Rising From Betrayal Reborn As The Family Outcast novel Chapter 53

Chapter 53

Nicole was completely unaware that she had landed on the trending list twice in a row.

At the moment, she was fully focused on adapting songs for the trainees, her expression serious and absorbed.

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She had taken full charge of the task, not merely to prove her own capability, but to project an image of responsibility and diligence.

After reviewing the replay of her live stream from the day before, she realized it hadn’t gone particularly well.

Most of the criticism centered on her being too passive and too hesitant to voice strong opinions.”

Many fans had even left comments on X, urging her to channel the assertiveness of a wealthy heiress, essentially, to show a bit more attitude.

Nicole and her manager had a discussion, after which she resolved to adopt a more assertive persona in the upcoming episodes.

When Felicity happened to contradict her, Nicole seized the opportunity to make a strong statement.

She was beginning to understand that controversy drove engagement, and a bit of on-screen rivalry could work in their favor.

This led to the two of them taking charge of separate teams for song adaptation.

However, both women were strong-willed and tended to focus on their own dynamic, inadvertently sidelining the trainees in their team.

As Nicole and Felicity dominated the song adaptation process, the cameras naturally followed them, resulting in the trainees receiving minimal screen time and visibility.

The barrage of comments, meanwhile, was overwhelmingly skewed in Nicole’s favor.

[Nicole looks absolutely stunning when she’s in the zone.]

[Everyone used to praise Alicia, but look at her now, just sitting there while Nicole is hands-on with the trainees. The difference in attitude speaks volumes.]

[Alicia might pick things up quickly, but when it comes to musical expertise, Nicole is in a league of her own.]

[Solo talent is one thing, but actually being able to guide the trainees is what really counts.]

[Nicole is so dedicated and professional. It must be exhausting compared to the other mentors. I really feel for her.]

[These trainees are lucky. They hardly have to lift a finger and still get carried to success.]

[Watching them just sit around with nothing to do is honestly frustrating, though.

[Nicole’s putting in so much effort for them. Let’s hope they deliver on stage.]

In contrast, fans of the trainees voiced growing frustration.

[Could Nicole maybe… not ‘help’ so much?]

[Our idols really don’t need this kind of ‘support, thanks.]

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[If you didn’t know better, you’d think Nicole was the one competing next week with all the screen time she’s getting.]

[It’s not that the trainees aren’t doing anything. The two of them have taken over everything.]

[Other teams are laughing and bonding. Ours just look bored or completely checked out.]

[Honestly, this whole team seems depressed at this point.]

To the trainees’ fans, this no longer felt like a competition for the participants. It had become a showdown between the two guest mentors.

Nicole wasn’t just dominating the spotlight. Her fans were flooding the comments with thinly veiled jabs, making the entire situation even more aggravating.

With each passing episode, the trainees’ supporters grew more irritated with Nicole’s fanbase, and their regard for Nicole herself continued to plummet.

The morning passed quickly.

At lunchtime, Alicia glanced at her watch and signaled to the trainees that it was time to eat.

The production crew had set up a cafeteria providing complimentary meals for staff and participants, so Alicia and Darren followed the team there.

Hearing their departure, members from Team 2 and 3 also began filing out for lunch, leaving only Team I’s practice room silent and still.

Once seated with her meal, Alicia opened the live broadcast interface.

The feeds from all three practice rooms were still running, though they now showed empty spaces and attracted little viewership, except for Team I’s stream, which remained active and populated with comments.

She tapped into it and saw Nicole hunched over her notebook, completely absorbed in revising the song, as if she had forgotten about eating altogether.

Felicity sat across from her, equally focused on her own adjustments.

The trainees in their team waited nearby, exchanging resigned glances, clearly unable to leave until their mentors did.

The comment section was flooded with admiration for Nicole.

[Nicole’s work ethic is unreal.]

[She’s still going while everyone else is at lunch. That’s dedication.]

[Kinda wish she’d just be ‘lazy’ like Alicia sometimes. At least she wouldn’t skip meals.]

After skimming through the remarks, Alicia thought to herself, ‘Do Nicole and her fanbase always have to make everything a performance?’

Since Nicole’s supporters were so eager to praise her “sacrifice,” Alicia decided she might as well give them more to celebrate.

She sent a quick message to Jason.

Alicia: [Ask the ops team to get “Nicole skips meals out of dedication” trending. Put it on my

tab.]

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Jason: [Already done. Her third trending topic today is on its way.]

A slight smirk touched Alicia’s lips. It seemed Jason had anticipated her move.

Alicia: [Excellent.]

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Just as anticipated, within minutes, a new hashtag appeared on the trending list: [Nicole is so dedicated. She skips meals.]

She clicked into the topic and scrolled through the emerging comments.

Alongside the predictable flood of praise and sympathy from Nicole’s fans, there was a growing undercurrent of skepticism from neutral observers.

[Third trending topic today. Seriously?]

[Did Nicole buy out the trending page or something?]

[Doing your job properly is the baseline. Does that really need multiple hashtags?]

[What ‘dedication? This is pure theater.]

[No wonder she transitioned from singing to acting. This performance deserves a stage.]

Fans of Team I’s trainees also joined in, implying that Nicole was deliberately skipping meals on camera to cultivate an image of diligence, especially since song adaptation was a week-long process, hardly hinging on one lunch hour.

Onlookers and casual browsers soon piled on, many remarking they’d never seen someone so performative.

Before long, the backlash had crystallized into another rising hashtag: [Nicole is too much.]

For many scrolling through social media, the name Nicole was becoming tiresome.

The day’s flood of hashtags had etched a clear, and largely unflattering, impression of her in the public mind: a performer, always on.

Alicia closed the app, quietly awarding Jason another point for execution.

After lunch, Alicia said her goodbyes to Darren and the trainees and made her way back to her room for a short rest.

As she approached her door, she noticed two figures waiting on either side of the entrance.

Any lingering satisfaction from the earlier trending topics vanished at the sight of the troublesome Nicolas and Maxwell.

Her expression cooled as she walked forward, key card already in hand.

Just as she reached for the reader, Maxwell thrust his hand toward her, face twisted in what was clearly feigned pain. “Alicia, my old injury is flaring up again. It’s unbearable.”

Alicia knew immediately he was faking. Even if he were genuinely in pain, she had no intention of treating him again.

She didn’t bother hiding her impatience. “Can the two of you please stop ambushing me? It’s disruptive and frankly, annoying.”

Maxwell gave Alicia a pitiful look. “Alicia, my hand really hurts. Could you check it for me?”

Alicia brushed him off. “Stop the act. If you’ve got something to say, just say it. I don’t have time for games.”

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Maxwell, seeing she wasn’t buying it, dropped the wounded act. He lowered his hand and met her eyes. “Alright, fine. There is something I need to talk to you about.”

Alicia waited in silence, prompting him to continue.

“Kevin told me you filed a lawsuit against Hammond Group,” he said, studying her expression. “Is that true?”

Alicia gave a slight nod. “Yes, I did.”

Maxwell’s brow furrowed in genuine confusion. “But why would you do that? If this gets out, the whole Hammond family will be a laughingstock.”

A dry, humorless laugh escaped Alicia. “I’m not a Hammond anymore. Why should I care if they become a punchline?”

Maxwell was momentarily at a loss for words.

“You…” he managed, before softening his tone. “Don’t say things you don’t mean. Think about your father. If Leo hears about this, he’ll be livid.”

Genuine worry colored his voice. “Is this really worth damaging your relationship over?”

He understood better than most that after her mother, Leo had always been the person Alicia cared for most.

One of Alicia’s eyebrows lifted in a cool arch. “There’s no relationship left to damage. He has a daughter, Nicole. My name is

Alicia.”

Of everyone in her life, her father was the hardest to forgive.

She could still recall the man who would read to her on his lap, patiently build towers of blocks, and take her to the fair with

her mother.

But that man had vanished the day Nicole and her mother arrived.

In her previous life, his endless favoritism had slowly eroded every last shred of her affection.

This time, she would not bend.

“Alicia, please,” Maxwell said, his voice thick with frustration. “You know his birthday party is coming up. How are you going to face him then?

“Just drop the lawsuit. Pick out a nice gift instead.

“If he finds out about the legal action, he’ll be so touched by your gesture he’ll probably let it go.

“You know what they say. Family doesn’t hold grudges.”

A strange light flickered in Alicia’s eyes.

Her lips curved into a smile that didn’t quite reach them. “You know, you’re right. I should get him a very special gift”

She had originally planned neither a gift nor an appearance at the party. But Maxwell had just given her a brilliant idea.

She might skip the celebration, but she could certainly send a present, a fitting tribute for all the times his blatant partiality had made her suffer in her past life.

She could only hope the old man’s heart was strong enough to handle it.

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Her gaze settled on Maxwell with an unsettling intensity. “Thank you for the excellent suggestion.”

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Before he could reply, she swiped her keycard, slipped through the door, and shut it firmly, leaving Maxwell and Nicolas standing in the hall.

A cold ripple of unease went down Maxwell’s spine. That smile had been deeply disquieting, and a powerful sense of foreboding settled over him.

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