Chapter 34
Both Lucent Media and Starlight Entertainment had invested in the show this time.
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With two notorious stars and the top–tier idol Nicolas making his first appearance on a reality show, the hype was already off the charts before the show even aired.
The last two spots were quickly settled.
Simon Graves, an actor hovering between the second and first tiers, joined the show with Hannah Clarke, a second–tier popular actress.
They weren’t from the same company, but they teamed up and snatched the spots from their competitors.
Alicia knew Simon and Hannah, but she wasn’t really familiar with them and had never worked together before.
Before she died, Simon still hadn’t broken into the A–list.
And next year, Hannah’s drama would end up airing at the same time as Nicole’s.
The two dramas went head–to–head. Even though Hannah’s acting was way better than Nicole’s, she just couldn’t keep up with Nicole’s marketing.
When the show aired, Hannah was constantly hit with scandals and bad press, and people even boycotted her. In the end, her drama totally flopped.
With Nicole’s team working their magic behind the scenes, Hannah fell straight out of the second tier and never managed to climb back up.
It was actually pretty amusing to see them end up together on the show this early.
That day, Thomas reached out to Alicia.
He said, “I’ve already sent a legal notice to the Hammond Group and negotiated with them to get you your dividends for the past two years.
“But Kevin isn’t on board. He insists on meeting you in person p>
Alicia frowned, “I don’t want to see him. If they won’t cooperate, just take legal action p>
She absolutely didn’t want to see Kevin, and she had zero interest in discussing dividends with him.
Otherwise, she’d probably end up getting hit with some random guilt–tripping all over again.
She still remembered how the Hammonds had pushed her to hand over half her shares to Nicole
In the end, she refused, and her father and three brothers accused her of being selfish.
They each ended up giving Nicole some money as “compensation” instead.
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Chapter 32
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Alicia just didn’t get why they always went on about making it up to Nicole and what they owed her.
Nicole got abused by her own dad, supposedly leaving her traumatized, inside and out, but it had nothing to do with them. It wasn’t like they were the ones who caused it.
Honestly, ever since Nicole joined the Hammond family, she’d been spoiled rotten, way more than Alicia, the actual Hammond heiress.
Thomas just wanted to make sure where Alicia stood on this. “Alright, I’ll let him know. If they won’t settle this privately, you’re ready to take legal action p>
Alicia replied, “Okay, thanks p>
After hanging up, Thomas immediately reached out to Kevin and relayed Alicia’s message.
Kevin couldn’t believe it. “It’s not like I’m refusing to pay her dividends. I just wanted to meet and talk with her, but she flat–out refused. She’s going to sue us? What’s she up to p>
Recently, the three brothers had all tried to contact and find Alicia, but none of them had any luck.
When Alicia brought in a lawyer to discuss the dividends, Kevin thought this would finally be his chance to see her.
Alicia owned six percent of the company, and her annual dividends were a pretty hefty sum.
‘What’s she planning to do with all that cash?‘ Kevin wondered.
From what he remembered, Alicia wasn’t into flashy stuff or splurging.
Their father had suggested that Alicia give half her shares to Nicole.
Kevin had been hoping to use this as a chance to test Alicia’s attitude.
But to his shock, she actually refused to see him. Something that had never happened before.
In the past, as long as he reached out or asked to meet, she’d always show up.
No matter where she was or what was going on, she’d rush back just to see him.
Thomas could pick up on the irritation in Kevin’s voice. He said coldly, “This is my client’s legal right. If you guys can’t work things out, of course she has every right to sue. She’s up to nothing p>
Kevin frowned, “She’s the Hammond heiress. If she goes and sues the Hammond Group, and people find out, we’ll be a laughing stock p>
Thomas replied, “Then just pay her dividends quickly and get the money into her account. Do that, and she won’t have any reason to sue. Nobody will have anything to gossip about p>
He was basically saying that it was not Alicia’s fault.
Kevin was momentarily at a loss for words, then pushed back. “She can have her dividends, but only if I get to
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Chapter 32
see her face–to–face. That’s my non–negotiable condition. Otherwise, forget it p>
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He just couldn’t believe Alicia would actually drag this into court. After all, she had always been the type to put the family first.
Besides, Keven never said no. As far as he was concerned, he hadn’t done anything wrong.
Thomas said, “Looks like we’ll have to sue then p>
Kevin muttered irritably, “Whatever. Do what you want p>
Thomas hung up and started preparing the paperwork for the lawsuit.
At dinner time, the Hammonds were gathered at Hammond Manor.
Everyone was there except Alicia–Leo, Nicole, her mother, and the three Hammond brothers.
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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.