Chapter 92: Chapter 92: A picture of misunderstanding (2)

Both Alicia and Alex jolted back from their precarious position as if electrocuted, scrambling away like guilty children caught red-handed.

Alicia’s face turned crimson, her usual composed demeanor cracking under the weight of the moment.

She spun toward the new voice in the room, her expression somewhere between mortified and defensive.

“M-Melissa, it’s not what it looks like!” she blurted. “I just… slipped!”

Melissa cocked her head, arms folded, leaning comfortably against the doorway with a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.

“Yeah, yeah, Alice. You slipped. Onto his chest,” Melissa said, voice flat but tinged with amusement. “I can totally understand.”

But the wicked glint in Melissa’s eyes betrayed her words. She was already saving this moment in her mental scrapbook titled: Alicia’s Most Embarrassing Hits.

Alicia’s ears turned even redder as she whipped around to face Alex.

“You tell her it was a misunderstanding!”

That familiar tone. That casual name-drop. Alex’s eyes flicked between the two ladies, a slow, knowing smile curling on his lips.

’So they do know each other. She’s even calling her Alice. Figures. She’s a senior and the Student Council President. Of course the head doctor of the Academy Clinic would be acquainted with her… Maybe even more than acquainted.’

Alex, ever the performer, placed a hand theatrically on his chest, offering an exaggerated, bashful smile.

“Yes, Miss Melissa,” he said in a tone dripping with mock nobility. “It was all a misunderstanding. Alice here—pardon me—Ms. Alicia, was certainly not trying to overpower me physically just now.”

He even had the gall to look away with a blush, like a noble maiden in distress.

Melissa raised an impressed eyebrow, lips twitching.

“Wow. Alice… looks like you’ve finally found someone.”

The words hit Alicia like a flying dagger. She marched up to Alex, grabbed him by the collar, and began shaking him like a ragdoll.

“WHY would you say it like that?!” she yelled, red-faced. “Now her misunderstanding has evolved into a full-blown soap opera! And don’t call me Alice! It’s President or Ms. Alicia, you bastard!”

Alex, still flailing under her grip, said between bounces, “But I just said the truth!”

“You—!” she glared, clearly fighting every urge not to throw him across the room. “You bastard! Say it again! Say that it’s not like that! You don’t have a reputation to maintain—half of the first-year cadets already want to jump you to beat the crap out of you.”

She growled. “But I’m the Student Council President! I have standards to uphold!”

Just as Alicia raised her hand for another dramatic collar-flail, Melissa stepped in with surgical precision, casually pulling her away from Alex like a mom separating bickering siblings.

“Okay, that’s enough. You two lovebirds can stop quarreling now.”

Alicia glared at her, saying, “Don’t you dare call us that again.”

Melissa, taking a step back and gulping, said, “Okay, okay. Duly noted.”

The room finally took a breath. The atmosphere, heavy with chaos and red-faced rage, gradually settled. Alicia smoothed her hair with deliberate grace and inhaled sharply through her nose.

“Now I understand why my brother curses you every time he speaks about you,” she muttered.

Alex, adjusting his shirt collar, smirked.

“Yeah, looks like it runs in the family. You’re just like him—ticked off by the slightest teasing.”

Alicia’s eye twitched, just as she opened her mouth to launch another verbal missile—but Melissa cut in.

“Alice,” she said with a teasing lilt, “you always act so calm and cool in front of the juniors. But today? This is the first time I’ve seen you like this. It’s… honestly funny.”

“Not you too, Melissa!” Alicia groaned, shooting her a glare. “That’s it—everyone stop teasing me.”

Then Melissa, turning back to the silver-haired menace, asked, “Why did you come here anyway?”

Alex blinked.

“To see if that silver-haired idiot is okay,” Alicia muttered. “And… to fulfill a promise I made.”

Alex gave an innocent whistle, refusing to meet her eyes.

Alicia stared for a beat, then smirked.

“Looks like he doesn’t need my support after all.”

She turned on her heel, heels clicking against the floor as she approached the automatic exit.

But in a blink—so fast even Alicia’s senses missed it—Alex was suddenly in front of her.

He was on one knee, head lowered respectfully, one hand across his chest in gentlemanly grace. The IV was somehow gone, discarded who-knows-where.

“My lady,” he said in a smooth, gallant tone, “please forgive this fool for his earlier impertinence. I did not fully comprehend your greatness.”

Alicia stared, stunned.

“If you would be so kind to fulfill your promise and grant me your mone—” Alex corrected himself quickly with a cough, “—I mean, support, I shall be forever grateful.”

With that, he reached out and gently took her hand, placing a noble kiss on her knuckles.

Click.

Melissa, eyes wide with disbelief and delight, she stealthily took a photo of the moment with her tablet. It was too perfect to resist.

Alicia was frozen. Silent. Speechless.

Seeing all this.

Only one word rang in both Alicia’s and Melissa’s minds:

’Shameless. Gold. Digger.’

Wanting to end the madness before she spontaneously combusted, Alicia pulled out two items from her coat pocket: a sleek, metallic black card and a plain white one.

“This should be able to cover your expenses,” she said, voice tight. “And this”—she shoved the white card into his hand—”is my number. Only call me if it’s an emergency. If not, then next time I might actually murder you.

I also know someone who is researching Abyss corruption. I’ll take you to meet them next time.”

And with that, she turned and briskly walked away at a pace that closely resembled sprinting.

As the doors whooshed shut behind her, Melissa burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter, bending over as tears welled in her eyes.

“I swear… I’ve seen Alicia get the upper hand on everyone,” she wheezed. “People run from her. But you?”

She turned to Alex, who stood up, dusting off his knees.

“You actually made her run. That was… priceless. Absolutely satisfying.”

Alex gave a triumphant grin.

“Well, I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“You should.”

Then Alex tilted his head toward her with exaggerated innocence.

“Doc… that really was just a misunderstanding.”

Melissa gave him a sideways glance.

“I know. It was just so much fun watching her squirm.”

Alex chuckled.

“Tch, you got me there.”

He stretched, then grinned slyly.

“Send me that picture. Or I’m telling her you took it.”

Melissa’s smug grin faltered.

“You wouldn’t dare.”

Alex raised an eyebrow.

“…Fine,” she sighed, gulping. “I’ll send it. Just… don’t say it was me.”

They both nodded like business partners closing a shady deal.

And then they broke into shared laughter—loud, echoing, stress-free. A rare kind of laughter.

Alex grabbed his phone and casually dialed someone.

Melissa raised an eyebrow.

“Already calling her?”

“I’m not calling Alicia,” Alex replied cryptically.

“Then who?”

“You don’t need to know that,” he said with a wink.

The call connected.

A grumpy voice answered immediately.

“What is it? You’re still alive, right?”

Alex smirked.

“Hey. I sent you a picture just now. After you see it, you can start calling me ’brother-in-law.’”

There was a moment of silence on the other end… then an explosion of rage.

“YOU BASTARD! What the hell do you mean by THAT?!”

After a short pause—as if the other party was checking the picture—

A furious scream followed:

“I SWEAR I’LL SKIN YOU ALIVE!”

Alex ended the call before the storm got worse, tossing his phone onto the bed with a content sigh.

Melissa, still chuckling, gave him a look.

“You really have a knack for getting under people’s skin.”

Alex stretched again, clearly pleased with himself.

“Well, thanks for the compliment. And thanks for taking the picture of me kissing her hand even if I didn’t ask you to. I can use it in many ways.”

“I only did that for my own amusement. And no matter what, make sure she doesn’t find out that I took it,” Melissa said with a shrug.

“You’re really evil to your friend, you know that?” Alex teased.

“I don’t need to hear that from you,” she replied smugly. “Not after seeing who you sent it to.”

Their laughter echoed again—this time louder, freer.

At that time, Alex didn’t know that one simple picture would become a nightmare for him in the future.

———

A/N:-

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