Rich Radiant and Over Him (Alicia and Vincent) novel Chapter 68

"Don't worry, I'll handle it." Tyrone picked up his phone and, right in front of Alicia, dialed his grandfather.

The old man answered almost immediately. "What took you so long to pick up?"

His voice, laced with irritation, carried the weight of a seasoned businessman—so commanding that just hearing it made Alicia nervous. She stood frozen, head bowed, already running through backup plans in her mind. If Tyrone decided to drop this partnership for the sake of family reputation, what would she do?

If she really had no way out, then maybe she'd just go down fighting with Vincent. Or worse—she found herself thinking, maybe she'd just end it all, and take Vincent with her. Invite him out somewhere alone, and make sure neither of them walked away.

Ever since her breakdown freshman year, her thoughts had always teetered on the edge. If it weren't for her sense of responsibility, she might have given up already.

"Melanie caused a scene when she got home," Tyrone said into the phone. "I just had to set her straight. Sorry, it took a while."

"You saw what Vincent said to the press?" The old man's tone was icy. "That ‘young woman' he mentioned—is she the one you're looking for?"

Alicia's palms broke out in sweat. She ducked her head even lower.

Tyrone glanced at her before replying, "Yes, Vincent was talking about Alicia. But it's not true. Back in her freshman year, it was his sister who bullied Alicia—there's solid evidence. His sister was taken away by the police. That's why he's acting out now."

"Hmph. The Lawsons have already reached out to me," the old man grunted. "They're especially protective of Mira. If she goes to prison, the Lawsons won't let it go. Are you sure you want to go against the Lawsons for Alicia?"

He was really asking: Was Tyrone willing to risk a family feud for this girl?

"Grandpa, Alicia and I are already married," Tyrone said, his tone steady.

There was a beat of silence so tense Alicia thought she might faint. Then the old man's voice exploded through the speaker. "Tyrone, you went and got married behind my back? Something this big and you didn't even bother to tell me? Do you even see me as your grandfather anymore?"

"We planned to come home in a few days and tell you in person," Tyrone replied calmly. The deed was done, and there was no turning back now.

"I'll deal with Vincent," Alicia said softly. She wanted to ask him why he'd said all those things to the press.

"You can't—and you don't need to," Tyrone said, not missing a beat. "His whole goal is to see you ruined. Giving him attention just plays into his hands. Ignore him. Stay focused on your studies. As long as you care, he'll just keep lashing out."

Alicia thought it over and nodded.

Back in her room, she sat on the edge of her bed, scrolling through the trending topics on her phone.

After Vincent publicly admitted to keeping a college girl as his mistress, the fallout was swift. His reputation as a devoted, long-suffering lover was in tatters. The years he'd supposedly spent pining after his ‘one true love' were now the punchline to a cruel joke.

All just to destroy her—Vincent really had gone all in.

But in the end, he'd dragged Mina down with him. Now she was just another scandal for their social circle to gossip about.