Bianca scoffed, finding it absurd. “You’re worried about me? Your idea of worrying is to accuse me the moment you return? And what gives you the right to question me? Have you never lied to me?”
Dave’s eyes darkened, and his heart sank. He had kept his true identity a secret from Bianca.
Who was he to question her?
Bianca had been wondering about something for a while, but she kept it to herself while Dave was away. Now that everything was out in the open, she decided it was time to ask. Without holding back, she blurted it out.
Looking at Dave, who seemed to be avoiding the question, Bianca pressed on. “At Skylar Larson’s engagement party, I learned that her fiance is the CEO of Phoenix Alliance Group. You said Skylar is your cousin, and I noticed both you and the CEO have the same last name, Evans. So, what’s the connection between you two? What have you been hiding from me?”
Dave was shocked and paused, unsure if he should reveal his true identity to Bianca. But quickly, he dismissed the idea.
His family was in turmoil. Rupert was always looking for any weakness, and the Phoenix Alliance Group had just lost several major projects. To make things worse, his grandfather was ill and couldn’t handle any added stress. The thought of bringing Bianca into this mess seemed like a terrible idea. Dave feared it could worsen his grandfather’s condition or hurt Bianca in some way.
And then there was Skylar. What would Bianca think if she found out about his supposed engagement to Skylar?
The thought alone made Dave shudder. He couldn’t bear to lose Bianca and wanted to protect her from anything that could hurt her.
After some consideration, he decided not to involve her until he could resolve these issues.
“I don’t know anything about Skylar’s engagement. I barely know her. We only briefly met when she returned; you saw us together that day. After that, I got busy with work and haven’t seen her since. As for the Evans family, it’s just a coincidence. There are a lot of people with that last name.”
Bianca looked at Dave with a trace of suspicion. She used to believe everything he said, but today, she noticed a hint of avoidance in his eyes that she hadn’t seen before.
When too many things seem like coincidences, can they really still be called that?
Bianca stayed quiet. She didn’t care about her mother’s or brother’s disapproval, nor did Blake’s accusations sway her.
All she wanted was to be open and honest with the person she loved without holding anything back.
She blamed herself for not being straightforward with Dave, but she also wondered if he had been completely honest with her.
Seeing the doubt in her eyes, Dave pulled her close, kissed her hair, and whispered, “A lot has been going on in my family lately. My uncle passed away, and my grandfather got sick because of it. I’m just scared. I can’t lose you.”
Dave had stayed strong through his family’s struggles by keeping his pain hidden deep inside. He appeared cold and tough to others, but with Bianca, he let his guard down and showed his vulnerability.
Bianca was surprised, not realizing how much turmoil Dave had gone through in such a short time.
She didn’t know all the details of his family troubles, but from what he had shared, it was clear he had grown up in a tough, uncaring environment. His parents had died young, and his relatives were scheming. Though he was strict, his grandfather was the only one who cared about him. This helped Bianca understand why Dave had been reluctant to bring her home or introduce her to his family.
After going through so much, it made sense that Dave had turned to her for comfort. But when he needed her the most, she had lied about where she was and chose to stay with Blake. Now, she understood why he had been so upset.
Feeling guilty, Bianca let go of her anger and stopped focusing on Dave’s tough questions about her actions.
Bianca wrapped her arms around Dave, resting her chin on his shoulder, and whispered softly, “I’m sorry, Dave. I didn’t know about all of this. Actually, Blake helped me that day, so I agreed to thank him with dinner. He took me to that grill, and there happened to be a meteor shower. I never expected things to go the way they did.”
Dave’s voice was filled with sadness as he asked, “Then why were you hugging him?”
Bianca was caught off guard, pausing to find the right words. Finally, she said, “It was a complicated moment, but it wasn’t what you think. Please, can you trust me?”
Dave pulled her closer, his voice soft in her ear. “I’m sorry. I promised I wouldn’t be jealous of Blake, but I can’t help it. Every time I see you with him, I lose control. I wish he’d just disappear and never come near you again.”
He buried his face in her neck and begged, “Bianc, can you please stop seeing him?”
Bianca felt conflicted. Biting her lip, she said, “He’s my artist. I’ll always have to see him, and…”
She tried to explain her responsibility to help Blake without making things worse.
Dave’s coaxing voice rang in her ear as she thought it over. “Once we’re married, you won’t have to worry so much. You can manage the artists through other agents and stay behind the scenes.”
The mention of marriage brought up a mix of emotions in Bianca, leaving her heart filled with confusion and worry.
In the past, Bianca would have been happy to hear what Dave was saying, but now things have changed.
She paused for a moment, then gently pushed him away.
She no longer wanted to keep secrets from him, so she decided it was time to tell him everything.
With her lips trembling, she struggled to speak. “On the day of the car accident, a large stone crushed one of Blake’s legs while he was saving me. If it weren’t for him, I’d be the one in the hospital bed. I couldn’t just move on like nothing happened, so I promised to take care of him until he can walk again.”
She paused again, looked at Dave, and clenched her hands. “I also promised him I wouldn’t marry until he’s recovered.”
Dave’s eyes widened in shock. He stared at her, speechless for a moment, then stammered, “What are you telling me?”