Rich Radiant and Over Him (Alicia and Vincent) novel Chapter 45

"Wilma... do you know why Mr. Lynch has never gotten married all these years?" Alicia asked, unable to hide her curiosity.

Tyrone had never been involved in any scandals in Harboridge City; for a man in his thirties, he didn't even have a hint of a romantic entanglement. That probably explained why his grandfather was so eager for him to settle down.

But Alicia just couldn't believe that Tyrone's love life was a blank slate.

It was like Vincent—he'd once been madly in love with Mina, and had even been willing to wait for her to get divorced so he could marry her.

"Oh…" Wilma looked uneasy, clearly hesitant to say too much.

"Wilma, you know as well as I do, my marriage to Mr. Lynch is basically an arrangement. We're more like coworkers than husband and wife, really. Don't worry—I'm just trying to get a better sense of him, so I don't step on any landmines in the future." Alicia wanted to know more about Tyrone. If this so-called "cousin" really was the daughter of the woman he loved, then no matter how spoiled she was, Alicia would just have to put up with it.

She knew the type—girls from wealthy families, pampered and willful, just like Cecilia Mira.

From the looks of it, Tyrone was even more protective than Vincent. Who knew how much of a handful this cousin might turn out to be, after being doted on for so long?

"Mr. Lynch's cousin's mother… she was actually his first love," Wilma began quietly. "But there was quite an age gap—she was eight years older than him."

Alicia's ears perked up, eager for the juicy details.

"Back then, Mr. Lynch was just eighteen or nineteen. Falling for his teacher was a huge taboo. The old man thought the woman was acting inappropriately—unmarried, raising a daughter on her own, and, in his eyes, purposely seducing his son. So he forced them apart. I heard there was a big blowup between Mr. Lynch and his father, and out of spite, he left the country," Wilma whispered, painting the scene with almost theatrical flair.

Alicia listened, fascinated. This was some real high-society heartbreak.

She absentmindedly nibbled her shortbread, hanging on Wilma's every word.

It really was true—when there are no real feelings in a marriage of convenience, everything just becomes gossip.