Chapter 18

Sienna's POV

It was another godforsaken day living in this house with Max – at least during times when he was around – and waiting for the moment I will have my life back.

I woke up feeling like my entire body was made of lead. My head was pounding, my limbs weak, and my stomach churned uncomfortably. For a moment, I thought I could shake it off, but when I tried to sit up, the dizziness hit me again. I groaned, leaning back against the pillows. “This can’t be happening,” I muttered to myself.

I could instantly tell that the condition could be something that had to do with my pregnancy and of course, the baby was all that was keeping my life secured. I couldn’t risk anything. Grabbing my phone from the nightstand, I dialled Max’s number. He answered on the second ring, his voice clipped and distracted. “What is it, Sienna?”

“I don’t feel well,” I said, trying not to sound as pathetic as I felt. “Something’s wrong.”

There was a pause, followed by the sound of typing. “Take a nap. Drink water. You’ll be fine.”

“Max,” I said, my irritation cutting through the fatigue. “I’m serious.”

“I’m in the middle of something,” he replied curtly. “If it’s really that bad, call Harry.”

And with that, he hung up.

I stared at the phone in disbelief, my frustration bubbling to the surface. Did he just wash me off like I was some thorn in the flesh? I mean, why keep me hanging around if I was so badly going to be treated like trash?

I tried to distract myself by moving around the house, but every step felt like a monumental effort. By midday, the dizziness had only gotten worse, and I felt like I was seconds away from passing out.

Reluctantly, I found Max in his office. He was seated behind his massive desk, his attention glued to the laptop in front of him.

“Max,” I said, leaning against the doorframe.

He glanced up briefly. “What now?”

“I need to go to the hospital,” I said firmly. “Something’s not right.”

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Then he watched me closely, almost like he wanted to read whether I was saying the truth or not by looking at me. “Fine. I’ll arrange it. Harry will take you.”

“Thank you,” I said, ignoring the lack of concern in his tone.

He didn’t respond, already back to typing furiously on his keyboard.

Harry was waiting by the car when I stepped outside, along with two other security personnel.

“Miss Brooks,” Harry said with a nod, opening the car door for me.

I climbed in, settling into the seat as the other guards took their positions in the front. Harry sat beside me, his usual stoic demeanour firmly in place.

For the first few minutes of the ride, the car was silent except for the low hum of the engine. I glanced at Harry out of the corner of my eye, wondering if this was my chance to bridge the awkward gap that had formed between us.

“So,” I said, breaking the silence. “You’ve been quiet lately.”

“I’m not paid to talk,” he replied, his tone polite but distant.

“Well, I’m not paying you at all,” I quipped. “So technically, you can say whatever you want.”

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips, but he quickly masked it. “Is there something you need, Miss Brooks?”

“I just wanted to say thanks,” I said, fiddling with the hem of my dress. “For what you did that night. If you hadn’t shown up...”

“You don’t need to thank me,” he said, cutting me off. “It’s my job.”

“Still,” I pressed, “I appreciate it. And I’m sorry for... well, for getting you fired. Temporarily.”

Harry glanced at me, his expression softening slightly. “You didn’t get me fired. I made mistakes. It won’t happen again.”

“Is that code for ‘I forgive you’?” I teased.

He chuckled softly, shaking his head. “You’re persistent, I’ll give you that.”

“That’s one word for it,” I said with a grin. “So, Harry, do you ever take a break? Or is guarding difficult people like me your full-time hobby?”

His lips twitched, and I could tell he was trying not to smile. “Let’s just say I’m used to difficult assignments.”

“Wow,” I said, feigning offense. “That almost sounded like an insult.”

“Almost,” he said, his voice tinged with humour.

The conversation eased the tension between us, and for the first time in a while, I felt like I wasn’t completely alone. It continued until we got to the hospital. The hospital visit was quick and uneventful. The doctor assured me that everything with the baby was fine, and the dizziness was just a result of low blood sugar and stress.

“Try to rest more,” the doctor said. “And eat regularly.”

“I’ll do my best,” I promised, though I doubted Max would care enough to make sure I followed through. It was not like I was doing any form of labour that could hinder me from taking a rest but somehow, merely staying in the same house with mark was so terrible that I hoped I would not die of depression.

After all, emotional stress always did the worse damage.

The good thing was that for now, I had a healthy baby growing inside me. With that knowledge, I followed Harry back to the car to begin the journey home. As we returned, the conversation with Harry made the atmosphere light. It was almost like he had figured the harm I was doing to myself with no one around to talk to or have fun with and as part of his job of ensuring my security, he was trying to be more accommodating.

We arrived at the early hours of night. Harry parked the car as I went for the door, exhausted.

Then I realized it was open.

Something – someone – was inside!

Max?

I wasn’t bothered at first, so I made my way in.

Then I spotted her. She was tall, elegant, and impossibly poised, dressed in a sleek black dress that screamed wealth and power. Her sharp eyes flicked to me as I entered, and she almost seemed as surprised to see me as I was seeing her.

“Who – are – you?”