Chapter 565: Was I Ever Not Handsome?

Madison’s tone made it clear she already knew he had. She could tell from the way he’d been acting. She knew her son too well.

Bianca let out a soft hum. “Yeah, he called.”

“I knew it,” Madison said. “He couldn’t hold back. Now he’s full of praise for you and even has a bit of respect for Dave. Phoenix Alliance Group’s recent success really surprised everyone.”

“Oh really? My brother, actually admiring someone? Now that’s rare,” Bianca said with a teasing tone her smile coming through in her voice. Her heart felt full.

After a more lighthearted conversation, Madison said, “By the way, Cherish’s success at the Paris fashion show has taken it to the top of the luxury brand scene. I’m coming back tomorrow so we should celebrate as a family.”

Cherish’s rise had been helped a lot by the support of the Paris Fashion Association’s president and the strong backing of Phoenix Alliance Group.

Madison’s joy was clear as she added, “Will Mr. Evans be free tomorrow? I’d really like to meet him.”

Bianca was caught off guard. Her mom was inviting Dave to a family dinner. She had never pictured that happening before. Still, she said, “Okay, I’ll tell him.”

After ending the call, she felt a little nervous. Even though it was her family asking to meet him, she couldn’t help but worry.

But then she remembered how impressed Leonel had been with Dave. That gave her some comfort.

Later, Dave showed up at Bianca’s office.

He was dressed in a black suit with a navy blue tie. Standing at the entrance, he looked sharp and confident. A few women nearby stopped in their tracks, clearly taken by his presence.

But Dave only looked at one person—Bianca. And she was walking straight toward him.

People around them stared, some with envy in their eyes. It made sense. A man like him was bound to have a stunning girlfriend.

Dave opened the car door for her.

“You look very handsome today,” Bianca said with a smile as she got in.

Dave’s lips lifted into a small grin. “Was I ever not handsome?” he replied with a huge confidence.

“Of course, you’re handsome every single day!” Bianca giggled. To her, Dave was the most handsome man in the world.

“By the way, there’s something I need to tell you,” she added quickly, then told him that Madison would be coming back to Edenfield the next day.

“She wants to meet you. My brother Leonel will be there too. Actually, it’s going to be a full family dinner with you included,” she said.

Dave adjusted his tie slightly and gave a casual shrug. “Okay, I’ll book a place for tomorrow.”

Bianca noticed the small movement and smiled. “Come on, don’t be nervous. It’s just dinner,” she said with a teasing laugh.

Dave didn’t say much. As the CEO of Phoenix Alliance Group, he had been through plenty. He had learned to stay calm no matter what. But meeting Bianca’s family clearly mattered to him.

“Tell me what kind of food they like,” he asked.

“My mom enjoys local Edenfield dishes,” Bianca said. “My brother? He’s a foodie. He’ll eat anything that tastes good.”

“Got it,” Dave replied with a nod.

In his mind, he was already running through several ideas. Now, it was just a matter of picking the best one.

This was one of the things Bianca loved about him. He always seemed to know what to do like nothing was ever too big for him, not even turning Phoenix Alliance Group around.

It was Saturday, and traffic in Edenfield was heavy. To avoid being late, Dave and Bianca left early for the airport.

As soon as Madison stepped into the arrival lounge, she saw Bianca waving, with Dave standing beside her.

“Mr. Evans, how do you do?” Madison greeted warmly as she walked over. She noticed he looked even taller and more handsome than she remembered.

“Mrs. Lopez, just call me Dave when it’s just us,” he said politely.

Technically, Dave was her boss. But in private, he didn’t act like it. He was respectful and down-to-earth, which made Madison like him even more.

Just then, Leonel came rushing in. He hadn’t expected the traffic to be that bad. “Mom!” he called out, excited to see her.

Madison let out a sigh when she saw him. Bianca and Dave had been waiting for a while, but her own son had just arrived, and he looked exhausted. Clearly, he hadn’t left early enough.

Leonel greeted his sister and then turned to Dave.

Dave had already extended his hand. Leonel quickly shook it, looking like a fan meeting someone he admired.

“Mr. Evans, I’m sorry I didn’t realize you were the CEO of Phoenix Alliance Group earlier!” he said with a grin, clearly excited. “Now that I’ve met you in person, I can see you really are something else.”

Back at home, Leonel had practiced what he would say to Dave. He wanted to come across as calm and confident in front of his future brother-in-law. But the moment he saw Dave, all his plans disappeared. He couldn’t hide how impressed he really was. Now he understood why Dave had such a strong presence.

Bianca hadn’t expected things to go this smoothly. Neither she nor Madison thought Dave and Leonel would get along so easily. It felt like they were meeting for the first time, with no tension from the past.

Leonel worked at a research institute, and Dave happened to be one of its sponsors. Because of this, Dave was already familiar with some of the projects and often received reports from the institute.

When Leonel learned this, his admiration grew even more.

“I never expected you to know so much about our research, Mr. Evans,” he said, smiling brightly. “If I didn’t know you were the CEO of Phoenix Alliance Group, I would’ve thought you were one of us or even the head of a research lab!”

“I just know a little about it. You’re the real expert,” Dave said kindly. His tone was calm and respectful, which made the conversation between him and Leonel smooth and pleasant.

Madison noticed this. The more she watched, the more she liked Dave. A man who showed this much respect and understanding toward others would surely care deeply for her daughter. She felt that Bianca had made a good choice. Dave was someone her daughter could rely on for life.

Madison felt genuinely happy. If the two of them had a few lovely children one day, life would be complete. The thought made her look forward to becoming a grandmother.

But then, she remembered the one thing that bothered her, Dave couldn’t marry Bianca yet. That thought made her feel a little worried. She didn’t want her daughter to remain unacknowledged. Today, she planned to bring it up and ask for that commitment.