Reece knew what she meant. “No one will know. It stays between us.”
Skylar felt relieved hearing Reece’s words. “Thank you, Reece.”
“You’re all that matters to me. If you care about me, nothing else matters.”
Reece’s affection bothered Skylar. She was only using him and didn’t really care about him. But to keep him loyal, she had to pretend. She said softly, “As long as you stand by me, my heart is yours.”
After the call ended, Skylar rolled her eyes and threw the phone on the bed. She leaned back and her eyes turned cold and sharp.
Once Bianca was gone she would definitely target Reece next.
Bianca went over her schedule and cleared time to talk with Reese.
She picked a quiet restaurant nearby and called Reese to invite her for lunch.
But just before they could meet, Leonel called out of the blue, wanting to join them.
“Leonel, I need to talk to Reese at noon. Don’t interrupt us, okay?” Bianca said with a hint of irritation.
“Why all the secrecy?” Leonel shot back, furrowing his brow.
Bianca let out a sigh and tried to explain. “Remember the livestream mess yesterday? This lunch is about her family. I don’t want her to feel uncomfortable if you’re there.”
“Then I’m coming too,” Leonel casually uttered even though he felt Bianca was annoyed. “I know a few things about her family. I can fill in the gaps if she holds back.”
Bianca was stunned. “You knew something? Since when were you two so close? She never told me anything like that.”
“We just chatted a bit. Maybe you’re not having a good bonding with your talents as you think.”
Bianca felt annoyed by that. “Leonel, why are you so interested in Reese all of a sudden? Wait… are you…?”
Before she could finish, Leonel cut her off. “Got some things to take care of. It’s settled then. Just send me the restaurant address. I’ll come by when I’m free.”
The call ended, leaving Bianca confused.
How did her brother know more about Reese than she did? They weren’t supposed to be that close.
Did Leonel have a crush on Reese? If so, maybe it wouldn’t be a bad thing for them to spend time together.
As noon neared, Bianca got to the restaurant early and waited. Reese had taken the morning off after the livestream, likely still feeling shaken because of the scandal.
Just as Bianca finished placing their order, Reese walked in. She wore large sunglasses and a black mask that covered most of her face. She sat down across from Bianca.
“Bianca.” Her voice was soft and shaky.
Bianca leaned forward, worry in her eyes. “Are you okay?”
Reese didn’t answer right away. She slowly took off her sunglasses. There were dark circles under her eyes.
“I’m really sorry…” she said, her voice breaking as tears ran down her cheeks.
Bianca felt a wave of sympathy. “It’s not your fault. You don’t have to apologize.”
Reese looked up with teary eyes. “I’m sorry if I made things uncomfortable for you.”
Bianca gently wiped the tears from her cheeks. “You don’t need to say sorry. You were amazing on the show. Even without experience, you outshined many trained actors. I’m really proud of you.”
Reese’s tears slowly stopped, and a small light returned to her eyes.
Seeing that, Bianca felt a bit of relief. She let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. “If you had told me about your family earlier, I could’ve helped. Why didn’t you say anything?”
Reese looked at Bianca with surprise. “Why haven’t you asked if my aunt and uncle-in-law were telling the truth?”
Bianca gave her a small smile. “Why should I? They don’t seem honest. I trust you.”
Tears welled up again in Reese’s eyes. Her voice shook as she cried, “Why do you trust me so much? Aren’t you afraid I lied?”
Bianca’s smile softened. Her eyes remained on Reese’s face. “If I didn’t believe you, I wouldn’t have asked you to join my agency. Now tell me-what really happened?”
Reese’s eyes turned red again after hearing Bianca’s words.
She clenched her hands tightly, trying to calm herself.
“My parents left me when I was little. My aunt and her husband took me in. They treated me badly, but I stayed quiet. Even small mistakes got me beaten. Still, I was thankful. They saved me from starving.”
She sniffled and kept going. “I got sick as a child. They said taking me to the hospital cost too much. So, they left me alone in my room. I got better, but I gained weight because of the illness. They started to hate how I looked. In high school, they kicked me out and said I had to pay them back. I was about to drop out, even though I was always top of my class. My teacher helped me stay.”
“I worked different jobs. I washed dishes, handed out flyers, cleaned streets, and even worked on construction sites. I didn’t care how hard it was-I just wanted to earn money. I had nowhere to stay. I slept under bridges or on park benches. Strangely, my weight kept bullies away. When I look back on those days, I feel scared.”
She paused briefly. Her eyes were full of tears. “I kept studying. I didn’t give up. I got into the best university with the highest score and earned a full scholarship. Every cent I made, I gave to my aunt and her husband, except for food. After I started college, I cut ties with them. That was the end of my debt.”
“But then I joined the talent show. I became known… and everything changed.”
Reese’s voice shook as she spoke. Her hands trembled as she reached for a glass of water. Tears filled her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.
With a soft voice, she went on. “I realized I didn’t owe them anything. But when they found out I signed a contract and started acting, they asked for more money. They said what I gave before wasn’t enough. They demanded a million dollars. I don’t have that kind of money. And even if I did, I wouldn’t give it to them.”
Bianca finally learned the truth. Reese’s aunt and uncle hadn’t taken her in out of love. They saw her as a way to make money.
Hearing all this made Bianca’s heart ache. Reese grew up without love and carried heavy burdens while still so young.
Bianca fell silent for a moment. She couldn’t help but admire how Reese had survived everything even during high school.