Rich Radiant and Over Him (Alicia and Vincent) novel Chapter 501

She stood quietly before Reginald’s gravestone, lost in thought.

For as long as she could remember, she’d grown up in an orphanage. There were times she’d hated her birth parents for abandoning her, and times she’d clung to the hope they might someday come back for her.

All this time, she’d believed she’d been left behind. But the truth was far crueler—her parents had been murdered long ago.

She couldn’t accept it. There were years filled with anger and resentment.

If only her parents had lived, she might have grown up cherished and adored by the White family, her every wish granted and her every need anticipated.

But there are no “what ifs” in this world. Life has its own unyielding rules.

“If you’re hurting, it’s okay to cry, you know.” Tyrone’s voice came from behind. He was dressed all in black, a baseball cap pulled low over his brow as he approached.

He longed to stand at Alicia’s side, to be her strength and support. But that moment hadn’t come yet.

“Alicia… Just hold on a little longer. It’ll all be over soon.” Tyrone reached for her hand, lacing his fingers with hers.

The truth always comes out in the end.

Alicia gripped his hand tightly. This was a cemetery, and she didn’t dare embrace him here, but with Tyrone beside her, her heart felt steadier. “Tyrone… I’ve missed you so much.”

Alicia was tough in so many ways, but her heart was fragile when it came to love.

She wanted Tyrone with her, always—wanted him by her side every moment. But that wasn’t realistic. She had to learn to stand on her own.

“The board is putting on the pressure. They want me and Clayton to get married as soon as possible…” Alicia dropped her gaze, searching Tyrone’s face for his reaction.

“Don’t worry. That marriage isn’t going to happen,” Tyrone assured her. “And White Corporation isn’t about to fall apart.”

If Alicia truly couldn’t handle things, he’d step in himself.

Even if it meant blowing his cover, he would never let Alicia be cornered—or let Brandon claw his way back into White Corporation.

“I can handle it.” Alicia looked Tyrone in the eye, her voice steady. “Trust me. I really can.”

She already had a plan.

She called Felix and shifted her focus to the upcoming national design competition. This time, she had to outshine Jade, had to make everyone at White Corporation see her talent and her worth.

This was only the first step.

And she had to win it.

…

Jade sought out Clayton in person, but he refused to see her.

She waited outside his villa, unwilling to accept such humiliation, yet forced to swallow her pride and wait.

“Jade, you have to win first place in this design competition.” Brandon called her, his voice steely with purpose. “Focus on the competition—and on Clayton. I’ve made contact with Franklin Ford, the head of architectural design at White Corporation. He’s still undecided between you and Alicia. But if you take first, if you beat Alicia, Franklin will come over to our side.”

Franklin was a key player, the very heart of White Corporation’s network. The heads of nearly every department counted him as a friend; win Franklin over, and you won the support of half the upper management.

Jade couldn’t afford to lose to Alicia—not this time.