Knowing Dave’s strategic mindset, Justin guessed that today’s meeting was likely about the Cherish acquisition. He decided to approach the project with full commitment, a personal rule he followed whenever he took on a task.
Straightening up, Justin promised Dave, “I’ll make sure I succeed.”
Dave thought Justin’s confidence was almost amusing. He responded with a tight-lipped nod, maintaining his cold facade.
As Bianca left the Phoenix Alliance Group building, she felt relieved and relaxed.
When she got back to her company, she saw Sophia talking gently with a group of people.
Standing to the side, Blake and Reese spotted Bianca. Blake quickly walked over, causing Reese to stop in her tracks.
“Bianca, I heard you’re back at the company. How have you been? I visited your mom a few times, but I didn’t see you.”
Bianca smiled softly and replied, “I’m fine. Don’t worry.”
Glancing at Sophia behind Blake, Bianca called out, “Sophia!”
She smoothly walked past Blake and headed straight for Sophia.
Blake’s expression darkened at once. He turned away, feeling agitated as he watched Bianca leave. Her indifference felt strange to him, especially after not seeing her for a few days.
He wondered if something he had said earlier had upset her, even though he was the one who had saved her from the fire.
As Bianca approached Sophia, she could see the concern on her friend’s face. Vincent’s movie had just started filming, and Sophia had been busy with the crew, which kept them apart.
Taking Bianca’s hand, Sophia asked worriedly, “Bianc, I saw the news about your mom’s accident. What happened? I’ve been so busy lately and couldn’t check on you. Are you okay?”
Sophia’s genuine concern warmed Bianca’s heart. She smiled and said, “Let’s talk in my office.”
They walked into Bianca’s office and closed the door behind them.
Meanwhile, Blake’s fists slowly clenched as tension gripped him.
“Blake, what’s wrong? Why do you look so pale?” Reese asked, noticing something was off.
“Nothing,” Blake replied coldly, heading toward the training classroom. Reese pursed her lips and followed him inside.
In Bianca’s office, she briefly told Sophia about the incident. Anger flashed across Sophia’s face as she listened.
“Stacey is terrible. I’m glad the police found evidence to convict her. She deserves the death penalty.”
“Stacey is still pregnant, though. I doubt she’ll get the death penalty-maybe just a life sentence.”
A shadow crossed Bianca’s face as painful memories resurfaced. Not wanting to linger on that, she changed the subject. “Sophia, you’re usually busy with the crew. What brings you here today?”
“I asked for two days off because I wanted to see you, and… my divorce trial with Gabriel starts tomorrow,” Sophia explained.
“Tomorrow?” Bianca was surprised, realizing she had forgotten about it. She quickly checked her schedule. “I’ll look over tomorrow’s plans…”
“Bianc, you don’t have to come if you’re busy. Don’t worry. With Mr. Reece Barton, everything will be fine,” Sophia reassured her, giving Bianca a gentle look.
Reece Barton was an excellent lawyer, so Sophia will surely win with him handling the case.
“After the trial, let’s invite Mr. Barton to dinner to show our gratitude.”
“Okay, that sounds perfect,” Sophia replied with a smile.
After finishing her work, Bianca was on her way to the hospital to see her mom. Just as she stepped out of the office, Blake rushed after her.
“Bianca!” he called.
Bianca stopped and turned around. “What’s up?”
“I…” Blake hesitated, then said quickly, “Did I upset you with what I said the other day?”
Bianca blinked in confusion. “What did you say?”
Blake wasn’t sure if Bianca had really forgotten or if she was just acting calm. He took a deep breath. “About your boyfriend at the hospital… I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought that up.”
Bianca remembered how Blake had been angry with Dave for not saving her from the fire and his harsh words.
She smiled gently. “It’s okay. I know you were just worried about me. If you hadn’t been there, who knows what could have happened! I’m grateful to you. Why would I be upset?”
Bianca gave Blake a comforting pat on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve just been really busy and need some rest.”
Feeling relieved, Blake said, “Take care of yourself. Oh, and about that arson case, you were working on…”
But before he could finish, Bianca’s phone rang. Blake gestured for her to take the call.
Bianca’s heart sank when she saw it was Ruby calling.
On the phone, Ruby asked about her mom. Bianca quickly updated her and tried to provide some comfort.
After the call, Bianca turned to Blake with a sigh. “Ms. Garcia knows now. She’s going to see my mom and sounded really upset. I’m worried about her.”
“I’ll come to the hospital with you,” Blake offered immediately.
Bianca nodded, recalling how Ruby had seemed to like Blake at dinner. His presence might help.
As they drove, Bianca only mentioned that the person responsible had been caught but didn’t talk about how she had dealt with Stacey. This news seemed to calm Blake.
They arrived at the hospital and spent some time in the ward before Ruby showed up.
She rushed to Madison’s bedside, overwhelmed with emotion, holding her hand and crying.
“Madison, I’m here. Why did this happen to you? You need to wake up!” Ruby pleaded, tears streaming down her face.
Behind Ruby, Bianca couldn’t hold back her own tears. Seeing this, Blake moved closer and gently comforted her by stroking her shoulder.
“Ms. Garcia…” Bianca said softly. She crouched beside Ruby, searching for the right words to offer comfort.
Ruby grasped Bianca’s hand, shaking her head as she said, “I’ve never had kids of my own. The two I cared for most were Everleigh and your mom. They were like daughters to me. But now both of them… What did I do wrong? Why couldn’t it have been me instead of them?”
Her voice cracked with emotion as she remembered Everleigh’s tragedy, unable to hold back her tears.
Bianca’s eyes widened in surprise. She hadn’t realized that Everleigh, the famous singer, had been one of Ruby’s students. Everleigh’s suicide must have hit Ruby hard. That explained her deep feelings upon seeing Bianca’s mother.
Gently, Bianca wrapped her arms around Ruby and said, “Ms. Garcia, this isn’t your fault. My mom’s going to wake up. I just know it.”
Ruby nodded as if trying to comfort herself. When she looked up, she saw Blake standing nearby, his face filled with sorrow.
With Bianca’s help, Ruby managed to stand up.
She waved Blake over, and he quickly came to her side.