Chapter 14 In the Eyes of the Law, Yours
Bianca's temper evaporated almost instantly. "And what makes you so sure that souvenir was meant for you? Does it have your name written on it?"
She folded her arms, her voice sharpening. "While Mr. Anderson is still out and doesn't know you've got it, I'd suggest you hand it back. Otherwise, when he asks, I'll have no choice but to tell him you took something he gave to me."
Mira's eyes flickered with something darker—jealousy. She didn't believe for a second that Terrence had gone out of his way to gift Bianca anything out of affection.
"Then let's wait until Mr. Anderson gets back and ask him ourselves."
Her tone dripped with challenge. "The gift doesn't have anyone's name on it. I could just as easily say it was meant for me, and you're the one who couldn't stand it, so you decided to pick a fight out of spite."
Bianca almost laughed. The message glowing on her phone was proof enough—Terrence himself had texted her, asking if she'd received the souvenir.
She was curious now. How exactly did Mira plan to talk her way out of this?
"Fine. I've said what I needed to say. If you won't listen to my warning, then deal with the consequences yourself."
Outside, the evening deepened. The villa's front gates swung open.
A sleek black limited-edition sports car rolled to a stop in the driveway. The moment its owner stepped out, the staff straightened, their respect palpable.
Terrence crossed the threshold into the living room. Before he could take in the scene, Mira was already hurrying toward him, her tone pitched for sympathy. "Mr. Anderson, thank God you're back. Ms. Rodriguez waited until you were gone to deliberately bully me."
After a day buried in corporate matters, Terrence found the shrill complaint grating. His voice cut through the air, cool and clipped. "What happened?"
Mira's gaze darted away from his, landing on Bianca with a pointed edge. "Ms. Rodriguez insists I stole her gift. In this household, nothing is more unacceptable than dishonesty. I would never make such a low mistake."
She let her voice soften, almost wounded. "She still hates me."
Bianca's laugh was short, without warmth. She met Terrence's eyes without flinching. "Mira, I never said you stole anything. I told you to return what doesn't belong to you.
"If you took it without knowing, fine—give it back, and I won't press the matter. But now you're claiming I accused you of theft… that changes things."
Closing the distance between them, Bianca lifted her phone and displayed the message for all to see. "Here. Mr. Anderson texted me asking if I'd received the souvenir."
Mira's face drained of color. She had known deep down the gift wasn't hers, but she hadn't expected Terrence to leave a trail of proof.
Panic flickered in her eyes.
Terrence's gaze shifted to Bianca. "You didn't get the gift?"
She shook her head lightly. "I slept late today. By the time I saw your message, it was already afternoon. I asked around—the staff said something had been delivered, but they didn't know who took it first. I doubted any of the household employees would dare, so that left Mr. Green and Mira."
Her voice sharpened again. "Mira, now that Mr. Anderson is here, will you hand it over? Or do you plan to keep insisting you didn't take it, and that I'm lying?"
It was a trap in front of her, a trap behind her. Mira couldn't step forward or back.
"I…"
She faltered, words dying in her throat.
Terrence's patience was gone. His attention snapped to Barry. "Pull the security footage."
Mira's fingers curled into her palm, nails biting into skin. Her shoulders jerked once.
Barry was efficient. Within minutes, the footage played on the large screen.
The truth was plain: Barry had barely set the gift down before Mira swooped in, showing it off to the maids with smug delight.
There was no mistaking it.
Tears welled in Mira's eyes. She turned to Terrence, desperation in her voice. "Mr. Anderson, the box didn't have a name. I truly thought it was from you to me. And I assumed something like that wouldn't interest Ms. Rodriguez, so I opened it. I didn't think twice… I thought it was mine. You've always remembered the past between us, always taken care of me."
She lingered on the words "the past," a deliberate reminder.
She had saved his life once.
Behind his sunglasses, Terrence's gaze darkened.
He had tolerated her overreach because of that debt. But that didn't mean she could keep pushing his boundaries.
"You were wrong," Bianca said evenly, cutting in. "Even if it were just a stone, if it came from Mr. Anderson, I would treasure it."
Terrence looked at her, something shifting in his chest.
Robert stepped forward quickly, trying to smooth the tension. "Mr. Anderson, Mira didn't mean any harm. She's young, she doesn't know better. Perhaps you could consider—"
"Enough." The single word from Terrence was a blade. "Robert, I value old debts, but that doesn't mean I'll tolerate everything. I warned you last time—if it happens again, you'll both leave."
His tone eased slightly, but the steel remained. "This is the last time."
Robert froze, swallowing whatever protest he'd been about to make.
Mira's resentment simmered. When Bianca hadn't been around, Terrence had never spoken to her like this.
Once the others dispersed, Bianca approached Terrence, her smile bright with relief. Without hesitation, she rose on tiptoe and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.
The touch was electric—soft, warm, unexpected. For a heartbeat, Terrence's composure cracked.
He recovered quickly, but the faint flush creeping up his ears betrayed him. Behind the dark lenses, his eyes were unreadable, but Bianca saw enough to know… beneath the polished exterior, Terrence could still be caught off guard.
"Thank you."
His voice was low. "For what?"
"For believing me. And I never thought your gift was cheap. The stone comparison earlier… I meant it."
He gave a quiet acknowledgment.
Bianca had been adjusting to life here, little by little. And she already knew—because of what she remembered from before—that Terrence's feelings for her had been genuine. She wasn't about to let someone like him slip away.
So she took a breath and pushed forward. "There's something I want to talk to you about. We're engaged. We're going to get married eventually."
Her eyes held his. "The wedding can wait. But we could get the marriage license now."
Her voice softened, but her determination was clear. "Once we sign, we'll be husband and wife in the eyes of the law."
It was the product of weeks of thought, and it took all her courage to say it.
Terrence's surprise was immediate. The idea struck deep, making his pulse jump.
He wanted to marry her. Of course he did. But…
His fingers lifted, adjusting the frame of his sunglasses.
His eyes weren't fully healed yet. He wanted to stand beside her whole, not with a lingering injury. He wanted their wedding to be perfect.
He said nothing, but he saw the light in her gaze dim, little by little.
"I might be rushing you," she said quietly. "It's fine. Take your time."
Maybe she'd imagined it—that he might care for her already. After all, it had only been a short time. Love wasn't something you could force.
Her smile was fragile, the kind that hid disappointment. Only she knew how heavy it felt inside.