Rachel’s face brightened with a smile. Lucas then lowered his voice and added, “I’m nearing retirement. You and Brady should offer Dave more support. He’s young and has a lot to learn.”
It quickly became clear to Rachel and Brady that Lucas was planning to pass the company to Dave.
Rachel glanced at the clock, her brow furrowing. “Dad, where are my brothers? They should be here by now.”
Lucas shrugged, sounding annoyed. “They said they were busy. Honestly, I don’t care.”
Rachel nodded, clearly upset. She was disappointed that her brothers hadn’t shown up to Dave’s engagement party, an event Lucas had worked so hard to prepare for.
As they talked, Skylar noticed Bianca walking in with Blake.
Bianca wore a beautiful blue backless dress that hugged her figure, drawing attention to her stunning back. Her high heels added an elegant touch. Her makeup matched perfectly, with rosy cheeks and bright red lips, making her look absolutely gorgeous.
Though Skylar appeared calm, a hint of jealousy crept in. She wondered if Bianca was trying to steal the spotlight with her stunning outfit. Still, Skylar felt confident that her own designer dress was far more impressive, and she was sure Dave would notice that when he arrived.
Pushing aside her irritation, Skylar told Lucas she needed to greet a friend and walked away.
Bianca stood alone in the hall while Blake stepped away to the restroom. The room was filled with businessmen she didn’t know, and as she looked for Skylar, she felt a light tap on her shoulder. Turning around, she saw Skylar smiling at her warmly. “Bianca, I’ve been looking forward to seeing you,” Skylar said.
Bianca smiled back and replied, “Sorry I’m late. I hope I haven’t missed anything important.”
“You’ve arrived just in time. The ceremony is about to start,” Skylar said with a mysterious smile.
As Skylar chatted with Bianca, a group of curious socialites moved closer, wanting to talk to her, knowing she was the future wife of the CEO of Phoenix Alliance Group. They saw an opportunity to connect with her for the benefit of their husbands’ businesses.
One of them remarked, “Your dress must have been a big investment. Your fiance must really adore you.”
Skylar smiled gracefully and replied, “He insisted I wear the finest dress for our engagement, thinking it’s the most important moment of my life.”
She lied. In reality, those were Lucas’s words, and he was the one who bought the dress. Dave had no idea about any of this.
As Skylar basked in the compliments from the other ladies, Bianca quietly observed, her face framed with a polite smile.
Suddenly, Skylar turned to her and said, “Bianca, your dress is lovely too. It must have cost a fortune. Who’s the designer?”
Bianca replied, “It’s not a designer dress. I just found it on sale at the mall.”
The socialites exchanged looks of disdain, clearly judging Bianca, who now seemed like an out-of-place “ugly duckling” in their eyes.
“By the way, which engagement ring did you choose?” Bianca asked, remembering Skylar had previously said she didn’t have any help picking one.
Skylar had been waiting for this moment. She signaled to a staff member to bring forward the ring.
The staff quickly approached with a tray. Skylar gently lifted the red velvet box from it, saying with a hint of purpose, “Bianca, you truly have great taste. Thanks to your help, I now have a beautiful and meaningful ring.”
Bianca was taken aback by her words.
When Skylar opened the box, Bianca’s eyes widened. Inside was the very diamond she had picked out that day-the Heart of True Love.
The diamond ring glittered even more under the lights, catching the attention of several women nearby. Bianca’s eyebrows furrowed in surprise as she looked at Skylar, confused.
Skylar smiled and slipped the ring onto her finger, speaking louder so everyone could hear. “This ring represents everlasting love, right?”
Without thinking, Bianca nodded in agreement. Then Skylar added, “If your boyfriend hadn’t been too tight to spend a hundred thousand on this ring, I would have saved it for you. After all, it’s so meaningful to you. I even considered offering to lend you the money if you really needed it. It’s no big deal for me. But don’t sacrifice yourself for a man. It’s just not worth it.”
The women around them looked at Bianca with even more disdain.
‘She couldn’t afford a hundred thousand dollars?’
‘How poor must her family be?’
‘What right did she have to be at this party?’
‘How could Lucas’s future granddaughter-in-law be friends with someone like her?’
The curiosity about Bianca quickly faded, and some of the women even gave her scornful looks, whispering to each other.
Meanwhile, Skylar presented herself as a kind, generous friend who never looked down on others and was always willing to help.
Bianca, however, didn’t notice the judgment or the mocking tone in Skylar’s words. In her heart, Skylar was still the polite, generous woman she had always known. So, she genuinely believed Skylar was being kind. She smiled and said, “Thanks, Skylar, but I really don’t need it. The ring looks beautiful on you, and it’s the perfect match. It’s found its true owner.”
As the women kept praising the ring and how well it suited Skylar, she smiled with pride. She would occasionally add, “Honestly, it would have looked even better on Bianca, but she didn’t buy it. I did. I should be thankful to her for letting it go.”
Her words subtly reminded everyone that Bianca couldn’t afford even the ring she loved, positioning herself as better than Bianca.
“My partner will personally place the ring on my finger during the engagement ceremony later,” Skylar said, her pride shining through.
She couldn’t help but savor her victory. Today was her chance to humiliate Bianca and crush her spirit. She hoped Bianca would “enjoy” it.
With that thought, Skylar almost lost control of her smugness.
Dave was hers! Bianca was just an outsider who had tried to come between them!
Skylar gently took Bianca’s hand, feeling victorious, knowing in her heart that Bianca had already lost.
“You will give me your blessing later, won’t you?” Skylar asked with a knowing smile.
Bianca returned the smile warmly and said, “Of course.”
Skylar immediately acted happy. “That means so much to me! You’re the first friend I made since coming back. Your good wishes mean everything.”
Even as she said this, she couldn’t wait to see how Bianca would react when everything unfolded.
“Look at the time; I should go get ready. We’ll catch up later.” With that, Skylar gently tapped Bianca’s hand and left, her cheerful expression masking the triumph she felt inside.