“What?” Bianca was shocked. Frowning, she asked, “Do you mean he’s too busy to see me now? Because I can always come back-”
“No, that’s not it. He said he doesn’t want to see you,” Skylar replied apologetically, emphasizing her words.
“He doesn’t want to see me?” Bianca blinked, confused. It took a moment for Skylar’s words to fully register. “You’re saying he’ll never see me again?”
Skylar nodded seriously. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help. I may be his fiancee, but I don’t have any influence over the company’s decisions.”
Bianca was troubled. The CEO had promised that once her mother woke up, he would return Cherish to her.
But now, he wouldn’t even see her. Did he regret making that promise? Or had he always planned to take Cherish from her, using that promise just to get her to agree?
The more Bianca thought about it, the more she felt that her theory was right.
Back then, she trusted him, so she hadn’t signed the agreement. She never expected to be deceived by the CEO of such a large company.
Did he have no integrity? What a despicable tactic!
As these thoughts swirled in her mind, she clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms.
Skylar noticed Bianca’s clenched fists and quietly snorted to herself.
“Miss Larson, is there any other way I can see him?” Bianca asked, taking a deep breath and looking at Skylar seriously.
Skylar pretended to think for a moment; then, her eyes brightened as if she had come up with an idea. “In a few days, we’ll be celebrating the Evans Group’s 50th anniversary. The CEO will definitely be there. But it’s an exclusive event for local and international business tycoons. I’m not sure how you’d get in…”
Bianca pursed her lips and thought hard for a solution.
If this was the only way she could meet the CEO, then she had no choice but to try.
“Thanks, Miss Larson.”
Bianca then excused herself and left the Phoenix Alliance Group building.
Skylar watched her leave, arms crossed, holding back her laughter. “Bianca, let’s see what you’ll do this time…”
She then walked confidently toward the front desk, the sound of her high heels echoing on the marble floors.
The receptionist looked directly into Skylar’s arrogant eyes. “Good day, Miss Larson. How can I help you?”
Skylar replied coldly, “A woman named Bianca came by earlier and said she wanted to see the CEO. Remove her from your records. The CEO himself said he doesn’t want to see her.”
“Understood,” the receptionist replied.
On her way back to the hospital, Bianca thought about who she could reach out to. However none of her contacts seemed connected to the Evans Group, except for Justin.
Justin was the vice president of the Phoenix Alliance Group, but she wasn’t sure he would help her.
Lost in her thoughts, Bianca bumped into Leonel as he left the ward.
“Bianca? Hey, I was just about to call you. Mom is finally asleep, and work is calling me again,” Leonel said.
“Leonel, is there any chance you could get me an invite to the Evans Group’s 50th anniversary celebration?” Bianca asked him, looking him in the eye.
Leonel frowned. “Why do you need to go?”
Bianca stepped closer. “I have to be there, Leonel. It’s important for Cherish’s future.”
Leonel’s expression hardened. “How does Cherish fit into all of this?”
Bianca bit her lip, letting out a deep breath. She led him to a quiet spot and shared everything-the Phoenix Alliance Group’s acquisition, the CEO’s promise, and the challenges she’d faced that day.
Leonel had heard about the ruthless CEO of Phoenix Alliance Group, but he didn’t expect things to sink this low.
“Okay, our director has connections with the Evans Group. He might know someone on the board who can help,” Leonel said.
“Really? That would be amazing!” Bianca grabbed his arm, unable to contain her excitement.
Leonel smirked and tilted his head. “Took you long enough to realize how good I am.”
Bianca laughed at his comment. “I never doubted you. You’ve always had my back.”
“Okay, enough flattery. I’ve got to go,” Leonel said, patting her shoulder.
As he turned to leave, a thought suddenly crossed his mind. He snapped his fingers and turned back to Bianca. “I almost forgot! The drug launches next week. Make sure Reese’s free, okay? We have promotions and interviews lined up.”
“Next week…” Bianca frowned and rubbed her temples. “What about the ‘Star Search’ shoot?”
“I’ll make sure they don’t overlap,” Leonel said with a reassuring nod. He waved goodbye to Bianca and left.
Securing the ambassador deal for the drug launch had been costly, but it solved many of the company’s problems.
Bianca felt grateful to her reliable brother. As he walked away, she felt overjoyed.
Back in the ward, Bianca sat beside her mother.
The doctor’s words replayed in her mind. Her mother had just woken up and needed her family by her side.
When Leonel returned, the sun had set. He walked into the room slowly, looking exhausted, and dropped into the nearest chair. Bianca could see from his expression that he was worn out.
Bianca turned to Leonel as she got up from her chair. “Any updates on the invite, Leonel?”
Leonel sighed and rubbed his forehead. “I ran into a problem, Bianca. The Evans Group is keeping things tight. It’s invite-only with heavy security. I’m sorry.”
Bianca shut her eyes and bit her lip, feeling anxious.
Feeling defeated, she sat back down. She looked at her mom, and guilt filled her heart.
She feared her mother would blame her if Cherish’s future was ruined by a bad decision.
Taking a deep breath, Bianca straightened up. She had to stay strong. She stood up and said, “Leonel, stay with Mom. I’ll take care of this.”
Leonel opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He just nodded, unable to find the right words.
At the office, Bianca searched through her contacts and business partners but found no links to the Evans Group.
She felt hopeless. The distance between her and the Evans Group felt bigger than ever, like an impossible gap.
What should she do now? It felt like she was climbing a mountain with no air, struggling to breathe. She wrapped her arms around herself, feeling completely lost. The breakup with Dave and the loss of Cherish were weighing her down.
Then her phone rang, cutting through the silence. Paige’s name appeared on the screen.
Taking a deep breath, she picked up the call. “Hello, Mrs. Lopez. How can I help you?”
“Bianca, Blake’s missing!” Paige’s voice came in panic.