Ashley felt humiliated and fell silent.
“Come on, Bianc, let’s get you to your VIP seat,” Graciel said, her tone changing as she spoke to Bianca. She gently took Bianca’s hand and led her toward the VIP area.
Sophia gave Bianca a discreet thumbs up, clearly impressed. Bianca had made the right choice!
Sophia then looked back at Ashley and Natalie with a smug smile. “Serves you right.”
Ashley and Natalie, fuming with anger, settled back into their seats, their faces showing their frustration.
As Graciel led Bianca to the VIP section, Bianca was about to ask a question but was interrupted by a familiar face.
“Ms. Garcia?”
Bianca exclaimed as Ruby greeted her with a warm smile.
“Ms. Garcia, Bianc, I have to go now,” Graciel said before turning to leave. Bianca was left with her questions unanswered for now.
After a brief chat with Ruby, the show began. The stage lit up under bright lights, and the VIP area, right in front, was clearly visible. Cameras zoomed in on Bianca, capturing her in the VIP section.
The Internet went wild.
“Did I see that right? Is that Bianca, the talent agent, in the VIP seat?”
“She just started her company, and now she’s in a VIP seat at the show. That’s impressive!”
“She’s wearing an outfit from Cherish’s latest collection.”
“Rumor has it that Cherish is looking for a new face for their brand. Could Bianca be their next partner?”
“Oh my goodness! I’m witnessing the rise of a new star in showbiz!”
The fashion show was a huge success. Cherish’s final display was breathtaking and captivated the audience. Graciel, the creative mind behind it all, stood on stage, enjoying the praise.
Meanwhile, Bianca felt overwhelmed, and her uncertainties grew.
Bianca was puzzled by Graciel’s kindness. It seemed odd for someone of Graciel’s status to have a connection with her.
After the show, Ruby gently took Bianca’s hand and said, “Bianc, remember when I said someone we know would come back? They’re here now, and I want us all to meet. Since they’ve returned, can you come to our party tomorrow evening?”
Bianca remembered wanting to thank Ruby with a dinner invitation. Ruby, who loved parties, wanted to wait and celebrate with their mutual friend once they were back.
With Ruby’s invitation, Bianca wasn’t going to turn it down.
“Tomorrow works for me, Ms. Garcia. I’ve been thinking of having you over for dinner, so I’d like to cover the costs. What do you think?”
“Haha, I’ll leave the bill to you. Handle it however you like,” Ruby said.
As Ruby spoke, Graciel approached them. Bianca’s heart raced as soon as she saw her.
“Bianc, could you take Ms. Garcia to the party for me? I have some things to take care of.”
Graciel spoke to Bianca with such warmth that it felt like they had known each other forever.
Just as Graciel was about to leave, Bianca suddenly called out, “Miss Graciel!”
Graciel turned around and gave Bianca a warm, gentle smile.
“Well… Thank you so much for today.”
Realizing it wasn’t the right time for a long conversation, Bianca decided not to say more, not wanting to intrude on Graciel’s busy schedule.
“Don’t think of me as a stranger,” Graciel said with a smile before leaving.
After safely seeing Ruby back to her place, Bianca decided not to stay any longer.
As soon as Ruby walked into her house, her phone buzzed. She checked the screen and answered the call with a mysterious grin.
“Thank you, Ms. Garcia.”
Sitting on the old sofa with her hands folded behind her back, Ruby said quietly, “If you want to show your gratitude, it might be a good idea to be kinder to Bianca. The road to success isn’t easy for her.”
“I will. I promise I’ll make it up to her when I return.”
Suddenly, Ruby remembered something. She looked up and asked, “Oh, by the way, will that young man you mentioned be joining you tomorrow?”
“Yes, I’ve contacted him. Tomorrow, I’ll arrange for them to meet and get to know each other. As for marriage, that’s still uncertain.”
“Young people today follow their hearts. An arranged engagement might not work well for them,” Ruby observed with a nod.
“I trust my judgment on this.”
Ruby mumbled to herself, “What’s the young one from Everleigh like?” and then turned her gaze toward the window.
****
After Dave finished his meeting the next evening, he and Michael returned to the top-floor office at Phoenix Alliance Group’s headquarters.
Sitting cross-legged on the leather sofa, Michael said, “I never imagined the overseas property would be this valuable. Even a small share would be worth more than half of the Hayes Group’s business in Blosa.”
Reclining at his desk, Dave replied, “My uncles have been eyeing the international market for a while now. They’ve been restless and unhappy with their current situation. I need you to manage part of the business and help me stop their overseas plans.”
“Don’t worry. I know how to handle this. They won’t get even a small piece of the pie,” Michael assured with a smile.
“By the way, are you planning to spend the evening with your grandpa tonight?”
Dave picked up a golden pen and said casually, “No, I won’t be going back there. I’m heading to my place. I really miss her.”
****
In the past few days, Rupert had stopped all his plotting. His spies around Dave were pulled back, as reported by his team.
This meant Dave could finally be with Bianca.
As Dave adjusted his tie, he couldn’t help but chuckle to himself.
He was clearly in high spirits.
Seeing Dave so happy, Michael raised an eyebrow and asked, “When did you become so love-struck?”
Dave just smiled at Michael and chose not to reply.
At seven in the evening, at Whispering Mist.
This high-end restaurant, located in the heart of the city, only accepted reservations from its members in advance.
Bianca was stepping into this renowned place for the first time.
The grand entrance, made of wood, had an antique charm.
Guided by a waiter, Bianca arrived at the private room. When the door opened, she stopped in surprise.
Inside the room, besides Ruby, Bianca saw Graciel and Professor Lopez.
‘Why were they all together?’
Feeling both confused and determined, Bianca stepped in.
“Bianc, there you are,” Ruby greeted with a warm smile.
Graciel and Leonel stood up with smiles as Bianca entered.
“Ms. Garcia,” Bianca greeted Ruby respectfully and then turned to the others.
“Ms. Graciel, Professor Lopez, what brings you…”
Ruby took Bianca’s hand and led her toward them. With a kind smile, Ruby introduced them, “Bianc, these are the people I told you about. Graciel, also known as Madison Lopez, was once my student. And this is her son, Leonel Lopez.”