Acting indifferent, he reached out and lifted Diana’s chin. She was left speechless, feeling humiliated.
Did he really see her like this?
She wanted to slap him, but he grabbed her hand and pulled his face closer to hers. The closeness made her heart race.
As he leaned in like he was about to kiss her, she tensed, eyes squeezed shut. But the kiss never came. Confused, she was about to look up when she heard his teasing whisper. “No flinching this time? Looks like you’re ready for a kiss. Diana, let’s be honest, you had fun last night, didn’t you?”
Diana’s cheeks burned with anger. Forgetting her pride, she shouted, “Brandon Foster!”
The people outside were startled by Diana’s loud shout. What was going on in there?
They had been eavesdropping and only heard her sharp exclamation, leaving them confused.
Did Diana just lash out at Brandon? So, their guesses were wrong? Wasn’t Brandon supposed to be helping her?
With the company facing difficulties and Diana in charge, could she really afford to upset a star singer?
They exchanged looks, unsure if they should start looking for new jobs.
Regaining her composure, Diana’s voice softened. “Brandon, what do you really want?”
Grinning, Brandon leaned in and replied, “I’ve been clear. I want you to spend time with me.”
Just as Diana was about to respond, her phone rang. Meeting her glare, Brandon stepped back.
Diana answered the call, handling a request to cancel a contract. Despite her inner turmoil, she stayed composed. “Mr. Mosby, canceling the contract just because another firm is interested doesn’t follow our agreement. Our contract is specific… If there’s an issue, let us know. We’re open to discussions as long as it’s reasonable…”
Hearing her calm, polite response, Brandon couldn’t help but frown.
Diana sighed as she hung up the phone.
“Did you really spend time with those bosses last night just for this?” Brandon asked.
Diana gave him a quick, annoyed glance. “Why does it matter to you?”
Seeing that things were serious, Brandon stopped joking and said, “I know some people in the entertainment industry. What happened? I might be able to help.”
Diana raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “And why would you want to help?”
With a slight smirk, Brandon said, “I spent the night with you, didn’t I? Consider this my way of returning the favor.”
Diana paused for a moment.
She wanted to say something sharp, but after a moment of thought, she realized Brandon might actually be able to help.
Reluctantly, she told him everything. Brandon’s face turned serious as he asked, “Have you made anyone angry lately? It seems like someone’s trying to cause trouble for your agency.”
“I’m not sure… but you just reminded me of something. Blake Lawson from our company accidentally leaked that Skylar and the CEO of Phoenix Alliance Group were engaged. It was supposed to be a secret, but that interview made it all public.”
Diana’s eyes widened in shock. “Is that how we ended up on the bad side of Phoenix Alliance Group’s CEO?”
Brandon was confused by her sudden assumption.
“Who are you talking about?” he asked.
“The CEO of Phoenix Alliance Group,” Diana explained.
Brandon was puzzled. It didn’t make sense. He knew Dave had helped Bianca many times without her knowing. He wouldn’t turn against her. Only Justin and he knew about their connection. Now, Brandon understood why Diana was confused.
“Let me handle it. Just wait for my update, and don’t forget to thank me later,” Brandon said casually.
Diana raised an eyebrow and blurted out, “How? Offering you another night with me?”
That wasn’t what Brandon had in mind. He paused for a moment, then grinned. “Only if you’re brave enough to take it.”
With that, Brandon put on his sunglasses, opened the door, and walked out.
Outside, chaos unfolded. Diana stood still, murmuring to herself, “Why wouldn’t I be brave enough…”
Suddenly, Diana had an epiphany and shouted at Brandon, “Wait, you’re missing the point!”
What really bothered her was his intention to take advantage of her again.
She was tempted to chase after him and give him a piece of her mind, but the chaos outside made her stop.
After leaving, Brandon got into his car and called Dave.
The phone rang for what felt like forever before a tired, gruff voice answered. “You better have a good reason for calling me at this hour.”
Brandon paused, momentarily taken aback, then quickly apologized, “My bad. I forgot about the time difference. I was just curious-did you break up with Bianca? Why did you throw her agency into a mess?”
Dave had been overwhelmed lately, juggling so many things that sleep had become rare. He had finally managed to doze off when Brandon’s call jerked him awake with its unexpected news, making him snap. Annoyed, he snapped back, “Keep this nonsense up, and I’ll cut you off for good!”
Brandon was caught off guard but pressed on, relaying Diana’s concerns about her agency. “She thinks the CEO of Phoenix Alliance Group is targeting her, probably because of that interview. I just wanted to check with you.”
Dave had been so busy dealing with his uncles overseas that he hadn’t been keeping up with things back home, including Bianca. It had been two days since their last conversation.
Lucas was the only person who could bypass Dave and give orders directly to the Emperor Hotel. Lucas had intended to keep the engagement party a secret, but Blake had carelessly leaked it, causing his family public embarrassment. That’s why Lucas was now determined to reprimand Blake.
Since Blake worked for Emerald Artists Agency, Dave wondered if his grandfather was targeting Bianca’s business.
Feeling anxious, he realized something was wrong.
After ending the call, Dave told his team to book the earliest possible flight and informed Michael to take care of the ongoing matters abroad.
“Why the rush to return?” Michael asked.
Dave looked worried. “I’m worried my grandfather might target Bianca. She’s on her own without my support.”
During their last phone call, Dave had noticed something off in her tone. Now, he realized she’d been dealing with a lot alone, and he hadn’t done anything to help. He had been too busy with his uncles, neglecting her needs. He felt guilty for not giving her the attention she deserved.
With her company under attack, he imagined she probably wished he were there with her. Even though he couldn’t do much, he knew offering emotional support would mean a lot. Bianca understood him so well and had always been so thoughtful, never asking for anything like that before.