Chapter 14: Was He Not Going To Come?

On the day of the engagement party, Bianca woke up to a gentle knock on her door. Still feeling sleepy, she opened it and saw Stacey standing there.

Stacey looked elegant in her makeup and a fancy red silk dress. She handed Bianca a beautiful pink chiffon dress.

“Why did you sleep in today of all days?” Stacey asked cheerfully. “It’s time to get up! I had this custom evening gown made for you by a famous designer. It’s perfect for tonight’s engagement party. You’ll surely impress everyone!”

Despite her warm smile, Stacey’s heart was filled with malicious glee. She had secretly arranged for the dress to be tampered with. When Bianca wore it to the engagement party, she would surely embarrass herself in front of everyone.

Bianca took the dress with gratitude, pretending to be thrilled. “Thank you so much, Stacey. This is perfect! I was worried about what to wear tonight.”

Once the door was closed, Bianca wasted no time tossing the pink dress into the trash.

That evening, guests arrived at the grand hotel for the engagement party. Stacey welcomed them at the entrance, playing the role of the gracious hostess.

Stacey had worked hard to persuade these celebrities and influential figures to attend the party. However, she didn’t realize that some of them weren’t as wealthy as she thought; they were just average middle-class people. She didn’t have connections to the real upper class.

“Mr. Navarro, it’s great to see you!”

Stacey noticed a fancy Benz pulling up at the hotel’s entrance. A man in his fifties, with a sturdy build and a large gold chain around his neck, got out of the car. Stacey’s eyes sparkled with excitement at the sight of him, and she hurried over to greet him.

The man already had a date, but he didn’t hide his interest in women. He checked out Stacey’s appearance and focused on her revealing outfit. “Mrs. Scott, I’ve heard about you, but I didn’t expect you to be so young and pretty. Mr. Scott is lucky to have you.”

Stacey smiled and flattered him back. “You’re too kind, Mr. Navarro. Please, come inside!”

Samuel Navarro was a wealthy businessman. In his younger days, he ran some illegal casinos and made a lot of money. Later, he started his own company, which owned a bunch of hotels and karaoke spots. He was probably the richest person at the party Stacey had invited.

Stacey personally walked Samuel to his seat at the front of the banquet hall. All the while, Samuel’s eyes wandered over her body, and he kept touching her “accidentally.” It made Stacey feel uncomfortable, but she couldn’t afford to upset such a powerful man. She had to hide her disgust and keep flattering him.

After finally getting away from Samuel, Stacey looked around and realized that almost all the guests had arrived, but Bianca, the star of the evening, was missing.

She spotted Haris in the crowd and asked him to call Bianca.

Before Haris could even dial the number, a commotion erupted in the banquet hall, capturing everyone’s attention, including Stacey’s.

All eyes turned to the entrance as Bianca made her grand entrance. She walked in gracefully, resembling an angel with her tasteful makeup and partly pinned-up hair cascading down her back. She was dressed in a stunning pure white evening gown, and Bianca’s sweet smile illuminated the room.

“Wow! Who’s that? She’s stunning!” The guests couldn’t help but stare at Bianca.

“That’s Bianca Scott, the bride-to-be!”

“That dress—isn’t that part of Chanel’s latest collection? It must cost a fortune!” The guests exclaimed.

When Stacey saw Bianca in that fancy dress, she was shocked. She wondered how Bianca could afford it. Maybe it was fake? But it looked so well-made, with sparkling diamonds. Bianca seemed like a princess from a Disney movie.

Stacey’s own dress was expensive, thanks to Peter buying it for her. But compared to Bianca’s, it seemed cheap.

She looked at Haris, who seemed mesmerized by Bianca. This made Stacey angry. She stomped on his foot and then walked over to Bianca with a fake smile.

Bianca was busy texting Dave. When she noticed Stacey coming, she quickly hid her phone. Stacey then grabbed her arm.

“Hey Bianca, where did you get that dress? It looks just like one from Chanel,” Stacey whispered, pretending to be worried. “You know, it wouldn’t be good if people found out it’s a fake. Why didn’t you wear the pink dress I got for you?”

With a sweet smile, Bianca replied, “Oh Stacey, the designer you hired must have tricked you! The dress fell apart before I could even wear it. I had to throw it away. Just be careful with your money in the future. If you ever need help telling good quality from bad, you can always ask me.”

Stacey felt a rush of panic. Had Bianca somehow discovered what she did to the dress?

Feeling mocked, Stacey forced a smile and looked at Bianca’s dress, knowing she couldn’t afford the real one, no matter how savvy she pretended to be!

While Stacey and Bianca chatted, they made their way to the stage at the end of the banquet hall.

Suddenly, a bell rang at exactly seven o’clock.

Bianca checked her phone, but Dave still had no response. Worried, she stepped away to a quiet spot and called him but got no answer. At this, her unease grew.

‘Was he not going to come?’

With a determined expression, Bianca put her phone back in her bag and walked onto the stage.

Dave had made time for Bianca that evening, but a sudden business problem demanded his immediate attention. He had to join a video conference, leaving his phone behind. When he returned, he saw Bianca’s missed calls and messages.

He called her back while getting ready to leave but got no answer.

Feeling uneasy, he hung up and left in his car. Zane gave him a small, delicately wrapped box, saying, “Mr. Evans, the gift is ready.”

Dave took it and put it in his pocket. Crossing his arms, he told Zane his destination coldly.

Meanwhile, Bianca was already on stage. Even if Dave didn’t show up, she was determined to carry out her plan. She had been preparing for this moment for days, and today, she was ready to reveal the true colors of Haris and Stacey.

After a heartfelt speech from the host, Peter stood up and waved to the audience. He smiled at Bianca as he joined her on stage.

Taking the microphone, he spoke solemnly, “I want to thank all of you for coming here today. On this special day of my daughter Bianca’s engagement, I have another announcement to make.”