The room, full of people waiting for him to start the morning meeting, fell silent as soon as he entered, sensing the tension he brought with him. Everyone exchanged anxious glances.
Throughout the meeting, Dave’s face stayed stern and unreadable. No one dared to speak out of turn or even breathe too loudly.
The silence only made Dave more irritated. Slamming documents onto the table, he rubbed his temples in exhaustion. “Are we out of ideas? Did Phoenix Alliance Group hire a bunch of lazy people?” he snapped impatiently.
No one dared to argue until Justin nervously spoke up. “I… I have an idea…”
After Justin presented his plan, Dave didn’t even bother to open his eyes. Justin immediately regretted speaking up, feeling like he’d just made a big mistake.
The plan was more of an idea he had on the spot, a last-ditch attempt to contribute.
Sure enough, Dave’s response felt like a punch to the stomach. “Justin, are you new here? Do you really think this is possible? Have you even checked the budget? Do you know what our competitors are doing? This isn’t child’s play, man!”
Justin was used to Dave’s sharp words, but being scolded in front of everyone still stung.
Seeing Dave’s frustration, Justin couldn’t help but think back to the last time he lost his temper and stormed out of a meeting.
Back then, Dave was angry because of rumors about Bianca and Blake going to a hot spring resort together. But today, his frustration seemed even worse.
As Dave’s words hung in the air, no one dared speak. The tension in the room was thick.
Dave had been back for a while now, and Bianca couldn’t keep using work as an excuse to stay away from home. Honestly, she missed him. So, around noon, she completed the discharge paperwork for Blake.
Bianca returned with lunch for Blake, only to find Paige already there. After exchanging pleasantries, Bianca set the food down and looked into Blake’s eyes.
“Are you leaving me already?” Blake asked with a hint of sadness.
Paige, standing nearby, looked at them and teased, “Oh, Blake, are you afraid to let her go? Bianca’s been running around for you non-stop. She’s exhausted! I practically had to twist her arm to get her to leave today. It’s time to let her go!”
Bianca didn’t reply to Paige’s teasing, just giving a small smile. Feeling a bit guilty for depending on Bianca too much lately, Blake pressed his lips together and said, “Well, go get some rest.”
Noticing Blake’s mood, Bianca sat beside him with a gentle smile. “I must get back to work; I can’t leave Diana drowning in paperwork. You just focus on getting better. But don’t worry, I’ll keep my promise. I’ll stop by whenever I can.”
They both knew what the promise meant. Blake nodded, understanding, and said, “Go take care of things. I’m fine. I’ll do my exercises and recover. Just drop by when you have time.”
Bianca said a few more words of comfort before saying goodbye to Paige.
***
Knowing that Bianca was being discharged from the hospital, Diana arrived to pick her up. Thinking that Bianca might not have eaten well during her confinement, Diana decided to treat her to a meal at a French restaurant that served all of Bianca’s favorite dishes.
“Come on, it’s my treat today. Order whatever you want!” Diana said, handing the menu to Bianca.
Bianca picked a few dishes and handed the menu back to the waiter. After the door to the private dining room closed, Diana leaned in and looked into Bianca’s face, who laughed and playfully tapped Diana’s forehead. “I’m fine now, no need to worry!”
Diana rubbed her forehead, then settled back into her seat, deeply relieved.
“I’m so glad to hear you’re okay now. I was really worried when I heard about your accident.”
Bianca felt a warm surge of appreciation for her best friend’s care.
They chatted about gossip and entertainment news, enjoying the relaxed atmosphere. Bianca casually asked, “By the way, how’s work been lately?”
Diana’s easygoing attitude suddenly changed, and she seemed to avoid the topic, stammering, “Oh, you know, everything’s fine at the company. You just got out of the hospital. Why rush back to thinking about work? You must be exhausted. Take it easy and rest for a while. As the company’s interim head, I’m giving you some time off. No need to hurry back.”
Bianca noticed Diana’s attempt to change the subject and hesitated. “Are you sure everything is alright?”
Diana patted Bianca’s shoulder with a confident smile. “Yes, don’t worry! With me in charge, it’s under control. You can relax. I’ve got it under control.”
With Bianca just out of the hospital, Diana wanted to keep her away from any work-related stress. It was also strange that the companies pushing for contract terminations had suddenly backed off, giving her a break.
Diana rubbed her nose, suspecting that Brandon had secretly helped. However, out of pride, she hadn’t thanked him yet, thinking there would be time for that later.
Bianca seemed reassured by Diana’s words and didn’t ask more questions. Diana wasn’t one to joke about business, so if she said everything was fine, it was.
Bianca smiled gently and said, “Okay, if anything comes up, don’t hesitate to let me know.”
Diana nodded slightly, focusing on her meal.
After dinner, Diana drove Bianca home. Before leaving, she reminded Bianca to get plenty of rest and assured her she would call if she needed anything. Bianca nodded with a smile, watching Diana drive off before heading upstairs.
As Bianca opened her door, the entrance light turned on automatically with the sound of the door. She felt a warm wave of emotion. After learning about her fear of the dark, Dave had installed the voice-activated light.
Now, every time she came home, the light greeted her.
Standing in the illuminated hallway, Bianca’s heart filled with memories of Dave.
He had promised to wait for her at home. Would he be here now? At that moment, Bianca longed to see him right away.
Her heart raced as she looked into the dark living room. It seemed empty. This time of day was usually busy for Dave, and today was likely no different.
It could be a casual remark from him. Why had she let her hopes rise so high?
Although Bianca understood the reality, she couldn’t help but feel a hint of disappointment. She lowered her head and stepped further into the room.
As she moved forward, the bathroom door suddenly swung open. A large hand reached out from the darkness, grabbed Bianca, and pulled her inside.