Bianca looked up from her meal and replied, “He lost his parents and only has a grandfather. They’re just an ordinary family.”
Bianca had no plans to keep her relationship with Dave a secret from her mother. Now that her mother was back, she intended to tell her eventually.
Madison’s face showed disappointment. A regular guy from a simple family with just an elderly relative?
Madison was a famous international entrepreneur, creator of the Cherish brand, a top designer, and a major investor in the film industry worldwide.
Madison imagined a future where her daughter would join her in business, becoming wealthy and influential. She couldn’t accept the idea of Bianca marrying someone she deemed unsuitable and potentially burdensome.
Turning to Bianca with a serious expression, Madison said, “Bianc, you should break up with him.”
The bluntness of her statement stunned everyone.
Leonel looked at his mother in surprise, wondering why she was being so direct.
Shocked and disbelieving, Bianca turned to her mother and asked, “Why?”
“Because he’s not worthy of you,” Madison said firmly. She had always been direct, and the idea of her daughter with someone who didn’t meet her standards was unacceptable.
Madison felt she needed to be harsh to ensure her daughter’s future happiness and end the relationship.
“You’ve never met him or really gotten to know him. How can you judge him like that?” Bianca protested.
“Isn’t it clear from what you’ve said? A regular job, an average family, and caring for an elderly grandfather. I’ve been through similar situations. Your father was also…” Madison’s emotions almost made her reveal past issues, but Leonel discreetly tugged at her sleeve, helping her regain her composure.
“In any case, a woman should choose a partner of equal standing. Otherwise, you’ll regret it in the future!” Madison insisted.
Bianca bit her lip, and she had a wry smile on her face. “Choose a partner of equal standing. But look at my situation. Dad’s cutting ties with me, and you-haven’t you already abandoned me long ago?”
Her words hit Madison hard, and the room fell into a tense silence.
Madison’s fists tightened as she said, “Bianc, I never abandoned you. Remember when I asked if you wanted to come with me? You chose to stay with your father. Do you recall what you said back then?”
Bianca lowered her head, her lips pressed tight.
She remembered the harsh words she had used:
“I won’t go with you. You left Dad because he had nothing. All you care about is money. How could you love me? I refuse to be like you! Pretend you never had a daughter like me, and I’ll pretend I never had a mother like you!”
As she grew older, Bianca understood her mother better. Her mother came from a wealthy, respected family, while her father had been poor. He improved his life through his marriage to her mother and later built his own business.
Once her father achieved success, he couldn’t stand her mother’s controlling ways anymore. He also grew tired of people saying he lived off his wife, which made him determined to get a divorce.
Thinking about this made Bianca’s heart ache.
She struggled to breathe.
“Even so, I never held it against you,” Madison said, her eyes filling with tears. Though Madison was a strong woman who hadn’t cried in years, their long separation and reunion brought back a wave of emotions, moving her deeply.
“I tried reaching out to you in the years after I left,” Madison said. “But how did you respond? You’d hang up as soon as you heard my voice, and then you stopped answering my calls. Eventually, I lost contact with you. I’ve been looking for you all this time, and it wasn’t until I saw you in the news that I realized you’ve grown into an independent woman!”
Bianca clenched her fingers tightly, unable to look at her mother, whose heart she had hurt with her words.
She fought to hold back her tears, not wanting her mother to see her weakness.
“Bianc, I will always be your mother. I just hope that everything I’ve done leads to your happiness.”
Madison sat beside Bianca and took her hand, her expression sincere. “There’s something important I need to discuss with you beyond our reunion. It’s about your marriage. Actually, there’s been an arranged engagement since you were young.”
Her revelation caused everyone to gasp.
Bianca looked up in shock, her eyes full of tears. “What do you mean?”
“Before you were even born, I had already chosen someone for you to marry. The divorce and our lost contact delayed this. Before I went abroad, I left a property in your name, which you’d inherit when you get engaged.”
Madison’s gaze, both gentle and firm, shifted to Blake. She then looked back at Bianca with a smile. “Your fiance… is Blake.”
Blake was momentarily speechless, his eyes wide with disbelief as he stared at them.
Bianca, stunned, let out a nervous laugh. “Mom, what are you saying? Blake and I are just…”
Madison interrupted, gripping her hand tightly. “Bianc, when Blake’s mother was alive, we agreed on your engagement. It was her final wish. Blake is a great match for you. Trust me.”
Bianca looked at her mother, speechless. After a moment, she pulled her hand away and stood up, overwhelmed.
“Mom, choosing who I love and marry is my decision. How can you make these choices for me without asking my opinion? You left when I was young and have been absent for years. Now, out of nowhere, you come back and tell me I have to marry someone. Have you ever thought about how I feel? Have you ever shown me any respect?”
Madison’s controlling nature made her think she could take charge of her daughter’s life. She didn’t expect Bianca’s reaction to be so surprising.
Madison stood up, looked at Bianca, and said, “Bianc, if I had been able to reach you all these years, you’d have known this sooner! I did it all for you!”
“Mom!” Bianca wanted to argue but realized it would only lead to a fight.
Reuniting after so long was a special moment. She didn’t want to ruin it.
Keeping her emotions in check, she said quietly, “I’m not feeling well. I’ll end things here for today. I need to go.”
Bianca quickly grabbed her handbag and headed for the door.
“Bianc!”
Madison wanted to follow her, but Ruby’s voice stopped her.
“Madison,” Ruby sighed, “just give her some space. She needs time to process what you’ve said. It’s a lot for her to handle and quite a shock.”
Madison sank back into her chair, feeling deflated.
Feeling confused by the exchange, Blake cleared his throat and asked Madison seriously, “Ms. Lopez, is what you’re saying true?”