Chapter 7 - The Adamant boyfriend.

Bianca's phone lit up for the seventeenth time that morning.

It was Daniel, she watched it vibrate across her desk until the screen went dark again.

A second later, another message appeared.

"Where are you?" 

Then another. "Did I do something wrong?" 

Bianca stared at the words without moving. Her thumb hovered over the screen before she locked the phone and slid it into her handbag.

Someone knocked gently on her office door. "Miss Ellington?" her assistant said. "Your ten o'clock meeting is ready."

Bianca looked up and offered a small smile. "I'll be there in a minute."

The assistant nodded and left. Only after the door closed did Bianca let out the breath she'd been holding.

Last night had changed everything. Daniel's lies, Ethan's proposal, and the contract lying inside her handbag.

Nothing felt real anymore. Her phone buzzed again.

She picked it up this time. Instead of answering, she typed a short message.

Let's meet in an hour at Riverside Restaurant and she sent the message. Almost immediately, Daniel replied. "Thank God, I was worried sick."

Bianca read the message once. Then she slipped the phone away.

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Daniel arrived nearly fifteen minutes early.

The moment Bianca walked into the private dining room, he stood so quickly that his chair scraped against the floor. "There you are, my baby."  Relief spread across his face.

He crossed the room in three long strides and reached for her hand.

"Why weren't you answering me?" he asked. "I've been calling since last night."

Bianca looked down at his hand around hers and she gently pulled away.

"I know." Daniel blinked.

"You know what?" Bianca questioned. 

"Nothing!" He laughed awkwardly.

He searched her face. "You've never ignored me before."

Bianca sat down without answering.

Daniel slowly took the seat across from her and cleared his throat.

"Are you angry because I missed your call yesterday's evening? I told you work ran late, I'm sorry, babe."

He smiled the same familiar smile she'd trusted for years. "I'll make it up to you."

She looked at him quietly, it amazed her how easily he lied.

"You look tired," Daniel said softly. "Have you been crying?"

Bianca almost smiled. If he truly knew her...he wouldn't have needed to ask.

She folded her hands on the table. "We need to talk."

Something flickered across Daniel's face. "What happened?"

Before Bianca could answer, her phone vibrated.

Ethan.

She glanced at the screen before answering.

"I'm here," Ethan said. "Are you still inside?"

"Yes."

"Do you need me to come inside?" Ethan asked. 

"Yes, your presence will be needed." She muttered, with a devilish smile and the call ended.

Daniel frowned. "Who was that?"

"No one, you don't need to worry about that."

Before he could ask another question, the restaurant door opened, and Ethan walked in.

He wore a shiny black suit with the sleeves rolled neatly to his wrists. His eyes found Bianca first then his gave drifted to Daniel. 

He walked over calmly. "Sorry," Ethan said. "Traffic was worse than I expected."

Daniel slowly stood. His expression hardened. "What are you doing here?"

Ethan looked at Bianca. "Babe, you didn't tell him?"

"I will tell him now, my love." Bianca replied calmly.

Daniel looked from one of them to the other, his jaw tightened.

"So this is why you've been ignoring me."

"No," Bianca replied evenly.

"You've been seeing him behind my back." Daniel snapped. 

Ethan sighed. "You're mistaken, this is my girl." 

Daniel laughed without humor. "Mistaken?" He stepped closer. "You humiliated her in front of everyone a few days ago. So, how is she your girl?'

Daniel pointed at him. "You think because you're Ethan Anderson, you can walk into someone's relationship?"

"I said that's not what's happening." He mumbled. 

Daniel ignored him and turned toward Bianca. "Tell him to leave here now."

She didn't move.

"Bianca! Tell him to leave now!"

She looked at him for a long moment then she spoke quietly. "I asked him to come, he is my boyfriend now."

Daniel stared at her. "What??"

The words landed harder than she expected.

Daniel shook his head. "No!" He forced out a laugh. "You're only saying that because you're upset. We're still together right?"

Bianca slowly stood. "No, Daniel. We're not."

His smile disappeared quickly. "You don't mean that."

"I do." She said with a note of relief. 

"You can't end years together over one misunderstanding." Daniel said in a level tone. 

Bianca tilted her head slightly. "A misunderstanding?"

"Yes." He spread his hands. "If someone told you something about me—"

"No one told me anything" she cuts in rudely. 

Daniel stopped talking.

"I heard it myself.....clearlyy!" She added. 

For the first time since she'd walked in, uncertainty crossed his face. "What... are you talking about?"

Bianca reached into her handbag and unlocked her phone. "I wasn't going to do this." Her thumb hovered over the screen. "But every time you speak...You make it easier."

Daniel frowned. "What is that?"

She pressed play. His own voice filled the room.

"I never stayed because I loved Bianca."

Daniel's face went completely still. The recording continued. "Being close to the Ellington family opened doors people like me could never reach."

The color drained from his face. "Once I get what I came for...I'll leave." The recording ended.

Daniel stared at Bianca as if he no longer recognized her. "You..." His voice cracked. "You recorded me?"

She locked the phone. " Yes! You were loud enough."

Daniel looked around the room helplessly. "No." He shook his head again, "I can explain."

"I'm listening." Bianca nodded. 

Finally he whispered, trying to force a smile. "I didn't mean it, it was just a joke." 

Bianca looked at him with tired eyes. " And the woman in your apartment was a joke too."

"I—"

"You didn't even know I was outside your apartment!"

Daniel froze. Realization slowly settled over him. "You were there?"

"Yes." She said with a sigh of irritation. 

His shoulders dropped. For several seconds, he simply stared at the floor.

When he looked back up, the softness was gone. "So this is about him now?"

He pointed at Ethan. "You dumped me because of him."

Bianca frowned. "Daniel, you were cheating on me!" 

"You've been waiting for someone richer." He continued. 

Ethan finally spoke. "Watch your words!"

Daniel laughed bitterly. "Why? The billionaire is defending his new girlfriend?"

Ethan took one step forward. "I'm warning you."

Daniel matched the step. "Or what?"

Before either man could say another word, Bianca stepped between them. "Enough!"

Both men looked at her. She turned to Daniel first. "This has nothing to do with Ethan." She added. "I ended this because of you, you lied, you used me, you stayed with me because my family was useful."

Daniel clenched his fists. "I loved you."

Bianca's eyes didn't leave his. "Have you forgotten the part were you said love was never the point?" She laughed out loudly. She picked up her handbag. "I hope whatever you wanted from my family was worth it."

She walked past him, Ethan followed, just before they reached the door, Daniel spoke again.

His voice was quiet this time, too quiet for only Ethan to hear. "Ethan."

Ethan paused and looked back. Daniel held his gaze. "This isn't over."