Rising From Betrayal Reborn As The Family Outcast (Alicia Delaney) novel Chapter 60

Chapter 61

Jason had mentioned he’d come to support her, so she set aside a ticket for him. He’d attend simply as a friend.

In this life, she’d only grown close to Darren within the industry. The others were still more acquaintances than friends.

Outside of entertainment, she still kept in touch with former mentors, classmates, and close friends.

But since this was just a mentoring appearance with the real spotlight on the trainees and given that her outside circle had little connection to the industry, she decided not to extend the invitation.

Because she only asked for one ticket, Chase handed her a seat in the very center of the family section before moving on to offer tickets to the other teams’ mentors.

Nicole requested four. Since Leo and her mother were still abroad, she reserved them for the three Hammond brothers and Collin.

Nicolas asked for two, planning to invite his parents. He also saw it as a chance for his mother to meet Alicia.

Maxwell, on the other hand, took more than a dozen, enough for his esports teammates, his eldest brother, and three of his cousins.

Back in her hotel room, Nicole phoned each of the three Hammond brothers and Collin, inviting them to the showcase with the tickets she had set aside. All four accepted.

Not long after, Maxwell made his rounds of calls as well.

During their conversation, Kevin asked, “Did Alicia get tickets for the family section too?”

“She did,” Maxwell confirmed. “But we rehearsed in separate teams, so I don’t know how many she asked for.”

A thoughtful smile crossed Kevin’s face. “Then let’s take the seats from Alicia’s tickets this time.”

The last rift between them had started when they chose Nicole’s performance over Alicia’s.

Now that both sisters were sharing the same stage, there was no need to pick sides.

Hoping to mend things, Kevin decided it would be best to accept whatever tickets Alicia offered, a small gesture to show she hadn’t been forgotten.

Maxwell agreed. “Good idea. If you don’t sit where she invites you, she’ll only get upset again.”

Their relationship was still fragile. Another misstep could make things worse.

Kevin added, “Could you also have a quiet word with the director?”

“Make sure we’re seated in the four spots from Alicia’s allocation.

“The seats you and Nicole arranged for us can go to someone else.

“That way, no seats go empty, and Nicole won’t feel slighted”

But would Alicia even send them tickets?

Somewhere deep down, Kevin believed she would.

Alicia wasn’t entirely surprised to find Rosalie at the door, flanked by two imposing bodyguards.

Rosahe had always been known for her volatile temper and quickness to rage.

After what Jason had done to Adam, it was inevitable she would come storming in.

Seeing Alicia, Rosalie faltered, a flicker of doubt crossing her face. “Is this your room?” she demanded sharply.

She had gone to Lucent Media earlier, looking for Jason, but hadn’t found him.

After having him tracked down, she’d learned he was staying at this hotel.

The fury simmering inside her had become too much to bear, so she’d ordered her driver to bring her straight here.

Alicia raised an eyebrow. “Looking for Jason?”

She stepped aside, holding the door open. “He’s inside. Come in.”

Knowing Jason, he’d probably allowed Rosalie to find him on purpose.

Too consumed by anger to question why Alicia was in Jason’s room at all, Rosalie brushed past her, the bodyguards following close behind.

Jason was seated on the sofa, his expression cool and detached as he watched her enter. “Mrs. Farrell. What is the meaning of

this?”

The formal address only stoked Rosalie’s temper. “Jason, I am your mother. You will never cut yourself off from me or the Farrell family.”

Her tone was pure command. “Take down those trending topics immediately.

“Post a public clarification on X stating you fabricated the entire story, that the photos were falsified, and apologize to your father.”

Jason tilted his head slightly. “And if I refuse?”

Rosalie’s smile was brittle. “You don’t have that luxury.”

She gestured sharply toward the bodyguards behind her. “If you won’t cooperate willingly, they will ensure you do.”

A cold, almost detached relief washed over Jason. He had long since stopped expecting anything from his mother.

Even now, with her threatening him, the pain was distant, a dull ache he had learned to ignore.

He looked at Rosalie with genuine bewilderment. “You keep saying I can’t walk away, but here you are with bodyguards ready to teach me a lesson

“Tell me Am I your son, or your enemy?”

Rosalie drew herself up, her tone dripping with self-righteous conviction. “You are my son. And if you refuse to listen, then as your mother, I have every right to make you.”

Her sole remaining claim over him was the title of “mother” In her mind, she had given him life, and he could never truly be free of her.

Jason had long expected this. She would never willingly let go. She wanted to keep him trapped alongside her in the suffocating mire of the Farrell family.

She never dreamed of him, not because she couldn’t, but because she didn’t dare. She was afraid he would appear in her dreams only to accuse her.

Seeing her reaction, Jason felt nothing but cold irony. “Just leave. And don’t come looking for me again.

“If you do, I’ll send that evidence straight to Adam. You’re welcome to test me.”

Only in that moment did Rosalie truly grasp how determined Jason was to sever their ties.

She couldn’t accept it, yet she had no choice. The proof he held left her no room to maneuver.

She had already lost her firstborn and her own mother. Her father had turned his back on her, and now Jason was doing the same.

She couldn’t afford to lose Adam, the man she still loved above all else.

Drawing a sharp, controlled breath, she forced her tears back. “Fine. Have it your way. Just don’t come to me later with regrets.”

What Jason had done today had wounded her more deeply than she could admit.

Her voice hardened into a brittle warning. “Remember your promise. That evidence must never see the light of day. If it does, I won’t hesitate to make you pay.”

Jason gave a single, silent nod. “As long as you stay away, it won’t.”

Rosalie studied him one last time, her gaze lingering with a mix of hurt and resentment. “Then be alone, since that’s what you’ve chosen.”

Without another word, she turned and left, her bodyguards following closely behind her.

Once the door had shut, Alicia, who had remained a quiet observer throughout, came forward and closed it firmly.

She walked over and settled into the chair opposite Jason. “You let her find your room on purpose, didn’t you?”

There was no way Rosalie could have tracked him down that quickly on her own.

And that document folder had been sitting on the coffee table even before she arrived.

It was clear Jason had not only prepared in advance. He had anticipated his mother’s confrontation.

Jason nodded. “Yeah. It was the only way to make her back off for good.”

Alicia gave a small, approving nod. “Effective strategy.”

When dealing with an opponent, you find their pressure point and press it.

“So, Jason grinned, ‘not even a little curious about what’s in that folder?”

“Maybe a little,” Alicia admitted. “I think I have some idea”

“Yeah? What’s your guess?” he prompted.

He hadn’t planned on keeping it from her, and part of him wanted to see how close she really was to the truth.