When Bianca arrived, Blake cheerfully pulled out a chair for her.
“I wasn’t sure what you’d like, so I ordered a variety of the restaurant’s specialties. Please try them,” he said, pulling out the chair next to Bianca and sitting down.
Bianca responded with a polite smile. “Thank you, Blake.”
She then greeted Paige, who was seated across from them.
Paige couldn’t help but smile as she observed Blake’s thoughtful and gentle demeanor towards Bianca.
Reflecting on her godson’s kindness, good looks, and achievements, Paige thought any girl would be fortunate to have him. She was sure Bianca would eventually grow fond of him.
Soon, the other ladies joined them, and dinner began.
Throughout the meal, Blake took care of Bianca, making sure she was comfortable and helping her enjoy the food. He also shared interesting stories from his studies abroad.
Seeing Bianca’s initial anxiety slowly turn into a relaxed smile, Blake felt satisfied.
After dinner, Paige glanced at Bianca, and Blake warmly suggested, “I need to catch up with these ladies. You two should enjoy yourselves. You don’t have to stay with us the whole time. The night view here is beautiful. Blake, why don’t you take Bianca for a walk?”
“Sure. Ready to go, Bianca?” Blake stood up and asked her.
Bianca nodded in agreement, said goodbye to Paige and the others, and followed Blake outside.
Bianca let out a sigh of relief.
She was finally feeling comfortable. Despite meeting Paige several times before, this was her first time joining her for leisure, which had been a bit nerve-wracking.
“Bianca, Paige is really laid-back, you know. You don’t have to be too formal around her,” Blake said, looking at Bianca’s calm expression.
“I never knew you were Vincent and Paige’s godson. What does your family do? Are you involved in the entertainment industry, too?” Bianca and Blake walked and talked.
A hint of sadness crossed Blake’s face, and his eyes clouded over. “I never knew my birth parents. My mom passed away, giving birth to me, and my dad left, remarried, and never returned. The Lopez couple adopted me and raised me. They mean everything to me.”
Hearing Blake’s story, Bianca paused. She hadn’t expected him to have such a difficult life. “I’m sorry, Blake. I didn’t know about all of that…”
They had wandered to a beautiful spot in the resort, surrounded by soft lighting that painted a stunning scene in purple hues.
Blake stopped and turned to look at her with a gentle gaze. “It’s okay. I’m open about it. I’ve gotten used to it. And if you’re curious about my family, I’m actually… very happy.”
Bianca didn’t fully understand his meaning. She looked up at him with her bright eyes. Blake’s heart skipped a beat as he met her eyes.
His expression softened with affection, and he couldn’t help but say, “Bianca, if you want to know, I’ll tell you everything. I won’t hide anything because…”
“Blake,” Bianca interrupted, nervously biting her lower lip. After a pause, she looked him in the eye with resolve and admitted, “Actually, I already have a boyfriend.”
Blake’s smile froze suddenly. Despite his suspicions, hearing Bianca say it felt like a heavy blow to his heart, leaving him momentarily speechless.
He quickly composed himself, forcing a bright smile. “Why bring this up now? Did you think I was going to confess my feelings for you?”
Bianca looked at him, curious. “You… weren’t?”
Blake’s heart sank, but he pretended not to care. “No, not at all. I just wanted you to know about my family because I value our friendship. Friends should always be honest with each other, right?”
Bianca breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing Blake’s response. She had been worried he might confess his feelings, so she quickly mentioned her boyfriend to avoid any awkwardness.
Now realizing she had misunderstood him, she awkwardly scratched her head.
“Well, you probably noticed Mrs. Lopez’s intention to bring us here today. I appreciate her kindness, but I’m already in a relationship, so when you mentioned that earlier, I thought…” Despite her embarrassment, Bianca seemed more relaxed. “I’m sorry, Blake. I misunderstood you. I’m glad you see me as just a friend. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know how to face you in the future.”
Blake’s fingers tensed, and his smile looked strained. He hesitated before gently asking, “Is your boyfriend the guy who took you away that day?”
Bianca understood he was referring to the night of Natalie’s birthday party and nodded slightly.
Blake looked at her, his expression thoughtful. “But didn’t you say at the party that you weren’t engaged and had no boyfriend?”
Bianca quickly explained, “The situation with him is complicated. What I said at the party was true at that moment, but now I am with him. I didn’t mean to mislead you.”
Blake understood that something must have changed between them after the guy took Bianca away that night.
Suddenly, Blake felt a pang of regret. If he had held onto Bianca that night instead of letting her go, perhaps everything would be different now.
Blake looked at Bianca and gently asked, “Bianca, how well do you know Dave? What do his parents do? How big is his family, and what’s their relationship like? Where does he work, and what’s his income? Do you know about his savings? Has he introduced you to his family or friends? Is he serious about building a future with you, or is he just playing games?”
Bianca was surprised and squinted her eyes in confusion.
Blake’s questions left her puzzled; she didn’t have all the details he mentioned.
She hadn’t really thought about these things while with Dave. When she found out Dave was the man from the Grand Horizon Hotel, she focused on being happy.
They liked each other and felt a mutual need, and Bianca thought that was enough.
However, when faced with Blake’s questions, Bianca suddenly realized she didn’t know much about Dave beyond his name and where he worked.
She had never heard Dave mention his family or friends either.
Still, she answered, “We’ve only just started dating. I’ll learn more about these things over time.” Inside, Bianca sought comfort and reassurance.
Blake smiled gently in response. “True friends are open with each other, and so are lifelong partners. If I cared about someone, I would share everything about myself without hesitation. Do you understand what I mean?”
Rubbing her fingers nervously, Bianca replied, “I appreciate your concern. Thank you for being so thoughtful.”
Blake looked at Bianca’s pale face and sighed softly. “I’m glad you understand. As your friend, I truly want you to be happy. Maybe I’m overthinking things. It’s getting late, and you have work tomorrow. Go say goodbye to the ladies. I’ll drive you home since it’s hard to find a cab this late.”