Everyone had gotten used to seeing Bianca and Seth joined at the hip–if <i>you </i>spotted one, the other was never far behind. So to see only Bianca show up on her own felt… off, almost unsettling.


    “You two are so close! Don’t tell me–are we going to hear wedding bells soon?” someone teased, grinning.


    Ethan was clearly trying to get on Bianca’s good side, going out of his way to steer the conversation toward topics she liked.


    This, Noreen realized, was exactly why she’d always preferred dealing with TechVenture’s other partner instead of Ethan. He was clever, yes, but always scheming–forever working an angle instead of focusing on the business at hand.


    Honestly, if it weren’t for Scott Quigley keeping TechVenture on track, the <i>whole </ipany might have gone off the rails ages ago.


    Bianca hadn’t even had a chance to answer Ethan’s question before Seth arrived.


    He was driving himself, which was rare. Usually, Seth had his own chauffeur; if not, Zachary or Noreen would do the honors. But ever since he started dating Bianca, Seth didn’t seem to mind the hassle–he’d dly y chauffeur for her.


    Today, though, he wasn’t in his usual silver Mercedes. The car he pulled up in was new<i>, </i>and the color… well, you could tell it was picked with a woman in mind. He’d probably bought it just for


    Bianca.


    Noreen caught herself watching, then looked away and pulled out her phone to call a car. If the rain didn’t let up, she couldn’t stand around waiting forever.


    Seth stepped out, holding an umbre over Bianca as he went to meet her. He had a jacket draped over one arm, and as soon as Bianca reached him, he slipped it around her shoulders.


    People waiting out the rain nearby shot them envious nces.


    How could you not be jealous? Seth was gentle, attentive, charming–and, of course, loaded. Men like that didn’t just walk into your life every day.


    “Mr. Harcourt, Director Lowell and I were just talking about you–and look, here you are!” Ethan said, seizing the chance to cozy up to Seth.


    Seth smiled. “Oh? What about me?”


    “We were saying how perfect you and Bianca are together–makes the rest of us jealous,” Ethan replied,


    Seth just smiled, neither confirming nor denying it.


    Bianca, meanwhile, turned to Seth with genuine concern. “How’s your dad doing? Has he recovered?”


    “Almost,” Seth replied. “He’ll be out of the hospital in a few days.”


    09:02


    “I really should have gone to visit him,” Bianca said, her eyes searching Seth’s.


    Seth shook his head. “He’s not exactly easy to get along with. I didn’t want you to feel ufortable.”


    “I don’t mind. He’s your father, after all.”


    “Next time. When the moment’s right, I’ll take you to meet him,” Seth promised.


    At that, Bianca beamed and said goodbye to Ethan, then, sheltered by Seth, got into the car without a drop of rain touching her.


    Noreen didn’t look over, but she heard every word they exchanged.


    So that’s why Seth hadn’te with Bianca to the meeting–he’d been at the hospital visiting his father. The hospital was all the way across Rivercrest City; he must have crossed half the city just to pick her up.


    Suddenly, Noreen understood that line she’d once read online: “For someone who <i>loves </i>you<i>, </i>nowhere is ever out of the way.”


    Seth cared so much about Bianca that he refused to let her face Wade’s indifference alone.


    But what about her? All those times she’d been left to fend for herself with Wade–what did that mean? She knew Seth hadn’t been blind to it. He just chose silence, chose to look away.


    This rain felt colder than ever.


    In the car, Bianca turned to Seth as he drove. “I ran into Noreen in the elevator just now.”


    “Oh.” Seth’s response was neutral, his tone making it clear he had no interest in Noreen at all.