Chapter 136
Chapter 134
“By the way, isn’t she using your photo as her profile pic?
“And that cringey heart with your name in the middle? Man, you guys are wild!” the guy teased.
Fun‘ Give me a break. What’s this got to do with me? I didn’t even know about any of this until now.
Nicolas glanced around and, sure enough, spotted his aunt in the middle of a lively group, animatedly showing off something on her phone and chatting away with a huge smile,
No question about it–she was the one who spread all the drama.
He’d never seen an aunt so eager to roast her own nephew in public. He felt like crying right then.
Nicolas was speechless. “Seriously, there’s nothing going on between me and Nicole. We’re not like that, so quit spreading rumors, alright p>
The guy raised an eyebrow. “Come on, you always treat Nicole like she’s special. Doesn’t really look all that innocent between you two.
“ But since we’ve been bros for years, let me give you a word of advice.
“Mess around with Nicole if you want, but don’t ever get serious about her.
“Honestly, all of us think she’s nowhere near as good as Alicia.
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When it comes to looks and presence, Alicia just blows Nicole out of the water.
Plus, Alicia’s got a hefty inheritance from her late mom, and she owns six percent of the Hammond family’s company shares.
ww
“Honestly, there are a ton of people eyeing Alicia right now,” the guy added.
He shot Nicolas a warning. “If you cross the line, there’ll be guys lining up to snatch her away from you p>
If Alicia wasn’t his bro’s fiancée, he’d be shooting his shot for sure.
Marrying Alicia is basically marrying a golden ticket.
Plus, she’s an absolute knockout–and everyone loves her vibe.
Nicolas’s expression turned cold. “Tell them to keep dreaming. It’s never gonna happen p>
He stressed again, “Me and Nicole? Seriously, there’s really nothing going on p>
But his friend just gave him a look that screamed, “Yeah, sure, I get it, bro,-clearly not buying his explanation at all.
Nicolas felt so helpless–he could talk till he was blue in the face, but nobody would believe him. Everyone had it all wrong, and there was just no way to clear things up.
Before long, it was time for dinner.
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08:51 Sat, May 9 NO
Chapter 134
Leo led the rest of the Hammond family to the front of the room.
65 vouchard
Every year at his birthday banquet, Leo would step up and give a speech, thanking everyone for coming to celebrate with him.
This year was no different.
But in the past, Alicia was always the one running the show.
This year, though, Nicole was in charge instead.
The thing was. Alicia still hadn’t made an appearance.
Leo glanced around and asked, “Where’s Alicia p>
The Hammond brothers quickly covered for her, saying she was busy preparing a special gift to surprise him, so she hadn’t made it yet.
Because of that. Nicole stepped in to host the birthday banquet instead.
Nicole was absolutely thrilled inside.
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Everyone could tell that her hosting the birthday banquet this year was basically the Hammond family’s way of saying she was officially part of the family now.
If it weren’t for all the drama Vivian had been spreading, people probably would’ve bought it.
But now, everyone was just thinking, ‘Wow, this stepdaughter’s got some serious skills–she even stole the real heiress’s spotlight p>
Honestly, the Hammond men had no idea what was really going on.
Leo grabbed the mic and gave a heartfelt thank you to everyone for coming.
After that, it was time for each of his children to present their birthday gifts.
Starting with Kevin, they each took their turn, ending with Nicole.
Kevin and his brothers all went with store–bought gifts.
But Nicole really went the extra mile–she hand–embroidered ten thousand “longevity” characters, making it clear she’d put a ton of heart into her present.
Leo said a few kind, loving words to her, clearly proud of her thoughtfulness.
Then Leo turned to Kevin. “What about Ally’s gift p>
He still hadn’t seen Alicia anywhere, and honestly, he was getting more and more curious—just what kind of stunt was that girl pulling this time?
Kevin suffened. ‘What am I supposed to
say now?
Should I just admit Ally didn’t even show up, and I haven’t seen any gift at all?‘ he wondered.
08:51 Sat, May 9 NAO
Chapter 134
Just as he was racking his brain for a way to smooth things over, the big screen behind them suddenly
flickered.
Then. Nicole popped up on the screen, her eyes gentle and full of pride as she showed off her collection of instruments, explaining who had given her each one.
She even said Leo was the best dad ever.
Lee and most of the guests who hadn’t seen the live variety show just figured Nicole had made this video as a special birthday present for him.
But Kevin, Austin. Maxwell, and Nicolas all looked uncomfortable, their faces falling as the video started
It suddenly hit Kevin, and he urgently told Felix to shut down the big screen.
But even after Felix hit the off button, the video just kept playing.
Suddenly, Alicia showed up on the screen.
It was that clip from the variety show where she flat–out declared to the trainees that she’d officially cut ties with the Hammond family.
Leo and the rest of the guests were absolutely floored their jaws dropped, and nobody could believe what they were seeing.
As the video ended, a line of text suddenly popped up on the big screen.
[Leo, ex–dad–this is the birthday gift I’m giving you after we’ve parted ways. It’s the very last one I’ll ever give you, so I hope you like it! -Alicia Delaney]
Everyone was stunned, yet again.
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Honestly, Alicia’s birthday present absolutely blew everyone’s mind!
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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.