“Mom, let’s talk about this later.” Bianca quickly found a way to change the subject. “Blake just won the Star Search championship. He’s on his way to becoming a star in the entertainment world. This isn’t the time to be distracted by romance.”
“But…”
Madison started to respond, but Bianca cut her off. “I’m Blake’s agent now, and I’m the boss of my agency. My priority is helping my talents grow and building my company. Mom, I’ve grown up. I’m not the same naive girl I once was. Please, just this once, respect my choices, and let me shape my own future.”
Madison stared at her daughter and realized for the first time that she was no longer the authority in Bianca’s eyes.
Maybe it was good that her daughter was focused on her career, but Madison couldn’t help but worry that Bianca might overlook someone who truly cared for her.
She decided she needed to find out how Blake truly felt about Bianca and what his future plans were.
If he was only focused on his career and becoming a star, she would have to accept that.
“Well, I won’t push any further.” Madison smiled gently at Bianca. “Take your time to think it over. The decision is yours.”
Relieved that her mother wasn’t insisting, Bianca sighed. She sat back down on the bed and tucked her mother in.
“Mom, make sure you rest well. Cherish is waiting for your return. As for my own issues, I’ll handle them. Don’t worry. I’ll be busy soon. I’ve asked Leonel to visit more often to keep you company.”
“I’m fine, really. You and Leonel are both busy. Don’t worry about me. Actually, Leonel is at the age to settle down. Why doesn’t he have a girlfriend yet?”
When her mother changed the topic to her brother, Bianca took the chance to drive the conversation away.
“Yes, he’s several years older than me. He should be the one getting married first! He’s not a child anymore. He spends all his time in the lab, so he hardly meets any women. Mom, don’t worry, I’ll take care of introducing him to some!” Bianca winked at Madison.
“Okay, then. I’ll leave it to you. Don’t disappoint me,” Madison said playfully.
“I’ll accomplish my mission!” Bianca replied, giving a playful salute, which made Madison laugh.
After making sure her mother was comfortable, Bianca left for her company.
Tomorrow, the last episode of Star Search will air online. The production team had already posted the judge’s list and revealed a major, mysterious guest, causing a lot of excitement online.
The news that Brandon and Nicolas would appear together sent the internet into a frenzy, making Star Search one of the top trending topics. Everyone was excited about the identity of the mysterious guest.
Throughout the day, trending searches were filled with Star Search, Brandon, Nicolas, and the mysterious guest.
Fan meetings picked up speed, rallying support for favorite contestants, with Blake and Reese leading the hot searches.
Speculation was everywhere as people cast their votes, trying to predict the winner.
However, Bianca’s main focus was the live stream scheduled for the next night.
Orion Entertainment had been strangely silent and hadn’t been involved in any recent conflicts with Bianca. Even Natalie seemed to have disappeared.
This silence only made Bianca feel more restless.
Just then, a knock came at the door of Bianca’s office.
Bianca opened the door and saw Reese standing there, her fingers twisted together.
“Reese, what’s wrong?” Bianca asked, confused. She stepped aside to let her in.
Reese hesitated and her eyes shifted as if she was debating something. Then, she looked up.
“Bianca… I…”
“We’ve been friends for years. You can tell me anything. Is someone bothering you?” Bianca observed her every movement and noticed something was off.
Reese shook her head slightly and bit her lip. After a moment, she took a deep breath.
“Can I skip tomorrow’s live stream?”
Bianca blinked in surprise. She stared at Reese and her brows knitted together.
“Why?” She asked gently, wanting to understand before insisting.
Reese avoided her gaze. “I… I’m not feeling well.”
“What’s wrong? We should see a doctor.” Bianca grabbed her coat, ready to go, but Reese reached out, stopping her.
“No, thank you, Bianca. I…”
Bianca noticed the hesitation in Reese’s voice and realized she might be making an excuse. That only deepened her confusion.
“Reese, be honest with me. If something’s wrong, you can tell me. I’m here to help.” Bianca’s voice was calm but firm. “Tomorrow’s live stream is important, not just for you but for our company. Even though you finished second in Star Search, this is the real finale. If you miss it, it could hurt your career. You’ve worked so hard for this. Don’t let regret hold you back.”
She spoke gently, knowing Reese preferred to deal with things alone. Bianca didn’t want to pressure her, but she also didn’t want her to lose this opportunity.
Reese remained silent for a long moment. Then, she looked up, her eyes slightly red.
“Reese, are you okay? What’s going on?”
Bianca couldn’t shake her worry. Reese hadn’t been herself lately, especially since arriving late to the filming venue the other day. They hadn’t spent much time together recently, and when they did, Reese always seemed anxious.
Forcing a small smile, Reese said, “It’s fine. I’m just overthinking. Tomorrow… I’ll be there.”
Without another word, she turned and left the office.
Still bothered, Bianca pulled out her phone and dialed Blake.
He answered quickly. “Bianc.”
“Blake, I need to ask you something,” Bianca said, getting straight to the point.
“Ask anything. I’ll tell you whatever I know.”
“Do you have any idea what’s been bothering Reese? Has she been dealing with anything difficult?”
Blake frowned. The only unusual thing that came to mind was Reese’s sudden offer to help him find happiness and her mention of a new technology that could treat his leg injury.
But that didn’t seem connected to what Bianca was asking.
“Reese? I haven’t noticed anything unusual about her lately. What’s going on?” Blake asked.
Bianca let out a deep sigh. “She just told me she doesn’t want to do tomorrow’s livestream. It’s an important one. When I asked why, she couldn’t give me a clear answer. I’m worried something’s wrong.”
Blake thought for a moment before responding. “Could it be stage fright? Live streams are a lot more demanding than taped ones. With recorded broadcasts, mistakes can be fixed in editing. But with a live show, you have to perform in real time. It’s her first time doing this, so the pressure must be overwhelming.”