Before, even if Lana hadn''t asked, Bianca would have gone to Seth for help.


    But at this critical juncture, she absolutely could not ask him.


    "Then what do we do? We can''t just let your cousin go to jail, can we?" Lana started crying again.


    Yvonne gritted her teeth. "We''ll find a way to raise the money first. If worstes to worst, we''ll get a private loan!"


    "Mom, three hundred million is not a small amount. Who would be willing to lend that to us?" Bianca''s head was throbbing. "And the interest on private loans is incredibly high!"


    "As long as Seth hasn''t called off the wedding, you are still in charge of Ascendancy Group and Perse Tech. You still have a chance to make aeback!" Yvonne reminded her.


    ...


    Noreen had also been dealing with her own set of annoyances these past few days.


    "That Mr. Brooke is here again," Sophia Cole said as she brought in a coffee.


    "I''m not seeing him," Noreen said, a sh of impatience in her eyes.


    "I told him that, but he insists on waiting."


    "Let him."


    Henry returned home that day empty-handed once again.


    Seeing his dejected expression, Sanford already knew the oue.


    "Miss Gilmore still refused to see you?"


    "Yeah." Henry waspletely disheartened.


    Sanford cursed angrily, "Serves you right! You were blind as a bat!"


    Henry had no rebuttal.


    He had brought this upon himself. He had no one to me but himself.


    It was only natural that Noreen wanted nothing to do with him.


    Sanford, annoyed at the sight of him, mmed the door to his room.


    Henry went downstairs to smoke. He stood alone on the curb, watching the ember


    at the tip of his cigarette burn, watching it glow and fade.


    In the dim light, his face was a mask of dark,plex emotions.


    After an unknown number of cigarettes, he shook the pack and found it was empty.


    The turmoil in his heart, however, remained unresolved.


    Just as he was about to go buy more, his phone rang.


    He nced at the screen. It was a call from Bianca.


    Henry initially had no intention of answering, but then a thought struck him, and he picked up.


    "You finally answered." Bianca sounded audibly relieved. "Henry, are you still in Rivercrest City?"


    "I am," Henry said.


    "Would you be free to meet?"


    "Sure."


    After hanging up, Bianca let out a sigh of relief.


    Thank goodness Henry was still willing to talk to her.


    Lillian remarked, "Henry is truly devoted to you!"


    Bianca thought so, too.


    These past few days, she had


    experienced the full spectrum of et


    human indifference, but


    least still treated her the same


    at


    as


    So the next day, Bianca dressed meticulously and, on her way to meet him, stopped


    at a flower shop to buy a bouquet of lilies of the valley.


    In the past, whenever they met, Henry would always be the one to arrive early and wait for her.


    Today, however, she was the one who waited a long time for Henry.


    But at least he came.


    Bianca immediately put on her standard smile and spoke to him in a soft, gentle voice, just like she always had.


    Henry was actually quite impressed with her. Despite the massive scandal, she could still maintain suchposure.


    "Every time I pass a flower shop and see lilies of the valley think of our time at the business school" Bianco said, intentionally dropping a hint.


    In the past, he would have been incredibly moved.


    But now, he just found itughable.


    "Did I ever tell you why I turned you down back then?" Bianca continued, guiding the conversation.


    "No," Henry said.


    "Sigh, I guess you could just say it


    wasn''t meant to be. Back then, my rtionship with Dn was quite strained, but he never initiated a breakup, and I''m a loyat person sol just kept waiting for him. Andyou, ?t that time, should have been focusing on your studies so I turned you down."