Rich Radiant and Over Him (Alicia and Vincent) novel Chapter 7

Vincent deliberately avoided Alicia's eyes.

He shot Mira a warning glare, then disappeared into his study.

No matter how desperately Alicia stood there, struggling and silently pleading for help, he acted as if she didn't exist. This was his punishment—he was convinced Alicia had brought the cookies just to provoke Mina.

Mira's lips curled into a smirk. She and Cecilia and Henry shared a laugh—sharp, jarring, cruel, the kind of laughter that only devils would make.

"Why don't you come sit with us, sweetheart?" Mina's tone remained gentle, smiling as she beckoned Alicia over.

But Alicia couldn't move at all.

Her legs felt like they were filled with lead, her mind spinning with memories of how these three had tormented her back in school.

"Hey, isn't this Alicia? Our little prom queen…" Henry's voice dripped with sarcasm as he spoke.

Mina's face lit up in mock surprise. "Oh, you're all classmates? Well, then, I'm sure you'll get along just fine."

Alicia stood frozen, her only coherent thought: Run.

"Mina…" Alicia's voice quivered. "I… I just remembered I have something urgent at home. I'm so sorry, I need to go."

She spun around, desperate to escape, but her knees buckled after only a few steps and she fell hard to the floor.

"Let's see our old friend out," Mira said, already getting up and leading the others toward her.

Alicia wanted to run—God, she wanted to run—but her body wouldn't respond. Fear paralyzed her, not just fear of them, but of everything she'd ever been through.

"What's wrong? Can't get up?" Henry grabbed the back of Alicia's collar and yanked her roughly to her feet. "Don't tell me our prom queen's going to wet herself again…"

Alicia hung her head, the deafening ring in her left ear making her dizzy, her face pulled tight with shame. She tried to break free, but she couldn't.