Bianca shook her head and waved her hand, smiling at Skylar. She couldn’t help but admire Skylar’s intelligence and manners, which were unlike anyone she had ever met. After today, Bianca had even more respect for her.
“Not at all. I actually enjoyed just relaxing and chatting with you. Plus, your engagement party is still a few days away, so you’ve got plenty of time to look at more rings. This is a once-in-a-lifetime choice, so you should pick the one that feels right for you,” Bianca said.
“Your words mean a lot to me, Bianca. What about next time? Would you still be willing to come with me?” Skylar asked.
“Of course,” Bianca replied without hesitation. After spending time with Skylar, her opinion of her had shifted completely in a positive direction.
“Wow, thank you so much, Bianca. I really appreciate it,” Skylar said warmly. She linked her arm with Bianca’s and added, “From the moment I met you, I knew you’d be an exceptional person. It’s so nice to have you as a friend. And don’t forget to come to my engagement party, okay? I’ve got a wonderful surprise planned for you.”
Bianca smiled and replied, “Of course, I’ll be there. And now that you’ve mentioned it, I’ll make sure to come early. But why would you want to surprise me at your own engagement party? Won’t that take your attention away from everything else? Can you give me a hint about the surprise?”
Skylar shook her head and said, “Sorry, I can’t reveal anything yet. It has to stay a secret for now. All I’ll say is, keep your expectations high.”
Bianca chuckled and decided not to ask for more details.
“Okay then, that’s settled. I’m sure you’re tired and hungry. How about I treat you to a meal? But you’ll pick the restaurant, okay? I haven’t really explored this area much,” Skylar said.
Bianca glanced at her watch and saw that it was getting late. Though she was tired, hungry, and finished with her work for the day, she felt it wouldn’t be right to leave all the tasks back at the office for Diana to handle. So, she politely declined Skylar’s offer.
Skylar simply expressed hope that they could have dinner together another time. At that moment, the taxi that Bianca had ordered pulled up.
As Bianca got into the taxi, she exchanged a few more polite words with Skylar, who reminded her again to be at her engagement party. Bianca thought it was a bit odd that Skylar seemed so insistent about it, but she reassured her that she wouldn’t miss it, even if something important came up that day.
As the taxi drove away with Bianca inside, Skylar watched it disappear, her red lips curling into a slight smile. Bianca couldn’t miss the engagement party and, by extension, the gift Skylar had carefully prepared for her.
Bianca noticed a familiar figure through the car window as the taxi passed by her company’s entrance. It looked like Reese was standing near the entrance.
Puzzled, Bianca squinted her eyes. What was Reese doing outside now? The way she bent her body silently suggested she was facing someone.
Realizing Reese might be in trouble, Bianca immediately asked the driver to stop, threw open the car door, and hurried toward her.
As she got closer, Bianca saw that there were two people near Reese-a man and a woman-both yelling at her. They were throwing words like “heartless” and “getting too arrogant” at her. Bianca’s stomach tightened. Those words didn’t sound good.
Worried that things could escalate, Bianca quickly called out Reese’s name.
When Reese saw Bianca, she hesitated for a moment before quickly running toward her. She stopped a few steps away, nervously pinching the corners of her clothes, and softly said, “Bianca…”
Bianca placed a comforting hand on Reese’s shoulder without asking any questions and assured her, “I’m here, okay? Everything’s going to be fine.”
Reese’s eyes reddened, and she gave a soft, grateful nod.
At that moment, the two people who had been confronting Reese approached Bianca. They were dressed in worn linen clothes, their hair gray and messy. Despite being in their forties or fifties, they had a rough, intimidating presence. The hostility they directed at Reese was unmistakable.
“Who the hell is this, Reese?” the man snapped, eyeing Bianca up and down. Seeing her simple outfit, he quickly assumed she was someone insignificant.
Reese quickly said, “This is Bianca, the head of Emerald Artists Agency and my agent.”
“Ah? The boss!”
The woman’s eyes widened when she realized who Bianca was. She nudged the man beside her and whispered urgently, “She’s a big boss! Be more respectful.”
“Oh! I’m sorry,” the man quickly apologized, shifting his tone to a more polite one.
The woman smiled warmly and said, “Hello! I’m Reese’s aunt, and this is my husband. We’re here to visit Reese today.”
Bianca greeted the couple warmly, but just as she was about to invite them in for a chat, the woman suddenly began criticizing Reese. She mocked her temper, her intelligence growing up, her school grades, and even her manners, all while pretending to be friendly toward Bianca.
Reese felt embarrassed and hurt as her family belittled her in front of Bianca, and her confidence began to shrink. Just then, she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder and turned to see Bianca encouraging her to hold her head high.
“Reese is incredibly talented and always eager to learn. And her beauty has earned her many admirers online. I, for one, think very highly of her.”
Feeling a rush of gratitude, Reese looked at Bianca, who gave her an encouraging wink. Bianca then turned to the couple, asking, “What brings you here today? Is there something I can help with?”
The couple exchanged a glance and smiled awkwardly.
Reese quickly stepped in, “They were just stopping by to see me, Bianca. There’s nothing urgent.”
Turning to the couple, she added, “I need to get back to work. I’ll visit you when I can.”
The man seemed reluctant to leave, but his wife quickly guided him out, saying, “We’ll head home now. Don’t forget to visit us, okay?”
Reese responded with little enthusiasm, “Sure, sure,” before finally seeing them off.
Bianca, however, felt confused. When Reese had been in the hospital, her family had been reluctant to spend any money and even went so far as to block her phone. So why had they suddenly shown up today?
“Reese, what was their reason for visiting today?” Bianca asked.
Reese paused before answering, “It’s nothing, Bianca. They just came to see me. I’ve asked them not to come again. It won’t affect the company or my work on the show.”