His Awesome Ex Is Now Uncle's Lady (Alicia and Austin) novel Chapter 53

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Chapter 53 Stray in the Rain

Alicia had never known what warmth felt like in the Gibson household.

Every branch of the family stuck together, protecting their own interests. On the other hand, she had always been the outlier-the girl left standing in the shadows while her father’s mistress and her clique ran the show.

She felt utterly alone at that table full of smug, judgmental faces.

She pressed, “Grandpa, are you still refusing to agree to my request?”

Frank’s voice cracked like thunder. “Watch your tone. Is that how you speak to your grandfather?”

Alicia didn’t flinch. “Fine, then I’ll be direct. Dad, I want to be General Manager of the Engineering Department at Gibson Corporation.”

Frank froze, but Bernard jumped in before he could respond. “Alicia, Grandpa already assigned me that role. Why does a woman even work in Engineering?”

Her pulse raced in her ears. Bernard? Really? That kid has been an intern for about six months, while I’ve been breaking my back in Southam for three long years.

That’s the truth: Grandpa never intended those promises. He’s merely been leading me on, condescendingly patting me like a naive kid while secretly giving everything to Bernard.

Figures. In this family, talent doesn’t mean anything. What matters is being born a man.

Frank’s tone turned colder. “You’ve lost your mind. You should be getting ready to be a wife, not trying to run the company.”

The whispers started immediately.

“See her-so self-assured, she’s asking for a General Manager role as if she owns this place.”

“A married daughter’s as good as gone. What’s next, giving the Burtons our family business too?”

“Alicia, prioritize being a good wife over pretending to be in charge.”

Family. What a joke. Alicia smiled faintly, though her eyes were icy. “Grandpa, someday you’ll regret underestimating me.”

She didn’t wait for another insult. She spun around and left. Her heels clacked loudly and evenly down the hall.

Frank’s voice Called out to her. “Alicial Tonight’s the family dinner-where are you going?”

“That’s your Gibson family dinner,” she retorted without turning around. “It has nothing to do with me; I’m just the outsider, remember?”,

She didn’t stop walking.

Outside, rain had started to fall. The drizzle quickly turned heavy, soaking through her dress as she made

her way down the driveway. She had come in Steven’s car earlier, and in Litchbrook, she usually borrowed Bernard’s.

The irony hit her-after all her years of grinding to prove herself, she still didn’t have a car or a place to call her own. Without the Gibsons, she was completely adrift.

Her mother’s side of the family had always supported her quietly, with her uncles checking in when possible and her grandpa offering small acts of kindness in secret. However, they had their own lives and families to tend to, and she couldn’t rely on them indefinitely.

So she kept walking. The street was lined with luxury homes, too secluded for cabs. The rain grew heavier, the sky dimmer. Her shoes squelched against the pavement, her feet aching with every step.