡¯t want to get med for something I never did. Do you have any surveince cameras here? Let¡¯s pull up the footage and check.¡± Luxurious 57 Gloria¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Elliot, why are you taking this so seriously? It¡¯s just something stuck, no big deal. If the instrument sounds a little off, I¡¯ll just find someone to fix it. Elliot retorted, ¡°Mom, she made a mistake and now she¡¯s still making excuses. Why are you protecting her? ¡°This harp isn¡¯t something anyone can just tune, and the only technician who can handle it has already gone abroad. Who knows how long before he¡¯s back?¡± He continued, ¡°She has to be held ountable. She wants to check the surveince? Fine, let¡¯s do it. But Alicia, let¡¯s make one thing clear. ¡°If I¡¯m right about you, you¡¯re done with music for good. People like you have no ce messing with music; you just disgrace it.¡± Gloria shot Elliot a re. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? I asked Alicia toe help out here today. Whatever happened is on me. How could you ruin someone¡¯s future over such a trivial thing?¡± Alicia looked at Gloria and said, ¡°Mrs. Clifford, I¡¯m fine with what Elliot suggested.¡± She turned to Elliot, determination in her eyes. ¡°But if you¡¯re just ming me for nothing, you¡¯d better be ready to apologize in front of everyone.¡± Elliot smirked, ¡°You¡¯ve got yourself a deal.¡± They both turned to Gloria, who sighed, clearly exasperated. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll go check the cameras,¡± Elliot called out as he dashed off toward the school¡¯s security room. Gloria sighed and nced at Alicia. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go take a look together.¡± Alicia fell in step beside Gloria as they headed toward the security room. As they made their way toward the security room, Gloria chatted, ¡°Alicia, you know, today¡¯s little incident really isn¡¯t worth all this fuss. ¡°Calling up surveince footage, staking your whole music future¨Cnone of it¡¯s necessary for something so trivial.¡± Alicia nced up at Gloria, her tone calm, ¡°So, Mrs. Clifford, do you think I did it, too?¡± Gloria shook her head. ¡°Who did it isn¡¯t the point. What really matters is, why are you treating your future so casually?¡± Alicia gave a lightugh. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t me, then my future isn¡¯t affected whatsoever. How does that count as being careless? Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± Gloria found herself stumped by her reasoning, not sure what to say next. 19:13 Wed, Oct 1 They reached the security room hot on Elliot¡¯s heels. ??? 55 vouchers Elliot was already at the counter, speaking quickly to the security guy. ¡°Sir, can you pull up the footage from the music room, everything between 1 and 3 o¡¯clock today?¡± Alicia kept silent as the footage started rolling. This text is hosted at find~novel They watched from the moment she entered the music room right up until the argument started¨Cat no point did she go near the harp¡¯s tuning pegs or put anything on them. Elliot frowned, looping the footage again and again, but nothing showed up. He muttered to himself, ¡°No way, Mom checks these instruments every single day. Even if she¡¯s not cleaning them, she¡¯s always inspecting for problems. ¡°If there was something jammed in the pegs, the sound would¡¯ve been off. No way Mom would miss that.¡± Gloria pursed her lips. ¡°Sir, could you also pull up the footage from yesterday and this morning?¡± Yesterday had been packed with sses, so she hadn¡¯t even gotten a chance to check the instruments. Whatever got lodged in those tuning pegs must¡¯ve happened either yesterday or earlier today. It was just a tiny thing, not a huge deal, but she still wanted to see who¡¯d done it. If it ended up being her own slip¨Cup, she¡¯d know to watch herself even more in the future. That way, she wouldn¡¯t risk messing up the instruments the same way again. The security guy pulled up yesterday¡¯s footage for them. Gloria sat down and started watching closely. Since the security room had been locked all morning, Gloria started reviewing the footage from the afternoon onward. At minute thirty¨Csix, Tiffany dropped by the music room looking for Elliot, her arms loaded with snacks. On the footage, Elliot was plucking away at the harp, jotting things down in his notebook. Tiffany sat down beside him, shelling pistachios and passing them to Elliot. By the third pistachio, a little piece of shell slipped and fell onto the harp. She reached out to grab it, but couldn¡¯t get hold of it. Elliot didn¡¯t catch on, but Tiffany did. She tried again to retrieve the shell, only to identally shove it in deeper. After fumbling with it, she just let it be and didn¡¯t bother anymore. Gloria¡¯s face fell, and for a moment, she looked downright furious as the truth came out. Elliot looked pale; he really hadn¡¯t seen thating. ¡°Tiffany? Seriously?¡® he wondered. But Gloria kept her cool in the security room, simply turning to the staff and saying, ¡°That¡¯s all, thank you.¡± The staff member, knowing Gloria was the school board chairman¡¯s wife, was especially courteous. ¡°Do you want to take a copy of this footage? 447 ¡°We only keep recordings for three months, so if you need it, it¡¯s best to make a backup¡± Gloria waved her hand. ¡°No need, thank you¡± After expressing their thanks, the three left the security room together. 56 vouchers Back in the music room, Gloria finally lost it. ¡°Elliot, have I ever told you not to eat around the instruments? Are you just not listening, or do you think my words don¡¯t matter?¡± Elliot hung his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mom.¡± ¡°Sorry to me doesn¡¯t cut it. You owe an apology to Alicia. You wronged her today,¡± Gloria snapped, clearly furious. Elliot looked reluctant, but eventually looked up at Alicia. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alicia. I was wrong about you.¡± When Gloria told Elliot to apologize, Alicia immediately understood that Gloria was just shielding her son, not really wanting him to lose face in front of everyone. This really was no big deal, just a trivial incident, hardly worth making an enemy out of Gloria. Alicia curved her lips and teased Elliot lightly, ¡°Elliot, next time you want to use someone, make sure to check the security cameras first, unless you want to embarrass yourself again.¡± Elliot¡¯s face burned with embarrassment, and he clenched his jaw. ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to frame you or anything. I didn¡¯t actually see it happen. ¡°I just saw you by the tuning pegs today and jumped to the wrong conclusion.¡± Alicia didn¡¯t bother responding to his excuses. She simply turned to Gloria with a calm smile. ¡°Mrs. Clifford, since I agreed to help tidy up the music room, I¡¯ll finish what I started. Let me handle this and clean it up for you.¡± Without a second thought, Alicia picked up the tuning wrench from the box and just twisted the peg, no hesitation at all. Elliot practically shouted, ¡°Alicia, are you crazy? You can¡¯t just twist it like that. The pitch is totally shot¨Cthat harp might be done for now. ¡°Do you have any clue? My mom¡¯s been working on restoring that unfinished piece, and this harp is the key to it. You seriously don¡¯t know what you just did?¡± Gloria¡¯s face went pale as she watched Alicia turn the peg so carelessly; her heart nearly stopped, terrified Alicia might snap the string right on the spot. Still calm as ever, Alicia gave the peg a twist, and the pistachio shell slipped right out. Alicia grabbed it with a pair of tweezers, then looked up and said, ¡°If the pitch is off, just tune it¡ªno big deal.¡± Elliot was seriously losing his cool at how chill she was about it. ¡°I¡¯ve already told you. This harp isn¡¯t something just anyone can tune. O 19:13 Wed, Oct 1 : ¡°Only the original tuner, the one who designed and built it when he worked in Havaria, knows how to fix it properly. He¡¯s back in Meridia now and barely visits anymore. ¡°Before you did that, at least it was still yable. Now? You¡¯ve messed up the sound, and God knows when that tuner wille back to fix it.¡± AD Luxurious 58 Alicia snorted. ¡°So our Havarian stuff has to be tuned by a foreigner now? What, did all our own tuners just disappear or something?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know a damn thing.¡± Elliot growled, clenching his teeth. ¡°Just because I misjudged you before doesn¡¯t mean you can act all reckless now.¡± Gloria frowned. ¡°Enough, Elliot. Give it a rest. I¡¯ll contact the tuner.¡± She might have been warning Elliot, but truthfully, Gloria¡¯s disappointment was all aimed at Alicia. Gloria wondered, ¡®She clearly knows nothing about music or instruments at all. She doesn¡¯t even understand how crucial tuning is. Does she seriously think anyone can just do it? ¡®Guess she¡¯s definitely not the one I was hoping for.¡¯ While Elliot and Gloria were talking, Alicia picked up the tuning wrench again and gave the string peg a careful twist. Then Alicia plucked the string and called out, ¡°Mrs. Clifford, does this note sound right to you?¡± The instant Alicia yed that note, Gloria¡¯s head jerked up. ¡®That¡¯s spot¨Con. It¡¯s even purer than what the previous tuner managed,¡¯ she wondered. Thest tuner had confessed that, no matter what, the note always felt a little off. He just couldn¡¯t fine¨Ctune the peg enough. Even though the electronic tuner said it was fine, somehow, it never sounded quite right when yed. Whenever Gloria yed this harp, she¡¯d always sensed that exact same w in the tuning. But that note Alicia just struck was as if the sound pierced straight through Gloria¡¯s heart. Gloria¡¯s hands trembled as she plucked the string herself. ¡®That¡¯s it, she wondered. Gloria hurriedly grabbed her electronic tuner to double¨Ccheck. Sure enough, the reading was spot¨Con. Gloria stared at Alicia, utterly speechless. ¡°Did you really just adjust it by feel? You didn¡¯t even use a tuner; how did you pull that off?¡± ¡°I just went with my gut,¡± Alicia replied nonchntly. In her previous life, Alicia had been the head of a music guild and could handle these instruments with ease. Back then, there were no modern tuners; she¡¯d tried and tested every note by ear, finely tuning each piece bit by bit. After tuning more instruments than she could count, her hands just knew exactly what to do. Gloria¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°You mean you tuned it just by feel?¡± 19.14 Wed, Oct 1 You bet. Alicia nodded. Gloria swallowed, clearly nervous and excited. ¡°Alright, then give the rest of the strings a try? Elliot grabbed his mom¡¯s arm. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t listen to her nonsense. She probably just lucked out with that one string. ¡°If you let her touch the others, shell throw the whole thing out of tune. Even a tiny mistake will mess up your work on that fragment, and you¡¯ll totally lose the feeling for it¡® While Elliot was still talking, Alicia was already twisting the other tuning pegs with zero hesitation. Elliot moved to stop her, but Gloria caught his arm. ¡°Let her do it¡± Gloria¡¯s heart pounded in her chest. She needed to know if Alicia could really do this by feel. If Alicia could tune the whole harp without any help, then she was absolutely the one Gloria had been looking for. Blocked by his mother, Elliot could only re at Alicia. Alicia worked quickly, adjusting each peg with precision. She didn¡¯t make any major changes¨Cjust t¨ªny, barely noticeable tweaks. In less than four minutes, Alicia had finished tuning every single string. Alicia set the wrench down and turned to Gloria. ¡°Go ahead, give it a try.¡± Elliot red at her. ¡°Alicia, if you ruin the sound of this harp, trust me, there¡¯s noing back from it. Do you have any idea how important my mom¡¯s time is? She- Before Elliot finished it, the room was suddenly filled with the delicate cascade of strings. Gloria ran through the notes from low to high and back again¨Cevery single pitch was spot¨Con. For trained musicians like them, it only took one listen to realize it. Alicia had absolutely nailed it. Elliot¡¯s words cut off immediately. Gloria couldn¡¯t hide her smile now, even though her fingers were still trembling. She grabbed her electronic tuner, checking string after string; everyst one was perfectly in tune, not even a hint of error. Elliot stared at Alicia in disbelief. ¡®How the hell is this even possible?¡± he wondered. Tiffany had told him Alicia was never interested in studying. Her parents had bent over backwards to help Alicia, even sending her to Premier Academy, but Alicia never seemed to pick up anything useful. They were constantly worried about Alicia. Elliot wondered, ¡®So how could she suddenly pull off something this professional and do it all without a tuner? ¡°Even that famous master needed a tuner and multiple tries before he could get a pitch he was satisfied with. What the hell is going on here?¡® 0 19:14 Wed, Oct 1 : Meanwhile, Gloria quickly grabbed the traditional fragment she¡¯d been restoring, took her seat before the harp, and yed through the sheet with practiced fingers. When Gloria finished, her hands still trembling, she stood up and took Alicia¡¯s hand. ¡°Alicia, that was incredible. Honestly, you¡¯re seriously gifted. ¡°Would you be willing to be my student and learn all about traditional music with me?¡± Alicia was stunned for a second. ¡®Wait, what¡¯s happening right now?¡® she wondered, Gloria looked at Alicia with real sincerity. ¡°To tell you the truth, Alicia, I¡¯ve been searching for someone who truly loves traditional melodies and old instruments, someone willing to pass on this legacy. ¡°But these days, hardly anyone bothers with the old stuff. Everyone¡¯s wrapped up inposing pop songs or chasing instrument grade exams.¡± She continued, ¡°Traditional music and instruments are getting forgotten. People barely care anymore. ¡°I really don¡¯t want all of this to vanish, because there¡¯s so much depth and soul in these old tunes. Alicia, will you join me? Help me restore these lost melodies together?¡± Gloria spoke from the heart, her eyes shining with genuine hope. Alicia suddenly recalled her previous life. Back then, it was Tiffany who had always stayed by Gloria¡¯s side, and thanks to her, several lost scores were restored. Those aplishments had all belonged to Tiffany. But even so, Gloria had never officially epted Tiffany as her student. Seeing Alicia silent, Gloria repeated softly, ¡°Alicia, would you be willing?¡± Just then, a knock echoed at the door. Before anybody could answer, it swung open, and Tiffany stepped in with her trademark gentle smile. ¡°Hi, Mrs. Clifford, Elliot,¡± she called out sweetly. Tiffany strolled inside like she absolutely belonged there, totally familiar and at ease. Spotting Alicia, Tiffany gasped with mock surprise. ¡°Alicia? What brings you here? I hardly ever see you in this music room. ¡°But, Alicia, you know, all the instruments here are super valuable and Gloria really cares about them. Since you¡¯re not familiar with this stuff, it¡¯s best not to touch anything, okay?¡± On the surface, it sounded like Tiffany was concerned for Alicia, worrying she might get herself in trouble. But if one listened closely, it was obvious that she was making sure both Elliot and Gloria saw Alicia as clueless and out of her depth when it came to anything musical. Alicia didn¡¯t bother responding to Tiffany and turned straight to Gloria. ¡°Let me think about it.¡± Gloria smiled, her voice unusually gentle, ¡°Of course, take your time. I¡¯ll be waiting to hear from you.¡± 19:14 Wed, Oct 1 Chapter 58 Checktest chapters at f?ndnovel Tiffany¡¯s smile stiffened when Alicia brushed her offpletely. Gloria was still treating Alicia so kindly, and even Elliot didn¡¯t chime in to agree with her this time. Worse, the way Elliot looked at Alicia had changed; there was something different in his eyes now, something Tiffany really didn¡¯t like. ¡®Seriously, what did Alicia pull this time?¡® Tiffany thought, annoyed. Ever since Alicia moved out of the Lawrence family, she¡¯d be totally unpredictable. Honestly, if a ssmate hadn¡¯t tipped her off that Alicia was following Gloria and Elliot from the music room. to the security office, Tiffany wouldn¡¯t even have shown up. Tiffany just had to see for herself what Alicia was up to now. AD Luxurious 59 Tiffany knew she couldn¡¯t afford to lose Elliot¡¯s support, and Gloria was someone she absolutely needed to get on her side. Making it in music, especially as a creator, was an uphill battle, Sure, Tiffany could y the piano, but that alone wouldn¡¯t get her anywhere. If Tiffany really wanted to make her mark, she had to have someone with serious clout in the industry backing her up. Tiffany couldn¡¯t let Alicia mess up her ns. Tiffany nced up at Alicia, speaking in a voice so soft it practically begged for pity. ¡°Alicia, you haven¡¯te home at alltely, and we¡¯re all worried sick about you. ¡°Mom¡¯s actually gotten ill from worrying too much. Can¡¯t you spare a little time to visit her? Even if you really can¡¯t stand me, Mom and Dad are still the ones who raised you. ¡°You can¡¯t just pretend they don¡¯t exist, can you? I¡¯m begging you, please go back home and see them. I swear, when you visit Mom and Dad, I¡¯ll keep out of your sight.¡± That whole little speech wasyered with all kinds of meaning. First, Tiffany was letting Elliot and Gloria know Alicia hadn¡¯t beening home at night, hinting she was messing around somewhere. Second, she was calling Alicia out as the jealous one who didn¡¯t even care about her parents. And third, Tiffany was pretending to be the sweet, self¨Csacrificing daughter, ready to stay out of the way for Mom and Dad¡¯s sake. Alicia, who¡¯d lived through so much already, saw through Tiffany¡¯s petty little schemes in an instant. Alicia shot back, her voice cold as ice, ¡°Tiffany, do your parents and buddies even know just how maniptive you really are?¡± Tiffany couldn¡¯t help feeling a little pleased with herself. She had never thought Alicia could be so clueless, speaking so bluntly in front of Elliot and Gloria. The Clifford family prided itself on being refined and cultured; they couldn¡¯t stand people who lost theirposure and started mouthing off. ¡®And she actually thinks Mrs. Clifford and Elliot will see her in a different light because of this? Dream on,¡¯ Tiffany scoffed inwardly. Tiffany made her voice as fragile as possible. ¡°Alicia, why are you saying things like that?¡± ¡°Truth hurts, huh?¡± Alicia sneered. ¡°Honestly, you¡¯re faker than anyone¨Cand now you¡¯re pretending you care about me? I already left the Lawrence family, and let¡¯s not forget, you all drove me out. 19:14 Wed, Oct 1 ¡­ ¡°And suddenly you care? Seriously? Should I show everyone that video of Andrew and Archie framing me for stealing money the other day?¡± Tiffany froze, her mouth half¨Copen as she remembered that whole disaster. Tiffany wondered, ¡®How could those two idiots air all that drama right in front of the hospital? The ce was packed; of course, someone filmed it and put it up on Twitter, and now it¡¯s exploded on the trending lists. ¡®Dad¡¯s tried everything to get the search wiped, but it just won¡¯t disappear. The Lawrence family got dragged mercilessly online, while Alicia ended up getting tons of sympathy.¡¯ She thought, ¡®If I didn¡¯t know Alicia was just some nobody with no backing or connections, I¡¯d honestly suspect someone was pushing this whole thing to go viral. ¡®We¡¯re not even famous; how the hell did it get so much attention?¡® But right now, Tiffany needed to make excuses for her brothers. Otherwise, Gloria and Elliot would look down upon the Lawrence family or her. ¡°They were just worried you¡¯d get yourself into trouble,¡± Tiffany said, trying to sound reasonable. ¡°Worry? More like they probably wish I were out of the picture for good. Now that you¡¯re back, I¡¯m just extra baggage to them,¡± Alicia shot back with a sneer. Tiffany tried to get a word in, but Gloria cut her off with a frown. ¡°Tiffany, is there a reason you¡¯re here right now?¡± Gloria had been seriously impressed with Aliciately. And ever since Tiffany pulled that pistachio stunt, snacking in front of the instruments and jamming the shells into the strings, her impression of Tiffany hadpletely cratered. Honestly, in Gloria¡¯s mind, Tiffany was someone who had zero respect for the instruments. ¡®Can she even im to love music? I bet she just ys piano to puff herself up,¡® Gloria scoffed to herself. Tiffany hesitated for a second before replying, ¡°Gloria, I¡¯ve been practicing a songtely, but it just never feels quite right when I y it. ¡°I was wondering if maybe you could listen to it sometime and give me some advice?¡± Gloria considered for a moment. ¡°Can we do it tomorrow? The music room is being cleaned today. I¡¯m afraid I just don¡¯t have the time.¡± Even though her opinion of Tiffany had seriously dropped, Gloria was still a teacher; if a student needed help, she couldn¡¯t just ignore it. But today was different. Gloria wanted to spend more time with Alicia and see what other hidden talents she might have. Honestly, Alicia kept blowing past every expectation Gloria had. When Tiffany heard the music room was getting cleaned, she instantly felt relieved. 19:14 Wed, Oct 1 Tiffany wondered, ¡®So Gloria just wanted Alicia here to do chores, huh? For a moment there, I thought maybe Gloria was actually impressed after Alicia answered that music theory question yesterday. ¡®But really, someone like Alicia¨Cjust talks the talk and can¡¯t y a single instrument. She¡¯spletely useless Why would Gloria ever take her seriously?¡® Tiffany grinned, all eager. ¡°Cleaning the music room? Count me in. I¡¯ll help out, too. Without waiting for an answer, Tiffany snatched the wet rag off the table and went straight to wipe down the ordion on the nearby wooden shelf. ¡°No, wait-¡± Gloria shouted, but it was toote. Tiffany had already started wiping down the ordion with the wet rag. Gloria rushed over, snatching the rag out of her hands. ¡°What the hell are you doing? Do you even know what you¡¯re doing?¡± Gloria, usually so poised and graceful, waspletely losing it. She grabbed a spray bottle and started dousing the ordion where Tiffany had wiped, then frantically tried to dry it with a clean cloth. But it was no use; the spot where Tiffany had wiped was already changing color. Gloria stood there, her chest rising and falling as she tried to keep her usual poise, but her voice wasced with real steel. ¡°Who said you could touch anything in here? Who gave you the right?¡± Tiffany shrank back, startled by Gloria¡¯s reaction. ¡°I¨CI just wanted to help clean up,¡± she whispered. ¡°Did I ever ask you to clean up?¡± Gloria demanded. Tiffany kept her head down, lips trembling in embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Clifford. How much is it worth? If you want, I can pay for the damage.¡± Gloria nearlyughed in disbelief, but she managed to keep her cool, her teacher¡¯sposure on full disy. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. Elliot, please see Tiffany out.¡± Elliot could tell Tiffany had dug herself a hole this time. He went over and gently ushered her toward the door. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll walk you out.¡± This update is avable on find?novel Not willing to just give up, Tiffany shot a resentful nce at the ordion but had no choice except to trail after Elliot and leave the room. Once they left the music room, Tiffany looked up at Elliot, all pitiful. ¡°Elliot, I¡¯m really sorry. I truly didn¡¯t mean to mess things up. ¡°I had no idea it would change color. Should I pay Mrs. Clifford back? Or maybe I could just repaint it or something?¡± Elliot shot her a conflicted look, disappointment clear in his eyes. ¡®She seriously didn¡¯t even know that? No wonder Mom was so mad, he thought. Elliot pressed his lips together, keeping his tone calm. ¡°Tiffany, that ordion¡¯s made from special materials; you can¡¯t let it get wet. ¡°It¡¯s not just about the color; even the sound will change if it gets any moisture on it.¡± 46 55 vouchers Tiffany¡¯s mouth dropped open in disbelief. ¡°Wait, really? So if it gets humid in here, the sound would change, too?¡± A Luxurious 60 65 vouchera ¡°It would,¡± Elliot nodded firmly. ¡°But Mom takes really good care of it. The liquid she sprayed on it earlier was to prevent moisture. ¡°Normally, it would take a while for dampness to mess with the sound, but if you just wipe it down with a wet cloth, you ruin it almost instantly; the ordion¡¯s practically done for.¡± Tiffany honestly felt Gloria was making way too big a fuss. ¡®It¡¯s just an instrument, seriously. Worst case, Dad could always buy her a new one,¡® she thought. But she kept apologizing out loud. ¡°Sorry, Elliot. I had no idea, really. I can get a new one, if that helps?¡± ¡°Forget it. Mom already said not to make you pay,¡± Elliot shook his head. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡± As he walked alongside Tiffany, Elliot just couldn¡¯t get Alicia tuning that harp out of his mind; it was honestly mind¨Cblowing to him. Without really thinking, Elliot blurted out, ¡°Tiffany, does Alicia really not y any instrument at all?¡± Tiffany nodded. ¡°Yeah, our parents used to try getting Alicia into it, but she¡¯d lose interest after just a few days. ¡°She¡¯s got a short attention span and always said practicing the same tune was way too boring, so she¡¯s basically clueless about music. Did Alicia do anything wrong?¡± ¡®I mean, even as someone who gets music, I managed to upset Gloria. If it¡¯s Alicia, who doesn¡¯t know a thing, wouldn¡¯t she have messed up even worse and pissed off Gloria more?¡® Tiffany wondered. Elliot shook his head, thinking for a bit before asking, ¡°Even if she can¡¯t y, has she ever learned anything about tuning instruments?¡± Tiffany gave a smallugh. ¡°Nope, not at all. If she did, she¡¯d know a thing or two, but Alicia¡¯s totally clueless about music. N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on ?ovelFind ¡°Oh, by the way, Elliot, I ran into someone from ss earlier¨Cshe said you, Alicia, and Mrs. Clifford headed to the monitor room. Did Alicia mess something up and try to y innocent, so you had to pull up the tapes?¡± Before Elliot could say anything, Tiffany continued, ¡°Sorry about that. Alicia really doesn¡¯t know the first thing about music, so I¡¯m apologizing for her. ¡°If she broke anything in the music room, just tell me and I¡¯ll pay for it using my own allowance. But you can¡¯t let my parents know. ¡°Alicia¡¯s got some drama with them going ontely. If they find out she messed up again, they¡¯ll just get even more upset. I¡¯ll take care of it, but my allowance isn¡¯t much. Can I pay in installments?¡± Tiffany tilted her head up, her face the picture of innocence, Elliot looked at Tiffany and thought, ¡°Tiffany¡¯s genuinely kind. Even if she doesn¡¯t know everything, she¡¯s really a good¨Chearted girl¡® : 46 E55 vouchers He¡¯d seen all that stuff online about how her parents and buddy treated Alicia so badly, but Tiffany was always nice to her. Still, Alicia kept giving her the cold shoulder. ¡®She really can¡¯t recognize kindness when she sees it,¡® he thought. Elliot reached out and gently ruffled Tiffany¡¯s hair, smiling. ¡°It¡¯s fine, really. You don¡¯t need to pay for anything, so don¡¯t worry. ¡°Mom and I can fix the instruments in the music room. You should head back to ss. Got any more sses this afternoon? If not, you can go home. I have to get back and help Mom clean up the music room.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Tiffany nodded, then suddenly leaned in and nuzzled his cheek. ¡°Thanks, Elliot.¡± Her face turned red as she spun around and dashed off. Elliot paused, a bit caught off guard, then rubbed his cheek where she¡¯d nuzzled him. The corners of his mouth curled into a grin before he finally turned and walked back to the music room. Alicia, Gloria, and Elliot cleaned all the instruments together. While they worked, Gloria and Elliot couldn¡¯t help but keep their eyes on Alicia. Alicia moved with extra care and skill, leaving Gloria very pleased. But Elliot¡¯s feelings wereplicated. By the time they finished tidying up the music room, it was already five p.m. Alicia was ready to hit the supermarket and get some groceries, nning to make herself dinner tonight. Charles had said she could cook there, so unless anything unexpected happened, she¡¯d be handling her meals from now on. Part of it was so she could look after her health, and part of it was just to save money. Back at Linen Bay Residences, Alicia quickly dropped her bag, grabbed her wallet, and set off for the supermarket. She nned to grab some meat, veggies, eggs, fruit¨Cbasically everything to pack the fridge full. Being well¨Cstocked made her feel safe. The location of this neighborhood was honestly pretty great; it was just an eight¨Cminute walk to a big supermarket. Alicia browsed the supermarket aisles carefully, picking out exactly what she needed, and finally finished all her shopping. The groceries turned out to be heavier than she¡¯d expected, and her arms were starting to ache. With a sigh, she just went ahead and bought herself one of those little rolling shopping trolleys. Alicia packed everything neatly into the trolley and started wheeling it home, suddenly feeling like she¡¯d skipped straight into retirement life ahead of schedule. 19:14 Wed, Oct 1 : ¡­ EX $5 Vouchers ¡°Miss Lawrence?¡± Alicia had just reached the gate of Linen Bay Residences when she heard someone call out to her. Alicia turned to see Charles getting out of his car. Surprised, she asked, ¡°Mr. Yates, what brings you here? Charles greeted her, ¡°Hey, you mentioned getting some potted nts for the courtyard, right? Shall we go to pick them up now?¡± Alicia waved her hands quickly. ¡°No, really, it¡¯s fine. I can grab them by myself; it¡¯s no trouble.¡± ¡°Come on, I can¡¯t just let you pay for things for my house,¡± Charles said gently. ¡°Well-¡± Alicia fiddled nervously with her little shopping trolley, looking a bit hesitant. ¡°Want to just leave it in the car, or do you want to take it up first?¡± Charles asked. Alicia paused to think, then said, ¡°I¡¯ve got some frozen stuff, don¡¯t want it to thaw. I¡¯d better get it in the fridge first.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait out here for you,¡± Charles replied. Alicia hurried inside, put away the groceries, freshened up a bit, and then rushed back downstairs. When Alicia came out, Charles was still standing by the car, not checking his phone or fidgeting. He looked totally chill, just quietly watching the gate. Charles only moved to open the back door once Alicia finally stepped outside. They both got into the car, and Kevin greeted Alicia with a broad smile. ¡°Miss Lawrence, nice running into you again.¡± Alicia said, ¡°Hello, Mr. Quinn.¡± Kevin chuckled and cleared his throat. ¡°You know, I may look like I¡¯ve lived a few extra years, but I¡¯m really not much older than Mr. Yates. Why don¡¯t you just call me Kevin?¡± Alicia quickly nodded. ¡°Alright, Kevin.¡± Kevin gave a heartyugh. ¡°Now that we¡¯re friends, the door¡¯s always open; if you ever need something, juste find me.¡± ¡°Thanks, Kevin,¡± Alicia responded warmly. Kevin was even more delighted now, thinking, ¡®Miss Lawrence is just so sweet and well¨Cbehaved, and honestly, so cute, too. How could anyone not like a girl like her?¡® Kevin just couldn¡¯t figure it out. But right now, there was something else making Kevin scratch his head. Kevin kept ncing at Charles in the rearview mirror, starting to freak out inside. ¡®What¡¯s his deal? Why¡¯s 19:14 Wed, Oct 1 : wrong with Mr. Yates? Man, that stare? Why does it feel so freaking icy?¡® GE 55 vounterd Kevin was momentarily confused, but when his eyes drifted over to Alicia, he suddenly had a lightbulb moment. ¡®Wait, is Mr. Yates really getting jealous just because Alicia called me Kevin?¡® Kevin mused to himself, a little amused. Now that Kevin thought about it, Alicia had only ever addressed Charles as Mr. Yates. ¡®So, is Mr. Yates actually jealous?¡® Kevin couldn¡¯t help but chuckle inside. AD Luxurious 61 E 65 vouchers Kevin jumped in. ¡°Miss Lawrence, Mr. Yates is six years younger than me. Since you call me Kevin, why not call him Yatesy? Or maybe Chuckie?¡± Alicia¡¯s lips twitched. ¡®Yatesy? Chuckie?¡® The names sounded like something straight out of a cheesy romance novel. Before she could figure out how to refuse, Charles spoke up. ¡°That¡¯s fine by me.¡± Alicia and Kevin both shot Charles a surprised look, thetter stealing a nce in the rearview mirror. Charles met Alicia¡¯s gaze, and she felt herself getting lost in the deep ocean of his eyes. She quickly looked away and cleared her throat. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± Charles didn¡¯t say anything, but his eyes seemed to hold a flicker of disappointment. He shifted his gaze away from her. ¡°Call me whatever you want,¡± he said quietly. ¡®She¡¯ll have only one choice of what to call meter on, anyway,¡® he thought. A strange pang of guilt hit Alicia; she found she didn¡¯t want him to be disappointed. But she couldn¡¯t bring herself to call him ¡®Yatesy¡® or ¡®Chuckie¡®. ¡®Am I just imagining things? Why would a man like him get upset over a name? I must be reading too much into it.¡® Alicia pushed the ufortable feeling down and stayed silent. The car pulled up to the entrance of Riverdale¡¯srgest flower and garden market. The three of them went inside. Kevin, who knew nothing about nts, was fascinated by everything. ¡°Get a load of this one, Miss Lawrence!¡± he¡¯d say, pointing at a particrly vibrant bloom. ¡°This one¡¯s beautiful.¡± Alicia smiled. ¡°Since we¡¯re on a first¨Cname basis, you can just call me Alicia.¡± ¡°Alicia,¡± Kevin repeated with a cheerful grin. She nodded, then looked at the flower he was pointing to and shook her head. ¡°It is, but it¡¯s probably high- maintenance. I prefer nts that are hard to kill.¡± ¡°Hard to kill? Like what?¡± Kevin asked. A small smile yed on Charles¡¯s lips. ¡®She¡¯s still the same as when she was a kid,¡® he thought. ¡®Loves having nts around but hates taking care of them.¡® He scanned the area and pointed to a sulent. ¡°Get that one.¡± 19:14 Wed, Oct 1 Alicia nodded. ¡°Okay, that one.¡± : 55 vouchere ¡®It¡¯s just like the one Charlie and I had,¡® she reminisced. Theirs had grown so big before it tragically fell off the balcony and shattered. Thank goodness no one was below at the time. Kevin eyed the somewhat in sulent. ¡°It¡¯s kind of ugly,¡± hemented. Alicia replied, ¡°The pretty ones are always a pain to take care of, but the in ones are easy. This strange take left Kevin speechless. Charles, however, pointed to arge cactus in the back. ¡°We¡¯ll take that one, too.¡± The shop owner beamed. ¡°Excellent eye, sir. That¡¯s a very fine specimen.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Charles said, taking out his wallet. ¡°How much for all of these?¡± ¡°The cactus is $100, the sulent is $40, and the five pothos nts are $2 each without the stands, so that¡¯s $10. That¡¯s a total of $150,¡± the owner calcted quickly. Charles paid the sum. The owner¡¯s smile widened. Kevin, however, was baffled. ¡°$100 for a cactus? And it¡¯s not even pretty.¡± Before the owner could speak, Charles interjected. ¡°Cacti bloom, too. Their flowers are more beautiful than many hothouse flowers. They may bloomte, but they¡¯re resilient.¡± The owner nodded enthusiastically. ¡°This gentleman knows his nts. The cactus symbolizes endurance and a love thatsts forever. It¡¯s a much better gift for a loved one than roses that wilt so easily.¡± The owner then turned to Alicia with a knowing smile. ¡°He¡¯s making a deration of love, you know.¡± Alicia was taken aback. ¡°Oh no, you¡¯ve got it all wrong,¡± she said, waving her hands. ¡°He¡¯s not my boyfriend.¡± ¡°He will be,¡± the owner said with a wink. Alicia felt a flush of embarrassment. ¡®Great. Now he¡¯s going to think I¡¯m trying to hit on him, too. And I heard he¡¯s not even into women.¡® She wanted to exin further, but Charles had already started walking. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Kevin quickly gave the shop owner the address for delivery. They wandered around a bit more. Seeing how much money had already been spent, Alicia decided against buying anything else. She could alwayse back and buy more herselfter. But Charles spotted a few spider nts, paid for them, and arranged for their delivery as well. After more than an hour at the market, it was past seven when the three of them finally headed back. : By the time they arrived, the delivery truck was already waiting by the curb. ta 55 vouchers Charles waved off the delivery guys and, with Kevin¡¯s help, carried the nts upstairs himself. He gently pushed Alicia¡¯s hands away when she tried to help. With the pots arranged one by one, the whole sky garden felt much more vibrant. It was almost eight by the time they finished. Alicia¡¯s stomach was starting to growl; her gastritis meant the needed to eat on time. She was about to head to the kitchen when she remembered her guests. Mr. Yates and Kevin had just hauled all those nts for her; she couldn¡¯t just kick them out after putting them to work. Content originallyes from find¡¤novel She came back out from the kitchen and saw Kevin admiring the new nts in the garden while Charles sat alone on the sofa, sipping water. She approached him. ¡°Um, Mr. Yates, I¡¯m about to make dinner. Would you like to join?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like that,¡± Charles replied with a nod. Alicia had assumed he wouldn¡¯t want to stay, since she was no master chef. But his eptance was so quick, so matter¨Cof¨Cfact. He wasn¡¯t being polite at all. A simple home¨Ccooked meal suddenly felt inadequate. ¡°How about we eat out?¡± she suggested. ¡°I saw a nice bistro downstairs.¡± Charles looked up at her. ¡®She probably has no idea that ¡®nice bistro¡® is deceptively expensive. A meal for three there would make her wallet bleed, and if he offered to pay, her pride would be wounded. Staying in was the better option. ¡°I¡¯m tired from moving all those nts,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t feel like going out. Let¡¯s just eat here.¡± Here? The way he said it felt oddly intimate, as if they were a family. ¡®Then again,¡® she reasoned, ¡®it is his house. So I guess it is his home!¡® She cleared her throat. ¡°Well, would pasta be okay? It¡¯s gettingte, and making a full meal would be a hassle.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Charles agreed. ¡°Okay, you just rx then. I¡¯ll go ask Kevin,¡± Alicia said, turning toward the sky garden. At the mention of ¡°Kevin¡°, Charles¡¯s expression darkened, but he remained silent. Kevin wasn¡¯t a picky eater and was genuinely hungry by now. He was delighted by Alicia¡¯s dinner invitation and readily agreed. The two walked back inside from the garden. As they headed for the kitchen, Kevin offered, ¡°Hey, let me give you a hand.¡± Just as Alicia was about to refuse, a sharp cough cut through the air. She and Kevin both turned to see Charles ring at Kevin, his eyes cold and intense. 150 vouchers A shiver went down Kevin¡¯s spine. He forced an awkwardugh. ¡°Actually, you know what? I¡¯m useless in the kitchen. Can¡¯t even chop a vegetable. I¡¯d just be in your way, Alicia¡± Alicia waved a hand dismissively. ¡°You don¡¯t have to help, I can manage¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± Before Alicia could finish, Charles was on his feet and standing beside her. ¡°Where are the ingredients? What are we making?¡± Alicia cleared her throat. ¡°That¡¯s really not necessary¡­ Charles ignored her protests and marched right into the kitchen, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± AD Luxurious 62 Chapter 62 :.. Alicia hesitated for a second before following him into the kitchen. She pulled three tomatoes, three eggs, some green onions, spinach, and a piece of pork from the fridge. ¡°Let¡¯s just make pasta with two sauces,¡± she suggested. ¡°A meat sauce and a fresh tomato and egg sauce.¡± Hearing this, a small smile touched Charles¡¯s lips. Richard used to make those same two sauces for his pasta. He gave a slight nod. ¡°Sounds good. I¡¯ll prep the vegetables.¡± And so, they divided the tasks. Having read her fair share of romance novels, Alicia found the scene amusing. It reminded her of the clueless billionaire heroes who, when asked to help in the kitchen, would end up making a bigger mess. She wondered if Charles would be the same. Shaking the thought away, she began to wash the pork. When she finished and turned around, she saw that Charles had already chopped the green onions and even peeled the tomatoes. She was a little surprised. Most people didn¡¯t bother peeling tomatoes, either because it was too much work or because they believed the skin was the most nutritious part. But Richard had always peeled them when he made his tomato sauce. She didn¡¯t care about nutrition; she just hated the skins. ¡°You peeled the tomatoes?¡± Alicia asked. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t like the skin,¡± Charles replied. Alicia broke into a grin. ¡°Me neither. We have that inmon.¡± Charles chuckled softly. ¡°It must be fate.¡± Alicia was taken aback. ¡®Fate?¡® she thought. She didn¡¯t say anything else and got ready to mince the pork. ¡°I¡¯ll do that,¡± Charles said immediately. Alicia looked at him doubtfully. ¡°Are you sure you can handle it?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Charles said with a smile, taking the knife from her. He expertly sliced the pork into strips, then into small cubes, and began to chop. He looked surprisingly professional. ¡®So much for the bumbling CEO from the novels,¡® Alicia mused. Life, it seemed, wasn¡¯t a romance novel. 19:15 Wed, Oct 1 56 votishaTH Since the kitchen was open¨Cn, Kevin could see the whole scene from the couch. He feltpletely out of ce. ¡®Maybe I shouldn¡¯t stay for dinner,¡® he thought. Chapters first released on f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l? Kevin got up and walked over. He found them working in afortable, synchronized rhythm, one chopping vegetables, the other mincing meat. For a moment, he didn¡¯t know how to interrupt. He paced back and forth a couple of times, unable to get a word in. On his third pass, he finally summoned the courage. ¡°Mr. Yates, Alicia.¡± No response. They hadn¡¯t heard him. He was dying of awkwardness. Finally, after Charles finished with the meat and Alicia was done with the vegetables, he tried again, his voice weak. ¡°Mr. Yates? Alicia? Uh, something just came up. I have to step out, so I won¡¯t be staying for dinner. I¡¯lle back to pick you up after you¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Charles agreed before Alicia could even reply. Kevin practically fled, as if he were making a break for it. Alicia had thought it would be awkward being alone with Charles, but it wasn¡¯t at all. After Kevin left, Charles simply picked up where he left off, and Alicia started cooking the sauces. Soon, both sauces were ready. All that was left was the pasta. Just as Alicia reached for the pot, Charles beat her to it. He grabbed it, filled it with water, and put it on the stove with practiced ease. Watching his skillful movements, Alicia asked, ¡°Were you a cook in the army?¡± Charles paused, then let out a ¡®Could Mr. Yates be Charlie?¡® 19:15 Wed, Oct 1 46 55 Vouchert She mentally pped herself. ¡®I must be crazy.¡® ¡®Charlie grew up poor. It was just him and his mom, Mrs. Spencer. How could he possibly be connected to the wealthy Yates family?¡® She gave a self¨Cdeprecatingugh. ¡®No way it¡¯s him. What a ridiculous fantasy. ¡®Besides, Charlie probably never wants to see me again. She had broken the only memento his mother had left him. She remembered how furious he was that day. The next morning, he was gone. Sometimes she thought the Lawrences were right¨Cshe was just an unlikable person. That¡¯s why everyone she cared about always left her. Richard was gone, and so was Charlie. A wave of sadness washed over her. Charles finished draining the pasta and turned to see her standing by the table, head down, wrapped in a thick nket of sorrow. A jolt of panic shot through him. He quickly brought the pasta to the table. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked, his voice tight with worry. ¡°Did you you burn yourself?¡± Alicia fought back the tears that were threatening to spill over. Taking a deep breath, she forced a smile. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. By the way, who taught you to cook pasta like that, Mr. Yates?¡± ¡°I¡¯m self¨Ctaught,¡± Charles said. ¡°Oh, okay. Well, let¡¯s eat.¡± Alicia spooned the sauces over the pasta and started mixing it with her fork. Charles sat across from her, watching as she kept her eyes fixed on her te. A heavy feeling settled in his chest. He had no idea what she had been thinking, but it had clearly made her miserable. They ate the rest of the meal in silence. Afterwards, Alicia cleared the dishes, and Charles helped her clean up the kitchen. ¡°I¡¯m heading out,¡± Charles announced. ¡°Okay, take care,¡± Alicia said, seeing him to the door. But just as he was about to leave, he turned back. ¡°Lock the door, and don¡¯t let just anyone in.¡± Alicia¡¯s head snapped up. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Yates,¡± she promised. ¡°I definitely won¡¯t bring anyone to stay here. I¡¯ll be the only one living here, and I promise not to damage any of your furniture or appliances.¡± Charles was speechless. He had meant it as a word of concern, but she had somehow interpreted it as a warning not to damage his property. He sighed. ¡®Forget it,¡® he thought. ¡®It¡¯s not worth it. He turned and walked to the elevator. TO 15 Gets 2 Key reing Charris sok out bera saggiare agam She feally managed as vrecht wut the rough g for the ene parang he does at AD Luxurious 63 Alicia sent the sketch to the buyer, who replied almost immediately. [This is excellent. You truly are a gifted artist.] Reborn Soul: [So I can start on the coloring?] Alicia had chosen the username Reborn Soul, for the person who had returned from the dead. Frederic: [Yes, go ahead. Thank you for your hard work, my young friend. I¡¯ll add another three thousand to your payment when it¡¯s Find the newest release on ?ovelFind Reborn Soul: [There¡¯s no need. The price we agreed on is fine. You can judge the final result when it¡¯s done.] After sending the message, she closed the website and went back to her painting. She was about halfway through when a WhatsApp message suddenly came in. It was from Hank. Hank: [Tiffany gave me a set of lewd photos and told me to photoshop your face onto them. She wants to start a slut¨Cshaming campaign against you. I refused.] Alicia stared at the message. It seemed that even though she had changed so many things, some events were still bound to their original course. Tiffany was still going to smear her reputation. Or perhaps, had she pushed Tiffany too far in the music room yesterday? Alicia: [Is your sister¡¯s hospital transferplete?] Hank: [All done. She¡¯s at Maplewood General Hospital now. Doctor Johnson said she¡¯s too weak at the moment, so she¡¯ll need some time to build up her strength before the surgery.] Alicia: [Good. Then take a day off and keep a close eye on the school forum. Once Tiffany posts those photos, send the originals to me. If she posts a different batch, restore the photoshopped images back to the originals and send those to me instead.] Hank: [Okay!] Alicia¡¯s thoughts drifted to her past life. Back then, Hank had been working for Tiffany. Had he been the one to photoshop those pictures? Was he the one who posted the thread that destroyed her and led to her depression? She instinctively typed another message. [If I hadn¡¯t helped find a kidney donor for your sister, would you have done it?] She needed to know. Was Hank the one behind it all in her past life? A long time passed without a reply, but Alicia could see the ¡°typing¡­ ¡± indicator appear and disappear. 95 vouchers She waited for a while longer but eventually lost her patience. ¡®Whatever, she thought. It doesn¡¯t matter. Whether it was him or not, it¡¯s all in the past! In this life, she had no intention of being friends with Hank anyway. This was just a matter of convenience, using someone withputer skills. It was a one¨Ctime transaction, a rtionship of mutual benefit. She closed the chat and continued to paint. Much, muchter, a message finally came through, but Alicia didn¡¯t look at it. She paintedte into the night before finally packing up, washing her face, and getting ready for bed. Only then did she pick up her phone. She saw the message Hank had sent. Alicia, even if you hadn¡¯t found a donor for my sister, I wouldn¡¯t have done what Tiffany asked. The people I love most are my sister and my mom. They¡¯re women. I would never, ever spread those kinds of rumors about another woman. If she¡¯d offered me money to do something else, I might have taken it. But if she¡¯d pulled her support because I refused, I would have sold my own blood, my own kidney, before I did something like that.] Reading the message, Alicia didn¡¯t fully believe it, but she didn¡¯t entirely dismiss it either. She didn¡¯t reply. She just plugged in her phone and went to sleep. The next morning, Alicia made a simple breakfast for two and headed out. She knew Sienna¡¯s parents were workaholics who left early every morning, leaving Sienna with no time for a proper breakfast. Since Sienna loved to sleep in, she often skipped the meal altogether. Now that Alicia could cook for herself, she decided to make an extra portion for her friend. As Alicia arrived at the school gates with the two breakfast containers, she felt the other students looking at her strangely. A little puzzled, she touched her face, then her hair, and nced down at her clothes. Everything seemed normal. The only other possibility was that Tiffany had already started the smear campaign. These people had seen the forum post. She gripped the breakfast containers a little tighter and walked onto campus. When she got to her ssroom, she went to her seat and put her things down. Sienna hadn¡¯t arrived yet. Alicia pulled out her phone and opened the school¡¯s online forum. Sure enough, the top trending topic was the post meant to ruin her. The title read: [Fake Heiress Sells Her Body to Keep Up Appearances.] Alicia clicked on the thread. It began with a long post. [Spilling the tea. I¡¯m in the same ss as this fake heiress. A couple of days ago, something big happened. A female student with thest name Lawrence received a meal from Noble Leaf Bistro. O 45 55 vouchers [As everyone knows, it¡¯s almost impossible to get a reservation there, and they absolutely do not deliver. But not only did she get their food, it was delivered. And get this¨Cshe¡¯s living in Linen Bay Residences, the luxuryplex in Riverdale that¡¯s only for the super¨Crich and famous. [If you¡¯re thinking, ¡°So what? Her family¡¯s rich, she can afford it,¡± you¡¯d be wrong. She¡¯s just a fake heiress. [And if you¡¯re thinking, ¡°Maybe her adoptive parents still love her and are willing to spend money on her,¡± you¡¯d be wrong again. The real daughter is back home. This girl was so afraid of losing her parents¡® affection and getting kicked out that she repeatedly tried to frame the real daughter. When her parents found out, they threw her out. To maintain her high¨Csociety image, she started selling her body for money. She has a sugar daddy get her food from Noble Leaf Bistro and put her up in his ce at Linen Bay Residences. See the evidence below.] Alicia finished reading and scrolled down. The post was followed by a series of photoshopped images, exactly the same as in her past life: one of her licking a cucumber, another licking a food container, one sitting on a man¡¯sp, and several pixted, R¨Crated photos. The only difference was the two photos at the very end, which hadn¡¯t been there before. One was a real picture of her holding the Noble Leaf Bistro container, and the other showed hering out of Linen Bay Residences. In her past life, seeing all this had nearly broken her. She tried to exin to her teachers and ssmates, but no one believed her. She faced their judgment every day until she finally spiraled into depression. This time, she felt nothing at all. She closed the forum and sent Hank a WhatsApp message. [Have you seen the school forum? Are the photos the same ones she sent you?] Hank: [They¡¯re the same.] Alicia: [Send me the original files.] Hank immediately sent them all over. Alicia: [Wait a little longer. A few particrly active users will show up in thements on that thread. I need you to trace their IPs, find out who they are, and send me their names.] Hank: [How do you know there will be a few active users? Does that mean¡­ ] Alicia didn¡¯t want to exin, so she didn¡¯t reply. She saved the photos and ignored the forum. She remembered that in her past life, Tiffany had also hired trolls to blow the story up until it wasn¡¯t just the school talking about it, but the whole city. She couldn¡¯t even walk down the street without feeling people staring at her with malicious intent. Right now, the paid trolls hadn¡¯t joined in yet. She would wait. She would let the situation getpletely out of hand, until the school had to intervene. Then she would present her evidence and demand that the school investigate and give her justice. 19:15 Wed, Oct 1 She put her phone away and took out a book to read. A few minutester, Sienna walked into the ssroom. 45 ) 55 vouchers AD Luxurious 64 Alicia smiled and pulled out the breakfast she¡¯d made. ¡°Sienna, I brought us something to eat. I made overnight oatsst night¨Cthey¡¯re even better after soaking in the fridge¨Cand 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. Th?s chapter is updated by find?novel ¡®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?¡± 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, 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?¡± 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¨Css act.¡± Hearing them talk about Alicia like that, Sienna shot back angrily, ¡°You guys need to shut up. Alicia is not that 19:15 Wed, Oct 1 kind of person.¡± 46 55 vouchers 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 19:15 Wed, Oct 1 : 255 55 vouchers 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 Luxurious 65 Chapter 65 2900 How much could she possibly make as a caregiver? For someone like her, two thousand dors was a fortune. ¡®If Brooke just tells the truth, Tiffany thought, a thrill running through her, ¡®Alicia is finished: ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? find¡¤novel Once Alicia waspletely ruined, they would drag her back home and lock her away, forcing her to paint for Tiffany. The world would forget Alicia Lawrence ever existed. And this time, Tiffany woulde out of it looking like a saint. She hadn¡¯t hidden her offer of ten thousand dors for the ¡°truth.¡± Everyone would think she was just a concerned sister, trying to clear Alicia¡¯s name. A kind, good¨Chearted sister helping Alicia out. The talk on the campus forums about her selling her body might be a stretch, but being a sugar baby was definitely true. Otherwise, how could she afford meals from Noble Leaf Bistro or an apartment at Linen Bay Residences? The second Brooke talked, the rumors about Alicia being a kept woman would be confirmed. Alicia narrowed her eyes. ¡®Tiffany wouldn¡¯t be this nice unless she was setting a trap. Is she trying to get Brooke to lie for her?¡® Just then, Brooke was escorted in. She caught Alicia¡¯s eye and gave her a subtle, reassuring wink. Alicia offered a small smile in return. The group filed into the Office of Student Conduct, where Bruce Sherman and several other school administrators were waiting. Bridget spoke first. ¡°Mr. Sherman, I¡¯ve brought Alicia. She said she can exin the situation online. I trust the school won¡¯t rush to judgment.¡± ¡°The school will handle this matter withplete fairness, Ms. Dunn. You and Miss Lawrence can rest assured,¡± Bruce replied. He then turned to Alicia. ¡°Miss Lawrence, regarding the posts on the school forum, do you have an exnation? Can you prove your innocence?¡± Before Alicia could speak, Tiffany jumped in. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. My sister would never do something like that. It has to be a misunderstanding. I found the person who delivered her food that day. She can exin everything and prove my sister is innocent.¡± Her frantic act was convincing to anyone who didn¡¯t know better. She seemed genuinely worried, but her real goal was to keep Alicia from speaking for herself. The administrators nodded, their impression of Tiffany improving. ¡®What a good, caring sister,¡® they thought. Bruce said, ¡°Miss Lawrence, we appreciate your concern for your sister, but please allow us to conduct our investigation without interruption.¡± 46 Tiffany lowered her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Sherman. I¡¯m just so worried about her. 65 vouches Bruce turned his attention to Brooke. ¡°Ma¡¯am, are you the one who delivered the meals from Noble Leaf Bistro to our student, Alicia Lawrence?¡± ¡°That was me,¡± Brooke said. ¡°And who, may I ask, hired you to do so?¡± Bruce continued. Brooke blinked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t disclose my client¡¯s information.¡± Tiffany¡¯s face tightened in panic. ¡°You promised you¡¯d tell the truth!¡± she hissed. Alicia nced at her. ¡°You seem more anxious about this than I am, Tiffany.¡± ¡°I¨CI¡¯m just afraid she¡¯ll lie and you¡¯ll be wrongly used,¡± Tiffany stammered. Alicia gave a cold smile and turned to Brooke. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Brooke. Just tell them the truth.¡± Brooke nodded. ¡°Look, you just want to prove Miss Lawrence isn¡¯t selling herself, right? You don¡¯t need my client¡¯s name for that. I can just tell you their rtionship.¡± Tiffany¡¯s eyes lit up, and she stared intently at Brooke. ¡°Fine. What is the rtionship?¡± Brooke smiled. ¡°It¡¯s a ssic suitor and pursued situation. My client is trying to win Miss Lawrence over.¡± Alicia nearly choked. ¡®What on earth is Brooke talking about?¡® Brooke continued, ¡°There¡¯s no rule against dating at this school, is there?¡± Bruce and the other administrators exchanged nces. Finally, he said, ¡°In that case, ma¡¯am, could you provide us with your client¡¯s contact information? We¡¯d like to ask him a few questions.¡± Brooke thought for a moment. ¡°I can¡¯t do that. But I can call him for you.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Bruce agreed. Brooke dialed Kevin¡¯s number. ¡°Mr. Quinn, it¡¯s Brooke. I¡¯m at Miss Lawrence¡¯s school. There¡¯s a post on the forum using her of acquiring her food and housing through improper means. The school administrators are investigating and want to speak with the person who ordered her meals.¡± ¡°Alright, hold on,¡± Kevin replied. A few secondster, a deep,manding voice came through the line. ¡°Put the school administrator on.¡± Brooke handed her phone to Bruce. Bruce quickly took the phone, putting it on speaker before speaking. ¡°Hello, this is Bruce Sherman, the Dean of Student Conduct at Premier Academy. We¡¯ve noted some unusual spending patterns from our student, Alicia Lawrence. A post on our school forum has alleged that her recent lifestyle is funded through improper means, which has caused a significant disruption on campus. The student body is demanding a full 19.15 Wed, Oct 1 investigation
  1. FF.
290 ¡°For the sake of all our students, as well as for Miss Lawrence, we need to darity this tion. That¡¯s why we¡¯ve contacted you. We¡¯d like to ask, what is your rtionship with Miss Lawre After a pause, Charles Yates replied coolly, ¡°I¡¯m porting her. She hasn¡¯t said yes yet, but I¡¯m not giving us His voice was maic, and the phone¡¯s speaker gave it a low, electric horn that was even more alluring Tiffany felt a flutter in her chest just hearing it Why would a man like that¨Crich and with a voice like sin¨Cgo after Alicia? the wondered. Alicia couldn¡¯t even hold on to Henry He has to be some old, married man using a voice modtor, the rationalized. Gritting her teeth, she blurted out, ¡°So, are you married? Are you actually pursuing my sister, or is this just a game? Are you just trying to buy your way into her bed? The warmth instantly vanished from Charles¡¯s voice, reced by ice. ¡°Is this how your school conducts an investigation? Letting just anyone ask questions? If the administration genuinely wants to look into this, I will cooperate. Have your president call me directly. But if this is just an attempt to nder Alicia, you¡¯ll find you have to go through me first.¡± With that, he hung up. He was furious. He wouldn¡¯t even dream of disrespecting her. Who the hell did they think they were, dragging her name through the mud like that? AD Comment Send gift No Ads 19:15 Wed, Oct 1 investigation. 820 EZ 55 vouchers ¡°For the sake of all our students, as well as for Miss Lawrence, we need to rify this situation. That¡¯s why we¡¯ve contacted you. We¡¯d like to ask, what is your rtionship with Miss Lawrence?¡± After a pause, Charles Yates replied coolly, ¡°I¡¯m pursuing her. She hasn¡¯t said yes yet, but I¡¯m not giving up. His voice was maic, and the phone¡¯s speaker gave it a low, electric hum that was even more alluring. Tiffany felt a flutter in her chest just hearing it. ¡®Why would a man like that¨Crich and with a voice like sin¨Cgo after Alicia?¡® she wondered. ¡®Alicia couldn¡¯t even hold on to Henry.¡® ¡®He has to be some old, married man using a voice modtor,¡® she rationalized. Gritting her teeth, she blurted out, ¡°So, are you married? Are you actually pursuing my sister, or is this just a game? Are you just trying to buy your way into her bed?¡± The warmth instantly vanished from Charles¡¯s voice, reced by ice. ¡°Is this how your school conducts an investigation? Letting just anyone ask questions? If the administration genuinely wants to look into this, I will cooperate. Have your president call me directly. But if this is just an attempt to nder Alicia, you¡¯ll find you have to go through me first.¡± With that, he hung up. He was furious. He wouldn¡¯t even dream of disrespecting her. Who the hell did they think they were, dragging her name through the mud like that? f AD Luxurious 66 Chapter 66 ?? EL 65 vouche Kevin barely dared to breathe, seeing the icy expression on Charles Yates¡¯s face. Charles handed the phone back. ¡°Get me President Lee at Premier Academy.¡± Kevin nodded and quickly made the call. Back in the office at the school, Tiffany was furious when the call ended abruptly. ¡®No one has dared to treat me like this since I came back to the Lawrence family,¡® she fumed silently. She gritted her teeth. ¡°That guy has no manners.¡± Hearing Tiffany insult Charles, Alicia instinctively defended him. ¡°You were the one who was rude first. He was talking to Mr. Sherman, and you just jumped in. If you want to talk about bad manners, you should look in the mirror.¡± Tiffany¡¯s face contorted with rage, but she knew she couldn¡¯t lose her temper. She had to y the victim. She forced tears to well up in her eyes and looked at Alicia, her voice trembling. ¡°Alicia, I¡­ I was just worried you were being tricked. The way you¡¯re defending him¡­ have you already fallen for him? When I asked if he was married, he wouldn¡¯t answer. Doesn¡¯t that mean he is? Alicia, you can¡¯t get mixed up with him. Don¡¯t make things worse for yourself.¡± Her words were disguised as concern, but she was clearly implying that Alicia was involved with a married man, telling everyone that she was sleeping around. Alicia smirked. ¡°Tiffany, he probably didn¡¯t answer you because you were being incredibly nosy. You¡¯re so eager to push that narrative. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re the one who made that post online? Did you even check your facts before you posted? Is this what you call ¡®caring¡®?¡± Tiffany¡¯s face paled. ¡°I didn¡¯t. Alicia, why are you using me like this?¡± Alicia ignored her and turned to the head of student conduct. ¡°Mr. Sherman, is this enough to clear my name?¡± Bruce hesitated for a moment, ncing at the other faculty members. ¡°Well, I think this matter still requires further investigation¡­¡± ¡°No further investigation is necessary,¡± amanding voice announced from the doorway. Everyone turned to see a man with graying hair at his temples walking in. Bruce and the higher¨Cups instantly stood up. ¡°President Lee, what brings you here?¡± ¡°If I hadn¡¯te, you all would have kept making a mess of things,¡± Derek Lee said, looking them over. ¡°President Lee, what¡­ what do you mean?¡± one of them stammered. ¡°Instead of shutting down these baseless rumors on the school forum, you¡¯re fanning the mes,¡± Derek Lee said with a frown. ¡°You should all know better by now.¡± 19:16 Wed, Oct 1 ?? ?? 75% out Bruce quickly replied, ¡°President Lee, I believe that at this university, character is just as important as academics. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°Character is important.¡± Derek retorted, ¡°but this didn¡¯t need to be a public spectacle. The forum is for academic discussion, not for spreading gossip. This trash should have been cleaned up from the start. What did you do? You let it run wild, and now you¡¯re just putting on a show.¡± Bruce¡¯s face turned beet red, and he fell silent. Another administrator quickly stepped in. ¡°President Lee, it was our oversight. I¡¯ll have someone clean up the forum right away.¡± Hearing that the forum posts would be deleted, Tiffany¡¯s hands balled into fists. ¡®I paid a fortune for trolls to push that story,¡® she thought bitterly. ¡®I wanted to humiliate Alicia so she couldn¡¯t show her face at school. Why are they getting rid of it before the ¡®truth¡® is out? It¡¯s not fair.¡® But she couldn¡¯t say a word. To these people, she was still the good little sister who cared about Alicia. Any objection would raise suspicion. ¡®Damn, I regret not bringing that idiot Nora Judd with me. She¡¯s the perfect mouthpiece; she can say all the things I can¡¯t.¡¯ She bit her lip, suppressing a wave of fury. Derek nodded. ¡°Since this is already out in the open and students are paying attention, it needs a resolution.¡± Tiffany felt a wave of relief. ¡®Good, so they are going to investigate,¡® she thought. ¡®I don¡¯t believe for a second anyone is actually pursuing Alicia. She¡¯s an orphan with no status or connections. What man would seriously chase a girl who can¡¯t help his career? ¡®Unless he¡¯s just looking for a fling. Once the school investigates, they¡¯ll prove Alicia is promiscuous and doesn¡¯t deserve to be a university student. ¡®If she won¡¯t be my background prop at school, then I¡¯ll do what Dad said and make her my shadow at home. ¡°President Lee,¡± Bruce said, ¡°we spoke with the man on the phone earlier. I think it¡¯s best to bring him to the school to get a clear statement in person.¡± Derek nced at him. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that, Mr. Sherman. I know the gentleman in question. He is a very distinguished, single man.¡± He deliberately emphasized the word ¡°single.¡± Bruce understood the president¡¯s meaning and said nothing more. Derek continued, ¡°I will have my secretary post the results of the investigation on the forum. In the meantime, Mr. Sherman, you should focus on finding the person who posted this. Spreading nderous lies about a fellow student without knowing the facts is a serious offense, and they must be dealt with ordingly.¡± A shiver ran down Tiffany¡¯s spine. ¡®President Lee said he knows the truth? And that the post was a lie? Does that mean Alicia isn¡¯t a sugar baby? How is that possible? I don¡¯t believe it.¡® ¡°President Lee,¡± Tiffany asked, unable to stop herself, ¡°do you really know that man? And even if he is 19:16 Wed, Oct 1 : pursuing Alicia, what about the pictures on the forum¡­¡± 820 TM 55 youcheid Derek looked at Tiffany, then turned to Mr. Sherman. ¡°These matters only require the presence of the involved parties. Why is an unrted person here?¡± Bruce cleared his throat. ¡°Tiffany is just concerned about Alicia.¡± This update is avable on findnovel ¡°She can find out what happenedter,¡± Derek said dismissively. ¡°All uninvolved persons should leave now.¡± Tiffany was fuming, but she was escorted out of the office. After Tiffany left, Derek turned to Alicia. ¡°You must be Alicia Lawrence.¡± AD Luxurious 67 Chapter 67 ¡­ Alicia nodded. ¡°Yes, President Lee. That¡¯s me.¡± : ?? 185 vouchety Derek Lee smiled warmly at Alicia. ¡®She¡¯s a pretty and charming girl, he thought. ¡®No wonder even the stoic Charles Yates would get involved for her sake.¡® ¡°Alicia,¡± Derek said, ¡°we are very sorry for the trouble the situation on the school forum has caused you. The school will handle this and make things right.¡± Alicia offered a polite smile. ¡°Thank you, President Lee. I understand this wasn¡¯t what the school wanted. I just want the truth toe out.¡± ¡°Good. The school will post a statement on the forum to clear this up,¡± Derek promised. ¡°Okay, thank you, President Lee,¡± Alicia said. After a brief pause, she added, ¡°I¡¯m requesting a full investigation into whoever made that post. They need to be dealt with seriously.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± he replied instantly. ¡°The school will see that justice is done.¡± Alicia nodded. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll get to ss now.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Derek said with a nod. As Alicia walked out of the Office of Student Conduct, her mind raced. ¡®President Lee rarely gets involved in school affairs anymore. For him to show up today, and seemingly on my side¡­ Could Charles have stepped in?¡® It had to be. So, in this life, was he going to be her protector? A thrill ran through her and she clenched her fists. If she had managed to change this, it was a huge opportunity. But she also had to prepare for the possibility of things going sidewayster. She had to figure out an exit strategy. Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice. ¡°Alicia, are you okay?¡± Alicia looked up to see Sienna Gray watching her with a worried expression. She pushed her thoughts to the back of her mind and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Sienna.¡± ¡°Did the school say what they¡¯re going to do?¡± Sienna pressed, still concerned. Alicia nced over at Tiffany Lawrence and Nora Judd, who were still standing at the bottom of the building¡¯s steps. Nora shot them a re. Tiffany, however, put on a wless mask of concern and walked over. ¡°Alicia, are you alright? Did President Lee say he¡¯d look into it?¡± Alicia leaned in close, her voice a low whisper only Tiffany could hear. ¡°Of course I¡¯m fine. But the person who made that post is in deep trouble. Oh, right, you¡¯re new here, so you probably don¡¯t know President Lee¡¯s reputation. Maybe you should have Nora fill you in. You¡¯d hate for this little n to blow up in your face.¡± 19:16 Wed, Oct 1 156 yousters She wasn¡¯t trying to warn Tiffany, just to unnerve her. She knew Tiffany wasn¡¯t the one who had physically made the post, so an investigation wouldn¡¯t lead directly back to her. But if Tiffany got scared and started doing more to cover her tracks, she¡¯d be more likely to slip up and leave a trail. With that, Alicia took Sienna¡¯s arm and started walking toward their ssroom. ¡°You mentioned President Lee?¡± Sienna asked. ¡°He was here? Did he say how he¡¯s going to handle this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about all the details,¡± Alicia said as they walked, ¡°but with him involved, I¡¯m sure things will be set right. He said they¡¯re going to post a rification on the forum.¡± Sienna nodded, impressed. ¡°Wow, it even got his attention? He hasn¡¯t been involved in day¨Cto¨Cday stuff for ages. This must have blown up bigger than I thought. But he¡¯s the fairest person I know. If he¡¯s on it, you¡¯ll get justice.¡± She beamed. ¡°Alicia, I think you¡¯re really in the clear this time. Come on, let¡¯s go get breakfast in the ssroom. I¡¯m starving.¡± ¡°I told you to eat without me,¡± Alicia chided gently. ¡°How could I eat? I had to see how things turned out for you first,¡± Sienna said. ¡°Thank you, Sienna,¡± Alicia said, a wave of emotion washing over her. It had been a long time since anyone had cared about her like this, not since she¡¯de to the Lawrence family. ¡°We¡¯re friends, don¡¯t be silly,¡± Sienna said, linking her arm through Alicia¡¯s. ¡°No more ¡®thank you¡® between us. I know you¡¯d do the same for me, right?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alicia agreed. The two made their way to the ssroom, where Sienna unpacked the breakfast Alicia had brought. As they ate, Sienna pulled out her phone to scroll through the school forum. Her face lit up. ¡°Alicia, the post about you¨Cit¡¯s gone.¡± Alicia nodded. ¡°Looks like President Lee works fast.¡± Meanwhile, Tiffany was still processing Alicia¡¯s whispered words. ¡®What did she mean by that? ¡®She¡¯s fine? How could she be fine? She¡¯s obviously some rich guy¡¯s sugar baby. ¡®She¡¯s just bluffing. I¡¯ll just wait and see what the school decides.¡¯ Trying to appear calm, she led Nora toward the ssroom. On the way, Nora asked hesitantly, ¡°Tiffany, what did Alicia say to you back there?¡± ¡°Mind your own business,¡± Tiffany snapped. Nora bit her lip. She had her own issues with Tiffany, but what choice did she have? In a school full of rich kids where everything was apetition, she needed someone totch onto. Her family wasn¡¯t wealthy At least Tiffany was generous. The money she paid Nora for doing her dirty work was good, enough that Nora hadn¡¯t needed to ask her parents for living expenses for the past three months. It took some of the pressure off them. Just think of it as a part¨Ctime job,¡® she told herself. ¡®And what job doesn¡¯te with a little grief? Nora fell silent and followed Tiffany into the ssroom. Inside, students were gathered in small groups, their hushed conversations audible. ¡°Hey, that post on the school forum is gone.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that about? Does this mean Alicia was framed?¡± ¡°Who knows? The school will probably release a statement. Let¡¯s just wait and see.¡± ¡°If you ask me, the whole thing was thin air. So she came out of a fancy apartment building and had a nice meal? That doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s a sugar baby. It¡¯s not like she was caught walking out of a hotel with some old geezer. The Fresh chapters posted on find~novel The poster didn¡¯t have their facts straight.¡± ¡°Exactly. They should find out who posted it and make an example of them. The school forum is for academic stuff, not this kind of garbage.¡± Nora quickly pulled out her phone and opened the school forum. The post she¡¯d made was, indeed, gone. She lowered her eyes and sat down, a sudden, inexplicable panic tightening in her chest. AD Comment Send gift Luxurious 68 Nora had done this kind of thing for Tiffany before, and the posts were never deleted. This was a first, She had no idea why. Could it be true what the other students were saying? That Alicia wasn¡¯t actually in a sugar daddy arrangement? But Tiffany had been so sure, telling her Alicia was being kept by some rich guy. As her sister, she would know the truth, right? Nora¡¯s mind was a mess as she sat through her two long lectures. At lunchtime, the school posted an official rification on the forum. [1. The university is aware of unsubstantiated rumors on the student forum regarding Alicia Lawrence. We hereby state for the record that these allegations are false and defamatory. [2. The university will use technical means to identify the original poster, who will face disciplinary action. [3. The student forum is intended for academic andmunity exchange. We urge everyone to maintain a respectful environment. Any simr incidents in the future will be met with severe consequences.] Dozens ofments appeared almost instantly. [See? I knew it was fake. Whoever did this really has it out for Alicia. She seems pretty low¨Ckey, right? Average grades, doesn¡¯t dress fancy. Who would she even piss off?] [Told you. All she did was get dropped off from a nice apartment building and eat one expensive meal, and suddenly she has a sugar daddy? People are so quick to get jealous.] [Okay, let¡¯s y detective. Who do we think started this rumor about Alicia? Like the user above said, she keeps to herself. She doesn¡¯t seem to have any enemies¡­ except maybe Tiffany, who she embarrassed twice yesterday.] Thatment was immediately dogpiled. [That¡¯s total bullshit. Tiffany is so good to Alicia. She¡¯s the best sister I¡¯ve ever seen.] [I¡¯d sooner believe pigs can fly than believe Tiffany would do something like this. You have no idea. When this whole thing started, Tiffany immediately went to that girl who delivers Alicia¡¯s food and offered her a huge sum of money just to tell the truth and clear Alicia¡¯s name.] : Alicia and Sienna scrolled through the forum while they ate. Sienna said, ¡°Alicia, who do you think really posted it? Some people in thements are guessing it was Tiffany. I bet it was her, too.¡± 19:18 Wed, 65 voucher5 Alicia looked at Sienna. ¡°I know who did it, and the school will find out. But let¡¯s not specte, Sienna. And don¡¯t say things like that anymore, okay? Especially not where Tiffany can hear you.¡± Sienna looked at Alicia and grinned. ¡°Alicia, are you worried Tiffany wille after me because of you? Is that why you¡¯re always telling me to just go along with what she wants and not to piss her off?¡± Alicia was surprised Sienna had figured it out. She gave a small smile. ¡°Yeah. So from now on, don¡¯t confront her. The people backing her are not people I can afford to mess with.¡± Sienna just smiled. ¡°It¡¯s fine. What¡¯s the worst she can do, give me a hard time on campus? I can take it. Alicia, whatever happens, I¡¯ll face it with you.¡± Hearing Sienna¡¯s words, Alicia sighed. Sienna was just too naive. She had no idea how vicious people could be. Tiffany wouldn¡¯t limit her revenge to just campus drama. Alicia looked at Sienna seriously. ¡°Sienna, thank you. But we should never test the limits of a cruel person¡¯s malice. Promise me you¡¯ll protect yourself, don¡¯t be reckless, and do as I say, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Seeing how serious Alicia was, Sienna knew her friend was genuinely worried. She didn¡¯t want to cause any more trouble for her, so she nodded in agreement. They went back to happily eating their now¨Ccold breakfast. Alicia¡¯s phone buzzed. She pulled it out and saw a WhatsApp message from Hank Grant: [Found the person who made the post. It was Nora Judd.] Alicia already knew. Tiffany would never do this kind of thing herself. She was an expert at using other people, just like in her past life when she¡¯d used the Lawrence brothers to torment her. She replied, [Got it.] Right after she sent it, another message from Hank came through. [Haven¡¯t tracked down the trolls yet. The post is gone.] Alicia raised an eyebrow. [So you can¡¯t track them just because the post is gone?] Hank hadn¡¯t expected that response. He paused for a few seconds before replying: [I can, it¡¯s just a bit moreplicated.] Alicia: [Scared of a little trouble?] Even though it was just four words and a question mark, he could somehow picture the mocking smile on her face. ¡®She must think I¡¯m not trying hard enough for her,¡® he thought. He quickly typed back, [I¡¯ll look into it again.] Alicia: [Don¡¯t bother. Just keep an eye on the school¡¯s rification post. They¡¯ll stir up trouble there again. You can start your search from there.] Hank: [Okay!] After sending the message, she looked up and saw Sienna had already finished all her breakfast. She smiled gently. ¡°So, was it good?¡± 19:18 Wed, Oct 1 Sienna nodded enthusiastically. ¡°It was delicious. You have to bring me some every day from now on: ¡°Okay, I promise you won¡¯t have the same thing twice in a week,¡± Alicia said with a grin. Sienna didn¡¯t answer, pulling out her phone instead. Alicia assumed she was texting someone and didn¡¯t pry, simply gathering the empty food containers to wash them. But then her own phone chimed. She picked it up and saw Sienna had transferred her $30. She looked at Sienna, surprised. ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡± Sienna beamed. ¡°For breakfast. I can¡¯t have you doing all the work and paying for the ingredients, too.¡± ¡°It was no big deal, I was just making extra,¡± Alicia said, shaking her head. ¡°You don¡¯t need to pay me.¡± Sienna insisted, ¡°Take it. If you don¡¯t, I won¡¯t feel right eating it anymore, and we can¡¯t be friends.¡± Alicia chuckled and epted the money. She went to wash the containers before heading back to the ssroom. ***** When Tiffany saw the school¡¯s announcement, she was seething. She had spent so much money, and Alicia had gotten away with everything. Why was the school protecting her? She gritted her teeth and sent another WhatsApp message to the head of the troll farm she¡¯d hired: [I¡¯ll add another thousand. I want you to go to the school¡¯s rification post and start asking questions. If Alicia is so innocent, what about those photos? And how can she afford to eat at Noble Leaf Bistro? Or live at Linen Bay Residences?] She had to force that man out into the open. She refused to believe any man would genuinely pursue Alicia, spend that much money on her, and even set her up in Linen Bay Residences. Why her? The reply came back: [Hey now, that¡¯s an official school post. You want me to cause trouble there?] This text is hosted at Find_Novel(. Tiffany: [Are you going to do it or not?] [I¡¯ll do it, but it¡¯ll cost you. Two thousand. Otherwise, find someone else.] Tiffany: [Transferring $2,000.] 19:18 Wed, Oct 1 Luxurious 69 :. 65 votichan The professor walked in and ss began. Everyone immediately fell silent, the forum chatter dying down. Alicia listened intently to the lecture and took notes,pletely unfazed by the online drama. After the two¨Chour ss ended, Alicia was packing her bag when someone in the room suddenly yelled, ¡°Whoa, there¡¯s a new update on the forum. Someone¡¯s asking the same questions I had.¡± Alicia¡¯s hands paused for a beat, a faint smile touching her lips. ¡®Looks like Tiffany couldn¡¯t sit still, she thought. ¡®She¡¯s already sent her trolls to stir up trouble on the school¡¯s rification post. Before she could check her phone, Sienna was already fuming beside her, phone in hand. ¡°Why do these scumbags always have to crawl out of the woodwork to make a scene? The school already posted an official statement, so why are they still yapping? Are they trying to question the administration?¡± Alicia quickly finished packing and walked over. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sienna shoved her phone at Alicia. Alicia nced at thements under the school¡¯s rification post. Sure enough, a few users were stirring the pot. [This statement from the school is so vague. They don¡¯t have any hard evidence, just their word against the original post. So, where¡¯s the proof? The original poster had photo proof.] [Exactly. A statement like this means nothing. We don¡¯t buy it.] [Why is the school protecting Alicia Lawrence like this? It¡¯s all just empty words.] [Show us the evidence. If you can¡¯t, then you owe us an exnation. We came to this school to learn, not to be surrounded by people who sell their bodies to get ahead. This kind of behavior is a toxic influence and a distraction. The school needs to take this seriously.] A stream of otherments followed, all demanding evidence and echoing the ¡°pictures or it didn¡¯t happen sentiment of the original post. Alicia noticed that the first person to question the school¡¯s statement was a user called ¡®Your Gossip Guru¡®, with a few others quickly jumping in to support them. Anytime someone tried to change the subject, this user would steer the conversation back on track. If anyone defended Alicia, they and their followers would immediately attack, until no one dared to speak up for her anymore. The thread was now filled with nothing but doubt and vitriol aimed at her. Sienna kept scrolling, her expression growing darker with everyment. Furious, she started hammering out replies, ready to go to war with the trolls. Alicia watched her friend¡¯s fingers fly across the keyboard and couldn¡¯t help but smile. It was good to have a friend like her. She gently took Sienna¡¯s phone and exited the school forum. 19:18 Wed, Oct 1 Sienna was exasperated. ¡°Hey, I wasn¡¯t done cursing them out. It makes me so mad. Are those people idiots? Can¡¯t they see how obviously photoshopped those pictures are? ¡®Photo proof my ass.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, let them talk,¡± Alicia said. ¡°I believe the truth wille out.¡± Sienna looked at her as if she¡¯d lost her mind. ¡°What ¡®truth wille out? That¡¯s just wishful thinking. Don¡¯t you know how vicious these online mobs can be? They can ruin people¡¯s lives.¡± ¡°President Lee is aware of the situation, and I trust him. Don¡¯t worry about it. Do you need to use the restroom? I have to go.¡± Seeing that Alicia seemed to be in a hurry, Sienna sighed and waved her hand. ¡°Fine, restroom first. A person can¡¯t just hold it in forever.¡± The two of them walked to the restroom together. Alicia finished up, washed her hands, and waited for Sienna toe out. Just then, Nora Judd walked in. Seeing Alicia, Nora let out a triumphant scoff. ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯re safe just because you¡¯ve hooked President Lee. He doesn¡¯t run this school by himself.¡± Alicia frowned. She hadn¡¯t expected Tiffany to be so vicious as to drag the president into her mess. Seeing Alicia¡¯s frown, Nora assumed she was scared. She leaned in closer and whispered, ¡°You¡¯re really done for this time, Alicia. You shouldn¡¯t have messed with Tiffany.¡± With that, she turned and walked into one of the stalls. Alicia pulled out her phone and opened the school forum. Thement count on the rification post had already surpassed ten thousand. The topments were mostly insults, but further down, people were starting to specte that the school had defended her without evidence because she was involved with President Lee. There was even a new photo of her standing across from Derek Lee. He was smiling at her, and the background waspletely blurred, making it impossible to tell where it was taken. The picture was shot from the side, clearly showing Derek¡¯s smiling face and her own. It was definitely her. Alicia thought back. She hadn¡¯t had any contact with the president before today. She examined the photo more closely and it all clicked. This was from her meeting in the Office of Student Conduct earlier. That was when Derek had asked if she was Alicia Lawrence. He had been smiling, and at the time, she¡¯d thought he seemed very kind. She couldn¡¯t believe that a simple, brief exchange had been twisted into something like this. Readplete version only at find(?)ovel She looked at the photo¡¯s angle again, closing her eyes to recall where she had been standing. The shot was taken from the doorway. At that moment, Tiffany had just left the office. She must have snapped it from the hall. 19:18 Wed, Oct 1 55 vouchers Alicia nced at the ID of the user who posted the photo, then immediately sent a message to Hank Grant. [I need the info on two users: ¡®Purely White¡® and ¡®Your Gossip Guru) Hank replied instantly. [On it.] About ten minutester, he sent over the files for ¡®Purely White¡® and ¡®Your Gossip Guru¡®, adding a note. [That ¡®Your Gossip Guru¡® ount seems to know their way around aputer. It took a few extra minutes to track them down.] He had started exining his process to Alicia, anxious to show he was doing his best work for her. Alicia: [Thanks!] After sending her thanks, Alicia opened the file for ¡®Purely White. The user was Nora Judd. As for ¡®Your Gossip Guru¡®, it was a graduate student majoring in physics with a minor inputer science. He was close to graduating, came from a low¨Cie family, and had applied for financial aid nearly every year. She saved the information. Sienna came out of the restroom, and the two of them started walking back to their ssroom. As they walked, Alicia¡¯s mind was racing. ¡®Does the Office of Student Conduct have security cameras?¡® To shut down the rumors about her and Derek, she needed everyone to see what really happened. A video recording would be perfect. She didn¡¯t know if the office had cameras, but she knew a ce that did. There was a stationery store next to the administration building with a 360¨Cdegree security camera mounted outside. Besides covering the store¡¯s entrance, its view extended through the window of the Office of Student Conduct. Ìï AD Luxurious 70 Chapter 70 ¡®I need to get that footage from the store owner, fast. Before someone else gets to it and erases the evidence. ¡®But I can¡¯t go myself. Tiffany¡¯s definitely watching me. If I show up, she¡¯ll just bribe the owner before I can get to him.¡® Alicia turned to Sienna. ¡°Sienna, I need you to do something for me.¡± Sienna looked at her. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®do something¡®? Your business is my business. Just tell me what your need.¡± Alicia leaned in and whispered in Sienna¡¯s ear. Sienna nodded, then said loudly, ¡°Okay, Alicia, you head back to ss. I¡¯m gonna run to the stationery store to grab some pens.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Alicia replied. ¡°See youter.¡± And with that, Sienna and Alicia went their separate ways, Sienna heading directly for the stationery store. Alicia stood there for a moment, feeling a pair of eyes on her. She nced in that direction and saw someone quickly turn away, pretending to be just another student passing by. Alicia smirked and started walking toward the campus surveince office. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the person pull out their phone and make a call. She paid it no mind and kept walking. Just as she reached the door to the surveince office, Tiffany Lawrence walked out. ¡®So, my little tail already tipped her off,¡® Alicia thought. ¡®She rushed over to deal with the footage! Tiffany smiled sweetly. ¡°Alicia, what brings you to the surveince office?¡± Alicia looked at her, her own smile full of hidden meaning. ¡°Probably the same thing you¡¯re here for.¡± Then she added, ¡°You¡¯re so concerned about me, Tiffany. Did youe to help me find out who¡¯s behind that picture on the forum?¡± Tiffany nced at the students milling about in the hallway. This idiot, Alicia, was just handing her a golden opportunity to score some brownie points. If people thought she was here helping Alicia, she¡¯d look like the perfect sister. An opportunity she wasn¡¯t about to pass up. She raised her voice slightly. ¡°Of course! I was so worried when I heard what happened, I came right over to check the cameras.¡± Her words had the desired effect. People started murmuring their approval. ¡°Wow, Tiffany is so kind. And to think someone on the forum was using her of posting that thread. How could anyone even say something 19:18 Wed, Oct 1 like that?¡± ¡°I know, right? Even after being wrongly used, she¡¯s still here trying to help Alicia find evidence She¡¯s a true ss act.¡± Hearing the praise, Alicia remained unfazed. She looked at Tiffany and asked softly, ¡°So, did you find anything?¡± Tiffany feigned regret, shrugging. ¡°Unfortunately, there are no cameras in the Office of Student Conduct.¡± As soon as the words left her mouth, Alicia raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh? So you knew the picture was taken in the Office of Student Conduct? Does that mean you took it? Come to think of it, I remember you stepping out right when I was talking to President Lee. You were standing right in the doorway. That¡¯s the exact angle the photo was taken from.¡± Tiffany¡¯s expression froze. She¡¯d forgotten. She had deliberately blurred the background of the photo to let people¡¯s imaginations run wild. She knew how nasty people could be, just like in that vige where she¡¯d grown up. Those people were vicious, insecure, and easy to manipte. All you had to do was give them a little nudge, and they¡¯d jump to the filthiest conclusion. But in her haste, she¡¯d forgotten that crucial detail. All she¡¯d wanted was to see Alicia¡¯s face when she told her there was no camera, to watch her despair. Now Alicia had walked her right into a trap. She could feel the stares of the other students, their expressions shifting. The rightful source is Find[?]ovel Whispers erupted. ¡°Wait, she¡¯s right. How did Tiffany know it was in the Office of Student Conduct? Did she actually take it?¡± ¡°The way Aliciaid it all out, the angle, the timing¡­ it sounds like she¡¯s telling the truth.¡± ¡°So why would Tiffany take a picture like that? Does that mean she¡¯s the one who posted all that stuff online? I thought she was supposed to be this sweet, caring sister¡­ ¡°Some people are just two¨Cfaced.¡± 11 ¡­ Hearing them, Tiffany¡¯s hands balled into fists. For a moment, she was speechless. ¡®Whatever, she thought. ¡®So I can¡¯t argue my way out of this. I won¡¯t. There¡¯s no camera in that office, so Alicia can¡¯t prove a thing. She can¡¯t prove anyone else was there, which means she can¡¯t clear her name. As far as everyone¡¯s concerned, she¡¯s involved with President Lee. ¡®And who cares about him, anyway? He¡¯s a washed¨Cup president who¡¯s been out of the loop for ages. The one time he shows up, it¡¯s to defend Alicia. ¡®Well, he can go to hell. 19:18 Wed, Oct 1 65 voucher? ¡®Once this affair is set in stone, we¡¯ll force him to resign. Mr. Sherman has been acting president for long enough. Plus, he¡¯s close with my dad. He¡¯s my father¡¯s man. It¡¯s time to put him in charge for real. Alicia watched the series of emotions sh across Tiffany¡¯s face¨Cfrom rage to a final, chilling malice. ¡°Why so quiet, Tiffany?¡± Alicia asked. ¡°Did you post that photo?¡± Her question hung in the air. The passersby had all stopped, waiting for an answer. Tiffany knew she had to y her ace in the hole: tears. She knew her frail appearance worked to her advantage. The years in that vige, malnourished and hungry, had left her thin and delicate. People loved a victim, and she was an expert at ying one. Her eyes welled up. ¡°Alicia, I know you hate me. You think I came back to take everything from you. But I genuinely care about you. I¡¯m grateful to you for being there for my parents and brothers all those years I was gone, for easing their pain. I really just want to help you. Why do you always think the worst of me?¡± With that, she covered her face and ran off. Seeing the main event was over, the crowd of onlookers dispersed. Alicia didn¡¯t bother going into the surveince office. She turned and walked away, too. Back in the ssroom, she waited, a knot of anxiety tightening in her stomach. She was terrified Sienna wouldn¡¯t get the footage. A wave of regret washed over her; she shouldn¡¯t have dragged her friend into this mess. A long time passed, and still no sign of Sienna. The regret intensified. Just as she was about to throw caution to the wind and go to the stationery store herself, Sienna walked in. She was carrying a shopping bag. She smiled brightly at Alicia. ¡°Alicia, the stationery store got some new stuff in. Look at this journal, isn¡¯t it cute? I love it.¡± Alicia nodded. ¡°It¡¯s nice.¡± ¡°And look at this,¡± Sienna continued, holding up another item. ¡°What do you think of this pencil case? It looks so chic. I feel like I could use it as a clutch on a night out, you know?¡± AD Comment Send gift No Ads Luxurious 71 Chapter 71 Alicia nodded. ¡°They¡¯re really nice, but why¡¯d you get two of everything?¡± Sienna grinned. ¡°One for each of us, of course. They¡¯re matching sets! You get blue, I get red Alicia smiled back. ¡°How much do I owe you? I¡¯ll send it over.¡± ¡°Well, they were new and kinda pricey. The leather¨Cbound journal was $5, and the pencil case, which the owner said is multi¨Cpurpose, was $8. Since I bought two of each, he gave me a deal and it all came to $25. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll send you the money,¡± Alicia said. Sienna didn¡¯t refuse. She understood that even the closest of friends needed to keep their finances straight to avoid any awkwardness down the line. She thought for a moment, then said, ¡°Just send me $10. It¡¯s not like you asked me to buy them, I just went ahead and did it.¡± Aliciaughed. ¡°I love them. I¡¯m sending you $13.¡± Alicia had already pulled out her phone and transferred the money. Sienna received the notification and threw her arms around Alicia with augh. ¡°Alicia, you¡¯re the best.¡± Then, she leaned in and whispered in Alicia¡¯s ear, ¡°I got the security footage. And you won¡¯t believe it. It doesn¡¯t just show what happened, it caught Tiffany outside taking pictures.¡± A wave of relief and excitement washed over Alicia. ¡°Thank you so much.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Sienna said with a smile. ¡°At first, the shop owner wouldn¡¯t even let me see the footage. He said he was busy. So I bought a bunch of stuff, and suddenly he was a lot more helpful.¡± Aliciaughed. ¡°So you only bought all this to help me get the footage? I should be the one paying for it.¡± ¡°Hey, I bought it because I liked it. And honestly, there was another reason. You were worried Tiffany would start watching me, right? Well, someone was already keeping an eye on me. If I didn¡¯t walk out with something, it would¡¯ve looked suspicious. This way, she¡¯ll never know I¡¯m the one who got the footage for you,¡± Sienna exined. ¡°Now, you¡¯ve already paid for half, so let¡¯s just drop it.¡± Alicia was touched by how thoughtful Sienna had be. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, her voice full of genuine gratitude. Sienna sent the video file to Alicia. Once she received it, Alicia got to work. She uploaded the original, unedited photos Hank had sent her to the school forum, followed by the unedited security footage. 19:19 Wed, Oct 1 : 13 in youbare After uploading the files, she began to type. [I thought the truth would speak for itself, but I never imagined it woulde to this, with everyone pointing fingers. The most heartbreaking part is that it dragged President Lee into it¨Ca man who has dedicated his entire life to this school and its students. I have to ask the people who spread these lies: does your conscience not hurt you at all?] After the sharp rebuke, she listed President Lee¡¯s contributions to the school. [In 2015, when the school was undergoing a major reform, unpopr majors like ssical music, oil painting. and ballet were on the chopping block. It was President Lee who fought tooth and nail to save them, allowing so many passionate students to continue their studies. In 2016, there was a serious bullying incident on campus. The bully¡¯s powerful father nearly had President Lee killed in a hit¨Cand¨Crun to cover it up. He was in emergency surgery for a day and a night. His survival brought national attention to the case. He put his own life on the line to make this school safe from bullying so that we can study in peace. In 2022, during a school camping trip, a student went missing for seven days. When even the student¡¯s parents were ready to give up, it was President Lee who insisted on continuing the search, and eventually, the student was found alive.] After listing his aplishments, she posed another question: [Tell me, what other teacher, what other school leader, has ever cared for us students so deeply? Everyone is always pushing us to study harder, to fly higher, but President Lee cares about our well¨Cbeing, both mind and body. He¡¯s the one who fought for our school to have a mental health program.] She finished with onest sentence: [Since you all wanted proof, here it is. Open your eyes and take a good, long look. I hope everyone who spread those vicious rumors about President Lee has the decency toe forward and apologize.] She posted the text along with the photos and video. The post went viral instantly. Anyone with eyes could see the photos from the original post had been Photoshopped. Now, with the originals avable, each picture featured a different face and a different scantily¨Cd body. The women had distinct features¨Ca mole on one¡¯s shoulder, a scar on another¡¯s leg¨Cbut none of these marks ever appeared on the same person. This could only mean they were different people, but Tiffany had Photoshopped Alicia¡¯s face onto all of them. It was a sloppy, low¨Ceffort frame job, but everyone had believed it. Or maybe they hadn¡¯t, but people have a nasty habit of turning a blind eye to the obvious when it makes for good gossip. Now that the original photos were out, all the blind eyes were suddenly cured. [Oh my god, they¡¯re all different people! Someone Photoshopped Alicia¡¯s face onto all of them. That¡¯s insane.] [Now that I see the originals, the doctored ones look so fake.] [Wait, you canpare them? You saved the fake pics? What, do you jerk off to them or something?] [Fuck off. I¡¯m a girl, you creep.] 19:19 Wed, Oct 1 Updates are released by find?novel 55 vouchers For now, people were only focused on the photos, which were the first thing to load. The video came after. Of course, Tiffany saw the post too. She stared at the photos Alicia had posted, her brow furrowed. ¡®Where did Alicia get these original photos?¡® she wondered. They were practically impossible to find online now. She¡¯d had to buy them at a high price from a friend who ran an adult website. The photos were identical to the ones she¡¯d had Nora post. Her mind raced, and then it hit her. ¡®Hank.¡® She¡¯d sent a set of the originals to Hank, asking him to Photoshop them and post them to the forum. He had imed his sister was sick and he was too busy to help. ¡®So, he was lying to me? And then he turned around and gave the originals to Alicia?¡® Her fingers clenched into fists, and she gritted her teeth, a burning hatred for Hank welling up inside her. Just as she was plotting her revenge against Hank, she heard someone shout, ¡°Holy crap, there¡¯s security footage! President Lee and Alicia were in the Office of Student Conduct, and the ce was full of people. I knew it! A great president like him would never get involved with a student.¡± ¡°You can talk,¡± someone shot back. ¡°Where were you when everyone online was calling him a pervert? You didn¡¯t say a word to defend him.¡± ¡°I¡­ I wanted to! But everyone was demanding answers from him and the school. I didn¡¯t dare say anything. I was afraid I¡¯d get jumped on too.¡± 19:19 Wed, Oct 1 Luxurious 72 : 45 256 Vouchers The students started murmuring among themselves, a wave of guilt washing over them. It grew stronger as they recalled all the things Alicia had listed that President Lee had done for them. The mood quickly turned to outrage. ¡°Damn it, if I find out who posted that photo, I swear I¡¯ll make them pay. How could anyone frame our president like that?¡± ¡°President Lee is such a good person. Without him, I probably couldn¡¯t have studied ballet. I wouldn¡¯t have achieved what I have today,¡± said a senior who had represented the school in a dancepetition and had already been signed by a professional dancepany. In a frenzy, students flooded the school¡¯s DMs, demanding a thorough investigation to find the person behind the original post. Hearing the students¡® chatter, Tiffany quickly scrolled down Alicia¡¯s post. Sure enough, at the very bottom, she found a video. She tapped y and confirmed it was the security footage from that day. She could clearly see it was filmed through the window. Her fingers tightened around her phone as she broke into a run, heading straight for the Office of Student Conduct building. Nora saw it too. She not only saw the scene inside the office but also caught the brief sh of Tiffany holding up her phone, taking a picture. Fear seized her. This was far more serious than just ndering Alicia; it involved smearing President Lee, a man known for his integrity and respected by the higher¨Cups. If they traced the post and the photo back to her, she was finished. ¡®Only Tiffany can save me now.¡® Seeing Tiffany run off, Nora scrambled to follow, calling out desperately. ¡°Tiffany, where are you going?¡± Tiffany ignored her, running without stopping until she reached the building. Standing below the Office of Student Conduct, she looked up and saw it: a security camera mounted on the stationery store across the street. A knot of panic tightened in her stomach. ¡®Did Alicia know about that camera all along? She whirled around and snapped at Nora, ¡°Are you an idiot? Why didn¡¯t you tell me there was a camera?¡± Nora felt wronged. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it could see inside the office,¡± she mumbled, her voice getting quieter. ¡°And¡­. you didn¡¯t notice it either.¡± Tiffany pped her across the face. ¡°I told you to have someone tail Alicia. Why didn¡¯t they report back to me? When did she go to the stationery store to get the footage?¡± Nora clutched her stinging cheek, holding back tears. ¡°She didn¡¯t,¡± she said, her voice trembling. ¡°Alicia never went to that store. The person I hired was following her the whole time.¡± ¡°Then how did she get the video?¡± Tiffany asked, her voice turning icy. If she had known Alicia was going to get the footage, she would have had it destroyed. 55 vouchers Nora thought for a moment. She didn¡¯t know who got the video, but she had to give Tiffany an answer. She decided to throw Sienna under the bus. ¡°It was Sienna. That day, Alicia went to the school¡¯s security office, and Sienna said she needed to buy something at the stationery store. They split up.¡± ¡°Si¨Cen¨Cna,¡± Tiffany snarled, chewing on the name. ¡®I won¡¯t let her get away with this. I really underestimated that bitch!¡® Seeing the dark look on Tiffany¡¯s face, Nora didn¡¯t dare speak. She wanted to ask what to do next, especially since the video showed her taking the picture, but she was too scared to open her mouth. Just then, Tiffany¡¯s phone rang. Annoyed, she pulled it out. When she saw the caller ID, her sour expression softened, and her voice turned sweet and gentle. ¡°Dad.¡± Hugh¡¯s voice was cold on the other end. ¡°Tiffany, what have you done at school now?¡± ¡°I¡­ I haven¡¯t done anything, Dad. What¡¯s wrong?¡± Tiffany asked, feigning confusion. ¡°You¡¯re asking me what¡¯s wrong?¡± Hugh¡¯s tone grew even colder. ¡°Mr. Sherman just called me. He said the thing you asked for couldn¡¯t be done. What did you ask him to do for you?¡± Tiffany knew her father must have found out. After all, she had used his name to get Mr. Sherman¡¯s help, even promising that if he seeded, her father would use his money and influence to make him the next president. ¡°You want Alicia toe home, Dad. I was just trying to find a way to make that happen,¡± Tiffany said vaguely, trying to brush it off. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I can handle things at school.¡± To Hugh, it just sounded like petty high school drama, and he didn¡¯t want to get involved. And that Mr. Sherman was a joke, thinking he could get a promotion just by ying along with a teenager¡¯s schemes. ¡°Fine,¡± he said tly. ¡°Just know what you¡¯re doing. You can mess around all you want, as long as you don¡¯t damage the Lawrence family¡¯s reputation.¡± With that, he hung up. Tiffany let out a breath of relief. She knew that while her father favored her over Alicia, what he truly cared about was himself and the family¡¯s reputation. Things had already gone this far. She couldn¡¯t let this trace back to her. If it did, her father would never forgive her. Someone had to take the fall. She looked up at Nora, her voice suddenly soft and gentle. ¡°Nora, tell me, how do I usually treat you?¡± Nora hadn¡¯t yet realized Tiffany was setting her up to be the scapegoat. Knowing that the best way to deal with Tiffany was to tter her, she answered cautiously, ¡°You¡¯re great to me, Tiffany. Not just to me, but to 19:19 Wed, Oct 1 :.. everyone. You¡¯re so kind, beautiful, and generous¡­¡± This content belongs to F¦Énd£Îovel ¡± La 55 your hard Before she could finish, Tiffany cut her off. ¡°Since I¡¯m so good to you, then you can take the me for this ¡°What?¡± Nora stared at Tiffany. ¡°What are you talking about? Take the me for what?¡± Tiffany gritted her teeth. ¡°The forum post. If the school investigation leads to you, you confess to everything. Don¡¯t you dare mention my name.¡± Nora had helped Tiffany smear and frame Alicia many times before, but never on this scale. This time, it involved President Lee. Her voice shook with fear. ¡°If¡­ if I confess, will I get expelled? I can¡¯t get expelled, Tiffany. My parents spent their entire life savings to get me into Premier Academy.¡± ¡°Nora, as long as you take the fall, I¡¯ll protect you. You know the Lawrences are a big name in Riverdale. One word from my dad, and you¡¯ll stay in school. At worst, you¡¯ll get a formal reprimand.¡± Tiffany¡¯s voice turned chillingly cold. ¡°But if you drag me into this¡­ I¡¯ll make sure your entire family can¡¯t survive in Riverdale.¡± Terrified by her icy demeanor, Nora trembled. ¡°But¡­ but a reprimand will go on my permanent record. And this wasn¡¯t my idea.¡± 1 AD No Ads 19:19 Wed, Oct 1 Luxurious 73 Chapter 73 : 65 vouchers Tiffany shot Nora a sidelong nce. ¡°So, what are you gonna do? Trying to drag me into this?¡± Nora stammered, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not trying to drag you into this. You were the one who told me to do it in the first ce. You¡¯re already in this mess, Tiffany.¡± Tiffany snorted with a mockingugh. ¡°Nora, you¡¯re the one who posted it, not me. If I refuse to admit anything, who do you think they¡¯ll believe? To everyone here, I¡¯m still the sweet little sister who cares about Alicia. But you? Without me to shield you, just wait for the school to kick you out.¡± Tiffany¡¯s maniptive words and veiled threats left Nora feeling hopeless. She realized Tiffany was right¨Cshe was cornered, with no way out except to shoulder the consequences for her. Nora nodded weakly. ¡°Okay, Tiffany. I¡¯ll admit to everything for you. But you have to promise¨Cyou¡¯ll make sure I don¡¯t get kicked out of school.¡± ¡°Alright, I heard you,¡± Tiffany said, a hint of impatience in her voice as she turned away to leave. But Nora stopped her again. ¡°Tiffany.¡± ¡°What now?¡± Tiffany shot her a cold look. ¡°Still making demands? Nora, isn¡¯t keeping you safe more than enough?¡± Nora kept her eyes down, murmuring, ¡°This time, it¡¯s not going to be so easy for you to walk away clean.¡± Tiffany¡¯s temper snapped. ¡°What do you mean by that? Are you threatening me?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s the security footage. They¡¯ve got you on camera¨Cyou were caught taking photos,¡± Nora exined. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Tiffany was visibly startled, quickly pulling out her phone to check. Sure enough, in the security video, she could see herself snapping photos through the crack of the door. Even though it shed by for just a split second, her face was clearly visible. Panic surged through her as she frantically scrolled down to thements, praying no one had noticed. She immediately messaged the forum moderator, begging them to take the post down. But as she kept scrolling, she realized tons of people had already caught on. Some even screenshotted that split second where she was peeking through the crack in the door, and they circled her face in bright red so nobody could miss it. The entirement section was flooded with hate. Comment A: [No way, Tiffany was the one who took the photo? Unbelievable! She¡¯s seriously trying to ruin her own sister. Wasn¡¯t she supposed to be the sweet little angel? Wasn¡¯t she always so nice to Alicia?] Comment B: [People who look like saints but have demons lurking inside are downright terrifying.] Comment C: [Holy crap, Tiffany is next¨Clevel scheming. She snapped those pics right when the drama was hottest, cut everyone else out, blurred the background¨Cshe¡¯s straight up making us her weapons against Alicia.] 19:19 Wed, Oct 1 1355 vouchers Comment D: [Thank goodness I never dragged Alicia. I only came for the spectacle, but this time, I¡¯m ming Tiffany hard. What¡¯s wrong with you, Tiffany? Why drag President Lee into your drama with your sister? What did he ever do to you? He¡¯s always gone to bat for us! You really think you can smear him like that? Not a chance.] Comment E: [Big bounty! Spill Tiffany¡¯s location if you see her¨CI¡¯m ready to me her to ashes and stick for President Lee.] She darted frantic nces around¨Cthank god the Office of Student Conduct was empty. No way was she going back to ss now, and there was zero chance to call her chauffeur for a pickup. Yanking her cap low over her eyes, Tiffany sprinted straight out of the school and gged down a cab home. up When she got home, Hugh wasn¡¯t there. Maria saw her bolt for her room, looking a mess, and hurried after her. ¡°Tiffany, my sweet girl, what¡¯s wrong? Did someone at school bully you? Was it Alicia again? Why do you look so upset?¡± Tiffany yanked off her hat and threw herself into Maria¡¯s arms. ¡°Mom, Alicia¡­ she¡¯s framing me at school. She posted something on the school forum, and now everyone¡¯s hating on me.¡± This update is avable on F¦Énd£Îovel Maria¡¯s face darkened with anger. ¡°What? She¡¯s really gone too far this time. I¡¯m calling her right now¨Cshe has to set the record straight for you and say sorry.¡± With that, Maria grabbed her phone and tried Alicia¡¯s number, but couldn¡¯t get through at all. Maria was about to explode¨CAlicia had actually blocked her. She went over to one of the maids, borrowed her phone, and tried calling Alicia again. Alicia was sitting in her ssroom, reading, when her phone buzzed. She nced at the unfamiliar number and answered, ¡°Hello?¡± Maria nearly lost it the second she heard Alicia¡¯s voice. ¡°Alicia, who do you think you are now? How dare you post that nonsense on the school forum and try to nder your own sister? Have youpletely lost your mind? ¡°The Lawrence family took you in, raised you like our own, and this is how you repay us¨Cby bing our enemy? You lived in luxury for years, enjoying Tiffany¡¯s life in our house, and now that it¡¯s time for you to pay her back, you just run off¨Cand you still have the nerve to smear her? ¡°Listen to me: you¡¯d better delete every single thing you posted, or don¡¯t even think about evering back to the Lawrence family. Don¡¯t ever call me Mom again. From now on, you¡¯re just some outsider with no family to fall back on.¡± Maria knew exactly what Alicia cared about¨Cand every single time, she used those words to threaten her. It always worked like a charm. But Alicia was no longer the same girl she used to be. She couldn¡¯t care less about the Lawrence family now, and Maria meant absolutely nothing to her as a mother. Alicia replied with icy calm, ¡°Mrs. Lawrence, maybe check the facts next time before running your mouth. And for the record, I have no ns to return to the Lawrence family, and I definitely won¡¯t ever call you Mom. That¡¯s all. Goodbye¡ªactually, goodbye forever. Don¡¯t ever call me again¡ªI have better things to do.¡± 19:19 Wed, Oct 1 With that, she hung up. Maria was about to lose it. She screamed at the top of her lungs. Her hand whipped out, and she mmed the phone hard against the floor. 145 65 vouchar The maid could only stare in shock¨Cher precious, barely¨Ca¨Cweek¨Cold phoney in shattered pieces on the ground. Her heart just about broke. Maria gritted her teeth and went over tofort Tiffany, patting her gently. ¡°Tiffany, don¡¯t feel bad. I¡¯ll have your dad set Alicia straight. Last time, he wanted her expelled, but you wouldn¡¯t let him. Look at her now- she¡¯s always making trouble for you at school.¡± Tiffany curled up in Maria¡¯s arms, sobbing. ¡°Mom, I know I messed up. ¡°Previously, I just wanted Adam to stick around, and I really thought I could get along with Alicia. But I never imagined she¡¯d hate me this much. ¡°She stole my life, lived it for twelve whole years, and now she¡¯s the one who hates me? Shouldn¡¯t it be me who hates her?¡± She wept harder, apologizing and venting all her heartbreak at once. Maria¡¯s heart ached for her. She hugged Tiffany tight, patting her back while venting her fury at Alicia. ¡°That ungrateful wretch¨Cafter everything our family did for her, and she still has the nerve to stab you in the back? ¡°She owes you her whole life, yet still schemes to hurt you. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sweetie. When she finally gets expelled, we¡¯ll see how fast shees begging us for help.¡± AD Luxurious 74 : LI 55 vouchs ¡°But now, President Lee from our school is sticking up for Alicia, and even that guy she¡¯s seeing secretly is defending her too¡­ Tiffany sniffled as she spoke, clearly upset. Maria frowned and softly patted Tiffany¡¯s hair. ¡°Last time, your dad asked you to talk to Henry about finding out who¡¯s supporting Alicia financially. Did you ever look into it?¡± Just thinking about it made Tiffany feel even more miserable. The night beforest, she¡¯d put on a sexy nightgown and did her makeup all natural and wless, hoping Henry would at least notice her¨Cbut he didn¡¯t even look her way. He¡¯d said he¡¯d drop by her school yesterday, but ended up ditching her entirely. Tiffany bit her lip and muttered, ¡°I¡¯ll call Henry now.¡± She fished out her phone and dialed Henry¡¯s number. After what felt like forever, he finally picked up, his voice sounding rough. ¡°Hey, Tiffany.¡± ¡°Henry, what¡¯s wrong? Your voice sounds so hoarse. Are you sick or something?¡± Tiffany asked, her voice full of worry. Henry could hear how worried Tiffany sounded, but somehow it just made him feel even more down. ¡®I¡¯m sick, and Alicia didn¡¯t even ask if I was okay,¡® Henry thought, feeling grumpy. ¡®Yesterday, I was basically stuck in bed all day, aching from head to toe¨Cfelt like I couldn¡¯t move at all.¡¯ Today, he was finally starting to feel a bit better. But then he remembered how, the night beforest, Alicia actually took care of his drunken self and made sure he got home safely. He couldn¡¯t help feeling a little pleased with himself. ¡°That woman just can¡¯t stay away from me,¡¯ Henry thought smugly. He¡¯d been so wasted the night beforest that he couldn¡¯t remember a thing after that. But he knew his buddies were all scared of his mom, Patricia Yates, so every time he got drunk, they¡¯d always call Alicia toe pick him up and take him home. He didn¡¯t wake up until yesterday morning, and when he saw he was back in his own bed, he was sure Alicia must have been the one to bring him home. If it weren¡¯t for her, his buddies would¡¯ve just left him to sleep it off in that private room all night. ¡®Seriously? She went through all that trouble to get me home, and now she won¡¯t even text me? So she¡¯s really giving me the cold shoulder,¡® Henry grumbled to himself, feeling salty about it. He kept sulking over it,pletely ignoring Tiffany¡¯s question. Tiffany waited but still got no reply, so she called out again, ¡°Henry, are you even listening?¡± Henry coughed quietly and finally responded, ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯ve got a cold and a fever. I was in bed all day yesterday.¡± When Tiffany heard that, she finally felt a wave of relief. ¡®So Henry missed school yesterday because he was 19:19 Wed, Oct 1 C vouchers actually sick¨Cnot because he doesn¡¯t care about me, she thought, her heart lightening up at the realization. Her worry only deepened. ¡°Henry, did you remember to take any medicine?¡± ¡°Yeah, I did,¡± Henry said, coughing again. ¡°Did you call because you needed something?¡± Tiffany sounded genuinely hurt. ¡°Henry, you promised you¡¯de see me at school yesterday. I kept waiting for you, but you never showed up. I started thinking¡­ maybe you don¡¯t like me anymore.¡± Then, almost as if ming herself, she quickly added, ¡°Now that I know you were sick, I shouldn¡¯t have jumped to conclusions. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Henry was a little stunned by her sudden apology, his thoughts swirling for a second before he chuckled. ¡°You silly girl, what¡¯s there to apologize for? It was just a misunderstanding. I¡¯m already feeling a lot better. How about Ie see you tomorrow, or maybe the day after?¡± Tiffany sounded genuinely concerned. ¡°No. Henry, you should rest and get better. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something rted to Alicia, but since you¡¯re sick, I¡¯ll just wait until you¡¯re back on your feet. Updates are released by Find[?]ovel Henry¡¯s ears immediately perked up at the mention of Alicia, but when Tiffany said she¡¯d wait, he took a breath and jumped in, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, just go ahead. I¡¯m almost better anyway.¡± Tiffany hesitated for a moment before finally saying, ¡°Alicia¡­ she¡¯s probably acting out of spite against me, and ended up doing some things she really shouldn¡¯t have. Henry, please don¡¯t get mad. I¡¯ll try talking to her and make things right.¡± ¡°She ended up doing some things she really shouldn¡¯t have? What exactly do you mean?¡± Henry asked. honestly lost. He really couldn¡¯t figure out what Tiffany was getting at. Seeing he still wasn¡¯t getting it, Tiffany lowered her voice and exined, ¡°A few days back, Aaron was worried I wouldn¡¯t get used to school meals, so he ordered takeout from Garden Nook Bistro for me. ¡°Alicia couldn¡¯t stand it, and I think she¡¯s maybe gotten involved with some rich guy just to spite me¨Cnow she¡¯s having food delivered from Noble Leaf Bistro. ¡°She¡¯s so upset she doesn¡¯t even want to stay at home, and now she¡¯s moved to Linen Bay Residences. I honestly have no clue which wealthy guy she¡¯s with.¡± After spilling everything, Tiffany quickly added, ¡°I¡¯m just so worried about her, you know?¡± Henry finally got what Tiffany was trying to say, but he just couldn¡¯t ept it. ¡°No way. Alicia¡¯s totally devoted to me¨Cshe knows exactly what gets to me. ¡°There¡¯s just no way she¡¯d do something like that. This has to be one big misunderstanding. ¡°I mean, just the other night when I was wasted, she came and took care of me, got me all the way home. How on earth could she be mixed up with some other guy? Tittany, you¡¯ve got it wrong.¡± Even though Henry kept pushing back, inside, he was getting antsy. ¡®What if Alicia really did something that can¡¯t be fixed?¡® he fretted. ¡®Mom already doesn¡¯t like her, and if this turns into some ugly scandal, she¡¯ll never give Alicia a chance!¡¯ 19:19 Wed, Oct 1 He kept muttering, ¡°No way, no way,¡± over and over, not sure if he was trying to convince Tiffany¨Cor just himself. The thing was, breaking up with Alicia had never even crossed his mind. He¡¯d fallen for Alicia from the moment he first saw her, and that feeling had never faded. He knew Alicia was into him too¨Cotherwise, after every argument, she¡¯d always be the one trying to smooth things over and win him back. Now that he thought about their breakup, they¡¯d been at it for more than a week, and Alicia hadn¡¯t even tried to reach out. Aside from picking up his drunk self the other night, she hadn¡¯t called or messaged at all. Henry couldn¡¯t help but wonder if maybe this time, things really were different from all those times before. After everything he¡¯d said, Henry muttered to Tiffany, ¡°I gotta hang up now.¡± Then, without waiting for a reply, he ended the call. As soon as the call ended, Henry anxiously tried calling Alicia, but no matter how many times he dialed, he couldn¡¯t get through¨Cher phone just wouldn¡¯t pick up. Feeling desperate, he shot her a WhatsApp message: [Alicia, I¡¯m sick and feeling miserable. I¡¯m really craving your homemade sandwiches right now.] But as soon as he sent it, a ring red exmation mark popped up on the screen. Henry sat straight up in bed, locking his eyes on that red exmation mark. ¡®Did she actually block me?¡® he thought, utterly stunned. ¡®No way¡­ Why would she do that? ¡®She literally came to pick me up and took me home the other night, and now she¡¯s blocked me? ¡®Damn, she¡¯s really pulling the whole hard¨Cto¨Cget routine. I can¡¯t believe it actually has me thinking about her even more,¡® Henry admitted to himself, annoyed but hopelessly hooked. His chest kept heaving with frustration as his headache pounded worse than ever. He leapt out of bed, grabbed thendline, and punched in her number. The call rang all the way through, but she didn¡¯t pick up. Refusing to give up, he kept redialing¨Cagain and again¨Cbut still, nothing, no answer, Finally, he grabbed the maid¡¯s phone and quickly called Alicia¡¯s number. This time, Alicia finally picked up. As soon as Alicia picked up, Henry literally dove back into bed. He didn¡¯t even let her talk before blurting, ¡°Alicia, you win. Seriously, this time you had me chasing after you -you really yed the hard¨Cto¨Cget game, and now I can¡¯t get you out of my head. Come on, stop messing 19:19 Wed, Oct 1 with me, let¡¯s make up already. I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s all my fault.¡± B Luxurious 75 1355 YOU 14 B5 YouShir Alicia picked up the phone and instantly recognized Henry¡¯s voice. She kept her voice t as she said, ¡°Henry, let me tell you one more time: I¡¯m not ying any games. We broke up. Don¡¯t ever call me again.¡± Just as Alicia was about to hang up, Henry chimed in with a mocking tone, ¡°We broke up? Oh, really? If we¡¯re so done, then why did youe pick me up when I was drunk the other night? Why¡¯d you take me home? ¡°Alicia, you still have feelings for me. You just can¡¯t let me go. Admit it already¨Cisn¡¯t that what you want? Me caring about you? Fine, I¡¯ll care about you. From now on, I¡¯ll be here for you. ¡°As long as you behave, quit the drama, and stop fighting with Tiffany over pointless stuff, I¡¯ll treat you well.¡± Alicia couldn¡¯t help butugh into the phone, her tone carrying a hint of mockery. When Henry heard herugh, he grew even more smug, thinking to himself, ¡®ssic. I knew it. She can¡¯t ever let me go. All she wants is for me to pay her more attention¨Cwomen are always like this. He continued, ¡°Tiffany¡¯s a sweet kid. She¡¯s been through a lot growing up. As her sister, you should cut her some ck.¡± Then, suddenly remembering something, he said, ¡°By the way, who¡¯s getting you food from Noble Leaf Bistro? And that ce you¡¯re living at, Linen Bay Residences¨Cis that your ce or did you rent it? How much is the rent? ¡°Food from Noble Leaf Bistro takes forever to get; you gotta wait in line for ages. Did you seriously pay someone just to stand in line for you? ¡°Seriously, Alicia, are you doing all this just to one¨Cup Tiffany? Don¡¯t be like that. I can¡¯t stand it when you¡¯re being so vain.¡± Henry was convinced there was no way Alicia would ever cheat on him¨Che was sure all those fancy things were just her blowing cash to keep up appearances. ???? ????s? ???????s ?? find?novel Alicia kept her tone icy, waiting for him to finish. When he finally stopped ranting, she said, ¡°First off, I didn¡¯t pick you up the other night. Your friend Bill called me and tried to get me to do it, but I told him we were done. So if you want to know how you got home, take it up with your buddy.¡± She went on, ¡°Also, what you think about me being vain is none of your concern. We¡¯re really over, and I don¡¯t want your attention. Go care about whoever you want¨Cjust stop bothering me. Period.¡± With that, she hung up. Henry shouted into the phone, ¡°I never agreed to break up! You hear me? I never agreed!¡± But Alicia had already hung up. He was so pissed off he nearly hurled the phone, but the maid quickly reminded him, ¡°That¡¯s my phone, Mr. Yates.¡± She hurriedly swapped it for his own and reimed hers¨Cher eyes seemed to say, ¡°If you have to break ¡­ G95 vouchers something, make sure it¡¯s yours.¡± Henry raised his phone, hesitated, then just tossed it onto the bed. He slid under the covers, curling up tight like a shrimp, the nket trembling faintly¨Cas if he was quietly sobbing. The maid didn¡¯t darefort him and quietly left his room. ***** Meanwhile, Tiffany listened to the dial tone, stunned for a moment before her face twisted with anger. She spat out, ¡°What a bitch! She keeps saying she¡¯s done with Henry, but the second he gets drunk, she runs right over to pick him up? ¡°Pathetic¨Cshe just can¡¯t let go of his status, can she? Shacking up with some rich old guy and still keeping Henry on the hook? ¡°She¡¯s really got the whole ¡®act like she doesn¡¯t care just to get more attention¡® thing down. I totally underestimated how sneaky she is.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s your own stupidity.¡± Hugh¡¯s voice suddenly sounded from the doorway, full of disdain. Tiffany jumped in surprise, quickly masking her earlier nasty look and switching to a sweet smile for Hugh. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re back!¡± Hugh snorted. ¡°If I didn¡¯te home, you¡¯d have ruined the Lawrence family¡¯s reputation for good.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Tiffany chewed on her lip, nerves showing. ¡°Dad, you know about everything?¡± Hugh dropped into his seat, giving Tiffany a frosty re. ¡°I used to think you were above your brothers¨C1 always put you first, made them step aside for you. But look at you now, just as clueless as the rest of them.¡± ¡°Dad, I had no idea there¡¯d be security cameras in that stationery shop! ¡°Please, you¡¯ve got to save me¨Cplease, help me, okay? ¡°I promise I¡¯ll be more careful next time. Really, I just messed up this once!¡± Tiffany practically crashed to her knees with a thud, scrambling over to Hugh and hugging his leg like her life depended on it, tears brimming in her eyes as she begged desperately. Maria rushed over as soon as she heard from the housekeeper that Hugh was back. She was nning to have him help Tiffany with the mess Alicia had stirred up. But the moment she walked in, her heart dropped¨Cher dear Tiffany was on her knees in front of Hugh. Maria darted forward, wrapping Tiffany protectively in her arms. ¡°Hugh, what the hell are you doing? Why would you make Tiffany kneel like this?¡± Tiffany curled up against Maria, eyes big and shimmering with tears, looking so crushed she didn¡¯t even bother to speak. Just seeing that pitiful little face made Maria¡¯s heart twist with pain. Maria¡¯s voice broke as she turned on Hugh, tears already gathering in her eyes. ¡°We spent so long trying to get our daughter back, and now Alicia is bullying her at school! Instead of defending her, you¡¯re making her 19:19 Wed, Oct 1 kneel? What kind of father would do that?¡± : Hugh watched as Maria wrapped her arms protectively around Tiffany, and he let out a silent sigh. Maria really was soft when it came to Tiffany¨Cshe felt every bit of her daughter¡¯s pain. But Hugh wasn¡¯t looking for just any daughter. What he wanted was a child who could bring honor to the Lawrence family, someone who would put them at the top¨Cno matter what it took. Back when the Lawrence family faced disaster, Hugh¡¯s father was desperate to keep everything together. He reached out to families they¡¯d once been close with, but everyone turned their back on him¨Cleaving him feeling humiliated and alone. The resentment consumed him, and it eventually made him sick. On his deathbed, he said to Hugh with all seriousness, ¡°Hold up the Lawrence family. Make us the biggest and most powerful in the country. Never again bow your head to anyone, never beg anyone for help¨Cmake sure it¡¯s others whoe begging to us.¡± But Hugh was his father¡¯s only son, and keeping the family afloat was an endless struggle. Now that the Lawrence family had finally wed their way this far, Hugh was starting to realize he couldn¡¯t do it all alone. He didn¡¯t have the strength to take them any further, so he could only pin his hopes on his children now. He worried that having just one kid would mean they¡¯d end up suffering as much as he did. That¡¯s why he did his best to build a big family¨Cjust hoping his kids would stick together, have each other¡¯s backs, and someday, lift the Lawrence name to the very top. But none of his sons looked like they¡¯d amount to much. It was only this newly found daughter, Tiffany¨Cthe one who actually seemed to have her wits about her. When Tiffany first came back into their lives, she was all cautious smiles and polite words. She even told them she wanted Alicia to stay too, so the two sisters could look after Hugh and Maria side by side. She always looked like she wasn¡¯t interested in fighting for anything, but she knew exactly how to work people and get them on her side. She didn¡¯t just have her family eating out of her hand¨Ceven Alicia couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty around her. But Hugh had witnessed it up close¨CTiffany slippingxatives into her own milk, hiding sharp needles in her clothes. She didn¡¯t hesitate for a second to put herself through hell just to pull off her schemes. At first, he¡¯d been stunned by Tiffany¡¯s twisted cleverness. But soon, that shock turned into satisfaction. This girl¡¯s got every one of my sons beat. She isn¡¯t just calcting¨Cshe¡¯s fierce. Anyone cold enough to turn that edge on themselves? They¡¯ve got no weaknesses at all, Hugh thought, his pride dark and deep. Luxurious 76 Hugh had someone tail Tiffany, so every little thing she did, he knew about it. But the more he observed her, the more he liked what he saw. This daughter was sharp, scheming, and ruthless¨Cthe perfect to push the Lawrence family to the next level. He was determined to train her well, so whatever came up, she was his number one priority. It didn¡¯t matter if she squared off with the Lawrence boys; Hugh would always take her side. Out of all the Lawrence kids, Tiffany was the only one who looked like she¡¯d actually make something of herself. A small failure didn¡¯t mean anything¨Cit was just a tiny hup. Hugh thought it over and sighed, then reached out, helping Maria and Tiffany up. His voice gentled as he said, ¡°Tiffany, I¡¯m not mad at you. I¡¯m trying to show you how to be more careful next time, alright?¡± Tiffany lowered her eyes. ¡°I get it, Dad.¡± Hugh turned to Maria. ¡°Honey, could you whip up some afternoon tea and snacks for us? I barely ate anything at lunch, and I¡¯m starving.¡± Maria nodded. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll get right on it.¡± Once Maria left, Tiffany looked at Hugh, a little scared. ¡°Dad, I know I messed up,¡± she said. ¡°No need to be scared,¡± Hugh said, gentle for once. ¡°Just tell me, who put up that picture you took on the school forum?¡± Tiffany lowered her eyes, her voice barely above a whisper. ¡°It was Nora, a ssmate. Her family¡¯s poor, so she helps me out and I pay her.¡± Fresh chapters posted on F?nd-Novel Hugh nodded. ¡°Then make sure she takes the fall for it.¡± Tiffany replied, ¡°I¡¯ve already talked to her. She promised to take responsibility for everything.¡± Hugh smiled, feeling proud¨Cthis girl was just what he had hoped for. He couldn¡¯t help but praise her. ¡°Nicely done.¡± ¡°But¡­ the surveince video Alicia posted showed me,¡± Tiffany started, then suddenly paused. Her eyes shed with excitement as she looked up at Hugh. ¡°Wait, I¡¯ve got an idea, Dad!¡± Hugh nodded, still smiling. ¡°That¡¯s my girl. You¡¯re even sharper than the boys.¡± ¡°Thanks, Dad. I promise I¡¯ll take care of it,¡± Tiffany said without hesitation. Hugh nodded and turned to leave. Tiffany suddenly blurted out, ¡°Dad!¡± H When Hugh looked back, Tiffany exined, ¡°When I talked to Nora, I promised her that if she took the me, I¡¯d make sure she doesn¡¯t get kicked out of school. Dad, can you help me keep her enrolled? Any other 19:19 Wed, Oct 1 punishment is fine.¡± Hugh frowned and thought about it for a while, but in the end, he nodded. ¡°Alright, leave it to me.¡± Tiffany couldn¡¯t help but grin¨Cshe was truly happy now. After Hugh left her room, Tiffany tried Nora¡¯s number, but there was no answer. ¡®How dare that idiot Nora blow me off?¡® Tiffany fumed. ×Ô¼º She logged onto the school forum, and what she saw sent a chill down her spine¨Cthe school had already tracked down that Nora was the one who posted the thread, and an official criticism notice was now pinned right at the top of the homepage. ¡®Looks like I need to handle this ASAP, Tiffany thought. She¡¯d nned to wait until tomorrow morning¨Cwait for all her ssmates to be there, then step up and admit her mistake, throwing all the me on Nora. After all, the surveince video only showed her taking the picture; there was no proof she edited it or posted it. But now, it looked like that n wouldn¡¯t work. ¡®What¡¯s Nora up to, anyway? Why won¡¯t she answer my calls?¡® Tiffany frowned, frustration gnawing at her. ¡®Forget it, I¡¯ll worry about Norater. First, I need to clean up this mess. Besides, there¡¯s no way she¡¯d have the guts to sell me out, Tiffany assured herself. She grabbed her phone, switched on the video recording, set the device on its stand, activated the beauty filter, and positioned herself in front of the lens before hitting record. ***** Meanwhile, Nora was sitting in the Office of Student Conduct, surrounded by school administrators. Derek was there too, but he stayed silent, just watching her with aplicated look in his eyes. Mr. Sherman, the director, asked, ¡°Nora, why did you spread rumors about your ssmate on the school forum?¡± ¡®Why would I do that? I¡¯ve got nothing against Alicia. What would I gain by hurting her?¡® Nora thought, frustration bubbling up inside. But she couldn¡¯t say any of that out loud. She had no choice but to take the me. She closed her eyes for a moment, then said, ¡°I was jealous. She¡¯s pretty, she¡¯s smart, and my crush is into her.¡± ¡°Do you even realize you could havepletely ruined another student¡¯s life?¡± another admin barked, voice sharp with anger, ¡°Just because you got jealous? How could you pull something so messed up?¡± ¡°I wanted to take her down. If she were out of the picture, maybe the guy I liked would finally notice me instead,¡± Nora said, spinning her lie to sound convincing. She forced herself to hold the story together, even as her heart raced with fear. ¡°So your crush likes somebody else, and you think it¡¯s fine to destroy her because of that?¡± Derek shook his head, disappointment and sadness filling his face. 19:21 Wed, Oct 1 55 ¡°Ever heard the saying, ¡®If you shine, the right people will find you? If you want someone¡¯s attention, you need to be better yourself. Hurting others will never bring you love.¡± He stared hard at Nora. ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s shameful you¡¯re even a student here.¡± Nora felt a chill run down her spine at Derek¡¯s words. She bowed her head and stammered, ¡°President Lee, 1-1 know I screwed up. I swear I won¡¯t ever do this again.¡± Derek just watched her in silence for a moment, then turned to Bruce. ¡°Handle it ording to school policy? Nora knew exactly what that meant¨Cif they followed the rules, she was done for. She¡¯d be kicked out of school for sure. She broke down in tears, begging Derek, ¡°President Lee, I¡¯m so sorry, I really am. I know I messed up, and I swear I¡¯ll never do it again. ¡°Please, don¡¯t expel me. I can¡¯t lose my spot here. ¡°My parents are just factory workers, and they¡¯ve spent their whole lives saving up, barely eating or buying new clothes, just so I could go to college. If I get kicked out, how am I supposed to face them?¡± Bruce couldn¡¯t help but feel a stab of pity as he listened to Nora beg for mercy. To be honest, he never really got the full picture. At the time, Tiffany hade to him, saying Alicia was being kept by someone, and asked him to ride the wave of forum drama to dig into Alicia¡¯s situation¨Cand see Alicia punished for it. Tiffany was so convincing, Bruce bought the whole story. The idea of a student like Alicia being kept made him furious¨Cshe didn¡¯t deserve a spot at their university. And when Tiffany dangled the promise of helping himnd the president¡¯s seat if he made it happen, well, the deal just sounded too sweet to pass up. ¡®Getting rid of Alicia andnding a promotion? That¡¯s killing two birds with one stone,¡¯ he thought, greed flickering in his eyes. But with things turning out this way, Bruce knew Nora had been way out of line¨Cbut in his mind, Alicia kind of set the whole thing off. It was Alicia unting her status at school that pushed Nora into making the mistake in the first ce, or so Bruce reasoned. So he spoke up, ¡°President Lee, after all, there wasn¡¯t any real harm done. No harm was done, and no one suffered any actual loss. Wouldn¡¯t expulsion be a bit too severe?¡± Derek shot Bruce a sharp look. ¡°No harm done? Mr. Sherman, have you actually stopped to think what would¡¯ve happened if Alicia hadn¡¯t dug up that evidence? Would you just let her be ruined then?¡± Bruce shrugged, hedging his words. ¡°But she did find the evidence, right? Nothing really ended up happening to her in the end, so it¡¯s all good now, isn¡¯t it?¡± Derek frowned, a chilly edge to his voice. ¡°How can you say that? Just because Alicia managed to clear her own name doesn¡¯t mean those who tried to frame her can just walk away like it¡¯s nothing.¡± 19:21 Wed, Oct 1 Luxurious 77 No, that¡¯s not what I meant,¡± Bruce muttered as he pushed up his sses and cleared his throat. He honestly didn¡¯t know what to say anymore. He could only give Nora a look of sympathy. Nora took a shaky step back, feelingpletely hopeless. ¡®Nobody here is on my side. If anyone¡¯s going to help me, it¡¯s Tiffany.¡® She thought back to Tiffany¡¯s promise: if she took the fall, she could stay. Her lips quivered as she asked, ¡°I did do it. Can I go now?¡± ¡°Wait, there¡¯s something else,¡± one of the school administrators spoke up. ¡°Earlier, someone posted a blurry photo of President Lee and Alicia on the forum. The background was fuzzed out to stir up rumors and get everyone guessing the wrong thing. Was that your doing too?¡± Nora parted her lips, speechless. ¡®Seriously? Do I have to own up to this one as well?¡® she freaked out inside. This was Derek they were talking about. If Nora admitted it, she¡¯d be totally done for. She blurted, ¡°No, not me. I didn¡¯t post it¨CI didn¡¯t even take that picture!¡± ¡°Call Tiffany, the one who took the photo, and have here to the Office of Student Conduct,¡± Derek ordered. Bruce¡¯s heart skipped a beat when he heard Tiffany was being summoned. He hurriedly texted Hugh: [Mr. Lawrence, President Lee wants Tiffany toe to the Office of Student Conduct. Please think of something- there¡¯s really nothing else I can do for Miss Lawrence.] Hugh replied: [Tiffany will handle it herself.] This time, Hugh wasn¡¯t going to step in. He wanted to see how Tiffany would handle things on her own. If she couldn¡¯t even deal with something this small at school, she wouldn¡¯t be worth his time or attention in the future. Bruce stared at Hugh¡¯s message, his expression slipping into shock. ¡®What does Mr. Lawrence mean by that? Is he really just letting Tiffany fend for herself? Wasn¡¯t she supposed to be the spoiled favorite of the Lawrence family now?¡® Bruce couldn¡¯t help but feel confused. He still couldn¡¯t figure it out, but whatever¨Cat least none of this mess was really his fault. ¡®I mean, sure, I helped Tiffany before, but all I did was follow the school¡¯s rules and look into the forum gossip. It¡¯s not like I broke any regtions or did anything out of line,¡® he thought, trying to distance himself from the whole drama. Now, he could only wait and see how Tiffany was going to handle it. ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? Find1Novel He decided to just stay out of it for good. Jimmy Green, the school secretary, dialed Tiffany¡¯s number, but she didn¡¯t pick up until after a long pause. ¡°Tiffany, there are some things about the school forum we need your help with. Could youe by the Office of Student Conduct? All the school administrators are waiting on you, Jimmy said. Tiffany¡¯s reply floated through the phone, sounding extra frail. ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t think I cane. I¡¯m sick right now. But about that situation, I¡­¡± She was suddenly overtaken by a rough bout of coughing. Once she caught her breath, she added, ¡°I recorded a video. I¡¯ll upload it to the school forum soon, and I send a copy your way as well.¡± Jimmy had Tiffany on speaker, so everyone in the office heard her words. He looked at Derek, who gave a nod of agreement. ¡°Take care, Tiffany. Hope you feel better soon,¡± Jimmy said. After hanging up, it didn¡¯t take long before Jimmy received a video on his phone¨Cjust like Tiffany promised. He plugged his phone into theputer, hooked it up to the projector, and started the video. In the video, Tiffany was standing there with tears brimming in her eyes, looking absolutely miserable and full of regret. She gave a deep bow to the camera before she spoke, her voice soft and delicate¨Canyone watching would just feel bad for her. Her sobbing voice rang throughout the room. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I just saw the picture on the forum and only now realized it was the one I took. You all probably know, I¡¯m new at school and I¡¯d never even met President Lee before, but I¡¯d heard all about his reputation. ¡°I knew he was someone amazing, and I was afraid I¡¯d never get another chance to meet a principal like him, so I took a photo to keep as a memento. ¡°I saved it on my phone and honestly have no idea how someone else got it, or why they¡¯d even maliciously alter it like that.¡± Tiffany wiped her tears and went on, ¡°I let my sister Alicia down, and I let President Lee down. ¡°I¡¯m willing to ept whatever punishment the school gives, but I¡¯m begging you, please investigate this properly¨Cfind out who posted that photo and who stole it from me. ¡°I want to ask them myself, why did they do this? Why would they drag me into such a mess and make me out to be the bad guy?¡± After finishing, she bowed again. ¡°I¡¯m really, truly sorry.¡± That was the end of the video. After the video yed, all the school administrators looked at each other in shock, while Nora just let out a loud, bitterugh. ¡®Seriously? Tiffany¡¯s shoving everything onto me now?¡® Nora thought, feeling both angry and helpless. The truth was, Tiffany took that photo, found someone to edit it, and then sent it straight to Nora, asking her to post it on the forum. ¡®But now, it¡¯s somehow turned into me ¡®stealing¡® that photo from her? What a joke. Tiffany really is savage, Nora thought, her mood sinking even further. But at that point, the only person Nora could count on was Tiffany¨Cif she wanted Tiffany to put in a good word with Hugh and save her, she first had to make sure Tiffany was safe. Since she¡¯d already admitted to everything else, she figured she might as well take the fall for this too. When the school administrators saw Noraughing, they all frowned and shot her concerned nces. Nora finally confessed, ¡°That photo¨CI posted it too.¡± She knew there was no point lying about it now; everyone would know the truth sooner orter anyway. ¡®Might as well just own up before they drag it out even further, Nora thought, bracing herself for whatever came next. Derek looked at her, his tone serious. ¡°Nora, do you have an issue with me? If you do, you can bring it up straight to me. But honestly, this isn¡¯t the way to go about it at all.¡± Nora shook her head. ¡°No, President Lee, I don¡¯t have a problem with you. You¡¯re a great principal. The truth is¨Cmy problem¡¯s with Alicia. I know you¡¯re a really fair person, and honestly, I was scared you¡¯d stick up for her. That¡¯s why I made such a foolish move.¡± Derek let out a long sigh, clearly done with the whole thing. He turned to Bruce and said, ¡°Just handle it ording to school policy. That¡¯s all. I¡¯m leaving now.¡± With that, Derek got up and walked out. The other school administrators nced around and said, ¡°Let¡¯s call it here.¡± Then one of them shot Bruce a stern look, ¡°Nora really isn¡¯t fit to be at this university. Get her expulsion paperwork started.¡± Bruce frowned, but gave a reluctant nod. Once all the school administrators had left, Bruce looked over at Nora and said, ¡°You¡¯re really lost, you know. Your parents deserved better.¡± Nora kept her head down, fat tears dropping one by one onto the floor. She knew she¡¯d disappointed her parents, but all she¡¯d ever wanted was to keep them from having such a hard life¨Cshe just wanted to help share their burdens. ¡°Go home for now. Wait until the school posts the announcement, thene back and finish your paperwork,¡± Bruce said, turning away with a sigh. withdrawal As soon as Nora stepped out of the Office of Student Conduct, she pulled out her phone. She saw Tiffany had called her several times and hurriedly called her back. Tiffany picked up but didn¡¯t say anything at first, so Nora asked, ¡°Did you try calling me, Tiffany?¡± Tiffany asked, ¡°Where are you? Is this a good time to talk?¡± Nora responded, ¡°I¡¯m still on campus, about to head home. You can talk, I¡¯m listening.¡± As soon as Tiffany realized Nora could talk, she snapped, ¡°Where were you just now? I called you so many times¨Cwhy didn¡¯t you pick up?¡± Nora pressed her lips together, took a shaky breath, and said, ¡°I was at the Office of Student Conduct. President Lee and the other school administrators were talking to me.¡± Tiffany¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she hurried to ask, ¡°What did they want? Was it about the forum stuff? What did you say?¡± ¡°I admitted to everything. I told them it was all me. I saw the video you recorded, Tiffany. I admitted to that too,¡± Nora said, bitterness in her voice. Luxurious 78 Chapter 78 ZA Tiffany finally felt at ease. She let out a light chuckle. ¡°Nice work, Nora. You really nailed it ¡°Don¡¯t forget your promise. You have to keep it¨CI can¡¯t be expelled from school, Nora said, her tone sharp and insistent. ¡°Tiffany, I don¡¯t want anything except that. As long as I¡¯m not kicked out, fine. Otherwise¡­. I honestly have no idea what I might do.¡± ¡°Fine, I heard you,¡± Tiffany said, clearly annoyed by Nora¡¯s demanding attitude. She hung up immediately, without another word. Nora let out a deep breath, stumbling through campus like she was on autopilot. The school day was long over¨Ceveryone else was either home or in their dorms, leaving the ce almost deserted. She found a secluded spot beside a flower bed, sat down, and her mind instantly started reying all the mess she¡¯d gotten herself into over the past three months. ¡®What a joke, Nora thought bitterly. ¡®I told myself I was helping my parents, but look at me now¨CI might not even graduate, and I barely helped at all. Most of the money Tiffany handed over ended up wasted on stuff she wanted: designer makeup, name¨Cbrand clothes¨Cshe even bought a beauty salon membership just to fake it for the crowd. Hanging out with Tiffany and her friends only turned her obsessive about keeping up. She had thought maybe if she stayed close to Tiffany, she could be one of those rich girls too. ¡®A poor girl¡¯s still just a poor girl, Nora thought, defeated. ¡®I failed my parents, my grades are a disaster, and now I¡¯m one step away from being expelled.¡¯ She buried her face in her hands and bawled her eyes out, crying so long that her throat turned hoarse. When there were no more tears left, she wiped her face, straightened up, and forced herself to head home. Meanwhile, the school forum was blowing up. Comment A: [Oh my god, Tiffany is really so pitiful! Seriously, which jerk snatched her photo from her phone and dumped them on the forum to make everyone think she did it? She totally got framed!] Comment B: [Ugh, I can¡¯t even. That video of Tiffanypletely broke my heart. She looked so vulnerable. my heart was aching for her.] Comment C: [For real, that heartbreak vibe hit me so hard! If I ever find out who stole Tiffany¡¯s photo and smeared her name, they¡¯d better watch out.) Comment D: [Damn, I used to badmouth Tiffany before¨CI¡¯m really sorry, Tiffany! I was way out of line.] The school hadn¡¯t put out any announcements yet, so no one knew who actually posted the photo. Tons of students who¡¯d trashed Tiffany before were logging on to apologize, and pretty much everybody was feeling sorry for her now. Tiffany scrolled through the forum, a sly smirk tugging at her lips. ¡®Alicia, after all your plotting, all you managed to do was chase away one of myckeys,¡® she thought. ¡®But sometimes even yourckeys can turn on you, Tiffany mused. Td better let Dad know about Nora, just in case. With that, she made her way to Hugh. Hugh nced at how Tiffany had handled everything, nodding with real approval. ¡°You did a great job with this.¡± Tiffany said, ¡°Dad, Nora already admitted to the school that she edited that photo herself and posted it. They¡¯re most likely going to punish her, but nothing official has been announced yet. Could you help pull some strings so she can stay at school?¡± Hugh replied, ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll make a call. This is nothing.¡± Without a moment¡¯s pause, Hugh called up Bruce right there in front of Tiffany. ?????? ???? FindN()vel Once the call went through, Hugh spoke in an authoritative, almostmanding tone. ¡°Mr. Sherman, see to it that Nora at your school isn¡¯t expelled. You can discipline her however else you want, but she stays¡± Bruce sounded uneasy. ¡°Mr. Lawrence, I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not possible.¡± Hugh was surprised by the rejection, frowning. Then it hit him¨Che hadn¡¯t offered anything in exchange. Of course he¡¯s not going to do me a favor for nothing, he thought. So Hugh said, ¡°If you can make this happen, once President Lee retires, I¡¯ll back you for the principal¡¯s job.¡± Bruce hesitated for a moment, then replied, ¡°Mr. Lawrence, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to help, but this whole situation has exploded at school. Even President Lee is involved, and he¡¯s made it clear¨Cit has to be handled strictly by the book.¡± Hugh considered for a bit, then said, ¡°Just bury the situation for now. Don¡¯t post any public notices. Wipe everything from the forum. Once things quiet down, just let it slide. President Lee¡¯s swamped with work anyway¨Cthere¡¯s no way he can track every little thing, right?¡± Bruce instantly caught on and nodded quickly. ¡°Alright, Mr. Lawrence, I¡¯ll keep a lid on things for now.¡± Hugh grinned. ¡°Smart thinking, Mr. Sherman. President Lee¡¯s stepping down in a few months. If wey low until then and you snag his spot, trust me¨Cnobody¡¯s gonna remember any of this. Rx, I¡¯ve got your back all the way to the top. Bruceughed, sounding a bit pleased. ¡°Thanks a lot, Mr. Lawrence.¡± He was thinking, ¡®Honestly, I¡¯ve had my eyes on the principal¡¯s job for years. Stuck as an administrator for over a decade¨Cit¡¯s about time I got a shot at moving up. I¡¯ve put in the work, kept my nose clean all these years, but promotion just never came my way. What else could I do? ¡®I¡¯m getting on in years, and if I don¡¯t grab this chance soon, who knows if I¡¯ll ever get another? ¡®Besides, this whole thing isn¡¯t even a big deal. Nobody was really hurt. That student already admitted she was in the wrong, and her family is dirt poor anyway. Why not help her out while I can?¡® ***** CD The next day, Nora dragged herself to school, nerves on edge. She was terrified the school might drop the hammer on her today, and she had no clue if Tiffany had even talked to Hugh about it. Nora kept her head down the whole way, and as soon as she got to ss, she slumped into her seat. She didn¡¯t dare look up at her ssmates, terrified that if the school made an announcement, everyone would point fingers, call her disgusting, say she was a bad person, and tell her she didn¡¯t deserve to be a college student¨Cmaybe even demand she get kicked out. She hunkered down in her seat, nervously watching the ssroom door, just hoping she wouldn¡¯t be calleri out¨Cuntil Tiffany finally walked in. Only then did she dare to lift her head, her eyes locked on Tiffany, and wouldn¡¯t look away. Tiffany caught Nora staring, sauntered right over, and gave her a superior little smile. ¡°It¡¯s done. You¡¯re safe.¡± Those words were like heaven to Nora. ¡®For real? It¡¯s actually handled?¡® Relief hit her so hard she nearly started crying andughing at the same time. She¡¯d spent the whole night freaking out, terrified she¡¯d be ruined, but for Tiffany, sorting stuff out was as easy as breathing. ¡°Having money really is magic,¡® Nora thought, feeling a stab of envy. From now on, if she just stuck with Tiffany, she¡¯d score more cash and never have to worry about anything happening to her again. She straightened up, chin held high, and linked arms with Tiffany. ¡°Tiffany, did you have breakfast yet? Want me to get you something?¡± Tiffany tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said, ¡°Let¡¯s just eat at the main cafeteria.¡± Nora nodded, slipped her arm through Tiffany¡¯s, and they made their way toward the ssroom door. As soon as they got there, they happened to bump into Alicia and Siennaing in. AD Luxurious 79 Chapter 79 : A ELB5 vadaliord Tiffany fixed Sienna with an icy, hostile stare. She¡¯d barely dodged disaster this time, all thanks to Sienna. ¡®Just you wait, Tiffany fumed to herself. ¡®Sooner orter, I¡¯ll make you regret crossing me. Alicia felt a chill run down her spine when she caught Tiffany¡¯s look. She realized it was all her fault that Sienna was in Tiffany¡¯s crosshairs now. That petty grudge¨Cholder was going to be after Sienna from now on. ¡®I¡¯ve got to protect Sienna from here on out, Alicia vowed. The four of them crowded around the doorway, none making any effort to give way. Nora puffed out her chest. ¡°Hey, are you two blind or what? Can¡¯t you see we¡¯re trying to get out? Move aside and let us through first.¡± Sienna nted her hands on her hips. ¡°Why should we move? We got here first. You step aside.¡± Alicia nced at Nora, thinking, ¡®Hasn¡¯t the school already figured it all out by now? Howe Nora¡¯s still strutting around like she owns the ce? Did Hugh pull some strings to cover this up?¡® Nora caught Alicia¡¯s look, smirked, then leaned in close to Alicia and said, ¡°I¡¯m the one who made that post. The photo of you and President Lee? Yeah, I put it out there. So what? See, nothing happened to me.¡± Alicia¡¯s suspicions were confirmed. ¡®So Hugh really did smooth things over for her,¡® she thought. ¡®But how did he pull it off?¡® Just as Alicia was still mulling it over, Tiffany put on her best weak act, pressing her hand to her forehead. ¡°Alicia, you know I¡¯ve never been all that healthy. I think my blood sugar¡¯s dropping¨Cmy head¡¯s all dizzy. How about letting us go eat breakfast first? If I don¡¯t eat now, I¡¯m seriously going to faint right here.¡± Alicia shifted to the side with Sienna, and Nora linked arms with Tiffany, swaggering out together like they owned the ce. Sienna was about ready to explode. ¡°She¡¯s so phony, like an Oscar¨Cwinning performance. And now this sudden ¡®low blood sugar¡® fainting act? The timing is just too perfect. Sickening, really.¡± Alicia took Sienna¡¯s hand. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s head inside.¡± Once they walked into ss and sat down, Alicia ced the breakfast she¡¯d brought¨Cher very homemade Ciabatta with beef filling¨Con the desk. The second Sienna spotted the food, her whole face lit up, like her worries just disappeared. She grabbed a piece and took a huge bite, grinning from ear to ear. ¡°Oh, Alicia! This is insanely delicious¨Cbeef and cheese, that¡¯s totally my jam!¡± Alicia chuckled. ¡°Eat as much as you want. I brought a ton.¡± Sienna stuffed more bread in her mouth as she mumbled, ¡°When my mom makes this, it¡¯s always a whole ordeal. She has to wait for the dough to rise¨Clike two hours! Did you get up at the crack of dawn for this, Alicia? Next time, let¡¯s not torture ourselves with such borate breakfasts.¡± Alicia lightly bonked her on the head. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not dumb! I made thisst night and just reheated it this morning.¡± : ¡°Oh, got it.¡± Sienna scarfed down another bite. ¡°You¡¯re a genius, Alicia!¡± ¡°Alright, hurry up and eat,¡± Alicia said with a gentle smile. ¡°Okay,¡± Sienna replied, taking another big bite of her bread. She grabbed another piece and, grinning, pushed it into Alicia¡¯s mouth. 165 vouchers Alicia took a bite, pulled out her phone, and checked the school forum. All those drama¨Cfilled threads were wiped clean¨Cnow there were only boring posts about academics left. It was like the whole thing had never happened. If Alicia hadn¡¯t been the one caught in the middle, she might¡¯ve thought she just dreamed it all up. ¡®Is the school just trying to sweep this under the rug?¡® Alicia wondered. ¡°They deleted every post, and now it¡¯s just supposed to be over? Are they seriously just letting it slide?¡® Even before all this went down, Alicia knew there was nothing she could do about Tiffany right now. But that troublemaker Nora¨Cthe one who started it all¨Cgot off totally scot¨Cfree. The price for spreading rumors was ridiculously low, but those lies could destroy a person¡¯s whole life. I hat was exactly what they did to her in herst life¨Cand there was no way she¡¯d let it slide this time. Alicia logged out of the forum and messaged Hank: [Hank, looks like all those threads on the school forum just got wiped. Any chance you can recover them?] Hank took a while to respond: [Yeah, I can.] Alicia: [Go ahead and bring them back.] Hank didn¡¯t reply right away. It wasn¡¯t until after Alicia¡¯s first big lecture that she finally got a message from him: [Got it.] Alicia: [What are you busy with? Is everything okay with your sister?] Hank: [No, it¡¯s nothing serious. Doctor Johnson just let us know the surgery¡¯s scheduled for next week. He managed to get us a discount, but we still need more than 100 thousand dors. I¡¯m trying to pull the money together.] Alicia: [I told you already, I¡¯ll handle the cost for the surgery. You don¡¯t have to worry about scraping the money together.] Right now, Hank was at a clinic, trading his blood for cash. He¡¯d wracked his brains for ways to make money fast, but nothing seemed to work quickly enough. Deep down, he felt he¡¯d let Alicia down once already. She never med him; instead, she even helped Sasha find a kidney donor. After all she¡¯d done for them, he didn¡¯t want to ask her to take care of the surgery costs, too. 19:12 Thu, Oct 2 When the blood draw was finished, Hank felt light¨Cheaded and had to sit in a waiting chair for a while before he was steady enough to reply to Alicia: [I¡¯ll scrape up the money myself for the surgery. Where would you get that kind of money anyway? Don¡¯t worry about it. And I¡¯ll help you with your thing) After sending the message, Hank struggled to his feet. Just as he was about to leave, his legs gave out and he hit the floor, totally blindsided by a wave of dizziness. Someone hurried over and helped him sit up. Luckily, Hank didn¡¯t ck outpletely. He fumbled in his pocket for a carton of milk and chugged it, waiting for the fuzziness to clear. After a couple of minutes, he dragged himself back toward the hospital. Alicia didn¡¯t care what Hank said. When she gives her word, she¡¯ll see it through¨Cno matter what. She checked her ount: just a little over 15 thousand dors left. She¡¯d have to leave some set aside for basic expenses, and the 30 thousand dors she¡¯d get for those threemissioned paintings. That still left her short about 60 thousand dors. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of money, she thought, feeling the weight of it on her shoulders, but she refused to back down. I promised, so I have to make it work somehow. A sudden thought popped into Alicia¡¯s mind. Back when she was selling her paintings on that international website, she¡¯d identally included something else in the shot¨Ca small scrap of cloth beside her artwork. Updates are released by Find[?]ovel Once the pictures went up, someone DM¡¯d her, asking if they could buy that bit of cloth, offering 60 thousand dors. Back then, she didn¡¯t really need the cash, so selling it never crossed her mind. That scrap was possibly her only lead to tracking down her birth parents, so she¡¯d hung onto it, just in case. Richard had told her that this scrap of cloth was the swaddling cloth she¡¯d been wrapped in as a newborn. Alicia was three years old when Richard finally took her in. Before that, she¡¯d been stuck in a filthy beggar¡¯s den, raised by a bunch of street people. But they weren¡¯t looking out for her¨Cthey just wanted to keep her around until she was old enough to be traded for money. When she was three, some of the older beggars started getting handsy with her, and she was too little to understand what was happening. That was when Richard saw what was going on and decided to take her away. He even paid off the whole gang of beggars to let her go. For Richard, who lived off scavenging, that money was everything he had. As Richard was leading her away, an old beggar chased after them and pressed the scrap of cloth into his hands. ¡°This was the nket the girl was wrapped in when she was a baby,¡± the old man said. ¡°Keep it for her. It might be the only clue she has to find her real parents someday.¡± So Richard kept the scrap safe for her all those years. It wasn¡¯t until Alicia turned eight that he finally handed it over and told her the whole story. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!