Chapter 7: I Came To Find You

After ending the call, Dave returned to Bianca with a sorry expression. “I’m sorry, something urgent came up. I can’t-”

“It’s fine. We can reschedule. Just take care of what you need to do.”

Dave nodded. After exchanging goodbyes, he disappeared into the crowd.

Bianca felt a bit disappointed, but she quickly cheered herself up and walked in the opposite direction.

Once she was out of sight, Dave called Zane to pick him up.

As soon as Dave got into the car, Zane spoke proudly, “Boss, you should be proud of me. When the mall owner found out you were here, he wanted to meet you. But I stopped him and asked him not to cause a scene.”

“Good job,” Dave replied casually while working on his laptop. “The raffle tickets weren’t printed well. Pay attention to the details next time.”

“But I didn’t have much time to prepare,” Zane started to explain, but he saw the stern look in Dave’s eyes through the rearview mirror. Remembering that Dave disliked excuses, Zane quickly changed his tone. “I’ll be more careful next time. But there’s something I don’t get. Why did you want to give Miss Scott a dress?”

Dave closed his laptop and looked out the window, his expression distant.

“She did something nice for me. I want to do something nice in return.”

****

The next day, Bianca returned to school.

After her classes, she went to the counselor’s office and submitted the required documents.

Crestmont University was known as one of the best in the city. Every year, a standout graduate was chosen to receive a prestigious medal before graduation. This medal opened doors to top companies in the city, and the competition was tough. But Bianca was confident she would win it.

She had consistently ranked at the top of her class for four years, published many articles in school magazines, and been active in social service activities. She was the most well-rounded student in the school.

“Do you really think you’ll be chosen this year? Ha! Keep dreaming!”

As soon as Bianca walked out of the building, a sharp voice came from behind her.

She turned to see Mia Davis standing nearby, arms crossed. Mia glanced at Bianca and said, “Do you know why I always win the top prize for the national scholarship while you only get second? It’s because those awards look at more than just achievements. Your character just doesn’t measure up, Bianca Scott.”

Mia and Bianca were in the same department but not the same class. They both joined the Student Union and became group leaders at the same time. Mia always saw Bianca as a competition. Even though Bianca consistently ranked first in school exams and had a better academic record, Mia always won the top prize for the national scholarship, leaving Bianca in second place.

Rumors started spreading in school, suggesting Bianca never won first place because of her behavior.

During her three years in college, Bianca tried to ask the counselor and school leaders for an explanation many times, but she never got a straight answer.

In the past, Bianca often let Mia’s taunts and the school rumors get to her. But after Haris’s betrayal, she vowed never to let anyone bully her again.

“Mia Davis, you say my character is flawed. Can you name one time I’ve shown bad behavior? Where’s your proof? You spread rumors without any evidence. You’ve tarnished my name over and over, and you know what? That’s a crime. I can sue you for slander.”

Bianca spoke calmly. She had a soft smile, but her eyes were cold and piercing.

Mia was shocked. Bianca never stood up for herself before when people teased her. How could she talk back and even threaten her now?

But Bianca was right; Mia had no proof, which made her hesitate for a moment. Still, she tried to act confident and arrogant.

“I’m the one who’s going to win that medal. Just wait and see!”

With that, Mia walked away, looking proud.

Bianca watched her leave, her face darkening a bit.

Ever since she started university, Bianca had dreamed of working at Phoenix Entertainment, the biggest entertainment company in the city. But getting in was really tough. Bianca hoped winning the top graduate award would help her get a job there. If she didn’t win, her chances would be slim.

So, she was determined not to lose to Mia this time.

Lost in thought, Bianca walked to the school gate. Suddenly, a black Honda stopped in front of her, blocking her way.

Haris got out of the car and approached Bianca with a gentle smile.

“What are you doing here?”

Bianca frowned and eyed Haris cautiously.

She hadn’t seen him since she ran away that night.

“I tried calling you a lot these past few days, but you never answered. So, I came to find you.”

Haris had indeed called her many times, but she never picked up. Trying to keep her composure despite feeling sick at the sight of him, she replied, “Oh, I’ve been really busy lately, so I haven’t been checking my phone much.”

As she finished speaking, Haris suddenly reached out to grab her.

Still wary, Bianca instinctively moved away from him, feeling disgusted.

“Are you angry with me?” Haris frowned and looked down, appearing like a sad puppy. “You were so drunk that night, and I didn’t know where you lived, so I took you to a nearby hotel. Later, I had urgent things to do, and when I came back, you were gone. I looked for you all night! Do you know how worried I was?”

Worried? What really worried him was that he couldn’t ruin her life that night! A cold smile crossed Bianca’s lips, but she quickly returned to her usual innocent look to avoid raising Haris’s suspicions.

“I’m not mad,” she said softly.

Relieved that Bianca wasn’t upset, Haris grinned at her. “No more classes? Let me take you out to dinner.”

Bianca quickly shook her head. “Sorry, I’m on a diet. I don’t eat dinner.”

“That doesn’t sound good. And you’re already so thin, you don’t need to diet.”

As Haris spoke, he tried to grab Bianca’s arm.

“Come on, get in the car.”

Just then, the university president and other leaders were surrounding a man in a casual suit, leading him out of the school gate.

The man glanced over and saw Bianca being pulled into a car by a young man.