Bianca, dressed in a white gown, looked elegant and graceful.
She arrived at the port on time and was greeted by the sight of a massive cruise ship that looked like a floating palace.
As night fell, the ship gleamed with dazzling, dreamlike colors. The lighted windows looked like stars lighting up the night sky.
She was amazed by the sight. It was her first time seeing such a luxurious vessel.
The wealth and extravagance of the world around her were overwhelming.
She felt excited yet a bit suffocated by the grandness of it all.
Just as she reached the gangway, a familiar voice startled her.
“Hey, isn’t that Bianca?”
Bianca turned, and her eyes widened slightly.
Natalie stood in front of her, arm in arm, with an older man in a high-end suit.
What was she doing here?
The man’s wealth clearly showed that Natalie had found a rich catch.
“Miss King, it’s a surprise seeing you here,” Bianca said politely.
Natalie twisted her lips in a scornful smile. “What are you doing here? Sightseeing to broaden your horizons?”
Bianca’s smile didn’t change. “Sightseeing is a bonus, but I’m actually a guest.”
Natalie’s frown deepened, and a harsh laugh escaped her a moment later. “An invited guest? You? What makes you think you deserve an invite to the business world’s A-list party?”
Bianca stayed calm, holding her ground despite Natalie’s outburst. “Miss King, we’re both in entertainment, right? If I’m not qualified, wouldn’t that apply to you too?”
“Damn!” Natalie gasped, caught off guard. She silently promised not to be embarrassed by Bianca this time.
Leaning into her date with a sugary smile, she said, “Actually, I’m Mr. Becker Finch’s plus one. You might’ve heard of him. He’s a construction tycoon. The Evans Group’s infrastructure projects wouldn’t have happened without his partnership.”
The event allowed one guest per attendee. But Lucas had simply excluded Brady.
“I see,” Bianca said with a nod toward Becker. She then turned back to Natalie and added, “Without climbing the social ladder through Mr. Finch, I doubt you’d even be on this ship.”
A flush of heat rose in Natalie’s face. She gritted her teeth. “Yeah, I climbed the social ladder on my own. But you…”
Her eyes scanned Bianca from head to toe; then she burst out laughing.
Bianca furrowed her brow, confused.
What was so funny?
Natalie finally stopped laughing, a smirk curling on her lips. “Even if you dream of rising through the ranks, you’ll just be used and thrown away. Worse, men might want to keep their relationship with you a secret to avoid your constant pestering!”
“Miss King, why is everything you’re saying so confusing?” Bianca asked, her face scrunched in confusion as she looked at Natalie.
Natalie let go of Becker’s arm and walked over to her. She leaned in close and whispered in Bianca’s ear, “Your boyfriend might show up tonight. When he does, you’ll understand.”
Then she pulled back and gave her a smug look. “But that all depends on whether you can even get in.”
Bianca’s brow furrowed. Was Natalie talking about Dave? What could he possibly have to do with this event?
She glanced at the huge, luxurious cruise ship.
A strong surge of anxiety suddenly filled her heart.
Dave’s last name was also Evans, but he had always said it was just a coincidence, unrelated to the powerful Evans family.
He wouldn’t lie to her. Would he?
She never believe Dave would show up here tonight.
Shaking off her doubts, she focused her attention on Natalie. “Miss King, stop with the riddles and speak plainly.”
Natalie just shrugged and turned back to Becker, linking her arm with his again. Her voice dripped with fake sweetness. “Mr. Finch, I was just giving her a friendly warning, but she seems ungrateful.”
“Some people just don’t recognize kindness when they see it,” Becker added with a haughty tone. He had been a giant in the business world for years and had never seen Bianca before.
Seeing her arrive alone, he had already dismissed her as unimportant.
“Miss, please show me your invitation.” The security guard’s voice carried a hint of impatience as he addressed Bianca.
He had been standing there the whole time, and when he heard Natalie’s mocking comment, he was certain Bianca was bluffing.
“Do you really think I don’t have an invitation?”
Bianca shot back as her eyes stared directly onto Natalie’s with a hint of a smirk.
Without breaking eye contact, she reached into her purse and pulled out a golden-plated invitation, handing it to the guard with a flourish.
The guard’s eyes widened in surprise as he looked at the invitation.
These exclusive golden invitations were only given to the most prestigious guests-either close relatives of the Evans family or world-renowned figures.
But he had no idea who Bianca was.
“What the… How does she have that?” Becker muttered under his breath. His face showed the same shock as the guard’s. His earlier disdain for Bianca shifted to fear, maybe even regret.
“Miss Scott, you are an honored guest. Please, come in!” The guard said eagerly, bowing deeply and stepping aside to let her pass.
Unaware of the significance of her invitation, Bianca walked forward.
Suddenly, Natalie lunged forward, grabbing the invitation from the guard’s hand. “This can’t be real! She couldn’t possibly have this kind of invitation!” she exclaimed.
Her eyes darted to the name on the card-Bianca Scott.
It was embossed in an elegant script. She gasped, her face turning pale.
Her eyes shot back to Bianca in a wide shock. Her mind raced.
Could Dave have given her this invitation? Wasn’t he risking exposing his identity? Or had he already told her everything?
Natalie felt like a fool. She had always seen herself as the center of attention, but now she realized she was the biggest joke of all.
Still, Natalie refused to back down. She stared at Bianca and snapped, “Bianca, did you forge that invitation? Or did you steal it?”
Bianca chuckled at the ridiculousness of the accusation.
She crossed her arms and tilted her head. “Oh, sweetie, these invitations have anti-counterfeiting marks. It’s easy to tell if they’re real or fake. And my name is right there. Can’t you read?”
She paused, adding, “Personalized, remember? If I had stolen it, why would my name be on it?”
The truth was, Rachel’s invitation didn’t have a name.
As Lucas’s daughter, it was just a formality. Brady had written the name himself.
“Well…” Natalie stammered and couldn’t find the right words to say.
Becker, who had been watching the exchange, stepped in and grabbed Natalie’s arm. “Stop it, Natalie,” he hissed. “Acting like a snob is the worst thing you can do here! She’s a VIP of the Evans Group. We can’t afford to offend her.”
He paused, his tone sharp. “Keep quiet, or you’ll have to leave!”