“Who are you?”
Daniel’s indifferent gaze fell on Bianca.
The question immediately made Bianca’s expression stiffen.
Emily couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
Meeting Bianca’s resentful glare, she maintained an innocent look. “Sorry, I usually don’t laugh unless I can’t help it.”
Bianca’s eyes flashed with venom as she glanced at Emily.
But she knew this wasn’t the time to argue with Emily. She’d make her pay later for today’s mockery.
Bianca’s eyes reddened slightly, and she looked at Daniel with a pitiful expression. “Mr. Smith, I’m Bianca Johnson, Emily’s sister and James’s friend.”
She assumed her reputation preceded her and that Daniel would have heard of her.
He was ignoring her on purpose.
Bianca tried to elaborate on her identity as much as possible.
Daniel chuckled, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “I think you misunderstood me. Let me be clear. What right do you have to apologize on James’s behalf?”
Bianca’s face turned red with embarrassment.
In the past, this approach always worked. The Johnson family and even others in their circle fell for it.
Why wasn’t it working with Daniel?
Tears streamed down Bianca’s face, but she tried to remain strong. “Even if I’m just an outsider, seeing James being deceived and manipulated, I can’t help but speak up for justice.”
“You’re far from innocent as you claimed!”
Daniel didn’t hold back at all.
Emily’s eyes sparkled as she watched him.
For a moment, she thought Daniel would be like everyone else, swayed by Bianca’s pretense of concern, dismissing all her efforts and shaming her.
This was the first time he stood by her unconditionally.
In that instant, Emily’s actions were faster than her thoughts.
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She suddenly walked over to Daniel and linked her arm with his.
F::.
She didn’t dare look at Daniel’s possibly reproachful gaze and instead met James’s furious eyes, “You say you love me? See this? This is what love looks like–Mr. Smith trusting me unconditionally, not being swayed by a few words from a bitch like Bianca.”
“I never doubted you. It’s just that you’ve made too many mistakes, and I was trying to correct them!
James refused to admit defeat, his eyes fixed on their linked arms, wishing he could tear them apart.
Emily sneered. “Do you want me to remind you? The first time, I told you I didn’t dirty Bianca’s dress. There was even surveillance footage, but you didn’t bother to check it because of Bianca’s ambiguous words. You just assumed it was my fault.
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The second time, Bianca fell into the pool herself, but you believed I tripped her just because she pretended to be magnanimous and said it wasn’t me. You still thought I was that cruel.”
With each accusation, James’s face grew darker. He opened his mouth but was overwhelmed by memories, unable to speak.
Bianca couldn’t let Emily clear her name. Tears streamed down her face. “Emily, I said I didn’t blame you. I’m shocked you held a grudge over those things and hurt James’s feelings. What do you want me to do to make it right? Should I kneel? If that’s what it takes, I’ll do it!
She made a move to kneel.
James snapped out of his memories and saw Bianca “forced” to kneel, her stubborn yet fragile demeanor contrasting with Emily’s haughty stance. His instinctive sympathy leaned towards Bianca.
“Bianca, the past is the past. You did nothing wrong, so there’s no need to apologize, let alone kneel.”
James stopped Bianca from kneeling.
Then he looked at Emily with displeasure. “This is between you and me. Don’t drag Bianca into it. She came here today out of concern for
me.”
Emily laughed coldly.
“James, see the difference? Love is exclusive. If you can’t show favoritism, don’t talk to me about love. From now on, let’s be strangers.”
Emily spoke seriously, looking James straight in the eye.
James met her determined gaze.
He had seen that look before, long ago.
He knew her.
Once she made up her mind, there was no turning back.
James suddenly felt a sense of defeat.
His heart felt inexplicably empty.
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“Bianca, let’s go.”
His voice was dejected as he called out to Bianca, not even checking if she followed, and walked out in despair.
Bianca, not wanting to make an enemy of Daniel, couldn’t help but say, “Mr. Smith, sorry for the disturbance today. James and I really meant no harm. We just wanted to clear things up with Emily, but it seems that’s not possible now.”
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As soon as she finished speaking, she met Daniel’s sharp gaze, which scared her into silence. She hurriedly chased after James, forgetting her original purpose.
Emily watched them leave until they were out of sight, then withdrew her gaze.
The atmosphere around them was eerily quiet.
Emily seemed to sense Violette’s shocked and gratified look.
Her eyes moved down to where she was holding Daniel’s arm. “I’m sorry, Mr. Smith. I did it to provoke James so he wouldn’t keep bothering me. Please don’t take it seriously.”
“What if I did take it seriously?”
Daniel’s voice was calm.
His gaze was so deep, like an ocean, that it was easy to get lost in it.
Emily’s heart skipped a beat. Her ears turned slightly red, and she avoided his eyes. “Mr. Smith, you really know how to joke!”
She laughed awkwardly.
Daniel sighed inwardly.
When she linked her arm with his, he thought she had finally come around.
Turns out it was just his imagination.
He couldn’t scare her away!
Daniel reminded himself with another sigh.
“Looks like my joke was successful. You almost believed it.”
Daniel smiled gently.
His face softened, losing some of its sternness, but he remained incredibly charming.
Emily didn’t dare look at him for long.
She also breathed a sigh of relief.
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经
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Good thing she didn’t take it seriously and make a fool of herself.
“Mr. Smith, thank you for earlier. But next time, you don’t have to go to such lengths. It’s not fair to you. Fortunately, they probably won’t spread rumors about our ‘relationship.‘ It wouldn’t be good if it got out.”
Emily knew them well.
James wouldn’t want to admit he was outdone by someone more capable and handsome.
She had long sensed that James looked down on her for having once scavenged for a living.
As for Bianca, she wouldn’t want her own choice to be overshadowed by someone better than James.
Bianca had been spoiled since childhood due to her health. In her eyes, there was nothing she couldn’t have.
Now that Emily had something Bianca couldn’t get, she would go crazy and want to keep it a secret.
Daniel spoke calmly, “Thank me? Have you thought about how you’ll thank me?”
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