“Mr. Evans, would you like me to drive you home?” Zane asked cautiously, noticing Dave’s solemn expression in the rearview mirror.
He couldn’t help but feel sympathy for him.
The previous night, Dave had stayed up late dealing with important matters in Mubluosia. After finishing up and leaving Justin to handle the rest, he rushed back home.
Zane understood that Dave’s urgency was rooted in concern for Bianca, but he hadn’t expected what he saw at the neighborhood gate.
“Go to the office,” Dave instructed in his usual calm tone, though his fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
Dave’s cold stare made Zane tremble involuntarily.
It was clear that Dave was angry with Bianca. He didn’t even want to go back home.
Starting the car, Zane drove towards Phoenix Alliance Group.
Unaware that Dave had returned, Bianca opened the door and stepped into the apartment. The furniture looked the same as always.
But today, she felt an unusual chill and emptiness in the air.
In her bedroom, Bianca’s gaze fell on the jewelry box. Opening it, she saw the red diamond necklace nestled inside.
In the light, it sparkled brilliantly.
Bianca took out the necklace and carefully draped it around her neck in front of the dresser mirror.
She examined the necklace under the light and noticed its distinctive teardrop-shaped diamond. Intrigued, she couldn’t help but wonder why Dave had selected this specific piece.
Her fingers gently traced the surface of the bright red diamond.
It had been a week since Dave left, and Bianca didn’t know when he would be back.
How was he doing over there? She guessed he must be occupied. Otherwise, he could have sent a text or called.
But wait, what was she hoping for? She had said some hurtful things to him. How could she expect him to return to her now?
Bianca chuckled at herself, feeling conflicted about her emotions.
During Dave’s absence, she often found herself taking out the necklace and missing him.
But today, she couldn’t deny how much she missed him.
Bianca lay on her bed, the red diamond necklace shimmering around her neck. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
Before she had to give the necklace back to Dave, she wanted to savor its beauty one last time.
In the morning, sunlight poured through the curtains, gently touching her long lashes. Bianca snapped awake suddenly, glancing at the alarm clock.
“Oh my! I’m going to be late!”
She quickly got out of bed and dressed for work.
After a fast wash, she hurried out, slipping on her shoes, not noticing the red diamond necklace around her neck.
Around lunchtime, Bianca was heading out for errands when she ran into Zoey in the hallway.
Zoey had been away from the company for a day and was finally back.
Zoey was deep in conversation with someone, seemingly unbothered by anything else.
When she saw Bianca, Zoey wrapped up her chat and came over with a cheerful greeting. “Hey, Bianca! I was just thinking about catching up with you. It’s such a surprise to see you here.”
Smiling, Bianca asked, “What can I do for you?”
Zoey, who should have been scrambling to figure out how to win their bet, seemed surprisingly relaxed as if the situation didn’t bother her.
“Well, today is Natalie’s birthday. The company is hosting a celebration for her tonight at the Flourish Club. It’s an event for her close colleagues in the industry, and all department heads are expected to be there. Mr. Josh Harvey wants you there as the executive agent.”
After a brief pause, Bianca nodded and said, “Okay, I get it.”
“See you tonight,” Zoey responded calmly, smiling at Bianca before walking away.
Bianca felt there was something strange about Zoey’s manner, but she couldn’t quite figure out what it was.
At eight o’clock in the evening, Bianca arrived at the Flourish Club. She opened the door to the private room and saw Natalie seated on the sofa, looking stunning in a red strapless fishtail dress and a crown, radiating confidence.
Natalie glanced at Bianca with a haughty expression, maintaining her arrogant demeanor.
Zoey, seated comfortably next to Natalie, noticed Bianca entering and gestured for her to join them. “Bianca, you made it! Please, have a seat.”
Surrounding them were various celebrities known to be close to Natalie, along with key department heads from the company, including Josh, the most important one.
Bianca nodded to Josh before taking her seat.
Suddenly, the door to the private room swung open. A handsome man dressed in white walked in. It was Blake. What was he doing here?
“Ah, Blake, glad you could join us. We were just about to start without you,” the personnel director exclaimed, getting up to greet Blake warmly.
Blake quickly noticed Bianca as he entered. She looked stunning in her black dress, her dark hair flowing elegantly down. Sitting there, she exuded a calm beauty.
Bianca wondered why Blake was here. Then, she overheard the personnel director talking to Josh. “Mr. Harvey, this is Blake Lawson. I’ve been telling you about him. He’s a talented up-and-coming singer who might join our team at Phoenix Entertainment. I invited him today to meet everyone.”
Josh observed Blake and nodded in approval. “At our company, we value talent above all. Choosing Phoenix Entertainment would be a great move for you.”
Blake replied with a polite smile, “Thank you for your kind words, Mr. Harvey.”
Blake’s reason for coming to the party was simple: he had heard Bianca would be there, and that was his main motivation.
His choice to join Phoenix Entertainment depended on whether Bianca stayed as an agent there.
He wasn’t influenced by what others said or how they praised him.
“Now that we’re all here, let’s wish Natalie a happy twenty-fourth birthday.”
A waiter brought in a cake with lit candles and opened a bottle of champagne. Everyone cheered “Happy Birthday,” making the atmosphere lively.
Bianca stood in a corner with a glass of champagne, taking small sips during the toast. She knew her limit with alcohol and wanted to avoid any bad behavior that might come from drinking too much.
She blushed a bit, remembering a previous time when she got drunk, and Dave had to take her home, and she ended up clinging to him.
Determined not to repeat that incident, Bianca was cautious about how much alcohol she drank.
The personnel director kept urging Blake to drink, but Blake and Bianca only exchanged brief looks all evening.
Zoey came up to Bianca, holding two glasses of champagne. Then she loudly addressed everyone in the room, “Excuse me, may I have your attention? I have something to say to Bianca.”