Stacey, hearing this, turned to Peter in shock.
Stacey found herself stuck at home by Peter’s orders. Despite being treated similarly by Bianca, Peter still longed to reconcile with her. Ashley’s exceptional qualities went unnoticed, with Peter not mentioning her at all.
This made Stacey realize she had been fooling herself all this time.
Stacey’s plan to marry Ashley to Joshua was also her way of breaking free.
Now, Stacey was more determined than ever to leave Peter. With only Ashley to depend on, Ashley’s marriage to the Reed family had to go smoothly.
“Bianc, why would you think that of me?” Peter paused, then spoke sadly. “You’re grown up now. If you want me out of your life, I’ll step back. But you’re my daughter. That bond will never change, so I won’t sign this paper to cut ties.”
He took the document from Stacey and tore it up.
Peter couldn’t let go of Bianca yet. He needed Ashley to marry into the Reed family first to help his business, and he wanted to wait for Stacey’s baby to be born to confirm if it was his.
Self-interest always guided Peter’s decisions, choosing what would benefit him most.
With that, he walked away from everyone and left. Stacey followed, feeling disappointed.
The comments on the livestream were buzzing.
“Bianca is powerful.”
“She’s fearless against her stepmother and that useless father. Go, Bianca!”
“Bianca is amazing.”
Her courage gained her many new supporters.
Ashley was frustrated, biting her lip almost to the point of bleeding. Her mom had lost to Bianca, and even Peter had softened toward her.
It was obvious. All of Ashley’s plans to surpass Bianca that day had failed.
Ashley tried calling Haris in annoyance, but his phone was still off.
What was going on?
He hadn’t answered his phone in days. Could something have happened to him?
A dark suspicion crept into Ashley’s mind.
Could Haris’s disappearance be connected to Bianca, too? Ashley’s lips trembled. Suddenly, she felt too intimidated by Bianca to even move.
The fan event ended quickly. Natalie may have lost to Bianca, but she discovered something important about Dave, so she wasn’t too upset.
Looking towards Bianca’s company, Natalie smiled. She whispered to herself, “Don’t worry, Bianca, we have all the time in the world.”
Bianca’s company’s grand opening went perfectly. There, Bianca signed a movie deal with Sophia and Vincent, marking a major milestone for the company.
And just like that, Emerald Artists Agency was officially founded.
That night, Bianca took some friends to a karaoke bar to sing and celebrate the new business.
Vincent and Ruby found the place too noisy and decided to leave the youthful festivities.
Nicolas stayed because Sophia was there.
Brandon wasn’t keen to join but came along to watch over Nicolas, following Michael’s orders.
“Diana, Brandon’s joining us tonight. Do you think he’s coming for you? This could be your big chance. Seize it,” Bianca encouraged, pulling Diana aside and giving her a knowing look.
Diana bit her lip. Despite her experience with many men in the past, she seemed flustered and unsure.
Bianca sensed Diana’s genuine feelings for Brandon, even though she didn’t know the whole story.
Curious but patient, Bianca decided to wait for Diana to confide in her when she was ready.
After making sure everyone was ready, Bianca texted Dave. “Hey, any plans tonight? I’m hosting a little celebration at the karaoke bar, and you’re invited. What do you think?”
“Who’s going to be there?” Dave asked.
Bianca listed the expected guests, and when Ruby’s name wasn’t mentioned, Dave agreed, “Okay, I’ll join you.”
“Great, it’s all set.”
Bianca hung up, feeling thrilled. The prospect of Dave joining them tonight filled her with joy.
Later that evening, at Deep Sea.
This bar was one of the fancier spots in Edenfield. Bianca and Diana had arrived early, ready to welcome their guests. They had even ordered a whole table of beer in preparation.
Several well-known celebrities arrived discreetly shortly after and slipped into the private room. Once the door closed behind them, they shed their disguises. Despite their glamorous public images, they were now dressed in simple, casual clothes.
Diana stole glances at Brandon. He wore a casual white sweatshirt and brown trousers, his hair styled casually, giving off a friendly, approachable vibe-the kind she remembered from their past interactions.
Sophia relaxed on the sofa. Nicolas tried to sit next to her, but Brandon quickly took the seat between them.
Nicolas, visibly annoyed, shot Brandon a disapproving glare.
The private room wasn’t just for their group; it also had other young guests from today’s opening ceremony. They were the type who liked to socialize and have fun.
Brandon looked around calmly. He turned to Bianca and asked, “Is everyone here, Bianca?”
“Just a moment. We’re still waiting for one more person,” Bianca replied, glancing at her watch. She was sure Dave, who was always on time, would arrive soon.
“Who are we waiting for?” Sophia asked, sounding curious.
“Well…”
Just as Bianca was about to reply, the door to the private room swung open, and the silhouette of a tall, strong man appeared in the backlight.
Tonight, Dave wore a black shirt and had bare wrists without a watch. As he entered, he exuded a cold, distant aura, seeming aloof from personal connections.
Brandon and Nicolas both reacted sharply to his arrival.
“Dave’s here!” Bianca exclaimed.
Nicolas glanced at Brandon, who subtly pressed a finger to his lips, signaling for discretion.
“Who’s this guy, Bianc?” Sophia stood up. The man before them exuded authority, clearly someone of high status.
Bianca moved closer to Dave, linking her arm with his and resting her head on his shoulder. “Everyone, this is my boyfriend, Dave.”
Nicolas and Brandon both gasped in surprise!
Nicolas gave Brandon a confused look, silently asking what was going on.
Brandon just shrugged and rolled his eyes casually as if to say, “I have no clue.”
“So, you’re Bianc’s boyfriend. Nice to meet you,” Sophia greeted warmly before teasingly turning to Bianca. “I see why you were quick to clear up those rumors. You didn’t want your handsome boyfriend to get any wrong ideas. Bianc, you’ve really kept him a secret.”
Bianca playfully winked as she introduced Dave to everyone else. She had expected Dave might feel a bit overwhelmed meeting such famous stars.
However, Dave stayed calm during the introductions, offering a polite smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet all of you.”
“We’ve known each other for so long, yet here we are, acting like strangers,” Brandon murmured softly.
“What was that, Brandon?” Sophia quickly asked, catching his whisper.