âBut... but do I really matter?â Alicia lowered her head, her voice barely above a whisper.
âYou matter,â Tyrone answered without hesitation.
He realized that when it came to Alicia, he had to be completely straightforward. No matter how clearly he explained, she would always find a way to doubt herself.
âYouâre very important,â he said again, his tone firm.
Alicia glanced at him anxiously, opening and closing her mouth a few times, but not a single word came out.
âAlicia, you can have a little more faith in yourself. Our marriage stopped being about that contract a long time ago. We only signed it to protect your interests. You can think of it as a prenuptial agreement, nothing more,â Tyrone said, regret heavy in his voice. If he could change one thing, it would be signing that contract in the first place. All it ever did was make Alicia feel like their marriage was just some business arrangement.
But looking back, he knew that if he hadnât insisted on that agreement, Alicia never would have had the courage to marry him at all.
Every choice has its price, he thought. This was his mess, and he would take responsibility for it.
âReally?â Aliciaâs eyes brimmed with tears as she looked up at him.
Tyrone pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head. âAlicia, do you honestly not feel it? I donât believe you havenât noticed...â
Was he really that bad at showing her he cared?
âBut... they say that when a sugar daddy wants to keep his mistress happy, heâll act all gentle and attentive, but the second he gets bored, heâll just toss her aside,â Alicia muttered, so softly it was almost like she was talking to herself.
Tyroneâs patience snapped. Without another word, he scooped her up and carried her straight to the bedroom.
Fine. If words werenât getting through, maybe actions would.
...
It was well past midnight by the time they were done. Aliciaâs voice was hoarse, her eyes puffy, and she looked too exhausted to even keep them open.
âSo, still want a divorce?â Tyrone asked, carrying her out of the bathroom and giving her a light slap on the backside.
Aliciaâs reply was choked with tears. âNo more... As long as you donât ask for a divorce, I wonât either.â
She clung to him with all the strength she had left.
Looks like talking really wasnât the answer, Tyrone mused. Sometimes you needed a different approach.
âAll right then. Now tell meâwho came to see you today, and what did they say?â Tyrone tucked her under the covers, satisfied, and got straight to the point.
Alicia pulled the blanket over her head, mumbling, unwilling to answer.
âHm?â Tyrone yanked the covers back, pinched her cheek, and let his hand start wandering.
âClayton!â Alicia yelped, panicked. âIt was Clayton!â
Tyroneâs eyes darkened. He ruffled her hair. âNext time, try thinking for yourself. Are you going to believe everything people say?â
âBut... what he said made sense.â Alicia mustered up the courage to defend herself.
After all, if Tyrone married Nicole, heâd inherit both the Lynch and the White family fortunes. If it were Vincent, she thought, heâd have said yes in a heartbeat.
âSo, if he told you to jump off a bridge and said your death would make my life better, would you do it?â Tyroneâs irritation was clear.
Alicia shook her head. Why would she do something like that? Sheâd just leave, not... that.
âAt least youâre not that naïve,â Tyrone said, half amused, half exasperated. âYouâre a smart girlâso why do you let people talk circles around you?â
Alicia flushed, groaned, and rolled over, burying her face deep in the pillow.
âItâs only when it comes to you...â she mumbled, so quietly he almost didnât catch it.
She just cared too much about Tyrone. If it were about herself, or anyone else, sheâd never be swayed so easily.
Tyrone felt a tightness in his chest. He was about to pull her into his arms and say something comforting when his phone rang. The caller ID flashed:
Clayton.
Tyroneâs expression turned cold. He hadnât even had a chance to confront Clayton yetâand now the man was calling him.
Rich Radiant and Over Him (Alicia and Vincent)
ï¤Chapter 282 The Heiress Acts Mischievously, But Her Family Can Read Her Mind ï¤Chapter 347: Administering Drugs Switched Marriage The Coddled Little Wife ï¤Chapter 538: Unimaginable He let the phone ring, not picking up right away. Just then, the doorbell sounded.
Tyroneâs brows knitted together. He checked the security camera on his phoneâit really was Clayton, standing outside his front door in the middle of the night.
What the hell could be so urgent at this hour?