Page 63 of One Baddie for Three Daddies

She takes another deep breath, her gaze unwavering. "Because losing you once was hard enough. I can't go through that again without at least trying to explain."

"I had a revelation today," Bianca continues, her voice steady but her eyes full of fire. "I realized I didn't fight hard enough for you guys. I let my fear and my mom's disapproval control me."

I exchange glances with Liam and James. We're all thinking the same thing: where the hell is she going with this? The same confusion and curiosity is reflected in their eyes. It's not like Bianca to get this serious out of nowhere. Usually, she's the one keeping us on our toes, not dropping emotional bombs.

She takes a step closer, her eyes locking onto each of us in turn, the intensity radiating off her. "I'm not accepting the breakup. I just won't. In my mind, we aren't broken up at all."

James raises an eyebrow and leans back in his chair, clearly intrigued but skeptical. "And how do you figure that?" His tone is challenging, but there's a hint of curiosity there too, like he’s almost daring her to explain.

"Because," she says, her voice gaining strength, "I love you all too much to let go without a fight this time. You mean more to me than anything, and I won't let history repeat itself."

Liam sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. "Bia, it's not that simple."

"Yes, it is," she insists. "You broke up with me because you think I'll leave again. But I know a way to prove to you that I won't."

The room goes silent as we wait for her to continue. My heart pounds in my chest; I'm torn between wanting to believe her and protecting myself from another heartbreak.

"And what exactly is your plan?" James asks, his tone skeptical but curious.

Bianca squares her shoulders, determination etched in every line of her face. "We're all flying to my family's Christmas celebration next week."

Liam's eyes widen, his posture stiffening. "What?"

"Yes," she continues, unwavering. "We're going to debut our relationship. If it's a bloodbath, I'll never go back home. We can return to San Diego and start our lives together. But if it works and they accept me—accept us—then great."

James leans forward, scrutinizing her. "You're serious?"

"Dead serious." She looks at each of us, challenging us to object. "I want to be with you, and nothing will stop that."

I glance at Liam, who looks like he’s trying to process this bombshell. "Bia, this is... a lot," he says finally.

"No kidding," I add, scratching my head. "But you’re really willing to risk everything? Your family might never talk to you again."

She nods without hesitation. "Yes. I can’t keep living a lie or hiding from what I want."

James's lips curl into a smirk. "You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that."

"That's not all she's got," I mutter under my breath, earning a sharp look from Liam.

Bianca steps closer to us, eyes blazing with conviction. "I need you all to know I'm in this for real. I’m not running this time."

I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Bianca's standing there, eyes blazing with determination, and all I can think about is how much I've missed her. But this isn't just about me; it's about all of us.

"Bianca," I say, trying to keep my voice steady, "can you give us a moment alone? We need to discuss this."

She nods, her gaze lingering on each of us before she heads out of the room. The door clicks shut behind her, and the tension ratchets up a notch.

I turn to Liam and James. "Alright, what do you guys think?"

Liam leans forward, elbows on his knees. "Honestly? I think she's serious. Look at her—she’s ready to risk everything for us."

James crosses his arms, his face unreadable. "It's a big gamble, man. If we do this and she bails again, we're back to square one."

I nod, understanding their hesitation but feeling the need to push forward. "Yeah, but clearly she’s different now. She’s willing to stand up to her family for us."

Liam looks between James and me. "I'm in," he says firmly. "I want to give her one last chance. We owe it to ourselves, and Bianca, to see if this can work."

James sighs, rubbing his temples like he’s trying to stave off a headache. "You’re both sure about this, because we can’t keep flip flopping on her like this."

---