The girl took off her cap and flashed Alicia a bright smile. âSurprised, Alicia? Bet you didnât expect thisâguess who?â
Alicia stared, thrown off for a moment. Winnie? Wasnât she that flight attendant?
âI got accepted into an Italian exchange program to study jewelry appraisal. Iâm at Seaview University for a language prep course,â Winnie said, beaming as she strode over. She nudged Chloe aside, picked up a book, and offered a sheepish apology. âSorry, Alicia, I got your book dirty. I promise, next time Iâll find something else to chase off stray dogs.â
Alicia could barely contain her excitement. Sheâd actually run into someone she knew on campus. Suddenly, her language classes for the term didnât feel so daunting.
Chloe, still processing what happened, suddenly snapped. âWho the hell are you?â
Winnie, tall and confident in her crisp blouse, radiated the kind of presence that turned heads. Unlike Alicia, whoâd learned to keep her head down and endure, Winnie was the type to stand her ground and strike back on the spotâa quality Alicia had always secretly admired.
Winnie looked down at Chloe with a cool, unbothered stare. âIâm your mother,â she replied dryly.
Chloe shot Winnie a furious glare, then turned to her little clique for backup. âWhat are you waiting for? Get her!â
âTry it and see what happens!â Alicia stepped protectively in front of Winnie, eyes blazing.
She usually let things slide, always thinking twice about whether pushing back would land her in trouble. After all, growing up an orphan had taught her to avoid risk, to never make waves.
But Winnie was her friend. She couldnât just stand by and let her get hurt.
Winnie sneered at the group, who suddenly looked less sure of themselves. âIs this really the caliber of Seaview University students? Youâre all embarrassing yourselves. Do it if you dareâbecause Iâll be reporting you straight to the deanâs office. If you want to make a scene, letâs see who gets the last word.â
Chloe glared at Alicia and Winnie, her pride stung. Sheâd heard from her cousin Mina that Tyrone was too busy with his own problems to protect Alicia these days. That bit of news had made Chloe bold. âGet them! Now!â
Chloe and her cronies lunged.
Alicia, quiet as she was, had grown up doing hard laborâshe was no pushover. The girl who grabbed her was frail by comparison and stood no chance.
Rich Radiant and Over Him (Alicia and Vincent)
ï¤Chapter 272 As for Winnieâwell, sheâd mastered everything from kickboxing to self-defense classes as a kid. The whole group was outmatched.
Winnie made it look effortless. One swift side kick sent Chloe crashing into the wall. Chloe didnât even have time to reactâshe hit her head, then slumped to the floor, sobbing and humiliated.
The other girls hesitated, then backed off completely.
For the first time in her life, Alicia felt a rush of rebellion. Her heart pounded with excitement. So this was what it felt like to break the rulesâshe liked it. Maybe people really could be led astray, she thought, but suddenly, she didnât mind. She loved this fierce side of herself, the idea that if something wasnât right, you could step in and do something about it.
All her life sheâd played it safe, terrified of making trouble, scared of causing the orphanage or her adoptive parents any problems. Always worrying, always holding backâit had been exhausting.
But now? Acting out, fighting back when someone deserved itâit felt incredible.
âYouâre amazing...â Alicia breathed, looking at Winnie with stars in her eyes. If Tyrone had been there, he probably wouldâve been jealous.
At least now, he didnât need to worry about Winnie having designs on himâAlicia was the one falling a little bit in love.
âStarting tomorrow, Iâm taking you to the gym,â Winnie grinned, giving Alicia a wink. âWeâll get you into kickboxingâteach you how to handle these girls like theyâre nothing. And donât worry about getting in trouble. If anything happens, Tyrone will have your back.â
Alicia blushed. Thatâs right... If things went sideways, Tyrone would be there for her.
Suddenly, a voice thundered from the hallway. âAll of youâmy office, now!â The teacherâs angry shout left no room for argument, and Alicia, Winnie, Chloe, and the rest of the group were marched off to the staff room.
Chloe, as always, played the victimâsheâd started the fight, but now she was the one crying and running to the teacher, acting like she was the wronged party. It was pathetic.
âYou just wait, Alicia. Tyrone canât save you this timeâIâd like to see whoâll protect you now!â Chloe hissed through gritted teeth, shooting Alicia a venomous glare.
The Heiress Acts Mischievously, But Her Family Can Read Her Mind ï¤Chapter 347: Administering Drugs Switched Marriage The Coddled Little Wife ï¤Chapter 538: Unimaginable