“What?” Haris was stunned.
Dave’s voice grew deeper, full of menace. “If you ever cause trouble for her again, I won’t hesitate to kill you.”
The moment Dave let go, Haris crumpled, his back hitting the hard ground.
“By the way, I owe you for pointing Bianca in my direction,” Dave said, standing over Haris with a faint smile.
Haris’s eyes widened in shock.
Was this the man Bianca had sought out that night after being drugged?
Had they been working together all along? And why would he dare show up at the engagement party?
The truth slammed into Haris like a ton of bricks. Bianca had manipulated him, and he was the last to realize it.
He felt utterly foolish.
Dave brushed off his hand, now dirtied from the scuffle with Haris, and returned to Bianca’s side, offering his hand. “Let’s go home.”
Still in shock, Bianca looked at Dave and placed her hand in his.
As they disappeared from sight, Haris slowly picked himself up, tasting blood in his mouth.
As Haris picked himself up, bloodied and sore, he heard applause and saw Ashley approaching from a distance.
Ashley had driven by, seen them, stopped her car, and watched in secret. She hadn’t expected such a dramatic scene.
Unable to contain herself, she laughed. “What a show I stumbled on!”
Haris stared at Ashley, wiping blood from his mouth. “What are you doing here? Where’s Stacey?”
“Mom’s being closely watched by Dad at home. You won’t be seeing her,” Ashley replied, looking at Haris with a hint of disdain. “Haris, forget about my family. Don’t you see who you should really be concerned about? I thought you weren’t interested in Bianca, but it seems she’s made a fool of you. That’s just sad.”
Ashley burst into a loud, mocking laugh.
“Shut up!” Haris snapped angrily. “She’s such a traitor. I can’t believe she would betray me like that.”
With her arms folded, Ashley let out a scornful snort. “They’re in love and they’re successful. Look at yourself. You’re unemployed. But then again… You got deceived and beaten up. Deep down, you don’t really hate her, do you?”
Haris clenched his fists tightly. Of course, he hated her. He despised Bianca with every ounce of his being.
It was all Bianca’s fault that his life had fallen apart.
Now, he had nothing left to hold against Bianca. He couldn’t extort any more money from her.
“If I were you, I’d make whoever hurt me suffer twice as much. When times get tough, I wouldn’t face them alone. But then again… I doubt someone like you could ever do that,” Ashley’s cutting words pierced Haris’s heart.
Through gritted teeth, he responded, “I’m not going to let go of Bianca so easily. But she’s got that new guy with her…”
“He’s just a pretty face, nothing to worry about,” Ashley remarked dismissively.
“Just a pretty face?” Haris scowled. The man’s presence suggested he was far from insignificant.
Ashley scoffed, “You don’t know that yet. Remember the engagement party? It was all a facade. And that guy? He’s just Bianca’s arm candy. Just a pretty face, nothing more.”
“Is that true?” Haris asked skeptically. He had assumed the man held some influence, but Ashley’s words implied otherwise.
“Why would I lie about this? Bianca herself confessed it to me. Haris, aren’t you in need of money? Let’s make a deal.”
“What kind of deal?”
Ashley let out a mocking laugh. “Take Bianca down for me. There’s a good chunk of cash waiting for you.”
Haris’s brow knitted. “And how do you expect me to do that?”
A cold gleam flickered in Ashley’s eyes. “Scar her pretty face, silence her voice, destroy her reputation. There are many ways to ruin someone. The goal is to ruin her.”
“You want me to commit crimes?” Haris stared into Ashley’s calculating eyes.
She chuckled softly and replied, “Smart people don’t leave evidence behind, even when they break the law, right? Pull this off, and I’ll hand you a million dollars. So, what do you say? Are you in?
‘A million dollars…’ Haris was torn, considering the offer.
“How did you get so wealthy?” he asked, curious.
Ashley boasted proudly, “My boyfriend is Joshua, the vice president at Golden Gate Films. I get a few gigs there, and making a million is a breeze. Plus, I’ll soon be Mrs. Reed. They’re one of the most prominent families around. You’ve heard of them, right?”
Over time, Joshua had distanced himself from Ashley after their last argument. Eventually, his anger softened, and he became willing to reconcile.
Ashley had made multiple efforts to mend their relationship, finally succeeding in calming Joshua’s feelings.
Lately, Ashley had been reflective. To become Mrs. Reed, she understood she needed to be more cautious with her choices.
Her mother had always advised her that a wise woman keeps her dealings clean.
Encountering Haris today seemed to Ashley like the perfect opportunity.
Haris was visibly impressed upon learning of Ashley’s connection to the influential Reed family. “I didn’t realize you had ties to the Reeds. You really are Stacey’s daughter,” he remarked.
Both Stacey and Ashley were known for their cunning and ruthlessness.
Haris was in a tough situation. After losing his job, he had turned to gambling and accumulated a significant debt. A million dollars could wipe out his gambling debts and leave him with a substantial amount of money. And…
Haris glanced at Ashley.
He saw her as a potential financial lifeline.
Once Ashley became Mrs. Reed, she’d be stepping into real high society. That’s when the money would start pouring in. As long as Haris remained in Ashley’s good graces and had leverage over her, he could keep asking for money indefinitely.
Haris seemed to glimpse the luxurious life that lay ahead.
He smirked. “Alright, I’ll make a deal with you.”
Meanwhile, Dave didn’t let go of Bianca’s hand the entire way home.
When they entered the living room, Bianca turned to Dave, her expression playful yet expectant. “Mr. Evans, don’t you think it’s time you explained yourself?”
At that moment, Dave had taken off his black coat, revealing a light blue shirt and a black tie underneath.
“Where should I start?” Dave pondered, pretending to think deeply.
Bianca sat on the couch, arms folded, legs elegantly crossed. She sat upright, her gaze fixed on him like an interrogator.
Despite her black dress and slightly tousled hair, she looked both adorable and alluring.
“Let’s begin with my post about ‘a boyfriend-for-hire’,” Bianca suggested.
“Well…” Dave touched his nose thoughtfully, then approached Bianca and crouched before her, gently taking her hand. “What if I told you it was just a coincidence? Would you believe me?”