“I’ve joined a talent show, so I’m on a diet to look good on camera,” Skylar replied softly. The atmosphere between them felt warm and friendly, like a grandparent and grandchild.
“I may be back home, but I can’t always rely on you,” she added.
Lucas smiled kindly. “You’re going to be my granddaughter-in-law. What’s wrong with leaning on me? Once you join our family, try to spend more time at home instead of just being on screen.”
Skylar smiled softly. “Got it.”
She then brought the conversation back to the talent show. “There are some talented trainees at Phoenix Entertainment. I met a girl named Bianca Scott, a recent college graduate who started her own agency, Emerald Artists Agency. Her trainees are impressive, and she runs her business really well.”
Lucas let out a dismissive grunt, looking unimpressed. That name sounded like it belonged to a low-tier company. How could a woman be skilled enough to run a business? There must be a rich supporter behind her. He thought he’d seen plenty of women like that in his time.
While sipping his tea, Lucas recalled his experiences with businesswomen. Many had traded favors for success, and he mentally grouped Bianca in with them.
Skylar gently massaged his shoulders and added, “You might be right. Bianca does seem wealthy. She wore a red diamond necklace called Blood of the Heart-the highlight of a recent international auction. It’s very expensive, not something most people here could afford…”
Lucas raised an eyebrow. He knew that red diamond was rumored to be worth a billion dollars!
This only strengthened his belief that Bianca had a wealthy backer. He comforted Skylar, “I’ll ask Dave to buy one for you too.”
“No need for that. Dave’s really busy these days; it’s best not to bother him.” Skylar’s thoughtful response pleased Lucas. He felt only a woman like her deserved Dave and was fit to marry into the Evans family.
“I also heard that Bianca worked at Phoenix Entertainment before,” Skylar said, turning to Lucas again. “I’ve heard she was quite the standout there. The general manager promoted her almost right away. It’s said she had free access to his office…
There are rumors that she got help from the general manager to start her own company. I can’t say if that’s true, but if it is, it’s pretty unsettling. This woman seems capable of anything…”
Lucas knew Justin, the general manager of Phoenix Entertainment, had been promoted by Dave and also served as the vice president of the Phoenix Alliance Group.
If Justin is the one backing Bianca, he must have given her that necklace. Lucas looked down on such extravagance. To him, it was unacceptable for one of Dave’s subordinates to behave like that.
The idea of Justin being involved in such matters made Lucas question his fitness for a key role in the Phoenix Alliance Group. Such poor character traits were not suitable for someone in a leadership position.
Plus, that necklace came with a hefty price tag. Was it bought with company funds? The Evans Group had a strict rule against embezzling money. Lucas’s expression grew serious, reflecting a cold intensity similar to Dave’s.
Around three in the morning, Dave finally returned home.
Dave’s recent routine involved having dinner with his grandpa in the evenings before returning to the office, saying he was busy with work. Knowing his grandfather was always watching, he could only sneak home late at night.
Even though he moved as quietly as he could, Bianca came out of the bedroom just moments later.
Dave, a bit surprised, hurried over. “Did I wake you?”
“No, I just couldn’t sleep well,” Bianca said, still in a half-daze, her mind heavy with thoughts.
Glancing at the clock, Dave suggested, “It’s still pretty early. Try to get some more sleep.”
“Are you hungry? I can warm something up for you,” Bianca said as she headed toward the kitchen.
Dave playfully tapped her nose and said, “I’m not hungry, so don’t worry about it. Go back to bed. Otherwise, you’ll have a hard time getting up in the morning.”
He gently took her hand and led her back to the bedroom. But when he noticed she was still standing there, lost in thought, he couldn’t help but ask, “What’s bothering you?”
Bianca couldn’t sleep, feeling restless without an explanation about the necklace.
They had promised to always be honest with each other, which made her even more curious about where the necklace came from.
Quietly, she showed him the auction website and waited for his reaction.
Dave was surprised to see that she had found the site.
Breaking the silence, Bianca asked, “Is the diamond in my necklace the same as the one on this website?”
Dave, taken aback, asked, “How did you find this site?”
Her suspicion grew when he avoided her question, but she replied calmly, “I ran into your cousin at the shoot today. She sent me the link. Is this diamond really worth a billion dollars? How could you afford it?”
Dave’s eyes narrowed in surprise as he thought about Bianca’s chance meeting with Skylar.
He wondered what Skylar might know about his relationship with Bianca.
Growing impatient, Bianca urged, “Why aren’t you saying anything?”
Dave sighed and gently placed his hands on her shoulders. Looking into her eyes, he said sincerely, “Bianc, I’m sorry. This diamond is beautiful, and I really wanted to give it to you. But the real one was just too expensive, so… I got a fake instead. Please don’t be mad. I promise I’ll get you the real one someday.”
Hearing this eased Bianca’s tension. The idea of accepting an expensive diamond necklace had felt overwhelming.
Now, she found a bit of humor in the situation and hugged him tightly, resting her head on his chest. “I love it because it’s from you. Honestly, I’m relieved it’s not real. I couldn’t have accepted it otherwise. But you know, this one looks so much like the real thing. It must’ve cost a lot, right?”
“Twenty-one thousand,” he replied casually, trying to assure her of its value.
Bianca was shocked. “That’s way too much for a fake! Next time, let’s not go overboard with gifts. We have other things to save for, you know.”
Dave pulled her closer and whispered, “I love how you’re thinking about our future budget. It’s like you’re already my wife. And this necklace? It looks perfect on you. The price doesn’t matter as long as you’re happy with it.”