Bianca sighed quietly. She didn’t want to cause any trouble, so she just said, “Why wouldn’t I be here?”
Ashley smirked and moved closer to Joshua, holding onto his arm tightly. “Bianca, do you even belong here? Are you a VIP, or did you buy a ticket?”
“I don’t have either of those,” Bianca replied calmly.
Ashley felt even more pleased after hearing this.
She looked at Dave, dressed casually beside Bianca. She quickly glanced at him and scoffed, “Bianca, I’ve been saying for a while now that you should be with someone capable. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck outside without even the right qualifications. Look at Mr. Reed here. He’s a young VIP of this club. We got in for free!”
Joshua was wearing expensive brands from head to toe. He showed off his fancy watch, feeling superior.
Bianca stayed calm. With a smile, she said, “I feel sorry for you, Ashley. You always need a man to get what you want. What will you do if you can’t find one someday? I doubt you could even get into the club, let alone watch the competition.”
“You!” Ashley’s face turned red with anger at Bianca’s words. She wished she could shut Bianca up forever.
Bianca gently took Dave’s arm and smiled charmingly. “Unlike you, I can get in on my own and bring my man along too. You, on the other hand, can’t do that.”
Dave, surprised by Bianca’s words, raised an eyebrow.
Did Bianca just call him her man?
Ashley, thinking Bianca was just bragging, pointed at herself and yelled, “Stop lying, Bianca! If you can get into the club without needing a VIP membership or tickets, I’ll bow down and apologize to you!”
Ashley’s straightforwardness played into Bianca’s hands, giving her the perfect opportunity to shine.
“You said it. Keep your promise.”
With that, Bianca took Dave to the staff at the entrance.
“Ma’am, sir, could I see your VIP passes or tickets, please?”
Ashley watched, arms folded, hoping to see Bianca embarrassed. As far as she knew, the equestrian club had strict rules about entry to the racetrack. There was no other way in without a VIP membership or a ticket.
Ashley was curious about how Bianca would solve the problem.
Bianca casually took out an ID badge from her bag and showed it to the staff.
Once they checked her picture, they gave it back. “Oh, you’re competing. And this gentleman?”
“He’s my assistant. He’s here for the competition with me.”
The staff understood that competitors could have assistants. They scanned the badge and opened the gate.
“Follow me, please.”
Ashley was shocked. She had thought Bianca was just another spectator, not a competitor.
How did Bianca even qualify to compete in such an event?
Instead of hurrying through the gate, Bianca turned to Ashley, smirking triumphantly. “Time to pay up.”
Flustered, Ashley clenched her jaw and protested, “Wait, that’s not fair. I meant watching the race, not competing in it.”
Bianca raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Everyone heard you clearly. You promised that if I could get into this arena, that was enough. You never said how. Ashley, are you really going to deny it in front of everyone?”
“I…” Ashley was speechless. Holding onto Joshua’s arm, she said sweetly, “Mr. Reed, can’t you help me? I don’t want to be embarrassed by her.”
Joshua looked helpless; Ashley had caused this mess herself.
But she was his girlfriend, and her embarrassment would make him look bad too.
He stepped in to protect Ashley, giving Bianca a serious look.
“Forget about this for my sake, Bianca.”
Joshua’s implication was clear: Bianca was just an agent in the entertainment industry, while he, as the vice president of Golden Gate Films, held more influence.
Bianca knew what to do. She smiled and replied, “If Mr. Reed asks, I’ll see it as a favor. But Mr. Reed, I hope you can advise your girlfriend to stop causing problems for me. If she keeps causing issues on your behalf, it could damage your reputation.”
With that, Bianca and Dave walked into the arena, ignoring Ashley and Joshua.
Joshua’s expression turned cold. He looked at Ashley, displeased. “Try to stay out of trouble.”
Unconvinced, Ashley argued, “Don’t believe what she says. She’s just trying to cause trouble.”
But Joshua’s stern gaze quieted her.
She backed off, muttering, “Okay, I understand.”
Still, she couldn’t help but glare at Bianca.
Once inside the arena, Bianca let go of Dave’s arm and looked at him apologetically. “I’m sorry, Mr. Evans. This is all my fault.”
Dave stopped and turned to Bianca. “Why would you think that?”
“Just now, Ashley said that to upset me…”
Bianca was still angry about Ashley’s earlier insult, calling him a failure.
Dave smiled slightly, running his fingers through Bianca’s hair. “I’m your man, after all. Your words matter to me. I don’t care about what others say.”
Bianca’s eyes widened, realizing what she had said. She had called him her man without even realizing it…
A blush crept up to her ears.
“I meant to say…”
But before Bianca could finish, Dave gently held her hand. His smile was gentle as he said, “You already put Ashley in her place quickly. That’s enough for me. Let’s focus on what’s next. If we don’t hurry, you’ll be late for the competition.”
Bianca looked at the clock. “You’re right.” With that, she hurried off to the area for post-game preparation.
Looking back at Dave, she called out, “Mr. Evans when I’m done, I’ll be looking for you in the stands!”
The big part of the competition was an obstacle course. Riders had to lead their horses over different obstacles spread out on the course.
These obstacles were all decorated and varied in how hard they were.
The tricky part was the rider had to work well with their horse.
Dave went to the grandstand and found a seat.
People around him were excitedly betting on the competition.
The arena had big screens all around, showing the names and pictures of the competitors, including Bianca. They also displayed their riding skills and the rules of the competition.
As the event started, the riders took turns tackling the course.
Before each rider starts, people bet on whether they can clear all the obstacles. This was a popular activity among the nobles during horse races.
When Ashley and Joshua got to the grandstand, they saw Dave.
His calm attitude and handsome appearance made him noticeable wherever he sat.
Ashley walked up to him with a smile, Joshua by her side.
“Sir, Bianca’s competing soon, and everyone’s betting. Why don’t you join in?” she asked.