Chapter 35
The Hammond family never had the habit of eating in silence.
VPN
New User Rewards
Leo couldn’t help but feel that the dinner table had been way too quiet lately. His eyes drifted to the empty
seat.
64
He looked at his three sons and asked, “What’s Alicia been up to lately? Why hasn’t she been home for dinner? ”
Before, no matter how busy she was, Alicia always found time to join them for at least one family dinner every week.
But he hadn’t seen her in over ten days now.
Austin and Caleb exchanged a glance, then both looked at Kevin, signaling for him to answer.
Kevin looked up and sighed, “I heard she’s been busy with shows lately, so she hasn’t had a chance to come home p>
Nicole shot Kevin a look when she heard that.
‘He really didn’t tell Dad that Alicia quit and signed with another company, Nicole thought, a bit surprised. ‘Why bother keeping that a secret p>
Leo grumbled, “No matter how busy she is, she should still find time to come home and be with family.
“What’s so special about those performances anyway? She really shouldn’t have gone off to be some kind of
star.
“Let her know she needs to come back recently p>
He added, “Oh, and by the way, the aromatherapy candle Alicia made for me is all used up. Ask her to make some more and bring it over p>
He’d been dealing with insomnia for years, so Alicia had specially made him some calming aromatherapy candles. They had no side effects, just something to help him relax and sleep better, and it was good for his health too.
Ever since he started using it, he hadn’t had any trouble sleeping, and he always woke up feeling refreshed and full of energy.
The night before last, he woke up in the middle of the night, couldn’t sleep, and went to light some aromatherapy candles, only to realize the box was empty.
Without the candle last night, he barely slept a wink.
Kevin replied with a resigned look, “Alright, I’ll give her a call later p>
He added, “No matter how busy she is, she’ll definitely come back for your birthday celebration next month p>
16:46 Sat, May 2
Chapter 33
VPN
64
New User Rewards
The truth was, he couldn’t reach Alicia at all, and with her still mad at him, he didn’t think she’d show up in the next few days.
Leo frowned, “Next month is too late. See if you can get her to come back soon with some aromatherapy candles for me p>
Kevin nodded. “Alright p>
‘Just gotta placate Dad for now, Kevin thought.
Leo paused, as if something had just occurred to him. “Has something happened lately? I’ve run into a few people I know, and they keep giving me these strange looks.
“And a couple of folks I don’t get along with even told me to be sharp p>
He honestly had no idea what they were talking about.
He was still the chairman of the Hammond Group, calling the shots on all the important company matters.
‘Am I not sharp now? What are they even talking about?‘ Leo thought.
But whenever he tried to ask them about it, they’d just dodge the question and mumble something vague.
Kevin and his brothers just sat there, totally at a loss for words.
They all thought, ‘How are we supposed to answer that?
‘We can’t exactly tell him Alicia wants nothing to do with us anymore, and word’s probably already gotten around in the circle p>
After all, Thomas was from an influential family, and his wife was from an elite background too. They all moved in the same high society circles as the Hammond family.
Now that Alicia had asked Thomas to help her with the lawsuit, word was bound to get out, and rumors would start flying. None of it was good for the Hammond family.
They all thought Alicia was being so stubborn this time.
‘Why can’t she just talk things out with us? Why does she have to stir up all this drama?‘ they all thought.
Kevin shrugged. “Haven’t heard of anything going on.
“Probably just that we scored a huge contract lately, and those folks you don’t get along with are feeling salty and jealous p>
Leo fixed Kevin with a sharp stare. “Maybe. But if something’s up, don’t keep me in the dark p>
Kevin nodded. “Never, Dad p>
He didn’t dare breathe a word to his dad about Alicia wanting to cut ties with the family.
16:47 Sat, May 2
Chapter 33
VPN
64
New User Rewards
And he didn’t dare to mention she was asking for her share of the dividends, or even planning to sue them.
He figured he’d just wait until next month, when Leo’s birthday came around, and Alicia showed up, then try to sit down and talk things out with her.
AD
Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.