Bianca’s anger rose, overwhelming her sanity. She had to resist the urge to explode and expose Stacey’s lies.
Instead, she forced herself to stay calm.
Stacey leaned in close and whispered in Bianca’s ear, “Bianca, I warned you earlier you’d regret this.”
Stacey had spent years at the bottom of society, making her more experienced and less naive than Ashley. She wasn’t about to show weakness when challenged.
She knew that to succeed and reach her goals, she had to be ruthless and eliminate any obstacles.
It wasn’t all an act, but she did play a part in it.
She planned to embarrass Bianca and ensure she wouldn’t challenge her again.
After finishing her comment, Stacey straightened up, looked at Bianca and Leonel, and laughed. “If you’ve got nothing else to do at this hour, get some sleep. I’m tired, too.”
She yawned and started heading for the door.
Suddenly, a dark figure rushed past Bianca and went straight for Stacey. Without a word, Leonel grabbed Stacey, spun her around, and punched her hard.
Stacey screamed and fell to the floor, blood trickling from her mouth.
“Leonel!” Bianca was stunned, watching the scene unfold.
Despite the pain, Stacey laughed. “Go ahead! Hit me again. If you’re brave enough, kill me! Let’s see who ends up with the longer prison sentence for causing harm and taking a life!”
“You think I’m scared?” Leonel rushed at Stacey, grabbed her by the collar, and lifted her off the ground.
Bianca elegantly stepped in and grabbed Leonel’s arm. “Leonel, stop this!”
“Bianc, if the law doesn’t punish her, I’ll get justice for Mom today!” Leonel said, throwing Stacey to the floor and putting his foot near her head.
Leonel’s foot suddenly froze as Bianca held him hard from behind, desperately trying to stop him. “Leonel, think about the consequences if you hurt her. Mom is still unconscious. I can’t lose another family member. Please… calm down! Please, Leonel!”
Her voice broke as she begged.
Unable to hold back her tears any longer, Bianca began to sob uncontrollably.
Hearing his sister’s tearful plea, Leonel’s anger faded. He gently lowered his foot, turned around, and hugged her softly.
“Don’t cry. It’s all my fault,” he said, rubbing her back and speaking quietly. “You won’t be alone. I’ll support you, and we’ll take care of Mom together until she wakes up.”
Bianca, still crying, nodded and held on to him.
Meanwhile, Stacey struggled to get up from the floor, her body in pain, and her face was covered with bruises.
Stacey pointed at Leonel, her voice shaking with anger. “Just wait! I’ll call the police and have you arrested!”
Bianca released her hold on Leonel and walked toward Stacey with a cold stare. “Go ahead and call them. Tell them why this happened today. Leonel might be held for a few days for assaulting you, but just don’t make things worse!”
Stacey shot a frosty look at Bianca. Although she was usually cunning, Bianca’s words made her hesitate slightly.
“Humph, we’ll see about that.” Stacey gave one last harsh glance at Bianca and limped out of the house.
As soon as Stacey left, Bianca’s effort to stay strong shattered, and she slumped. Luckily, Leonel was there to catch her and keep her from falling.
“Bianc, are you okay?”
Bianca shook her head, looking pale and unwell.
“Don’t worry, Leonel. Let’s go back for now. We need to think about the bigger picture.”
“Okay.”
Leonel helped Bianca into the car and drove towards downtown.
Bianca stared out at the night sky, with clouds hiding the moon. The cold wind blew into the car, making her shiver, but it was nothing compared to the chill inside her.
Since Madison’s apartment had burned down, Leonel was staying temporarily at his research institute. Bianca went back to the apartment she shared with Dave.
She pushed open the door and stepped into the dark interior.
It seemed Dave wouldn’t be coming home tonight.
Bianca lay down on the bed they once shared, her fingers running over the covers that still smelled like him.
She stared at the ceiling, hiding her feelings.
Bianca stayed awake all night and didn’t fall asleep until morning.
When she finally woke up, it was already evening.
Sitting up in bed, she watched the sunset through the curtains, the warm light filling the room.
After a while, Bianca reached for her phone and dialed a number with a blank look on her face.
Diana answered, busy at the office.
“Hey, Bianc. How are you lately?” Diana asked warmly. She’d been handling all the company’s work on her own so Bianca could focus on her mother.
Bianca’s voice was rough from exhaustion. “Diana, I hate that you’re stuck with all the work. I’m still dealing with everything here.”
Diana responded with a cheerful tone. “Oh, don’t worry about it. We’re not just best friends but business partners, too. It’s not a problem at all. Just make sure to give me an extra-long vacation when this is over!”
Diana’s relaxed voice warmed Bianca’s heart, easing the chill she felt.
“Thanks, Diana. I’m grateful for you. Just keep the company running smoothly until I can be there again.”
“Bianc, what’s wrong? Don’t talk like that. Where are you? You’ll be okay! You can get through this. Believe in yourself!” Diana’s words were meant to cheer Bianca up.
Bianca managed a small smile and replied, “Yeah, I guess we can get through anything.”
After ending the call, Bianca looked at her contacts and went to her favorites, where only one name appeared: Dave’s.
She hesitated for a moment, then called him.
Soon, she heard a familiar ringtone from outside.
She quickly jumped out of bed, threw open her bedroom door, and rushed into the living room. There was Dave, just as she had hoped.
Wearing a simple white shirt and black trousers, Dave still had an undeniable charm. The setting sun’s golden light made him look even more attractive.
Bianca ran to him and hugged him tightly, resting her face against his chest.
“When did you get back?” Dave asked, a bit surprised by her sudden appearance. He paused for a moment, then gently wrapped his arms around her and held her close.
Noticing Bianca hadn’t said anything and was only holding him tighter, Dave frowned a little.
“Is something wrong?” he asked softly, his voice gentle and comforting.
In his arms, Bianca shook her head. “It’s nothing. I just want to hold you a little longer. I’m scared… Scared that we might not get this chance again.”