Rich Radiant and Over Him (Alicia and Vincent) novel Chapter 71

Melanie's eyes brimmed with tears as she clutched her backpack. "What do you know? I'm an orphan too! I'm just staying with Uncle Tyrone's family… If I cause any trouble and he decides he doesn't want me anymore, what am I supposed to do?"

She was terrified—terrified of upsetting these people and making her uncle angry. What if he sent her away?

"You act like you don't know Tyrone at all," Alicia said gently, meeting Melanie's gaze. "If he didn't care about you, he wouldn't have raised you all these years."

Melanie scoffed. "He only took me in because of my mom… He loved her, that's why he looked after me after she died. But I'm not his own daughter. He's not even my real uncle…"

Her voice trembled. "What if… What if one day he stops loving my mom? What if he falls in love with you instead?" Melanie's voice broke as she started to cry.

She didn't really hate Alicia—not truly. She was just scared, feeling threatened and vulnerable.

She was afraid Tyrone would get married, afraid he'd fall for someone else.

"Tyrone's not going to fall in love with me," Alicia murmured, looking away, an unexpected pang of sadness in her chest.

She was painfully aware of the truth. Tyrone would never love her.

They'd met too late.

If only they'd known each other before she'd met Vincent—how different things might have been.

"Really?" Melanie eyed her warily, uncertain.

Alicia nodded.

"But Uncle—" Melanie stared at the ground. "He never lets women get close to him, ever. And yet… he hugged you. He never even did that with my mom…"

Her words trailed off.

Alicia hesitated. Tyrone never let women near him?

"Last night was just an accident," Alicia explained, trying to reassure Melanie—and herself. "I had a panic attack. Hugging helps calm my nerves. That's all it was."