Rising From Betrayal Reborn As The Family Outcast novel Chapter 67

Chapter 67

All eyes turned toward the doorway of the dressing room.

Nicole hadn’t anticipated Alicia calling her out so bluntly this time.

She took a small step back, her voice wavering almost timidly. “Alicia, it’s not what you think. I was just…”

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“Save it,” Alicia cut in, her tone dripping with irritation. “Leo and your mom are still breathing. Do you have to walk around looking so miserable every single day? It’s exhausting to watch.”

Upon hearing her words, everyone in the room stared in disbelief.

Not only had she addressed their father by his first name, but she had also spoken in a manner none of them expected.

Kevin was the first to break the silence. “Alicia, what are you even saying?”

She turned her gaze toward him, her tone sharp. “Got a problem with your hearing? Do I need to repeat myself?”

Kevin and the others exchanged uneasy glances. No matter how tense things had gotten before, Alicia had never been this outright cutting.

Nicole hadn’t expected Alicia to be so blunt either.

A flicker of triumph stirred inside her, though she made sure to widen her eyes in feigned shock. “You can insult me all you want, but why bring Dad into it? And to even talk about him dying?”

Alicia’s lips curved into a faint, sardonic smile. “Aren’t you the one who’s always so delicate, crying about ending it all? Yet all these years, you’ve never actually gone through with it.

“Why not put on a little performance for us now?

“Since you’re so unwilling to mourn Leo and the others, maybe they could mourn you instead.”

Nicole stared, genuinely taken aback. “How could you?!”

‘She’s really lost it, actually telling me to die,’ she thought.

Tears welled up instantly as she turned a helpless, pleading look toward the Hammond brothers.

Austin frowned, his expression heavy with disapproval. “We know you don’t like Nicole, but that was too much.”

Alicia met his gaze with a cold laugh. “If you know I can’t stand her, why do you keep shoving her in my face? Isn’t that just asking for trouble?

“All she does is sob and whine. If that’s not a performance, what is?

“Maybe you enjoy the drama, but I’m not twisted enough to appreciate such a depressing show.”

Austin faltered, momentarily speechless. “You!”

“Moron.” Alicia rolled her eyes, her voice flat.

His eyes widened “What did you just call me?”

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Chapter 67

She arched a brow, unimpressed. “Moron. Need me to say it again?”

“Have you completely lost your mind? I’m still your brother,” Austin shot back, disbelief coloring his words.

Alicia let out a derisive snort. “Letting yourself be played like a puppet, yeah, that’s pretty moronic.

“And just so we’re clear, I’ve cut ties with all of you.

“So don’t pull the ‘big brother’ card on me anymore.

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“Honestly, at this point, I’m just worried you’ll try to drag me down with you. Do us both a favor and stay out of my life.”

Austin’s expression darkened. “Who said you could cut ties? We never agreed to that.”

Alicia rolled her eyes again. “Since when do I need your permission? Who do you think you are?

“I walk away when I want. Your agreement has nothing to do with it.”

Frustration boiled over. “What do you even want?” Austin demanded.

Alicia replied calmly, her tone deliberate. “For you to leave me alone. It’s really that simple.”

“We’re your family! How is that bothering you?” Austin retorted, his voice rising.

Alicia sighed, a look of pure exasperation crossing her face. “Not only a moron, but one who doesn’t understand basic English.”

She glanced dismissively at the others in the room. “Maybe send someone who can actually hold a conversation next time.”

Austin was left speechless. Not only had she insulted him, but she’d outright dismissed him as unworthy of her attention.

Seeing the tense standoff, Caleb stepped forward. “Dad’s birthday party is in a few days. Come back home with us to help prepare.”

He offered the remark like an olive branch. “You’ve always been the one who put in the most effort before. It wouldn’t feel right without you this year.”

Alicia’s expression remained cold. “You only ever think of me when there’s work to be done.

“Besides, I’m not a Hammond anymore. What exactly would I be contributing to?

“Seems you’re having trouble understanding me as well.”

Caleb’s expression tightened, a shadow passing over his features. “Alicia, can we just move past this?”

Her gaze turned icy, void of any warmth “Get lost.”

Of the three brothers, she had once been closest to Caleb, and yet he had wounded her the deepest

In her previous life, he had produced two highly successful television series in succession, casting Nicole as the female lead

in both

Those roles had propelled Nicole into the spotlight, cementing her status as a rising star.

After Alicia left her music group to pursue acting. Caleb had indeed reached out, offering her a supporting role, one where she would play second lead to Nicole, as if granting her a favor out of familial obligation.

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Chapter 67

She had responded by throwing a punch.

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Later, when Alicia had auditioned for a compelling role in a film and was on the verge of securing it, Nicole had taken an interest in the same part and turned to the Hammond brothers for assistance.

Caleb had leveraged his connections within the director’s circle to help Nicole claim the role, while Austin had backed the maneuver by promising substantial investment in exchange for Nicole’s casting.

Together, they had handed the part to Nicole, insisting that Nicole was pursuing her genuine passion, while Alicia was merely treating acting as a pastime, unworthy of such a serious opportunity.

Alicia had not argued with them then, nor had she retreated.

Instead, she had deliberately cultivated a relationship with the film’s primary investor, using her skills to treat his mother’s chronic illness and resolving a pressing professional dilemma for the producer.

She had also offered to invest her own capital into the project.

In the end, she had reclaimed the role they had taken from her, a victory that had severed whatever fragile ties remained with Caleb and Austin.

That film had become her breakthrough, successfully launching her career in cinema entirely on her own terms.

Caleb met Alicia’s gaze, and the cold detachment he found there pierced through him.

“You’re telling me to get lost?” he asked, disbelief sharpening his words.

No matter their past disagreements, she had never dismissed him so utterly.

Alicia regarded him with undisguised disdain. “That’s right. Now, would you mind moving? You’re in the way.”

“How did you become like this?” Caleb pressed, the hurt evident beneath his frustration.

Alicia’s laugh was short and bitter. “All thanks to you.”

Kevin began, “Alicia, let’s sit down somewhere and talk, okay?”

She met his gaze, her reply straightforward and cool. “There’s really nothing for us to discuss.”

Her impatience with them was plain to see.

A heaviness settled in Kevin’s chest, tight and uncomfortable.

He softened his tone. “We just want to talk about the arrangements for Dad’s birthday party.

“And to ask what you’re planning to give him this year.”

He’d noticed that the more forceful anyone from his side became, the more she withdrew So he took a step back, letting his manner grow gentler.

Alicia gave a faint, knowing smile. “I’ll leave the party planning to you all, but don’t worry. I’ve already taken care of the gift.

“As for what it is,” she added, her tone light but deliberate, “it’s better as a surprise. You’ll find out at the celebration.”

She was confident it would be something they wouldn’t forget.

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Chapter 67

Her eyes swept briefly over the team. “I should get going. I’ve got things to attend to.”

Without waiting for a reply, she left with Sherry.

This time, no one tried to stop her.

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Her stance was unmistakably firm. She had no interest in further discussion, and pressing her would only invite sharper, more cutting remarks.

Besides, the curious glances from nearby staff were growing harder to ignore. None of them wanted to cause a scene or become the subject of whispers.

They would have to give her space to cool off and hope for another chance to talk at the birthday celebration itself.

In that kind of setting, even if she was still upset, she would likely show some restraint, if not for their sake, then at least out of respect for their father.

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