Chapter 2 I Never Thought About Escaping

As Bianca stepped out of the alley, her gaze was instantly caught—and held—by the row of black cars lined up before the villa, their presence radiating a cold, unmistakable menace.

Her heartbeat lurched—hard enough to feel as though it might rip free from her chest.

Terrence was here.

For a moment she froze, caught between disbelief and a rush of something dangerously close to relief. And then, slicing through the rain-muted air, came Blair's voice—sweetly artificial, every syllable dripping with calculated malice.

"She said she'd rather die than marry you."

The words hit like a slap. Heat surged up Bianca's spine, flooding her head until her vision sharpened with the kind of fury that made her chest feel too tight to breathe.

She drew in a deep breath, forcing her pulse under control, and without another second of hesitation, strode toward the most expensive car in the row—a limited edition model whose polished surface gleamed even beneath the drizzle.

Her steps were quick, almost a run. Rain blurred her sight, but not enough to hide the tall figure stepping down from the car.

He was dressed in a long black coat, his posture straight as a blade, his presence cutting through the wet night like a line of steel. A pair of dark-lensed sunglasses concealed half his face, but nothing could diminish the sharp beauty of his features.

Relief—raw and overwhelming—crashed through her, tangled with the wild joy of something lost and found again. Her eyes burned, tears spilling without warning, mingling with the rain sliding down her cheeks.

She knew why he wore those glasses. The car accident not long ago had left him with intermittent blindness; the lenses were specially made to shield his eyes from light that could trigger pain or disorientation. It didn't matter. As long as he was alive, she could accept anything.

She closed the distance between them until she could feel the cold edge of his presence in the air. His head tilted slightly as if sensing her approach.

"She's lying!" Bianca's voice cracked with emotion, carrying clearly through the rain. "I never said I wouldn't marry you!"

Every head turned. Blair's expression froze, as if she'd just seen a ghost. Shock and disbelief twisted her features—she had never imagined Bianca would show up here when she was supposed to have vanished with Samuel into the night.

Terrence's lips curved faintly, a subtle reaction that was gone almost before she could register it.

Bianca lifted her chin, knowing he might not be able to see her clearly, but refusing to look away from the shadowed eyes behind those lenses. It felt like she could pierce through the dark glass and reach something deep within him.

"I never wanted to run," she said, her voice trembling but anchored in steel. "I've been waiting for you."

The words weren't just for him—they were a declaration to everyone present, and a vow to herself, a promise to rewrite the regret of another life.

Blair snapped out of her shock, her face paling with frustration. "Bianca, you already left with Mr. Samuel Anderson! You said you'd rather die than marry a blind man! You said plenty of awful things about Mr. Terrence Anderson."

She spoke fast, desperate to cement Bianca's betrayal. Her eyes darted nervously.

Bianca's lips curved in a cold smile. "Of course you'd want me gone, Blair. That way you could slip in and claim the Anderson family marriage contract for yourself."

Her tone sharpened, cutting through the rain. "Don't think I don't know about the filth between you and Samuel. You've been poisoning me against Mr. Terrence Anderson from the start, whispering your lies and trying to turn me against him."

She turned back to Terrence, her voice low but resolute. "Terrence, I was wrong to believe them. I see clearly now. I'm ready to honor our engagement. I'll marry you—today, if you wish."

Blair's face twisted, though she tried to arrange it into a mask of wounded innocence. "Bianca! How dare you accuse me like this? You've been in love with Mr. Samuel Anderson all along, and now you're trying to drag me down with you."

Through it all, Terrence remained silent, his head slightly inclined as though listening to every word. Behind the lenses, something shifted in his gaze—a flicker of curiosity, maybe even surprise. The fiancée who was rumored to avoid him at all costs was standing here, defying someone for his sake.

From the alley, Samuel finally emerged. His eyes swept the scene, landing on Bianca standing beside Terrence, and his expression darkened instantly.

Blair's eyes lit with a spark of hope. She threw Samuel a look that begged for intervention.

Samuel approached cautiously, his voice pitched in earnest appeal. "Uncle, Bianca and I love each other. Please… let us be together."

He turned to Bianca, urgency sharpening his tone. "Bianca! Tell him. Tell him you love me."

He reached for her arm.

Revulsion spiked through her. She slapped his hand away, the sound sharp even in the rain.

In Samuel's stunned silence, Bianca stepped to Terrence's side and looped her arm through his. The solid strength beneath the coat's fine fabric was undeniable.

Terrence's body stiffened at the contact, but he didn't pull away.

Bianca leaned into him, her gaze locked on Samuel with open disdain. "Mr. Samuel Anderson, keep your distance. My fiancé is Terrence, and he's the only man I will marry. I was blind before, unable to see people for who they truly are. From now on, you and I are finished."

Samuel's expression hardened to stone. Blair's face shifted through several shades of disbelief and barely-contained rage.

Terrence lowered his head, studying Bianca with a look that was part probing, part faintly intrigued. After a long pause, he made a small gesture to the nearest bodyguard.

Without a word, he turned and led her toward the car.

The door opened.

He inclined his head slightly, his voice deep and quiet, meant for her alone. "Get in."

Bianca didn't hesitate. She slid into the car, the door closing behind her, shutting out the rain and the noise.

Inside, the air was cool and clean, carrying the same scent that clung to him—sharp, fresh, unmistakable.

She kept her arm linked through his, unwilling to let go. He didn't move to free himself. For a moment there was only silence, then his voice cut through it.

"You were going to leave with Samuel earlier."

It wasn't a question. It was a statement—calm, but edged with certainty.

Bianca's heart stuttered, then slammed hard against her ribs, each beat like a drum. Cold spread through her limbs, the kind that came from being seen too clearly.

He knew. Of course he knew.

Her head snapped up, but the dark lenses blocked her from reading his eyes. She could only feel the weight of his presence, pressing down like a storm.

"I…" Her throat tightened, the words sticking. Her mind raced, searching for the right way to answer.