As Bianca explained quickly and nervously, Dave let out a low, amused chuckle.
“Are you worried I’ll think you’re seeing someone else?”
Dave was teasing her on purpose, wasn’t he?
Bianca blushed instantly. Why did she feel the need to explain herself to him? It wasn’t his business who she was texting!
“No, I’m just clearing things up! And, um, did you have a good trip?” Bianca quickly changed the subject.
Dave’s voice, deep and smooth, almost seemed to whisper in her ear. “Are you worried about me? Hmm… Are you thinking about me?”
His tone had a hint of seduction and playfulness that made Bianca’s cheeks heat up.
Her heart raced, but she tried to stay calm. “Um, yeah, sometimes I do think about you.”
Dave was caught off guard by Bianca’s response. He chuckled in surprise and said, “Oh, really? What do you think about me then?”
“I’m just waiting for you to come back so I can return your necklace.”
The playful atmosphere disappeared in an instant.
There was a short pause on the other end of the line. If it weren’t for the faint sound of breathing, Bianca might have thought he hung up.
As Bianca wondered what to say next, Dave’s voice came through again, sounding much colder this time.
“Got it. I’ve landed safely, so don’t worry.”
After a brief pause, he added, “Next time, be sure you really mean what you say before speaking.”
As soon as Dave finished his stern words, the line went silent with a disconnected tone.
Bianca stared at her phone blankly. When she realized the call had ended, she sank back onto the sofa, feeling completely drained.
Had she really made a decision? Should she return the necklace and end things with him for good?
Bianca’s heart felt like it was being stabbed with ice, a sharp pain overwhelming her.
Just the idea of leaving him tore her apart.
But she also knew it would hurt even more if he found out the truth and rejected her completely.
Determined, Bianca clenched her fists. She was determined not to let anyone hurt her again. It was better to end things now while she could still bear the pain.
Thousands of kilometers away…
As Dave returned and walked through the glass doors, his colleagues noticed a chilling darkness overshadowing his expression. His whole demeanor exuded a cold and cruel aura.
Having worked with Dave for some time, his colleagues knew him as a composed and unemotional CEO with remarkable self-discipline. He held considerable sway in the business world.
Seeing Dave in such emotional turmoil was rare. They wondered what or who could provoke such a reaction with just a few messages.
Was there a significant change in the company?
The executives sat nervously, holding their breath, beads of sweat forming on their brows.
The next morning, Bianca woke up feeling tired, her eyes still heavy from sleep. She didn’t sleep well and had a headache.
She grabbed her phone to check the time, but then she saw a news notification. It made her instantly alert.
It said: “Insiders say Sophia’s baby isn’t Gabriel’s biological child. Rumors claim she had an affair and got pregnant, so she asked Gabriel to be the father. This caused a lot of pain for Gabriel, and he allegedly mistreated Sophia after they got married.”
Shortly after, many anonymous accounts claimed that Sophia had been involved with multiple wealthy individuals in the past. Despite portraying herself as innocent and pure, she allegedly engaged in promiscuous behavior to gain resources from them.
Blurry photos emerged showing a partially seen woman in revealing clothes being touched by several men at a fancy club entrance. Even though her face wasn’t clear, she looked a lot like Sophia.
Public opinion shifted for a moment.
Some of Sophia’s supporters stood by her, defending her and accusing Gabriel of trying to ruin her reputation. They didn’t believe the allegations against her.
However, many people on the internet were tricked. They believed that even though Sophia seemed innocent, she was actually promiscuous.
The debate heated up on Twitter, making the topic trend at the top of the list.
“The woman in those pictures isn’t Sophia. She’s definitely not like that! Stop spreading false rumors. Whoever does it will regret it!”
“Sophia came from a regular family. How did she get such big chances right from the start of her career? She must have had many influential people helping her! She might not even know who her child’s father is! Poor Gabriel, he’s being used to cover it up. No wonder he was so mad and reacted so harshly!”
“Sophia earned those opportunities with her talent and hard work, not because of anyone else!”
“Sophia, just quit the entertainment industry. You’re only in it for the money!”
The second hot topic was about Natalie and Sophia.
There were rumors that Natalie, a famous movie star, might get the lead role in Vincent’s new movie. But with Sophia coming back, people whispered that she secretly met with Vincent to try to get the role instead. The final decision hadn’t been made yet.
Most of the comments supported Natalie.
“Sophia hasn’t acted for five years. How could she suddenly get the lead role in Vincent’s movie as soon as she comes back? She must have someone helping her.”
“Natalie is the perfect choice for Vincent’s new movie. Sophia, the old star, should just stay away.”
“Once you leave the industry, stay out of the spotlight! Coming back just to steal attention from the best actress? Look at yourself in the mirror and see what you’ve become after having a baby. You’re just asking for trouble!”
Some famous bloggers started a poll, asking followers to pick who they wanted as the lead in Vincent’s new movie.
Natalie was leading by a significant margin.
The sudden change in how people felt showed that someone was trying to ruin Sophia’s reputation to stop her from coming back.
The poll results were clearly affected by the rumors. It seemed like a plan to make people choose between the actresses and get everyone talking.
Bianca had a strong feeling about who might be trying to stop Sophia from coming back.
She didn’t waste any time. She called Sophia right away.
“Hello, Sophia. Did you see what’s going on on Twitter?”
“Yeah, I did.” Sophia’s voice was shaky. “That woman in the pictures isn’t me. I’ve only been with Gabriel. He’s the father of my child, no doubt! Bianca, do you believe me?”
“Of course, I believe you.” Bianca’s confidence seemed to reassure Sophia. “It’s obvious someone is trying to ruin your reputation to stop you from getting a role in Vincent’s new movie.”