Page 12 of One Baddie for Three Daddies

The engine roars to life, and I peel out of the parking lot, tires squealing. The streets blur as we drive in silence, each of us lost in our thoughts.

James had always been the one to keep secrets, but this? This is a betrayal on a whole different level.

"It's obvious now," Alex mutters, breaking through my reverie. "He never wanted to be part of our company because he couldn't face us."

"Yeah," I agree, jaw tight. "Guess that’s why he ditched us after college."

Alex runs a hand through his perfectly styled hair, something he does when he's stressed. He shakes his head, a grim expression settling over his face.

"Do you think she knew?" I ask angrily.

"Knew what?" Alex's brow furrows in confusion.

"That it was our company," I say, my eyes fixed on the road ahead. "Do you think she planned this? Coming back into our lives like this?"

Alex looks at me, his expression filled with shock and disbelief. "You mean... you think she knew it was us when she took the job?"

I nod slowly, the pieces of the puzzle starting to fit together in my mind. "Yeah. Maybe she wanted to confront us or something. Or maybe she's just playing games."

Alex sits back in his seat, running a hand through his hair. "Man, I don't know. It's hard to believe she'd do that on purpose. Bianca isn’t like that. There’s no way she would play games like that.”

I shake my head. "I don't know what to believe anymore."

The silence between us stretches, thick with unresolved tension and unspoken questions. My thoughts race, each one more conflicting than the last. Bianca always had a way of getting under my skin, making me question everything I thought I knew.

"And now," I mutter, "we have a fucking meeting with her in three hours."

Alex sighs heavily, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, not exactly looking forward to that."

I glance at him, the frustration evident in my eyes, wishing I didn't have to go.

He gives me a sympathetic look. "We can get through this. We'll keep it professional. Just focus on the project."

"Easy for you to say," I snap.

He leans back in his seat and looks out the window. "We’ll handle it like we always do."

His confidence is almost irritating, but it's also grounding. Alex has always been the optimistic one, the one who believes things will work out somehow.

I let out a long breath and nod slowly. "Alright. We'll get through this."

We drive in silence for a few more minutes before he finally pulls into our office parking lot. The building looms ahead of us, a reminder of all the work we've put in since college.

"Ready?" Alex asks as we step out of the car.

"Unfortunately.”

I manage a small smile despite everything. Alex has a way of making even the worst situations seem manageable.

We head inside, and as we walk through the familiar halls of our office building, I can't help but think about how different things might have been if Bianca hadn't just left. But there's no point dwelling on the past now.

We have a meeting to prepare for, and whether we like it or not, Bianca is part of it.

7

BIANCA

James’s door clicks shut and I just stand, completely frozen. I’m humiliated. My heart pounds like it’s trying to escape my chest.

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