Chapter 133 The Rumor Scandal (Part 1)
Bianca's voice dripped with mockery, her eyes sharp as shards of glass. "With your resources, Glenn, digging this up shouldn't have been hard. Your assets transferred. Your wife keeping a lover on the side. What exactly do you want me to say?"
Glenn's body trembled. Rage boiled in his chest, but her words drove in like nails.
The transfers were real. And that man...
His face darkened. His jaw locked tight.
Bianca watched the shift in his expression. He believed her now. She turned her attention back to Blair.
Blair had collapsed on the floor, shoulders sagging, head bowed low. As if not being seen could make this all disappear.
Bianca's gaze swept the room. It landed on the golf club propped in the corner. A slow, deliberate smile curved her lips.
She looked at Terrence, her expression softening. "Terrence, I need a moment alone with Blair. Take Glenn out."
Terrence's eyes lingered on her face, weighing something. Then he nodded.
Soon, only the three of them remained.
Bianca crossed the room and picked up the golf club, testing its weight in her hand. "Jasmine, hold her down for me."
Jasmine hesitated but obeyed. She looked fragile, but her grip was surprisingly strong.
Blair's eyes widened in terror as the club came closer.
A sharp scream tore through the air. Jasmine let go, her fingers trembling, fear flickering in her eyes.
She stared at the teeth on the floor, blood pooling beneath them. Something unfamiliar coiled inside her. A seed planted deep.
"Want to try?" Bianca held out the bloodstained club. "Get your revenge yourself."
"I... I can't." Jasmine looked away, her voice barely audible. "She didn't hurt me. She's still my cousin. Let's just... let it go."
She didn't want to trouble Bianca. Didn't want anyone going out of their way for her. It felt like exposing her own weakness.
"You're really going to let her off?" Bianca frowned.
"Bianca, we should leave. If Uncle sees this, he'll be furious." Jasmine spoke faster now, pleading in her eyes.
Bianca studied her. No expression crossed her face. Her lips parted, then pressed together again.
She understood. She wanted to change Jasmine's ending, but she couldn't shield her forever.
In the end, people could only rely on themselves.
The next day.
Bianca went to school as usual. Walking across campus, she felt eyes on her.
Probing stares. Contempt buried just beneath the surface. She frowned.
She ignored them and headed straight to class.
The moment she sat down, someone approached.
The girl who'd asked her about joining a study group before.
"Bianca, I heard you're with some rich guy. A middle-aged man."
Curiosity lit her eyes, but there was no malice in her tone.
Bianca raised an eyebrow. "Where'd you hear that?"
"The forum." The girl blinked, suddenly surprised. "Wait, you don't know?"
Bianca glanced at her phone.
The forum was flooded with grainy photos, wild speculation, accusations of gold-digging and greed.
"It's not true." Her tone was flat. No anger. As if the gossip had nothing to do with her.
"But everyone's talking about it." The girl rested her chin in her hand. "I mean, I don't think gold-digging's that bad. But a middle-aged guy? You can do way better."
She looked Bianca up and down, nodding seriously.
"Yeah. You deserve better."
Bianca couldn't help but smile. "Most people on the forum are trashing me. You're different."
"Half the stuff on there's fake anyway. I just scroll for entertainment. Don't believe everything." The girl tilted her head. "But you should probably clear this up. With your looks, there's no way you'd go for someone like that."
Bianca opened her mouth to respond, but the bell rang, cutting her off.
She pressed her lips together and said nothing.
A few seconds after the bell, Melissa rushed into the classroom, forehead damp with sweat, cheeks flushed.
The moment she walked in, her eyes locked onto Bianca. Her mouth curved upward. She looked pleased.
"Melissa, is the forum stuff true? You're closest to Bianca. You must know the real story."
Melissa glanced at the girl beside her, feigning hesitation. "That's... her private business..."
"Come on, we won't tell anyone. I mean, she wears designer everything. The forum's probably right, isn't it?" The girl tugged at Melissa's arm.
Melissa lowered her voice. "I tried to talk to Bianca about it. Maybe she's just... in a tough spot. She didn't listen to me." The words were vague, but they steered the girl's thoughts exactly where Melissa wanted.
The girl's eyes lit up.
"I knew it. She's not rich, so how else could she afford all that? Wow. I didn't see that coming."
Satisfied, the girl stopped pestering Melissa and bent over her phone, typing furiously, barely containing her excitement.
The rumors spread fast.
Bianca had already drawn attention because of her looks and the welcome party performance.
But she never checked the forum. She had no idea about the filth being said about her.
All she noticed was the growing number of hostile stares.
Those looks made her skin crawl. Worse, Terrence had been busy lately. He hadn't stayed at the apartment in days. Her mood darkened further.
She stood and pushed the bathroom door. It barely budged. Something heavy blocked it from the outside.
She pounded on the door.
"Who's out there?"
"Oh, Bianca, you're locked in. How tragic."
"Too bad there's no man around to rescue you this time."
Shrill laughter pierced through the door.
"Who sent you?" Her voice turned icy, her expression hardening.
"Nobody sent us. We just don't like homewreckers."
"Bianca, since you're so good at turning yourself into cash, I wonder what your rate is for one night. We could pool some money together—see if you'd dare to take it."
"She wouldn't even look at regular people. She only goes for rich guys. We're not in her league."
Bianca took a deep breath and kicked the door hard.
The wood shuddered but didn't open. Whatever they'd piled against it held firm.
She stopped and pulled out her phone, texting Jasmine.
"I already notified a teacher. If you don't want to get written up, you'd better let me out now." Her voice was like steel.
The voices outside went silent. A few muttered curses. Then footsteps retreating.
Bianca exhaled slowly. The coldness in her eyes could freeze blood.
"Oh my God." Jasmine covered her mouth. "Who locked you in there?"
If she hadn't been on campus, Bianca would've been trapped all day.
She hurried to move the heavy objects blocking the door.
Bianca walked out, face expressionless.
She suddenly remembered the girls mentioning "homewrecker." And the girl from a few days ago asking if she was with a rich man.
"Jasmine, do you have the school forum?"
Bianca had no interest in gossip. She'd never joined.
"Oh, yeah, I think I do." Jasmine pulled out her phone. "You want to find out who locked you in?"
Bianca pressed her lips together and looked at her, something complicated flickering in her eyes.