Reece, rubbing the glass with his slender fingers, replied, “I prefer directness. If you have something to say, just say it.”
Bianca kept her smile soft. “No rush. Let’s talk while we eat.”
As the dishes were served, Reece quickly started eating, glancing at Bianca now and then, waiting for her to reveal her true intentions.
Bianca found talking to Reece easier than expected, which relieved her.
She began discussing her company’s struggles, hoping Reece would agree to become their lawyer and help with their cases.
Reece listened carefully as Bianca talked.
When Bianca finished speaking, she nervously added, “Mr. Barton, please tell me your fee. As long as it’s within my budget, I’ll pay without hesitation.”
Reece set down his fork and looked up at her. With a small smile, he replied, “It’s not a big deal. But there’s a question I’ve always wanted to ask. Would you mind answering it?”
Bianca felt a bit confused. “What’s your question?”
Reece leaned back in his chair, wiping his mouth with a napkin, and studied her carefully. “Do you know Dave Evans?”
Hearing Dave’s name made Bianca’s eyes narrow, and a sudden ache hit her heart.
Why would Reece bring up Dave? Did they know each other?
With a stiff expression, Bianca frowned at Reece. “Mr. Barton, do you know him?”
“You haven’t answered my question yet!” Reece said, waiting for her reply.
Bianca saw no reason to hide the truth from Reece. She answered honestly, “Yes.”
“And what is your relationship with him?” Reece asked.
Reece leaned forward, resting his chin on his hands, determined to get to the bottom of the matter. It seemed he wouldn’t help Bianca unless she told him the truth.
Taking a deep breath, Bianca finally admitted, “He… he is my boyfriend, but…” She trailed off, unsure how to finish.
They might be on the verge of breaking up, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it, lowering her eyes in sadness.
Reece’s eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly started to piece things together.
When Dave had asked him to defend Sophia for free, Reece had suspected it was for someone else’s benefit.
Justin had told him it wasn’t for Sophia, and later, Reece discovered that Bianca was the person most involved in the situation, aside from Sophia.
Reece had always wondered who could make Dave do such a huge favor. Now, he had his answer.
But something still puzzled him.
Wasn’t Dave engaged to Skylar? How could he also be Bianca’s boyfriend?
Bianca noticed Reece frowning, lost in thought. Curious, she asked, “Mr. Barton, you know Dave, right?”
Reece snapped back to the moment and smiled. “Yes, I do.”
“How did you two meet?” Bianca asked, her curiosity growing.
She was surprised to learn that Dave, whom she had known for months, was connected to Reece, a renowned lawyer. She wondered if he had any involvement in Sophia’s divorce case.
“He and I… actually…” Reece tried to explain.
Suddenly, he stopped mid-sentence, his eyes widening in shock as he looked over Bianca’s shoulder.
Bianca turned around and gasped in surprise.
Dave and Skylar stood there, looking equally startled.
Dave quickly regained his composure. “It’s too crowded here. Let’s try a different restaurant.”
Skylar shot a quick glance at Bianca, her lips pressing into a disapproving pout. “But this place was reserved by your grandfather for you. Wouldn’t it upset him if we left?”
Dave’s brow furrowed slightly at her words.
Before he could respond, Reece stood and waved energetically.
Skylar noticed and tugged at Dave’s sleeve, smiling gently as she led him toward Reece.
Dave took a deep breath and reluctantly followed.
“Reece!” Skylar greeted him warmly, pretending not to notice Bianca. “It’s great to see you here!”
Reece nodded gently toward Bianca, seated opposite him. “Miss Scott invited me,” he explained.
Skylar’s eyes narrowed into a subtle, mocking smile as she turned to Bianca.
“Bianca, what a surprise to see you here.”
Bianca smiled politely in return. “Miss Larson, it’s been a while.”
Reece raised an eyebrow in surprise. “You two know each other?”
Skylar, still smiling, replied, “I met her once on the ‘Star Search’ show.”
Bianca quickly glanced at her. Skylar had only mentioned their brief meeting, clearly avoiding the fact that she’d invited Bianca to her engagement party and even asked for her help in picking out a ring.
Bianca stayed silent.
Reece scratched his head, saying, “I see. I’ve seen all your shows, but somehow I forgot that.”
Skylar teased him, “You’re so forgetful. By the way, you and Bianca are…” She trailed off, giving them a curious look.
Dave, standing just behind Skylar, narrowed his eyes slightly.
Reece, hoping to clarify things for Skylar, explained, “I represent Miss Scott’s company legally. I’ve assisted her with a lawsuit before. She’s here today to express her gratitude for the previous victory in court.”
He seemed comfortable sharing this information with Skylar.
As he finished speaking, a soft cough came from behind Skylar.
Only then did Reece realize Dave had been standing there the whole time.
A bit anxious, he quickly added, “Why are you standing all the way over there, Dave? Come join us,” and gestured for him to come closer.
Reece stood and took the seat beside Bianca, making room for Skylar next to Dave.
Dave had been glancing at Bianca from the corner of his eye. Since he arrived, she hadn’t once met his eyes, as if she were a stranger to him.
“Dave, why don’t we share a table?” Reece suggested.
Dave stayed still, so Reece gave him a warm smile for reassurance.
Turning to Skylar, Dave said, “The table my grandpa reserved isn’t here. We should probably move on.”
Skylar, noticing Bianca seated quietly, offered a slight smile and said, “It’s been ages since I’ve seen Reece. We’re all here by chance; why not sit together and catch up?”
Reece and Dave had been childhood neighbors in the same luxury villa district. Reece often visited Dave, and during those visits, he got to know Skylar.
Back then, Dave was a boy of few words, always silently trailing behind them. He would lean against the wall, lost in thought, watching without saying much.
Even then, Reece never quite understood what happened in Dave’s mind, let alone now.
Seeing that Dave still hadn’t moved, Skylar turned to Bianca and asked, “Miss Scott, you wouldn’t mind us joining you, would you?”
Bianca looked up, surprised, and saw Dave’s eyes fixed on hers. They briefly locked eyes before quickly looking away.
With a smile, Bianca replied, “I don’t mind at all. But I’m not sure if this gentleman would be comfortable sitting with me.”
Her words conveyed a subtle message, making both Skylar and Reece instinctively glance at Dave.