"Why do you say that?" Bianca was instantly on guard.
Lillian took a slow breath. "It's just strange, don't you think? Dennis Ward and I have been at odds for ages. But why is it that right after I drugged Noreen, everything suddenly blew up? It’s not like Dennis hasn’t tried to extort money from me before—he showed up, demanded cash, and stormed off in a rage when I threw him out. But he never once mentioned any video. I deleted it ages ago. If he really had that kind of leverage, why wouldn't he have used it as blackmail from the start?"
It was only after spending some time abroad, away from the chaos, that Lillian had calmed down enough to piece everything together and spot a few glaring inconsistencies.
"And then, after this supposed video surfaces, why didn’t he come after me for money? Why would he just leak it? What does he gain from that?"
She hesitated, her voice dropping lower. "And here’s the kicker: the two guys who helped me drug Noreen that night—I've completely lost contact with them. Calls, texts, nothing. It’s like they vanished into thin air."
"What are their names? Send me their info, I’ll have someone run a check," Bianca said, already pulling out her phone.
Lillian forwarded the details, desperation edging her words. "Please, Bianca, you have to help me get to the bottom of this. If Noreen is really behind it, you can’t let her get away with it!"
"I won’t," Bianca said quietly, a cold glint in her eyes.
Just then, Seth’s name flashed on her phone. He’d sent a string of messages: photos and videos bursting with color, all from a flower farm.
He wrote, *‘I’m picking flowers for the engagement party. Do you like any of these?’*
Bianca’s mood lifted as she scrolled through the images, taking her time to choose her favorites.
Seth added, *‘These will be flown in the night before the ceremony, so they’ll be as fresh and lovely as possible for the big day.’*
Watching from beside her, Lillian tilted her head, unable to hide her envy. "Your fiancé is unbelievable. He’s helping you with every detail—venue, flowers, everything. I’m actually jealous!"
Whatever frustration Bianca had felt earlier melted away. Seth’s thoughtfulness always had that effect on her. She typed back, asking when he’d be home, adding a playful, *‘I miss you.’*

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