Chapter 369
Michael never believed in such good luck. If it existed, it was probably a trap set just for him.
The assistant thought for a moment and suggested, "Maybe their CEO wants to use this collaboration to boost their reputation and expand their market?"
"After all, who in Evergreen City doesn't know the power of the Brown Group?"
Over the years, many small businesses had used their partnerships with the Brown Group to get free advertising.
Michael raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, that makes sense."
He didn't dwell on it further.
A small company wasn't worth his time and effort.
Whether they genuinely wanted to collaborate or were setting a trap, he'd find out soon enough.
As they talked, they walked to the private room Levi had mentioned. Just as Michael was about to push the door open, a familiar voice reached his ears.
"Don't miss me too much after I'm gone."
The sweet, coquettish voice might have been appealing to some men, but to Michael, it was grating.
Almost instinctively, he looked towards the source of the voice and saw Bianca's smiling face through a narrow gap in the door.
It was her!
She had been hiding, and now she was here?
But who was she talking to?
As Michael stopped and looked, Nolan, inside the room, also noticed Michael.
Nolan was seated in a way that allowed him to see Michael's reflection, but Michael couldn't see him unless he moved closer.
But Nolan couldn't take that risk.
Especially not with Bianca. It was too dangerous for him.
Seeing Bianca still talking, Nolan decided it was time to leave.
Bianca's identity had been exposed, and he couldn't let Michael discover their connection.
Outside, Michael had confirmed that Bianca was inside. He signaled to his assistant to go in first and then walked towards Bianca's position.
Just then, Bianca stepped out of the room and asked a server for the restroom's location.
The server pointed to the end of the hallway.
As Bianca walked in that direction, a tall figure suddenly grabbed her and pinned her against the wall.
Her hands were restrained, and the man's strength was too much for her to resist.
Bianca tried to scream for help, but the hallway was empty.
This person was clearly targeting her.
The man was too tall, and in the dim light, Bianca couldn't see his face. She only knew he was staring at her intensely.
Her voice trembled with fear. "What do you want?"
"What do you think?"
The familiar voice made Bianca pause before she realized, "Michael?"
No wonder his presence felt familiar.
"Bianca, I finally found you!"
His voice was low and powerful, but there was a hint of gritted teeth.
If it weren't for her, how could he and Isabella have lost their child?
Bianca deserved to die.
But Bianca didn't care. Or maybe this was the result she wanted.
She preferred deep hatred over mild affection.
Only this way would he always remember her.
He would never forget her.
Just hearing his voice made Bianca tremble with excitement she couldn't suppress.
"Michael, if you can't bear to be without me, just say so. I can't bear to be without you either."
"But are you sure you want to do this here? I'm afraid you won't have enough space."
Knowing it was him, Bianca's tension disappeared. If her hands weren't restrained, she would have hugged him.
From a third-person perspective, their position looked quite "intimate."
Especially with Michael pinning Bianca against the wall, his eyes red as he stared at her. The visual misalignment made it look like he was about to kiss her.
"Not enough space?"
Michael's eyes darkened. "I could kill you right here, and it would be enough!"
As he spoke, he controlled Bianca's hands with one hand and grabbed her neck with the other, a fierce look in his eyes.
"Michael, I'm Bianca, the one you've protected for so many years. Can you really hurt me?"
Bianca could feel Michael's murderous intent. Her expression changed, and she quickly begged for mercy.
"Michael, don't."
"It's too late. You brought this on yourself!"
Michael's eyes were bloodshot, and he wasn't listening. Just as he was about to apply pressure, a soft voice sounded behind him.
"Excuse me."
That voice?
Michael froze and quickly turned around, only to see Isabella in a cream-colored coat.
"Isabella, what are you doing here?"
He blurted out, forgetting the woman behind him.
But Isabella had seen their intimate moment clearly.
She didn't care anymore.
Or maybe she had become numb to Michael's actions.
She glanced at Michael, not even looking at Bianca, and pointed to the restroom.
"I'm just passing by. Please move, I need to get through. You can continue."
She had stumbled upon them by accident, but Michael and Bianca were blocking the way, so she had to speak up.
Even if they had gone somewhere private or into a room, she wouldn't have said anything.
But Michael and Bianca had chosen such a "perfect" spot that anyone passing by would see them.
Michael quickly let go of Bianca, wanting to explain to Isabella, but he hesitated.
He knew that no matter what he said, Isabella wouldn't believe him.
As he released her, Bianca reluctantly grabbed his sleeve, hiding behind him with a shy look.
From an outsider's perspective, it looked like Michael was pulling Bianca to his side, protecting her.
Isabella didn't look up and walked past them.
At that moment, she felt her heart turn to ice, completely cold.
That protective stance was something she had never experienced from Michael. She never expected it to be for Bianca.
But she wouldn't be sad or hurt by it anymore.
Because she no longer had feelings for Michael.
As she was about to pass them, Isabella suddenly stopped.
Her sharp gaze finally fell on Bianca, and she spoke clearly.
"Bianca, don't think I can't find evidence against you. You won't escape for taking my child's life and my grandfather's death!"