Chapter 534: A New Cooperation

Dave’s eyes lit up and filled with excitement. A confident smile formed on his face.

"This is our trump card. I’ll use it when the time is right."

He already knew the perfect moment when Rupert thought he had won. That’s when everything would come crashing down.

"Rupert’s tried everything, but he won’t see it coming when his own tricks turn against him."

Soon, the truth would come out.

Dave held the USB drive firmly. "For now, stay out of sight. Watch his every move."

Wyatt gave a quick nod. "I’ll let you get back to work," he said before leaving.

As he walked out of the office, he glanced at the stacks of papers on the desk. He felt proud of how far Phoenix Alliance Group had come. But at the same time, he worried about Dave’s health.

"Okay," Dave said as he put the USB drive away and went back to work.

The room fell quiet again, like no one had ever been there.

But when Dave picked up his pen, he pressed down harder than before.

Elsewhere, Rupert had no idea what was coming.

He was busy planning with his men, trying to scare Bianca into leaving Dave.

Unlike Wyatt, Bianca had secret guards watching over her as Dave had arranged them earlier.

Rupert’s men had tried more than once, but they never found the right chance to make a move.

Dave’s secret guards were sharp and well-trained. They stayed closer to Bianca and made it impossible for Rupert’s men to get near her.

One of Rupert’s men had been thinking for a long time. Finally, he turned to Rupert with an idea. His eyes lit up.

“We need to distract those two guards. One group isn’t enough. Let’s send three. Two will fake an attack to draw the guards away. The third will move and strike when the moment’s right.”

Rupert’s face turned serious. He gave a firm nod. “That’s a good plan. Do it. And let your men know they’ll be well rewarded if they succeed.”

The man gave a quick salute and rushed out to carry out the plan.

Rupert leaned back in his leather chair. He slung one leg over the armrest and looked smug.

He felt like everything was falling into place. “If Bianca leaves Dave, everything I’ve wanted will finally be mine,” he said under his breath, grinning. “Oh, Dave… you’re just too young to compete with me. You’ll never outsmart me.”

****

The meeting room door slowly opened. Brandon stepped out after a productive talk with Bianca. They had both agreed to work together and planned to write up a formal contract soon.

Bianca walked him to the door. "I won't see you off any further. Just bring the contract next time," she said, stopping at the entrance.

As they shook hands, Brandon spoke up. "Sure. But there's one more thing I'd like to add."

Bianca paused. "Go ahead. We’re partners now. No need to hold back."

Brandon smiled. "It’s simple. I’d like Diana to handle all our communication."

Bianca’s eyes narrowed as she looked at him. His request was simple, but it made her anxious. She knew Brandon had some interest in Diana. But his reputation as a heartbreaker made her worry. How could she let her best friend risk getting hurt?

After thinking for a moment, Bianca decided to warn him. "Brandon, Diana might seem a little silly sometimes, but she’s actually very pure. She has a hard time telling real love from just playful attention. She’s my closest friend. Please don’t hurt her or mess with her heart. If you can promise that, I’m fine with her handling our project communication."

Brandon let go of her hand with a small scoff and began to walk away. After a few steps, he stopped. He turned around with a serious look and said, “I mean what I feel for her.”

Then he left, leaving Bianca deep in thought.

She stood there, replaying his words in her mind. “What did he mean by that?”

Could Brandon, a man known for his flings, really have real feelings for Diana?

Bianca wasn’t sure. He was a celebrity with a playboy reputation.

Could someone like him truly settle down?

Bianca decided not to overthink it. In the end, it was Diana’s choice whether to work with Brandon or not. She wouldn’t force her into anything she didn’t want to do.

Just as she turned to leave, she noticed Diana standing right behind her.

Had she heard everything?

Diana looked a bit confused. "Did I scare you? You look shocked," she said. Then, with curiosity in her voice, she asked, "What were you and Brandon talking about?"

As they walked back to the office, Bianca told her everything. She explained their plan to work together and listed the tasks that would come next. Then, with a hint of hesitation, she added, "He asked for you to be the one handling all our communication from now on."

Diana blinked, stunned. She pointed at herself. "Me? You mean I’m supposed to handle that?"

She couldn’t understand why Brandon would ask for her. What was he really trying to do?

His words from their last meeting came rushing back. “I’ll wait for you to come see me, Diana.”

Diana's brows drew together. "I... I don’t think this is a good idea," she said quietly.

Bianca stopped walking and turned to face her. "Have you and Brandon met before?" she asked.

Diana’s face changed right away like a student caught doing something wrong.

Bianca didn’t need her to say anything. The look on Diana’s face said everything. Something had happened between them.

Bianca let out a quiet sigh. “Diana, just remember that work is work. Keep it separate from your personal life. We have a job to do, but when it comes to your own feelings, that’s something you’ll have to deal with yourself. Still, honesty and trust always matter. Got it?”

Diana heard her clearly, but things with Brandon weren’t so simple. Even so, running away wouldn’t help.

She nodded quickly. “I understand. I’ll handle it.”

Back in her office, Bianca turned on her computer and started going through her tasks. But her mind wasn’t focused.

She kept thinking about what happened last night.

Lucas had planned to hurt her. But now, it seemed Rupert was the one truly behind it. Lucas had been used. Rupert was clearly full of himself.

With that in mind, Bianca made a decision. She would give Rupert just enough space to show who he really was. This might be her chance to expose his lies.