The young man, tied up, dropped to his knees, crying, “I’m sorry, Dave. I did it for your own good. You’re twenty-eight and have never had a girlfriend, never even flirted. I was worried, so... I took matters into my own hands!”

Dave glanced at the bloodstains on the bedsheet and asked coldly, “What’s her name?”

“What?” Justin Wilson, his best friend, looked confused.

“What woman?”

Dave hadn’t shown any interest in women for twenty years, leading Justin to assume he wasn’t interested in them.

Justin had sent someone last night, but it wasn’t a woman—it was a man!

So, who was this woman Dave was referring to? Justin’s eyes widened in shock.

“Dave, I…”

Before Justin could speak further, Dave interrupted with a swift kick to his shoulder.

“Review all the surveillance footage from last night,” Dave ordered sternly. “Find that woman, even if you have to search every corner of the city. And by the way, the person in charge of the overseas project just died of malaria. If you can’t find her, you’ll take over the position immediately!”

Justin stared up at the tall figure before him in shock, taking a moment to gather his thoughts.

He couldn’t shake his worry about the woman.

Everyone knew Dave was ruthless. Whether she lived or died depended on his mood.

Whoever had been with Dave last night had the guts to leave him like that.

***

Bianca, the woman in question, took a taxi straight home.

Stacey and Haris’s cruel scheme kept replaying in her mind. Angry, she clenched her fists so hard that her nails dug into her skin.

No, she couldn’t let them get away with this. She had to take action.

She had to reveal their true intentions!

After collecting her thoughts, Bianca returned home with a composed expression as if nothing had happened.

As soon as she entered the house, her father, Peter Scott, stood up from the sofa.

“Where were you last night? I called your teacher and was told you never returned to your dorm,” he asked in a low voice and looked sternly towards her.

Peter’s angry glare was intense, and he seemed ready to explode.

“Peter, calm down. Getting angry won’t help. Bianca is young and still learning,” Stacey intervened, pretending to be understanding and trying to soothe Peter’s temper. She then turned to Bianca with a fake sympathetic look.

“Bianca, don’t be upset with your father’s anger. We’re just concerned about your safety. Imagine how worried we were when we found out you didn’t go back to your dorm. We feared something terrible had happened to you. It’s not about our family’s reputation; it’s about you.”

Stacey’s eyes showed apparent concern as she talked. If Bianca hadn’t overheard Stacey plotting with Haris last night, her “concerned parent” act might have worked.

But now, Bianca was clear-headed and knew Stacey’s true intentions.

Stacey’s words only fueled Peter’s anger further.

“Nonsense! You’re over twenty and still acting like a child! It seems I’ve spoiled you too much. Today, you’ll learn a lesson!”

Peter grabbed a stick and swung it at Bianca!

Just as the stick was about to hit her, Bianca quickly knelt down in front of Peter.

“Dad, I’m sorry. I went out with friends to play cards last night and lost track of time. My phone died, so I couldn’t call. I didn’t mean to make you worry.”

Peter paused, surprised by Bianca’s apology. She used to argue with him about everything, so their relationship had soured.

‘What’s going on now? Why did she seem like another person?’

Bianca knew what she was doing. Stacey could manipulate Peter, and Bianca had no proof yet of Stacey’s schemes. If she told her Dad everything, he’d believe Stacey rather than her.

So, she decided to act obedient and wait for the right moment to make a move.

“Dad, Stacey isn’t my real Mom, so she doesn’t understand me like you do. You know me better, and I’d never do anything to hurt our family’s reputation!”

Tears filled Bianca’s eyes as she talked, making her look pitiful.

Even though Peter and Bianca’s Mom had divorced long ago, he was always a caring father. Hearing Bianca’s apology softened his heart.

He put the stick away and said gently, “It’s good you realized your mistake. Just be more careful next time, okay? Now, get up.”

Seeing Peter forgive Bianca easily annoyed Stacey, but she had to stick to the plan. She pushed aside her resentment and forced a fake smile.

“See? It was just a misunderstanding. Bianca is a good girl; she wouldn’t do anything wrong. Right, Bianca?”

Bianca sensed the implication but kept smiling, though her eyes remained cold.

“Oh, Bianca, your Dad has something to tell you,” Stacey nudged Peter and gave him a meaningful look.

Peter took a deep breath and sat back on the sofa.

Then, he cleared his throat and said sincerely, “Bianca, I’ve thought about it, and Stacey’s right. I shouldn’t force you into a marriage you don’t want or stop you from marrying someone you love. Even though Haris isn’t from a wealthy family, you both care for each other. That’s what matters.”

Bianca was shocked by her father’s sudden change of heart.

Her Dad always saw Haris as someone who’d use powerful women to climb the ladder, so he opposed their relationship. Before Bianca met Haris, her Dad already picked out a suitable husband for her: Isaac Ford, the youngest son of the Ford family.

But Isaac was a playboy and got into trouble often, which Bianca didn’t like. This caused tension between her and her Dad.

“And this morning, I heard Isaac got into a fight at a club over a prostitute. It made the news! I couldn’t forgive myself if I forced you to marry him,” Peter said, sighing. “As long as Haris treats you well, I won’t object to your relationship. When you can, invite him over, and we’ll talk about getting engaged.”

“What? Engaged?” Bianca was shocked.

Peter nodded. “Your birthday’s coming up. Why not get engaged, then? We can celebrate two things, and the family will be happy for you. You’re not getting any younger. Let’s hurry and get your marriage settled so I won’t worry about you anymore.”

As Bianca thought about it, she realized Stacey must have been influencing Peter when she wasn’t around.

Stacey’s eagerness for Bianca to marry Haris wasn’t a good idea at all after she witnessed their betrayal last night.

Bianca considered her options. She had been struggling to find evidence against Stacey and Haris, so why not go along with their plan until they slipped up?

With a small smile, Bianca went to Peter, knelt in front of him, and took his hand.

“Thank you, Dad. I’m sorry for arguing with you before. I promise to listen to you from now on.”

Stacey felt relieved when Bianca agreed to the engagement. It seemed Bianca didn’t suspect her and Haris’s involvement in what happened yesterday.

‘But... Where did Bianca go last night? She should have been in bad shape after being drugged so heavily.’ Stacey frowned, unsure if Bianca had spent the night with someone.

Suddenly, Stacey noticed a red mark on Bianca’s neck. As an experienced woman, she knew what it was.

‘Hmph! I was right,’ Stacey thought.

Now, Stacey was sure Bianca had been with someone last night. A plan began to form in her mind, and she smiled.

As soon as Bianca got back to her room, she hurried to the bathroom and tried to wash off the marks on her body.

She felt upset, knowing she lost her virginity to a stranger.

‘This is all Stacey and Haris’s fault!’ she thought angrily.

After a long shower, Bianca calmed down and thought about how to handle the engagement party at the end of the month.

She called a private detective recommended by a friend, asking him to secretly track Stacey and Haris, gather evidence of their infidelity, and find out their plans for the engagement party.

After getting things in order, Bianca turned on her computer and posted a status on her social media.

At the same time, Justin burst into Dave’s office at the Evans Group’s headquarters, brimming with excitement.

“Dave, I found her!”

Dave stopped what he was doing, eager to hear Justin’s report.

With a grin, Justin sat across from him and showed him a photo of a pretty lady with a ponytail and bright eyes, looking cute and smart.

Dave had only glimpsed at her that morning, but her face stuck in his mind. She was the woman he woke up next to!

“Find out everything about her background. Every detail,” Dave said, touching the photo with his fingers, showing no emotion.

Justin cleared his throat and shared what he found about Bianca.

“Her name is Bianca Scott. Her father’s been searching for investors because their family business is struggling lately.”

Justin paused to ask, “Do you think she did it to help her dad? But why did she run away afterward? Is she playing hard to get?”

Ignoring Justin’s questions, Dave said, “Keep going.”

“She has a boyfriend named Haris Carter. He works as a sales representative in an unknown company.”

Dave frowned. ‘She had a boyfriend? Then why did she throw herself at him last night?’

“There’s one more thing,” Justin said, interrupting Dave’s thoughts.

“What is it?”

“Look!” Justin showed Dave his phone. “She just posted this weird ad.”

Dave frowned as he read Bianca’s clear caption. His expression quickly darkened.

“Looking for a boyfriend!”

The post said: “Looking for a boyfriend for hire, just for a day. Once passed, huge compensation will be given. Details were discussed at the interview.

Requirements: Over 6 feet, handsome, in good shape, and good-natured.

If you’re interested, please give me a call…”

“What game is she playing now?” Dave muttered.

Justin looked confused at Dave’s reaction.

Seeing Dave’s dark expression, Justin cautiously suggested, “Should I have someone bring her here?”

Dave’s hands clenched into fists, blue veins popped out, and his eyes blazed with anger.

In the next seconds, in a chilling voice, he ordered, “Take down that post. No one should see it!”

****

“Achoo!” Bianca sneezed suddenly. Rubbing her nose, she wondered who could be talking about her behind her back.

She checked her phone but found no notifications, which felt odd.

It had been an hour since she posted the ad, but she hadn’t received any calls or comments. With thousands of followers, this was unusual.

‘Was something wrong?’

‘Was her post too demanding?’

As she pondered, her phone rang, bringing her back to reality.

It was a call from an unknown number.

Bianca sat up straight and answered the phone without hesitation.

“Hello?” A pleasant, mellow voice came from the other end.

“Hello, who’s this?” Bianca asked politely.

“I saw your ad about a boyfriend-for-hire, and I think I meet your requirements.”

The man’s voice had a deep tone, like a cello’s melody, which made Bianca feel something she couldn’t explain. Yet, she also felt like she knew that voice from somewhere.

Bianca quickly threw her strange thoughts, asking. “Sure thing. When can we meet?”

“You pick the time and spot,” he calmly replied.

Bianca appreciated his directness. “Okay, let’s meet at Galaxy Café tomorrow at eight in the evening. I’ll send you the details once I’ve booked the table.”

“Great. See you then.”

Bianca felt excited. She didn’t think everything would go this well.

Meanwhile, Dave sat in his big office, wearing a mysterious look. After the call, a small smile appeared on his thin lips.

He was curious about what Bianca was planning.

The next day, Dave reached the café exactly at eight.

When he walked in, he saw Bianca sitting at their table, glancing around nervously.

This scene was not exactly what Dave had imagined. The girl in front of him wore a white shirt and a khaki windbreaker. Her long hair flowed down her shoulders, giving her a calm and peaceful look.

Dave checked his watch, impressed by her punctuality.

He started walking towards her with big strides.

Bianca felt him coming closer and turned around, meeting his eyes. She was taken aback by his strong build and handsome face.

She might have mistaken him for a movie star if he hadn’t stopped at her table!

“Excuse me, are you Miss Bianca Scott?”

A familiar and pleasant voice suddenly jolted her.

Bianca was stunned for half a second before finally realizing that this person was the man she was supposed to meet!

“Um, hi,” Bianca uttered nervously, still surprised to see a man who looked like a movie star in response to her online ad.

“Please, take a seat.”

As the man sat down, Bianca discreetly checked him out.

He had thin lips and looked a bit distant. His face was angular, with refined features and a strong jawline. His hair was casually slicked back, adding to his cool demeanor. Despite wearing just a worn-out brown leather jacket over a simple T-shirt and jeans, he had a regal air that caught everyone’s attention.