She turned to the right and saw an annoying face under the soft streetlight. It was Haris.
“Bianca, it seems like fate keeps bringing us together.”
Haris approached with a sneaky grin. He had been waiting for Bianca every day on her way to work. This time, he caught her by surprise. And to make matters worse, her supposed fiance was with her!
“Have you decided yet, Bianca? Pay what you owe, or else…” He glanced at the tall man next to her, his smile turning cold.
“Haris Carter, we’ve been over this. You’re not getting any money from me!” Bianca retorted firmly.
Haris scoffed and turned to Dave. “Looks like she doesn’t care much about you either.”
Dave narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean by that?”
“Oh, you’re clueless? She…” Haris started.
“Enough!” Bianca interrupted sharply.
Haris sneered even more. “Are you scared? Then pay me immediately.”
Bianca chuckled softly, then met Haris’s gaze with a fierce determination that caught him off guard.
“This is my problem to deal with. If there’s any talking to be done, I’ll be the one doing it. Who do you think you are to speak? You’re just a troublemaker with no right to interfere!” she declared.
“What?” Haris was taken aback by Bianca’s strong reaction. It completely surprised him.
Bianca took a deep breath, then turned to face Dave directly.
“You’re wondering why, aren’t you? Well, here it is. Stacey and Haris tricked me into a situation where I ended up sleeping with a stranger. So… I’m not worthy of you.”
Bianca confessed, her pain finally pouring out. She felt a wave of relief, leaving her so drained she could barely stand.
Haris stared at Bianca, shocked. Why would she reveal such a thing?
He saw Dave’s stunned expression, and panic set in. He quickly defended himself. “Bianca, you’re lying about me. You were the one who had a fling with a stranger. How’s that my fault? Listen to her, sir. She admits it herself. She’s the reckless one. How could she? You’ve been fooled!”
Bianca clenched her jaw, feeling frustrated. It didn’t matter what Haris said. There was no proof, and arguing would only make her situation worse.
Too afraid to even meet Dave’s gaze, Bianca knew she should just walk away.
She couldn’t bear to see his possible disappointment after revealing her vulnerabilities to him, silently pleading for a kind response. She wished he would just walk away without saying anything.
“Bianca,” Dave’s voice reached out to her.
Her heart clenched with pain, her fingers tightening until they left deep marks.
Haris observed with crossed arms, expecting Dave to push Bianca aside angrily.
Instead, Dave gently caught Bianca’s wrist and softly asked, “Why didn’t you come to me earlier?”
Bianca managed a self-mocking smile. Was Dave angry with her for keeping the truth hidden for so long?
Taking a deep breath, she mustered the courage to look Dave in the eye.
Suppressing her sadness, she said defiantly, “Mr. Evans, I’m sorry for not being honest with you sooner. Now that everything’s out, you can leave. Don’t-”
Before she could finish her sentence, Dave pulled her into a hug, burying his face in her long, sweet-smelling hair, his warmth enveloping her.
Haris’s eyes widened in surprise. What was happening?! He had expected a heated argument, not a sudden display of affection in public.
“Mr. Evans, you-” Bianca was bewildered. Why was Dave holding her so closely instead of pushing her away?
“Silly girl, you should have told me earlier. I’ve misunderstood you for too long.”
Why was his voice still so gentle and comforting?
Bianca was stunned. “Mr. Evans, aren’t you- Aren’t you upset about it?”
Dave nestled his face in her neck, letting out a soft chuckle. “You were worried I’d be upset, weren’t you? Is that why you kept it from me?”
Bianca, feeling a bit dizzy, nodded. “I was afraid you’d hate me, look down on me, and just abandon me-”
“Why are you so afraid? Is it because you love me?” Dave interrupted gently.
“I…” With her cheek against his strong chest, hearing his soothing voice, Bianca’s cheeks turned red, her body relaxing. “Yes, I love you. That’s why I was scared of getting hurt by you. I didn’t want to risk you hurting me.”
Dave lifted his gaze to meet her eyes and smiled warmly. “Silly girl, I would never want to hurt you. I’m here to protect you.”
“Why?” Bianca asked; her confusion was clear.
Dave whispered softly in her ear, “Because you’re mine. Since that night, you’ve belonged to me.”
“What?” Bianca’s eyes widened in astonishment. “You mean that night? At the Grand Horizon Hotel?”
Remembering the incident, Dave chuckled softly. “I kept wondering who that bold woman was. She snuck into my room and asked if I was handsome. Well, let me tell you, I’m the man you met that night.”
Bianca was utterly dumbfounded.
She stood frozen, staring at the man before her in disbelief.
“Are you serious? How is that even possible?” Bianca asked incredulously.
Dave gently brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. “Remember when you asked me how I knew about the birthmark on your neck? Only a few people, not even your dad, knew about it.”
The memory of her engagement party flooded back. Dave had used that birthmark to prove her innocence, a detail Bianca had always wondered about.
“I told you then that I had seen it myself.”
His words made Bianca blush deeply. She couldn’t recall him mentioning that before.
But looking back, she always felt a strange sense of familiarity with him. His voice and scent had always seemed oddly familiar. Yet, if he knew everything, why hadn’t he told her sooner?
“Are you finished?” Haris, who had been watching from the sidelines, couldn’t hold back any longer. He strained to hear their whispered conversation. Glancing disdainfully at Dave, he remarked, “Aren’t you bothered that she’s been with another man? Why are you so fixated on such an immoral woman?”
Dave’s eyes grew dark. He gently let go of Bianca and spoke softly, “I know you have many questions. I’ll explain everything once we’re home.”
Then he turned and walked toward Haris.
Sensing Dave’s intimidating presence, Haris instinctively backed away.
“What- What are you doing? I was just giving you a heads-up. This woman is a bitch. Don’t be fooled by her innocent act,” Haris protested.
Dave closed in swiftly, grabbing Haris’s shirt collar and delivering a sharp knee to his abdomen.
“Ouch!” Haris cried out, collapsing to the ground in pain, clutching his stomach and writhing.
Dave crouched before him, gripping his collar firmly, his voice cold and threatening. “Listen carefully. I was the man with Bianca at the Grand Horizon Hotel that night.”