Seeing she was right, Reece stopped avoiding the topic and nodded in agreement.
“Have you agreed to help her?” Skylar asked, her eagerness evident.
Reece thought back to his recent conversation with Bianca. He had planned to agree, but Dave and Skylar’s sudden arrival interrupted him. “Not yet.”
“Don’t help her!” Skylar suddenly raised her voice.
Her outburst startled Reece.
“Skylar, between you and Bianca, is there…?” Reece hesitated, unsure whether to ask further.
Skylar fixed her eyes on the glass before her, her eyes gleaming with shrewdness. She slowly parted her red lips.
“No, you should agree to her request,” she said, looking up at Reece.
Her eyes held a calculating gleam, which slightly confused Reece.
Frowning, he asked, “Skylar, what’s going on? First, you advised me not to agree, and now you’re urging me to accept it. What’s your point of view?”
Skylar’s lips curled into a smirk. “For someone of your expertise, discreetly losing a lawsuit should be easy, don’t you think?”
Shock flickered in Reece’s eyes. “Are you suggesting I compromise my ethics and intentionally lose the case? I can’t do that.”
Reece lifted his glass and took a long sip. He had always seen Skylar as a symbol of gentleness and kindness. He remembered their chance meeting during a business trip to Mubluosia, where he had seen her performing at a concert.
She stood at the center of the stage, violin in hand, producing a melody that seemed to come from heaven itself.
During his stay in Mubluosia, Reece shared many joyful moments with Skylar. She was not only beautiful but also kind, polite, and knowledgeable. Beneath her exterior, she shared his free-spirited nature.
They had enjoyed thrilling activities together, like bungee jumping, parachuting, and watching the aurora in the north, fulfilling Reece’s hidden feelings.
Just as Reece was about to confess his feelings, a major case demanded his return to the country, and he became consumed with Sophia’s case.
Soon after, Reece learned that Skylar had returned to their home country. Not long after, news broke online about her engagement to the CEO of Phoenix Alliance Group.
Reece then realized that Skylar was Dave’s fiancee.
He knew then that he would have to keep his love for her deep in his heart forever.
Skylar remained a symbol of purity and beauty in Reece’s heart, but seeing her again today stirred emotions he hadn’t expected.
As Reece set down his water glass, he felt a soft touch against the back of his hand.
It was Skylar, gently holding his hand.
Skylar lifted her face, her eyes shining with tears, looking like a hurt puppy seeking comfort.
“Reece, I can’t keep this from you anymore. You’ve heard about my engagement with Dave, right? But Bianca has been causing trouble. She flirted with Dave behind my back. Dave agreed to come to our engagement party, but at the last minute, he backed out because of her, making me look foolish in front of everyone. And now, his grandpa’s in the hospital because of her. She seems innocent, but she’s a schemer. She pretended to be my friend, got close to me, and discovered details about Dave and me, only to ruin everything. She even had an artist she was managing to tell the press that Dave skipped the party, and the whole internet turned against me. It was awful!”
Skylar wiped her tears away. “She made my life miserable. I just want to make her pay. Dave’s grandpa was the one who made the decision to end the partnership. If you take Bianca’s side, you’re going against him. Think about it.”
Reece’s eyes widened in surprise at Skylar’s story.
To him, Bianca always seemed so kind. Was this really who she was?
But if Lucas was behind all of this, he couldn’t afford to make him his enemy.
“Skylar, I could turn down her case,” Reece said.
But Skylar didn’t stop there. She gently took his hand and traced soothing circles with her fingers. “But she’ll just find someone else. Reece, for the sake of our friendship, please consider helping me just this once. It’s also what Lucas Evans needs. Please?”
“But…” Reece felt her touch sway him for a moment, but his professional ethics as a lawyer held him back.
“Reece, you’ve always been there for me. If you help me now, I’ll make it up to you later. You wouldn’t want to see Bianca walk all over me without a fight, would you?” Skylar’s voice was soft and soothing, making it hard for Reece to stand firm.
Looking into her eyes, Reece couldn’t resist the pull of her beauty. He couldn’t bear to see her hurt.
Reece decided he could make an exception for Skylar’s sake, just this once.
“Okay, I’ll do it,” he said, a warm smile spreading across his face.
“Thank you. I’m so lucky to have you as a friend,” she replied, pulling her hand away but keeping her smile.
Reece lowered his face, pretending to focus on sipping his water, trying to hide the rush of emotions in his chest.
When Skylar noticed his shyness, a soft smile played on her lips. She had worked on building her connection with Reece back in Mubluosia for this very moment, knowing she could manipulate him when the time came.
She had always known how he felt about her, so manipulating him was easy.
Meanwhile, Bianca stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, a tight feeling in her chest.
She dreaded facing Dave when she returned. Her patience was running out, and she had many unanswered questions, but they felt less important now.
Though she considered leaving, she couldn’t bring herself to do it.
After a deep breath, she hesitated for a moment before finally turning the doorknob.
When she stepped out, she bumped into a solid chest.
Bianca’s eyes lifted to see Dave’s handsome face right before her.
She jumped back in surprise, her heel catching on the door sill, causing her to stumble.
A strong arm caught her wrist in a flash, keeping her from falling.
“What were you thinking?” Dave pulled her closer, his face showing both surprise and concern.
Quickly getting back on her feet, Bianca looked at him, feeling anxious. “What are you doing here?”
“I need to talk to you,” Dave said firmly, taking her wrist and guiding her away.
Next to the bathroom was a small door that led to the restaurant’s garden. Dave led Bianca to the pavilion, where the evening was quiet, with only the sounds of insects and birds in the air.
“What… What do you want to talk to me about?” Bianca’s fingers fidgeted nervously, avoiding his eyes.