Rising From Betrayal Reborn As The Family Outcast novel Chapter 69

Chapter 69

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Hearing Alicia’s account and seeing the hurt in her eyes, both Diana and her sister felt a stir of sympathy. The Hammonds had gone too far.

To them, Nicole and her mother now seemed deeply manipulative and unkind.

Diana’s sister, always more emotionally tender, felt her own tears rising.

‘How true it is, she thought bitterly, ‘that a new wife often means a changed father.

‘All this talk about Mr. Hammond’s devotion to his first wife, marrying a woman with no standing; already divorced with a child, just to care for the daughter his late wife left behind.

‘And what fine care it turned out to be, driving his own flesh and blood to cut all ties.

This was the first time Nicolas had heard Alicia speak so openly of her pain.

In his eyes, she had always been strong, optimistic, and radiant.

Apart from the time he saw her cry over her ruined flowers, he had never witnessed her break down.

Now, as he saw her eyes red-rimmed and her expression raw with hurt, his chest tightened with a sympathetic ache, and something softer, more protective, stirred within him.

Then, remembering her earlier words, he turned to her and asked, “Nicole likes me? Wants to marry me? Alicia, are you sure you haven’t misunderstood?”

‘She couldn’t possibly think there’s something between Nicole and me,’ he worried silently.

That, at least, he needed to make clear. There was nothing between them, nor had Nicole ever given the slightest hint of romantic interest.

Alicia had been expecting this.

She replied evenly, “Look up the account ‘NicoleTodayAlsoTryingHerBest’ on X. It’s her private one.

“She’s been posting about you since high school.

“See for yourself.”

That account had been revealed in Alicia’s previous life, deliberately by Nicole herself, to craft the image of a girl quietly in love with her sister’s closest friend for years, too self-sacrificing to ever speak up.

Once Alicia broke things off with Nicolas and ended the engagement to the Moore family, Nicole, the longtime secret admirer, could step gracefully into the light and claim the alliance for herself.

Those posts would serve as proof that she wasn’t stealing her sister’s match. She was simply following a heart that had loved in silence for years.

Nicolas pulled out his phone, opened X, and typed in the handle.

As the account loaded, a new post appeared at the top.

Nicole TodayAlsoTryingHerBest: [Saw him singing and dancing today. Completely swept me away all over again.]

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Chapter 69

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He scrolled down. Post after post, though never naming names or showing faces, painted a picture that aligned unmistakably with him, the details fit too perfectly to be coincidence.

One entry mentioned that the one she loved had grown up alongside her sister.

She wrote of falling for him at first sight, a pull beyond her control, but out of loyalty to her sister, she had chosen to keep her feelings hidden, locked away in silence.

Sometimes she shared moments when he had argued with Alicia because of her, describing a tangled mix of guilty pleasure and regret.

But what caught Nicolas’ attention most was the profile picture: a slightly blurred side-shot of himself mid-air during a high school basketball game.

And at the bottom corner of the image, his name was circled by a small, carefully drawn heart.

As Nicolas scrolled through the posts, his aunt leaned over his shoulder to read along.

“She really has no shame, does she?” his aunt muttered under her breath, unable to hold back.

“And you? You actually defended her, all those times?

“That scheming stepsister was clearly stirring up trouble, and yet you took her side. Honestly, Nicolas, what were you thinking?”

Hearing her words, Nicolas inwardly sighed, ‘Is she trying to help or make things worse? Alicia is right here.

Diana, noticing her sister’s lack of tact yet again, gently pulled her aside.

Then she turned to Alicia, her expression softening. “I had no idea you’ve been carrying so much hurt all these years.”

Her tone shifted, gentle but firm. “But you should know, our family’s interest in allying with the Hammonds was always about you.

“You and Nicolas grew up together. I’ve always thought of you as family.”

She paused meaningfully. “Whether you remain a Hammond or not, it is you Nicolas is meant to marry.”

Alicia had been the ideal match from the start: poised, accomplished, and holding six percent of Hammond shares in her

own name.

She and Nicolas shared a history, and Diana had long believed her son held genuine affection for her.

In Diana’s eyes, Alicia was the only choice for him.

Alicia looked at her, a faint surprise in her eyes. “Mrs. Moore, were you not aware that Nicolas and I have already parted ways?

“It wasn’t just his family. Every time Nicole played the victim, Nicolas stood by her.

“When I was being torn apart online, it was not just by Nicole’s supporters, but by campaigns orchestrated by Starlight Entertainment’s PR.

“My former agent told me it was all done under Nicolas’ orders. To lift Nicole up, at my expense.”

Haley had indeed come to see her once after it all happened, shifting blame as she relayed exactly that.

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Chapter 69

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Alicia held Diana’s gaze steadily. “If it were you, Mrs. Moore, would you marry a man who treated you that way?”

Diana had known nothing of the estrangement between them and certainly not that her own son had played any part in the public attacks against Alicia.

The question hung in the air. In her own case, she knew she never would. But with her son at the center of it, she found herself unable to reply.

Nicolas’ eyes widened in disbelief. “What kind of lie is that? I never told Starlight’s PR team to go after you.”

He turned urgently toward Alicia. “Haley made that up.”

Alicia answered with a cool, dismissive smile. “And if you didn’t give the order, the future head of Starlight Entertainment, why would their PR department keep targeting me?

“But let’s leave that aside.

“Wasn’t it you who brought Nicole into Starlight? Wasn’t it you who made sure the company poured resources into building her up?

“Every time Nicole and I clashed, and she cried or played the victim, didn’t you always take her side?”

“And for the past two years, hasn’t every fight between us, every time we stopped speaking, started because of Nicole?”

Nicolas fell silent. “I…”

He couldn’t argue. Most of their tension over the last two years had, in fact, revolved around Nicole.

“I only ever thought of her as a sister,” he insisted. “Nothing more.”

Alicia let out a short, humorless laugh. “She’s not your sister. She’s not a Moore. It sounds a lot more like you treated her like a girlfriend.

“If you’re both interested, that’s perfect. Your families want an alliance. You won’t even have to hide it.”

Nicolas stiffened, hurt sharp in his voice. “That’s not true.”

He had only ever loved Alicia. Nicole was his friend’s sister, someone he felt protective of, nothing more.

But Alicia didn’t let him finish. She turned back to Diana, her tone resolved. “Mrs. Moore, Nicolas and I aren’t even friends anymore. There’s no future here.

“So when you consider an alliance with the Hammonds, please leave me out of it.”

Just then, her phone rang. Jason’s name flashed on the screen.

She answered quietly, “Sorry, I got held up. I’ll be right out.”

After ending the call, she said to Diana, “My friend is waiting. I should go.”

Diana nodded gracefully. “Of course, dear.”

Then, her voice softening with genuine warmth, she added, “Whatever happens between you and Nicolas, I was your mother’s friend, and you will always be someone I care for.

“Let’s have coffee together soon.”

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Alicia offered a small, polite smile. “I’d like that.”

And without another glance toward Nicolas, she turned and walked away.

The moment Alicia was out of sight, the gracious smile vanished from Diana’s face.

She turned to Nicolas, who stood frozen in disbelief, her expression stern. “Look at the mess you’ve made.”

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Her tone turned even sharper. “Even if you don’t marry Alicia, it will absolutely never be someone like Nicole, a girl without shame or scruples.”

Diana had never thought much of Nicole or her mother.

Now, knowing that Nicole had driven a wedge between Nicolas and Alicia so deep that Alicia had walked away, she was resolved.

Such a manipulative young woman would never be welcome in their family.

A daughter-in-law like that would only bring discord, and all that calculated fragility was nothing but trouble.

Nicolas dragged a hand through his hair, frustrated. “There is nothing between Nicole and me. I never knew she felt that way. I have to explain this to Alicia.”

The idea that Alicia believed they had no future was unacceptable to him.

Without another word, he turned and hurried after her.

Watching him go, Diana’s sister shook her head with a quiet scoff. “Took him long enough.”

She had little patience for men who were blind to scheming women. Her own husband had once been caught in a similar

trap.

Diana sighed, seeing now how careless her son had been in matters of the heart.

“I’m not getting involved,” she said quietly, though her mind was already turning.

The proposed alliance between the Moores and the Hammonds would need to be addressed clearly and directly at Leo’s upcoming birthday celebration.

Outside, Nicolas pushed through the main doors just in time to see Alicia step into a waiting car.

Her assistant was in the front passenger seat, and Alicia herself slid into the back.

His gaze sharpened. There, already seated beside her, was Jason.

Before he could call out or approach, the door closed and the car pulled smoothly away from the curb, leaving Nicolas standing on the steps, his jaw tight and frustration boiling under his skin.

Alicia had blocked his number, his socials, every point of contact. However he tried, he still hadn’t uncovered where she was staying now.

There was no way to reach her. He would have to wait until Leo’s birthday party and hope for a chance to speak with her

then.

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Chapter 68

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A well-placed push would not only expose Nicole’s scheming but also help settle matters between Alicia and Nicolas for good.

Diana looked taken aback, and Nicolas seemed momentarily lost for words.

Diana studied Alicia in confusion. “Are you truly serious about cutting ties with the Hammonds?”

She had heard about Alicia’s recent conflicts with the family, even whispers of a permanent split, but everyone assumed it was just anger talking.

Alicia replied honestly, “Ever since Nicole and her mother came to the Hammond family, there’s been less and less room for

me.”

She offered a slight shrug. “I would rather walk away with dignity now than wait to be discarded later.

“I’ve already spoken about it publicly in my livestream, and I will be making a formal announcement on Twitter.

“So you see, Mrs. Moore, the alliance between your family and the Hammonds no longer concerns me.”

Diana fell silent for a long moment, her brow furrowed.

“But you are the Hammond’s daughter,” she said finally. “Why should you be the one to step aside?”

She studied Alicia closely, her disapproval evident. “Besides, if you leave now, wouldn’t you simply be giving that woman and her daughter exactly what they want?

“Your brother may be the heir, but as a Hammond, you are entitled to your share of the family assets.

“Are you truly willing to walk away from everything?”

Alicia exhaled softly, a note of quiet resignation in her voice. “Mrs. Moore, you may not be aware, but every expense since my childhood has been covered by my late mother’s inheritance.

“Nicole, however, receives a generous monthly allowance, and every aspect of her life is carefully managed.

“Mr. Hammond and his sons often go out of their way to select thoughtful gifts for her.

“When we were in school, Mr. Hammond attended every parents’ evening for Nicole after she cried just once about feeling overlooked, yet he never once came to mine.

“Even the butler uprooted the flowering crabapple trees I loved because Nicole preferred azaleas.

“Whenever something happens with Nicole, the moment she starts crying, the Hammonds treat me like I’m the wicked stepsister who’s been tormenting her.

“Nicole wants to break into the entertainment industry? The Hammonds pour money and connections into making it happen

She even landed the family company’s endorsement deal.

“But when I tried to do the same? They threw up every roadblock imaginable.

“Now the whole internet believes Nicole’s the real Hammond heiress while I’m just some opportunistic outsider pretending to be part of the family.

“I got torn apart online for it. And not one of them ever spoke up to set the record straight.

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“I invited them to my show, but not one of them bothered to come.

“The very next day, they all rushed off happily to support Nicole at her performance instead.

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“And while they were busy posting cheerful photos together like the perfect siblings and friends they were, I was lying alone in a hospital bed, recovering from an accident that happened during my own show.

“Things like this kept happening, over and over. I couldn’t even begin to list them all.

“To them, Nicole was the real daughter, the real sister. I was just someone in the way, an eyesore, keeping their picture- perfect family from being whole.”

Alicia’s eyes grew moist, and her laugh held a trace of bitterness. “Once your heart turns cold, money loses its meaning.

“And as for being known as a Hammond daughter, I don’t need that title anymore.”

If she was going to sever ties with the family, she wanted people to understand she wasn’t doing it on a whim.

She had been driven to this, pushed out by the very people who should have welcomed her.

Nicole and her mother had spent years cultivating a pristine image in their social circle. Now, Alicia would make sure everyone saw their true colors.

She was prepared to walk away, but not without making sure the world knew why.

Diana might be discreet, but her younger sister had never been one to hold her tongue. What she heard, she shared.

That was precisely why Alicia had chosen to speak so openly in front of them. She knew Diana’s sister would carry the story beyond these walls.

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Chapter 69

Chapter 69

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Hearing Alicia’s account and seeing the hurt in her eyes, both Diana and her sister felt a stir of sympathy. The Hammonds had gone too far.

To them, Nicole and her mother now seemed deeply manipulative and unkind.

Diana’s sister, always more emotionally tender, felt her own tears rising.

‘How true it is,’ she thought bitterly, ‘that a new wife often means a changed father.

‘All this talk about Mr. Hammond’s devotion to his first wife, marrying a woman with no standing; already divorced with a child, just to care for the daughter his late wife left behind.

‘And what fine care it turned out to be, driving his own flesh and blood to cut all ties.

This was the first time Nicolas had heard Alicia speak so openly of her pain.

In his eyes, she had always been strong, optimistic, and radiant.

Apart from the time he saw her cry over her ruined flowers, he had never witnessed her break down.

Now, as he saw her eyes red-rimmed and her expression raw with hurt, his chest tightened with a sympathetic ache, and something softer, more protective, stirred within him.

Then, remembering her earlier words, he turned to her and asked, “Nicole likes me? Wants to marry me? Alicia, are you sure you haven’t misunderstood?”

‘She couldn’t possibly think there’s something between Nicole and me,’ he worried silently.

That, at least, he needed to make clear. There was nothing between them, nor had Nicole ever given the slightest hint of romantic interest.

Alicia had been expecting this.

She replied evenly, “Look up the account ‘NicoleTodayAlsoTryingHerBest’ on X. It’s her private one.

“She’s been posting about you since high school.

“See for yourself.”

That account had been revealed in Alicia’s previous life, deliberately by Nicole herself, to craft the image of a girl quietly in love with her sister’s closest friend for years, too self-sacrificing to ever speak up.

Once Alicia broke things off with Nicolas and ended the engagement to the Moore family, Nicole, the longtime secret admirer, could step gracefully into the light and claim the alliance for herself.

Those posts would serve as proof that she wasn’t stealing her sister’s match. She was simply following a heart that had loved in silence for years.

Nicolas pulled out his phone, opened X, and typed in the handle.

As the account loaded, a new post appeared at the top.

NicoleTodayAlsoTryingHerBest: [Saw him singing and dancing today. Completely swept me away all over again.]

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He scrolled down. Post after post, though never naming names or showing faces, painted a picture that aligned unmistakably with him, the details fit too perfectly to be coincidence.

One entry mentioned that the one she loved had grown up alongside her sister.

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She wrote of falling for him at first sight, a pull beyond her control, but out of loyalty to her sister, she had chosen to keep her feelings hidden, locked away in silence.

Sometimes she shared moments when he had argued with Alicia because of her, describing a tangled mix of guilty pleasure and regret.

But what caught Nicolas’ attention most was the profile picture: a slightly blurred side-shot of himself mid-air during a high school basketball game.

And at the bottom corner of the image, his name was circled by a small, carefully drawn heart.

As Nicolas scrolled through the posts, his aunt leaned over his shoulder to read along.

“She really has no shame, does she?” his aunt muttered under her breath, unable to hold back.

“And you? You actually defended her, all those times?

“That scheming stepsister was clearly stirring up trouble, and yet you took her side. Honestly, Nicolas, what were you thinking?”

Hearing her words, Nicolas inwardly sighed, ‘Is she trying to help or make things worse? Alicia is right here.’

Diana, noticing her sister’s lack of tact yet again, gently pulled her aside.

Then she turned to Alicia, her expression softening. “I had no idea you’ve been carrying so much hurt all these years.”

Her tone shifted, gentle but firm. “But you should know, our family’s interest in allying with the Hammonds was always about you.

“You and Nicolas grew up together. I’ve always thought of you as family.”

She paused meaningfully. “Whether you remain a Hammond or not, it is you Nicolas is meant to marry.”

Alicia had been the ideal match from the start: poised, accomplished, and holding six percent of Hammond shares in her

own name.

She and Nicolas shared a history, and Diana had long believed her son held genuine affection for her.

In Diana’s eyes, Alicia was the only choice for him.

Alicia looked at her, a faint surprise in her eyes. “Mrs. Moore, were you not aware that Nicolas and I have already parted ways?

“It wasn’t just his family. Every time Nicole played the victim, Nicolas stood by her.

“When I was being torn apart online, it was not just by Nicole’s supporters, but by campaigns orchestrated by Starlight

Entertainment’s PR.

“My former agent told me it was all done under Nicolas’ orders. To lift Nicole up, at my expense.”

Haley had indeed come to see her once after it all happened, shifting blame as she relayed exactly that.

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Alicia held Diana’s gaze steadily. “If it were you, Mrs. Moore, would you marry a man who treated you that way?”

Diana had known nothing of the estrangement between them and certainly not that her own son had played any part in the public attacks against Alicia.

The question hung in the air. In her own case, she knew she never would. But with her son at the center of it, she found herself unable to reply.

Nicolas’ eyes widened in disbelief. “What kind of lie is that? I never told Starlight’s PR team to go after you.”

He turned urgently toward Alicia. “Haley made that up.”

Alicia answered with a cool, dismissive smile. “And if you didn’t give the order, the future head of Starlight Entertainment, why would their PR department keep targeting me?

“But let’s leave that aside.

“Wasn’t it you who brought Nicole into Starlight? Wasn’t it you who made sure the company poured resources into building her up?

“Every time Nicole and I clashed, and she cried or played the victim, didn’t you always take her side?”

“And for the past two years, hasn’t every fight between us, every time we stopped speaking, started because of Nicole?”

Nicolas fell silent. “I…”

He couldn’t argue. Most of their tension over the last two years had, in fact, revolved around Nicole.

“I only ever thought of her as a sister,” he insisted. “Nothing more.”

Alicia let out a short, humorless laugh. “She’s not your sister. She’s not a Moore. It sounds a lot more like you treated her like a girlfriend.

“If you’re both interested, that’s perfect. Your families want an alliance. You won’t even have to hide it.”

Nicolas stiffened, hurt sharp in his voice. “That’s not true.”

He had only ever loved Alicia. Nicole was his friend’s sister, someone he felt protective of, nothing more.

But Alicia didn’t let him finish. She turned back to Diana, her tone resolved. “Mrs. Moore, Nicolas and I aren’t even friends anymore. There’s no future here.

“So when you consider an alliance with the Hammonds, please leave me out of it.”

Just then, her phone rang. Jason’s name flashed on the screen.

She answered quietly, “Sorry, I got held up. I’ll be right out.”

After ending the call, she said to Diana, “My friend is waiting. I should go.”

Diana nodded gracefully “Of course, dear”

Then, her voice softening with genuine warmth, she added, “Whatever happens between you and Nicolas, I was your mother’s friend, and you will always be someone I care for

“Let’s have coffee together soon.”

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Chapter 69

Alicia offered a small, polite smile. “I’d like that.”

And without another glance toward Nicolas, she turned and walked away.

The moment Alicia was out of sight, the gracious smile vanished from Diana’s face.

She turned to Nicolas, who stood frozen in disbelief, her expression stern. “Look at the mess you’ve made.”

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Her tone turned even sharper. “Even if you don’t marry Alicia, it will absolutely never be someone like Nicole, a girl without shame or scruples.”

Diana had never thought much of Nicole or her mother.

Now, knowing that Nicole had driven a wedge between Nicolas and Alicia so deep that Alicia had walked away, she was resolved.

Such a manipulative young woman would never be welcome in their family.

A daughter-in-law like that would only bring discord, and all that calculated fragility was nothing but trouble.

Nicolas dragged a hand through his hair, frustrated. “There is nothing between Nicole and me. I never knew she felt that way. I have to explain this to Alicia.”

The idea that Alicia believed they had no future was unacceptable to him.

Without another word, he turned and hurried after her.

Watching him go, Diana’s sister shook her head with a quiet scoff. “Took him long enough.”

She had little patience for men who were blind to scheming women. Her own husband had once been caught in a similar

trap.

Diana sighed, seeing now how careless her son had been in matters of the heart.

“I’m not getting involved,” she said quietly, though her mind was already turning.

The proposed alliance between the Moores and the Hammonds would need to be addressed clearly and directly at Leo’s upcoming birthday celebration.

Outside, Nicolas pushed through the main doors just in time to see Alicia step into a waiting car

Her assistant was in the front passenger seat, and Alicia herself slid into the back,

His gaze sharpened. There, already seated beside her, was Jason.

Before he could call out or approach, the door closed and the car pulled smoothly away from the curb, leaving Nicolas standing on the steps, his jaw tight and frustration boiling under his skin.

Alicia had blocked his number, his socials, every point of contact. However he tried, he still hadn’t uncovered where she was staying now.

There was no way to reach her. He would have to wait until Leo’s birthday party and hope for a chance to speak with her

then.

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