Although many in the crowd had dealings with Phoenix Alliance Group, several business leaders were seeing its CEO for the first time.
They were impressed by Dave’s calm presence and obvious success.
How did he get so lucky to be born into such a prestigious family? They wondered.
Dave wasn’t just fortunate; he was also hardworking and talented, earning Lucas’s approval.
Young, successful, and incredibly handsome, he seemed to have everything life could offer.
The thought of their own less accomplished families’ heirs made them shake their heads and sigh in disappointment.
Skylar stood still, mesmerized.
Dave’s striking looks caught the attention of several wealthy young women in the room.
Stealing glances at him, her heart raced. Jealousy overwhelmed her as she noticed the other women eyeing him.
Her composure nearly crumbled, but she was determined. He would be hers.
Natalie was also surprised. Did she hear that right? Dave, the CEO of Phoenix Alliance Group, was supposed to be Skylar’s fiance?
As she watched Skylar look at Dave with obvious admiration, Natalie felt a headache coming on.
The realization that she had been working so closely with her main romantic rival hit her hard.
Dave leaned against the wall, his brow slightly furrowed, his lips tight.
He knew that Lucas always had his reasons for everything, so discussions or asking for his opinion were not an option. Dave’s job was simply to follow along.
“There’s someone else I want to introduce to you all,” Lucas announced loudly.
Lucas took Skylar’s hand and placed it firmly into Dave’s.
Dave instinctively tried to pull away, but Lucas pressed down on his hand and gave him a hard stare.
Dave felt a wave of annoyance.
“This is Dave’s fiancee, Skylar Larson,” Lucas happily added.
Before anyone could respond, the door to the hall creaked open loudly, breaking the silence.
Everyone turned to look at the entrance.
Bianca entered gracefully, wearing a pink dress that looked just like Skylar’s.
The room gasped in shock, eyes wide with disbelief.
Why was she dressed exactly like Skylar?
The hall was completely silent.
Lucas stared at the woman who had just walked in. A frown appeared on his face.
Standing next to him, Dave stayed calm, but his free hand tightened into a fist.
Was that Bianca? This was a private event. No one could get in without an invitation. How had she managed it?
Dave glanced at Skylar beside him. Her smile remained unchanged, showing no sign of being bothered by Bianca’s arrival.
A sudden realization hit Dave, and his brow furrowed even more. His eyes narrowed.
Bianca entered the hall, noticing the speech being given on stage. She crouched down to avoid interrupting the speaker.
Mumbling apologies, she searched for her seat, moving row by row. As she got closer to the front, everyone in the hall turned to stare.
Bianca felt humiliated. The invitation Brady had given her placed her in the VIP section, and being late only made things worse.
“Excuse me,” she whispered, moving through the crowd to find her seat.
She sank into her seat, letting out a shaky breath. With so many eyes on her, she straightened up and tried to appear calm as she looked ahead.
Then, in an instant, she froze.
A tall, handsome figure in the crowd caught her eye.
At first, she thought it was just a trick of the light. She rubbed her eyes and focused again. Her pupils widened, and her face went pale.
It was unmistakable.
Dave, with his strong presence and cold attitude. It could only be him.
But why? Why was he here? Why was he standing next to Skylar, and why were their hands holding each other?
Bianca felt like a tight grip was squeezing her heart, making it hard to breathe.
In a daze, she stared at Dave, a terrible thought growing in her mind. Could it be…
“Who is that?” Lucas asked, noticing Bianca in the VIP seat that had been meant for Rachel.
“Bianca? What is she doing here?”
Skylar’s fake surprise was clear in her quiet reply, and Lucas quickly caught onto it.
“Bianca Scott?” A dark look crossed Lucas’s face, wiping away his earlier good mood. “What is she doing here? And why is she wearing the same dress as Skylar? Is this some kind of joke?”
Seeing Lucas’s anger rise, Dave tightened his jaw and raised a hand to signal Zane.
“That woman must be lost. Escort her out.”
Zane’s heart raced as he walked toward Bianca. He took a deep breath, calming himself before reaching her.
Leaning in, he whispered, “Miss Scott, please come with me.”
“You’re…” Bianca’s eyes quickly shifted to Zane.
A moment of recognition hit her-he was the assistant who’d represented the Phoenix Alliance Group CEO at Skylar’s engagement party.
Seeing Dave send Zane over confirmed her suspicions.
A cold stab of fear hit her chest, leaving her breathless.
“Miss Scott, are you alright?” Zane asked, noticing her pained look and clutching her chest. “Let’s step outside. I can explain.”
When Bianca looked at him again, her eyes were filled with fiery anger. She turned her head to steal a silent look at Dave.
A bitter sneer appeared on her lips. She had thought she knew Dave well, but now, she realized how wrong she had been.
The urge to confront Dave was strong, but a small part of her mind stayed focused.
She was there for a reason-to meet the Phoenix Alliance Group CEO and take back her mother’s company.
She wouldn’t let her personal feelings get in the way of her goal.
Especially after Blake had warned her not to cause a scene.
So, she dug her nails into her palms, pushing down the pain without a sound.
Slowly, she rose from her seat and stayed quiet.
Following Zane, she prepared herself for a quiet exit.
Suddenly, a sharp voice cut through the air, stopping them in their tracks.
“Wait!”
Zane immediately froze. He recognized Lucas’s voice and stopped, too cautious to move.
Bianca turned to face Lucas, seeing his serious expression.
“Miss, you are not invited. How did you get in?” Lucas asked, his voice heavy and tense.
His question caused whispers to spread through the hall.
“Can you believe someone crashed the Evans family’s banquet? Who is she? How did she manage it? And she’s even dressed like Lucas Evans’s future granddaughter-in-law. She’s clearly here to cause trouble.”
“What right does she have to be here? Compared to Miss Larson, she has no manners. She’s just embarrassing herself by showing up.”
“Do you think she has some secret connection with the CEO of the Phoenix Alliance Group?”
“He has such a graceful and kind fiancee. Why would he look at anyone else? To me, it seems like this woman is trying really hard to win him over. That kind of eagerness is quite frightening.”
“She’s completely shameless…”