I Slept with My Boss and Ran Away

Terrence Sterling briefly summarized the events to Bianca, who listened in shock, finding it hard to believe. She immediately turned to Joy Chaucer and demanded sternly, "Did you do this?"

Joy hesitated for a few seconds before responding, "It wasn't me, Mom. I really don't know what happened. I heard that Meredith and Kendrick Gould were having issues, so I went to check. They're accusing me of drugging Meredith! It must be Meredith trying to seduce Kendrick Gould and now trying to drag me down with her."

Glaring at Meredith, Joy continued, "Why are you framing me, Meredith? You're just resentful because I fired you. I can suspect that it was you who instructed Ruby. You were always close to Ruby in the company, and now you've made Davina slander me. You're too malicious."

Meredith couldn't help but laugh in disbelief at Joy's convoluted reasoning. Terrence gently patted her back, signaling that she didn't need to respond and to leave everything to him.

Terrence, with a casual tap of his finger on the back of his hand, watched Joy with a cool gaze. "I gave you two chances to admit it, and you didn't. I can't be blamed now." With a gesture to his bodyguard, a man was brought in-Quinlan Aubrey. Quinlan had tried to flee at the restaurant but was caught by Terrence's bodyguard right outside. Seeing Quinlan, Joy panicked completely.

Terrence spoke in a chilling tone, "Quinlan Aubrey, I appreciate that you know how to act right. You know what to say without me asking."

Quinlan, sensing the seriousness of the situation, quickly confessed, "The drugs were prepared by Joy Chaucer. I didn't know what she planned to do with them. She called me this morning to prepare a bottle, and only at the restaurant did I learn that her target was Meredith."

"Quinlan Aubrey, you're lying!" Joy shouted, frustrated by her inability to throw anything at him.

Terrence then looked at Davina, who turned to Bianca and confessed everything, "Mrs. Chaucer, Miss Chaucer instructed me to add drugs to Meredith's drink and then lure Kendrick Gould to the private room..."

"Davina, you're spouting nonsense..." Joy roared, but before she could finish, Bianca slapped her. It was the first time Bianca had ever struck Joy in the ten years since acknowledging her as her daughter.

Bianca was furious, of course, but it was also necessary to show Terrence a response. It was better for her to discipline her own daughter than for someone else to do it.

Joy, in disbelief, faced Bianca, "Mom, you hit me? You've never hit me before. You're hitting me because of Meredith? Mom!"

Joy cried out in agony, unable to accept this reality.

Bianca, cold and detached, ignored Joy and said to Terrence, "Terry, I understand the situation now. I'm truly sorry for what happened. Meredith, I apologize for my daughter's behavior. I never expected her to do something like this." Bianca's eyes watered as she spoke, filled with anger, embarrassment, and guilt.

She was profoundly disappointed and felt like a failure as a parent.

Seeing Bianca's distress, Meredith felt unexpectedly sympathetic. "Mrs. Chaucer."

Bianca shook her head, feeling utterly defeated, and sternly told Joy, "Apologize to Meredith."

Joy stubbornly refused, "I did nothing wrong. Mom, are you crazy? I'm your daughter. She took my fiancé, and you're not standing up for me."

"The Sterling and Chaucer families have an arrangement, but that doesn't obligate anyone to fulfill it, and it certainly doesn't specify that Terry must marry you. Whom Terry wants to marry is his choice," Bianca responded fairly, having long realized that Terrence did not care for Joy and never forced the marriage.

Joy yelled, "Mom, how can you take her side? I am Terrence Sterling's fiancée, not Meredith. Why are you helping her?"

Terrence looked at Bianca, "Mrs. Chaucer, considering our families' long relationship, I didn't send your daughter to the police, but now, what do you think should be done?" He deliberately left the decision to Bianca.