âHe... and Reginald, they want us to get divorced. They want you to marry Nicole,â Alicia said, her voice tinged with disappointment.
âNo...â Tyrone coughed, clearing his throat. âHe doesnât want me to marry Nicole anymore.â
âHuh? He changed his mind?â Alicia stared at Tyrone in surprise.
Tyrone gave a helpless nod. âYeah. Now he wants to marry her himself.â
Alicia blinked, momentarily stunned. Clayton wanted to marry Nicole?
For some reason, Alicia felt Nicole wasnât good enough for Clayton.
âIn any case, you need to stay away from that Clayton,â Tyrone warned, his tone edged with jealousy.
Clayton was just too handsome for his own good, and Tyrone didnât trust him around Alicia.
âDid you hear me?â When Alicia didnât answer right away, Tyrone leaned over and bit her lightly in a fit of jealousy.
Alicia laughed and nodded. âAlright.â
Clayton only had eyes for his precious Nicoleâwhy would he bother with her? Tyrone was overthinking things.
***
That night, Alicia slept soundly, but Tyrone lay awake.
He texted Clayton, warning him to keep his mouth shut for nowânot to spread any rumors. Too much attention could bring serious trouble to Alicia.
Clayton didnât bother replying.
Frustrated, Tyrone spent the night out on the balcony, smoking cigarette after cigarette.
This Ms. White persona... He couldnât decide if it was a blessing or a curse for Alicia.
Sheâd spent so many years as an orphan, bullied and trampled on, only to discover she was the sole heir to the White family. That kind of whiplash would shake anyone, and Tyrone wondered if it was a good thing or not.
And that wasnât even the worst of itâAliciaâs birth parentsâ deaths were still shrouded in mystery. Everyone suspected Brandon had a hand in it, but Brandon was too cunning, too careful. How could naive Alicia ever stand against Brandon and Jade?
Throwing her into the White familyâs tangled mess of secrets and sins... it was suffocating just to think about.
***
The next morning.
Aliciaâs alarm pulled her out of sleep. She got up, washed, and had breakfast before heading off to school.
To her slight disappointment, Tyrone was already gone.
Heâd left a note saying he had to handle a project at work.
Alicia ate the breakfast Tyrone had made before leaving, humming contentedly as she set out for school.
Outside the school gates, a crowd was gathered, phones raised, snapping photos.
Curious, Alicia squeezed closer and spotted Winnie Ryan among the group.
âWinnie, whatâs going on?â Alicia called out.
âItâs that Clayton! He showed up at school bright and early to drop Nicole off at the international program,â Winnie replied, a hint of disdain in her voice. She rolled her eyes. âBut honestly, Clayton is ridiculously handsome. All these girls are just waiting for him to come back out.â
Alicia sighed. Good looks really could open any door.
âHeâs coming out! Oh my gosh, why isnât a guy like that a movie star already?â
A group of girls squealed and rushed after Clayton, turning the entrance into chaos. Alicia got jostled and nearly tumbled headfirst into the flower beds, but a strong arm caught her around the waist, steadying her. The stranger didnât take advantageâinstead, he helped her regain her balance, almost chivalrously.
âThankââ Alicia started to say, then froze when she realized who her rescuer was: the so-called culprit, Clayton himself.
Clayton didnât even seem aware of how attractive he was. He never put much effort into his appearance, yet always managed to steal the spotlight.
Today, though, heâd clearly dressed upâthe tailored suit hugged his frame perfectly, his features even more striking than usual. He looked like something straight out of a Renaissance painting.
Alicia instinctively took a step back and offered a polite, awkward smile. âThank you, Mr. Holloway.â
Rich Radiant and Over Him (Alicia and Vincent)
ï¤Chapter 286 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 Clayton smiled in return. âMiss Alicia, I know Nicoleâs offended you in the past, and yesterday... well, I was only passing on a message from the old man. If I was out of line, I apologize. I was wondering... do you have time after class today? Maybe we could grab a meal together.â
Alicia hesitated, about to refuse.
âI know itâs sudden and probably a bit much,â Clayton said, his expression falling before she could answer. âItâs totally fine if you say no...â
Alicia opened her mouth, but how was she supposed to turn that down? âUm... sure, okay.â
Claytonâs lips curled into a small smile. âIâll pick you up after class, then.â
With that, he walked away.
Winnie watched Claytonâs retreating figure with suspicion. âAlicia, heâs acting weird today. Kinda like...â
She paused, searching for the right words, then slapped her thigh. âLike a peacock trying to show off its feathers!â