Chapter 91
After hanging up. Maxwell’s face fell, and he let out a heavy sigh.
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“Getting back on Alicia’s good side isn’t going to be easy this time,” he said. “And she actually sued Hammond Group. If Leo finds out about this, he’s going to lose his mind. Kevin’s stuck in the middle too p>
Nicolas couldn’t wrap his head around it either. “Yeah, I don’t get it. If word gets out, the Hammonds look bad, but what does she gain from that p>
Alicia didn’t need money, so it couldn’t be about the cash.
Knowing Kevin’s personality, he wouldn’t refuse to give her the dividends.
This is something they could sort out face to face,‘ Nicolas thought. ‘Why won’t she just sit down and talk it through? What’s the really after p>
Maxwell thought for a moment. “Maybe I should try to talk to her tomorrow and convince her not to push this so far. Leo cares about his reputation more than anything, and if this gets out and embarrasses him, I’m worried it’ll damage their elationship for good p>
Nicolas nodded. “Yeah, someone needs to talk some sense into her p>
Otherwise, at this rate, he was afraid Alicia would go too far down this path, and they wouldn’t be able to pull her back.
Then he asked, uncertainty creeping into his voice, “But will she even listen p>
After all, she’d yelled at him and even hit him today.
Maxwell’s face fell, and he groaned, “I have to say something even if you don’t want to hear it. God, this sucks p>
He paused and then asked, “Do you think she’s cutting us off because of Nicole? I mean, yeah, we missed her performances ind all that, but is Nicole the real reason p>
Nicolas thought back to what Alisha had said, and it seemed like she hated Nicole even more now.
Nicolas let out a heavy sigh and said, “I’m getting that feeling too. She told me we’re not close anymore and she wants nothing to do with us p>
He continued. “I think the online hate she got was the breaking point. You know, when people attacked her for supposedly Sout–chasing by claiming to be a Hammond family heiress, your childhood friend, and your cousin.
It was all true, but we never stepped up to defend her. We let them tear her apart online, and I think that’s when she finally gave up on us p>
Maxwell thought it over carefully and nodded, “Yeah, that’s probably it. But we were stuck between a rock and a hard place p>
He sighed again and said. “If we’d gone public to clear things up, Nicole’s status as the adopted daughter would’ve been exposed
He ran his hand through his hair in frustration and muttered. “I can’t go through that agam I can’t watch her lying in a pool of blood, almost dead Not again”
When Nicole first came to the Hammond family, she’d tried so hard to fit in and make them like her.
After she arrived, the Hammonds noticed she showed signs of depression, so they hired a therapist who worked with her for
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3:55 am
Chapter 89
months.
PPP.
Her mental health was fragile, and she’d break down crying over the smallest things.
She was thin and frail, and once they learned about her past, they all felt sorry for her.
They hadn’t exactly welcomed her into the family, but they hadn’t gone out of their way to hurt her either.
But then one day, Nicole mentioned she wanted to grow azaleas.
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The butler asked Leo about it and then pulled up Alicia’s begonias from the garden and replaced them with azaleas
That day, Maxwell, Nicolas, and Alicia all came home to Delaney Manor together after school.
When Alicia found out what had happened, she was furious and not only pulled out the azaleas that had just been planted, but she even cried, which was rare for her.
So he and Nicolas went to scold Nicole.
He told her that she was just a stepdaughter with a different last name, and that she should be grateful the Hammond family was letting her stay with them. He demanded to know what right she had to pull out Alicia’s flowers.
Nicole cried and said she didn’t do it.
She insisted she only wanted to plant azaleas and had no idea the butler would pull out Alicia’s flowers.
He didn’t listen and scolded her again, making a point to emphasize her status once more.
But an hour later, the servants found Nicole in the bathtub after she’d slit her wrists.
They saw her lying in a tub full of blood with their own eyes, and in that moment, he was completely stunned.
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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.