Melanie's eyes brimmed with tears as she clutched her backpack. "What do you know? I'm an orphan too! I'm just staying with Uncle Tyrone's family... If I cause any trouble and he decides he doesn't want me anymore, what am I supposed to do?"
She was terrifiedâterrified of upsetting these people and making her uncle angry. What if he sent her away?
"You act like you don't know Tyrone at all," Alicia said gently, meeting Melanie's gaze. "If he didn't care about you, he wouldn't have raised you all these years."
Melanie scoffed. "He only took me in because of my mom... He loved her, that's why he looked after me after she died. But I'm not his own daughter.
He's not even my real uncle..."
Her voice trembled. "What if... What if one day he stops loving my mom? What if he falls in love with you instead?" Melanie's voice broke as she started to cry.
She didn't really hate Aliciaânot truly. She was just scared, feeling threatened and vulnerable.
She was afraid Tyrone would get married, afraid he'd fall for someone else.
"Tyrone's not going to fall in love with me," Alicia murmured, looking away, an unexpected pang of sadness in her chest.
She was painfully aware of the truth. Tyrone would never love her.
They'd met too late.
If only they'd known each other before she'd met Vincentâhow different things might have been.
"Really?" Melanie eyed her warily, uncertain.
Alicia nodded.
"But Uncleâ" Melanie stared at the ground. "He never lets women get close to him, ever. And yet... he hugged you. He never even did that with my mom..."
Her words trailed off.
Alicia hesitated. Tyrone never let women near him?
"Last night was just an accident," Alicia explained, trying to reassure Melanieâand herself. "I had a panic attack. Hugging helps calm my nerves.
That's all it was."
Melanie let out a huffy little sound, trying to mask her embarrassment. "I don't totally hate you, you know... You're married to my uncle now, even if he doesn't love you. So if anyone at school tries to mess with you again, just smack them right in the face."
Alicia couldn't help but laugh. There was something infectious about Melanie's fiery spirit. "How about we make a deal?" she suggested. "From now on, we don't let anyone push us around. If someone bullies us, we stand up for ourselves. If I can't handle it, I'll call you for backup. If you can't, you call me. Deal?"
Melanie's eyes lit up as she looked Alicia up and down, then wrinkled her nose. "Your arms and legs are so skinny. You're not as strong as me."
"I'm stronger than I look! I worked as a mover one summer," Alicia said, completely serious.
Melanie's gaze softened, her hostility fading. After a moment, she ducked her head. "Don't tell Uncle about what happened today."
Alicia nodded, ready to leave.
But Melanie called out again. "And... thanks."
Face burning, she turned and ran off before Alicia could reply.
Alicia stood there smiling, then headed to the car and rode back to campus.
When the car pulled up at the school gates, she saw a crowd of students gathered on both sides, craning their necks to see something.
The moment Alicia stepped out, a swarm of reporters rushed toward her.
"Alicia, is it true Vincent Lawson of Lawson & Co. has been supporting you for four years?"
"As a student, do you have anything to say about the rumors that you've been kept?"
"Did you knowingly get involved with Vincent and come between him and Mina?"
Their rapid-fire questions exploded in Alicia's mind, each one a shock to the system.
Had these reporters somehow found out the seniors were returning today and set up this ambush?
Just then, a sleek Mercedes pulled into the parking lot. Mina stepped out, arm-in-arm with Vincent, clearly staking her claim.
Rich Radiant and Over Him (Alicia and Vincent)
ï¤Chapter 70 Transmigration: I Have Storage Space in the Apocalypse ï¤Chapter 760 - 756: Encountering a Man with Evil Intentions She wanted everyone to see: she was the real girlfriend, the woman who belonged by Vincent's side. Alicia, in their eyes, was nothing but a scandal, a mistress, someone who'd never be accepted.