Chapter 602: Blake’s Getting Brave

Dave let out a soft chuckle. "Then why do you look so nervous? Think about how you really ended up here."

Reese’s eyes widened as the truth hit her. Dave’s smile cut deep, like a knife. Panic took over. She’d missed something big. Her plan had fallen apart. And it was Dave’s man who had caught her. Had he figured it all out, even Blake’s involvement, right from the beginning?

She didn’t say a word. But that silence told Dave everything.

"I was bluffing," he sneered. "But your face showed the truth. Blake’s the one pulling the strings."

He leaned back on the couch, hands together, looking like a king who already knew he’d won.

"But here’s what Blake didn’t see coming. You failed, then vanished, so now everyone’s questioning the safety of the Lawson Hotel. Its reputation’s falling apart."

Reese was speechless. She just stared at him, shock written all over her face.

"You... you were just lying to me?"

"Blake was right about you. You really are sneaky. You fooled Bianca!" Reese shot back in anger. There was no way to take things back now.

"You’re the reason Blake’s father died. You turned him and Bianca against each other. Bianca’s too kind, so she couldn’t see through your lies."

Dave’s face darkened. He didn’t like being called cunning.

"I don’t know what Blake told you to make you follow him. But he’s not a threat to me. And neither are you," Dave said. "As for Bianca, whether I lied to her or not, we’ll all find out soon. She’s on her way here."

Wyatt stepped up and handed Dave a recording pen.

Reese froze. "A recording device?"

"Yes," Dave said calmly. "It recorded everything you just said."

There was a pause before he went on. "Maybe we should talk about how Blake fooled you. You were used. I don’t blame you, though. You hate me because of what Blake told you. But have you ever asked Bianca about any of it? Or maybe you can’t... because your feelings for Blake are more than just friendship?"

Reese didn’t move. She couldn’t find the words. She did have feelings for Blake. Had Bianca told Dave?

No one liked admitting they’d been played, especially not her. Her voice shook. "I... I just didn’t want Bianca to be tricked... I only wanted to help Blake get revenge."

Her own words sounded empty. Even she could hear it. If Dave had really lied to Bianca, he wouldn’t be standing here so calmly, waiting for her to show up. His confidence said everything and he had already spilled the so-called truth. Maybe he just replaced one lie with another.

"Revenge?" Dave said. "There’s nothing going on between me and Blake. Bianca and I only delayed the wedding because of their agreement. You can ask her yourself." He was clearly growing tired of Reese’s refusal to listen.

"You’re a manipulative man, Dave! You must’ve fed her some lies and made her believe you had nothing to do with what happened to Blake!" Reese shouted, her voice rising with emotion. She still believed Blake's version of the story.

"You drove his father to jump off that building! You tore him and Bianca apart. Are you still going to deny it?" she cried.

"I am," Dave replied, his face unreadable.

"You... You're not man enough to admit it!" Reese shouted angrily.

"There’s nothing to admit. I didn’t do it," Dave said flatly.

He was done with the argument. Now that he knew Blake was behind everything, there was no point wasting more time. The Lawson Group was still a threat, and he needed to act. As for what Reese thought of him, he didn’t care. People misunderstand others all the time. What mattered was that Bianca knew the truth.

"Watch her," he told Wyatt before turning to leave.

As he walked away, he pulled out his phone and called Bianca.

Bianca, who was still with Blake, picked up the call. "I’m with Blake. We haven’t found Reese yet. Do you know anything?"

"No, but I’m done here. Where are you? I’ll come so we can talk face to face," Dave said. But his words carried something more.

Bianca understood right away that he had figured out who was behind Reese. But he didn’t want to say it over the phone, not with Blake there. She knew Dave didn’t trust him.

"I’m almost at Golden International. I’ll wait for you," she said.

"I’ll be there soon," Dave replied, then ended the call.

Bianca let out a gentle sigh after the call. There was a lot she needed to clear up with Dave. Blake was still her friend, after all.

"Dave’s coming?" Blake asked, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Then I’ll head back to the office and take care of things."

"Okay. Let’s keep each other updated," Bianca said. "And when this is over, I need to have a serious talk with Reese. If she can’t handle her drinking, she shouldn’t be doing it."

Not long after Blake walked away, Dave arrived. But Blake hadn’t really left. He just hid nearby, watching Bianca and Dave from a distance.

He couldn’t figure out why Bianca wasn’t worried. Had Dave’s people taken Reese? How much did they actually know?

The questions ate at him, and the more he thought, the more frustrated he became.

Inside the car, Bianca turned to Dave and asked him in a worried tone. "Who’s behind all this?"

"Blake," Dave said as he started the car and pulled onto the highway.

Bianca's eyes went wide. "How can that be?"

Dave handed her his phone. "Wyatt recorded everything. Listen to it."

Reese hadn’t clearly said that Blake told her to do it, but the recording was clear enough; Blake was the one behind everything.

"How did it come to this? Why would Reese think you lied to me and try to get revenge for Blake? Brady took his own life. That was his choice."

Bianca felt a tightness in her chest. Even after seeing Reese, the heavy feeling wouldn’t go away.

Dave didn’t stick around. He told Wyatt and Zane to leave, too, giving Bianca and Reese some privacy.

"Boss, what’s the plan now?" Zane asked, now fully up to speed on everything that had gone down at Phoenix Alliance Group while he was gone.

"If it weren’t for that bastard Blake, you’d be married to Bianca by now," Wyatt muttered, stretching his arms, clearly ready to go after Blake.

"Blake’s getting brave," Zane said, his face hard. "But in the end, he’s just the president of Lawson Group. If you gave the word, we could wipe them out in one night."