Chapter 132 The Lover Outside
"Stay out of my business."
Blair's voice was sharp as she shoved Jasmine toward the stairs.
Glenn's fists curled. She couldn't hold back. "She's your cousin, Blair. Ease up."
Whatever hope Jasmine had left dissolved at Glenn's words.
Blair's smile was pure mockery, her eyes saying I knew it.
"I know exactly where the line is. Just don't step into my affairs."
"Mr. Rodriguez, someone is forcing their way—"
The servant didn't finish. The front doors slammed open.
Bianca strode in, her gaze sweeping the room until it locked on Jasmine—bound, helpless.
A rush of fury burned through her.
"Blair, what the hell are you doing?" Bianca moved fast, pulling Jasmine behind her, eyes narrowing on Blair.
Blair's shock didn't look fake. "Why are you here?"
The Rodriguez Mansion was the last place Bianca would willingly set foot. Blair couldn't fathom why she'd come back.
Bianca's stare was colder. "You think your little tricks can beat me?"
Blair's eyes glittered. She tilted her head back and laughed, pointing straight at Bianca.
"You think you're better than me? I'm part of the Rodriguez family now. Why should you stand above me? Bianca, I hate that smug face of yours... you're just like your dead mother. Disgusting."
A sharp crack split the air.
Bianca shook the sting from her fingers, the frost in her expression deepening. "You're not worthy to speak her name."
"Enough!" Glenn's voice cut through the tension. "Do you want the whole world laughing at us?"
"Laughing?" Bianca bent to untie Jasmine's restraints, pulling her forward to stand in front of Glenn.
"She's the one you hurt. If you can't see that, maybe you should hand over the Rodriguez Group before you destroy it."
Glenn's eyes widened, anger spilling over. "I'm your father. You think you have the right to lecture me?"
"The day you married Thea, whatever family we had was gone. Don't pretend otherwise."
Bianca's breath tightened. She pushed on. "And keep your precious daughter in check. She tried to have me violated. Is Terrence beneath her notice? Or did you have a hand in it?"
The temperature in the room dropped. A freezing stare landed on Blair.
She stepped back instinctively, the chill crawling up her spine. The source was clear—Terrence, silent until now.
"What!" Jasmine clutched Bianca's hand, panic flashing. "Are you okay?"
Bianca patted her hand. "I'm fine."
Her attention never left Glenn.
"I admit I arranged for Jasmine to be taken," Blair said quickly, her tone urgent. "But what you're accusing me of... I didn't do it."
She couldn't admit it. If she did, Terrence would kill her.
"Someone used Jasmine to threaten me. When I got there, Samuel was the one trying to touch me. You expect me to believe you had nothing to do with that?"
Bianca's eyes drilled into her, sharp enough to strip away lies.
Blair dropped her gaze, playing the victim. "I don't know how that man found out Jasmine was with me. As for Samuel... I swear I didn't tell him to do it."
"Didn't tell him?" Bianca's laugh was cold. "You and Samuel are close. If not you, why would he step in? Do you think I'm that easy to fool?"
She closed in, fingers tangling in Blair's hair.
Pain shot across Blair's scalp. Tears clung to her lashes, trembling but refusing to fall. Hatred burned in her chest.
"If you want to take it out on me, fine. But Samuel's actions aren't mine. I won't confess to something I didn't do."
Bianca's grip tightened until Blair's face twisted.
Then Bianca's eyes lit with something dangerous. She half-smiled, gaze locked on Blair.
"You think staying out of camera range keeps you safe? Every act leaves a trace. You're too naive."
A voice came from behind.
"...Blair asked me to ruin Bianca's name. She told me... Bianca still liked me. Otherwise, I wouldn't have gone to her..."
Terrence had his phone on speaker, Samuel's weak voice filling the room.
Blair's face drained of color. She waved her hands frantically.
"No... it's not like that! I admit I spoke to Samuel. He told me he still had feelings for Bianca, begged me to help him. I only told him where she'd be. I didn't know he'd do that..."
Her tears came real this time, laced with fear.
More than Bianca's wrath, she feared Terrence.
Her knees gave out. She collapsed, clutching Bianca's ankle.
"Bianca, please... believe me. I didn't tell him to hurt you. He said you two still had something..."
"Enough."
The voice wasn't Bianca's—it was Terrence's.
The weight in it made Glenn's jaw tremble. She jumped in quickly. "Alright, that's enough. No real harm was done. Let's drop it and move on."
Bianca didn't notice the heaviness in Terrence's tone. She thought he simply didn't want to hear Blair's excuses.
"Ha." She stepped close to Glenn, voice low. "It doesn't hurt because it's not your skin on the line."
"Thea didn't just move assets. I hear she's got a lover outside. Young. Fresh-faced. A far cry from some worn-out relic."
"You!" Glenn's hand shot up, but didn't fall.
The moment she moved, she felt a prick between her shoulder blades.
With Terrence watching, she let her hand drop, glaring at Bianca.
"You have no proof. Don't make things up."