Chapter 25
Harvey had been a little worried about Alicia carlier, but now, he wasn’t. Alicia might act quiet, but Harvey knew she had learned how to bite.
He didn’t rush to step in. Sometimes it was more fun to watch the show.
Leaning casually against the doorframe, he let a small smirk play at the corner of his lips. Yet when his fell on Alicia’s hands-rough, slightly scarred-he couldn’t help the flicker of concern.
eyes
The crowd around her couldn’t help but glance at her hands, too. They were actually elegant-long, slender fingers and fair skin, but the skin was rough, cracked from hard work.
Gasps spread through the onlookers.
“My god… what’s going on? Forcing this little girl into a family like that-is this kidnapping?” one murmured.
“If you really want a daughter, adopt her properly! Why treat her like this?” another agreed. “And seriously… she isn’t even their real daughter, but they talk as if she owes her everything. What kind of logic is that?”
Hugh, watching, noticed the crowd slowly starting to side with Alicia. His eyes darkened. Alicia had surely changed. She never would’ve dared defy us before, and she wasn’t this sharp-tongued.
When did it start? Hugh frowned. He never knew when had she grown a backbone. But still, to him, no matte how clever Alicia got, she was still just an orphan.
With so many VIPS in the ward, he couldn’t let her keep making a scene, so he spoke up.
“Alicia, I didn’t expect you to take my lessons as our displeasure. If you didn’t like it, you should have said something sooner,” he said. “I have three sons and only one daughter-of course I pay extra attention. Thoug you’re adopted, when Tiffany wasn’t around, you were my only daughter.”
He shot her a warning look. If she didn’t back down now, he would make she regret it. This was his way of giving her a face-saving exit.
“Oh, so it’s all about the lessons for the kids,” someone nearby whispered. “These days, many families send their children out on ‘trial’. Just look at the Yates family-after the trial, the heir came back ready to run the family business.”
Alicia’s eyes flickered. Her voice softened, almost touched. “So Dad… all of this, it was just training me? I’m sorry. I misunderstood you.”
Hugh allowed himself a small, satisfied smile. Good, he thought. Alicia was finally acknowledging the family line. Now the Lawrence family could salvage its reputation.
But then Alicia tilted her head, eyes wide and innocent. “If this training is just for me, does that mean you plan to let me manage the Lawrence family someday?”
She looped her arm through his, awe in her expression. “I never expected, as an adopted daughter, to be valued like this. Honestly, my brothers are all far more talented than me.”
Chapter 25
The crowd murmured, finally speaking out.
“So the Lawrence family trains only the adopted daughter but not their sons? Are they really going to hand the family over to her?” someone asked, curiously.
“Hey, Mr. Lawrence, another chimed in. “How many shares will you give your adopted daughter?”
“Yeah, tell us! There are so many of us here-we want to witness it!”
Hugh’s face darkened. He wanted to shake her off and scold her. An orphan, and now daring to cover the family fortune? This was unacceptable to him.
But with so many eyes on him, all he could do was force out a stiff laugh.
On the other side, Harvey almost laughed outright. He never thought Alicia was this brilliant-she’d rattled that Hugh Lawrence and still kept her cool.
Alicia didn’t stop. If Hugh loved theatrics, she could play along. She wasn’t going to lose-once an award- winning actress, never out-acted by a rookie.
“So Dad,” she tilted her head again, eyes wide with innocence. “This time, because I’m sick, you want me to give my room to Tiffany… is this also part of my ‘training’?”
Then she lowered her gaze, hope shining in her eyes. “I know you’re training me for my own good, but how I wish to feel your love just once. Could you give me a break when I’m feeling unwell and have me keep my room? Tiffany’s already in Room 602-why should I give mine up?”
Her expression softened everyone present. Murmurs of disapproval shifted toward Hugh.
“Mr. Lawrence, she’s sick, and you wants her to give up her room for your real daughter?” one snapped. “Are you serious?”
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