Candice’s POVTWO DAYS LATERI rang the doorbell and waited, clutching my purse and shifting nervously on my feet. I wasn’t sure how to face Sienna after everything that had happened. She hadn’t answered any of my calls or replied to my messages. Guilt had been eating me alive, and it took everything I had to summon the courage to come here.When the door finally opened, my heart skipped a beat as Sienna’s frame greeted me. She stood in the doorway, a mixture of slight surprise and exhaustion on her face. She looked somehow frail. Her shoulders were slumped and her eyes were puffy and red as if she had been crying. Seeing her like this made the guilt in me even worse, and for the millionth time, I hated myself for ever being involved with Sabrina.“Candice?” She said, a faint frown creasing her forehead. “What are you doing here?”I tried to smile, even though my throat tightened with the threat of tears. “You weren’t answering your calls or messages, and you’ve been out on sick l
Sienna’s POVFor a moment, I was lost in the glamor of the event I was covering with my team. It was a business gala where high profile business people and media elites were in attendance. And that was until the head of my team, Fiona, snapped, pulling me back into the moment."Sienna, could you try not to space out?" “Sorry.” Without looking up at her, I muttered more to myself than to her. I returned my focus to the notepad in front of me and scanned the room, ignoring the whispers of my teammates behind me. I didn’t have to hear what they were saying to know it was about me.Apparently, my new colleague had also learned of the scandal that prompted me to be transferred from my former branch to the New York Branch, and they all believed the story, viewing me as the woman who had slept my way up. A scandal that was perfectly orchestrated by own my best friend.No one cared to hear my own side of the story. And I didn’t care to explain myself to anyone.Feeling my throat perching dr
Sienna’s POVThe next morning, I stood in front of my boss, Ms. Leen, smoothing out my skirt for the third time in as many minutes. My palms were sweaty and my heart hammered in my chest. “Do you have any idea the kind of chaos you’ve caused?” She began, her nails drumming against the surface and her cold eyes locked on me. “My phone hasn’t stopped ringing since last night. Sponsors, attendees, the media, everyone’s talking about the little scene you decided to put on. Your embarrassing videos are everywhere, Miss. Blake!”“Ms. Leen, I…”“Save it.” She shot me another glare. “I don’t want excuses. What I want is for you to explain why you thought it was a good idea to slap a man like Roman Montgomery on the night of his business gala, cause a commotion, and drag this network’s name through the mud!”I swallowed hard, feeling my palms turn clammy and my heart beating so loudly that I feared she might hear it. “It wasn’t intentional, ma’am. I let my emotions get the best of me. I’m so
Sienna’s POVI arrived at the bar half an hour early and as I sat down at the bar, focusing on the tart and fruity mocktail in front of me, I felt my stomach growl in anxiety.I glanced at my wristwatch a couple of times, flicking my gaze tothe entryway every now and then, half expecting the anonymous texted to walk in. But it was too early and he or she had specifically said eight pm. I checked my phone again and reread the cryptic message that had led me here. As I read through it for the hundredth time, my fingers hovered over the screen more than once, tempted to respond with questions. But something told me this wasn’t the kind of person who liked to repeat themselves. Dropping my phone back into my purse, I indulged myself in my drink, hoping that time would go by faster.A while later, I felt a presence sit down on the stool next to mine and I glanced at his direction. It was a masculine man dressed in a crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up and his black trousers tai
Roman’s POVAs I stood in front of the full length mirror in my bedroom, I found myself unwillingly indulged in the thought of her again. Sienna. The hurt in her eyes. The emotions in her voice. It just wouldn’t leave my mind and it made absolutely no sense. She looked exactly like Sabrina, down to the shape of her eyes and the curve of her lips, except that she had chestnut brown hair and sapphire colored eyes while Sabrina had charcoal black hair and blue eyes. But then again, there was something about Sienna that felt different no matter how I tried not to think about it. Familiar, even. I ran a hand through my hair, irritated at myself.“Why the hell is she so convinced I’m her husband?” I muttered to myself. It didn’t add up. I had never seen her before in my life. Maybe Sienna was right and she was unstable.But then, why couldn’t I stop thinking about her? Was it the feeling of guilt I felt towards her in her miserable state? Was that the reason I had this nagging pull i
Roman’s POVBy the time Riley and I got home, it was almost nighttime. Stepping into the living room, I was welcomed by the sight of my older brother; Julian, seated crossed legged on the plush, oversized armchair, reading a Forbes magazine.He lifted his gaze as soon as he heard us enter the room and a small smile crossed his lips. It had been over a month since I had last seen him. According to my mother, he had traveled for an urgent business trip. I wouldn’t say that I had missed him exactly because we had never been so close.…from what I gathered based on my eight years of memories.“Uncle Julian!” Riley squealed as soon as she set eyes on him. She ran straight into his arms and he chuckled as he rose up, scooped her into his arms and lifted her playfully into the air.“There’s my princess!”“I’ve missed you, Uncle Julian.” Riley pouted her lips. “You abandoned me.”“No, I did not. I wouldn’t dare.” Julian chuckled again. “How about we do this? Give your dad and I a little space
Sienna’s POV“Happy birthday, sleepyhead!” I raised my voice as I hovered over Livvy’s sleepy frame with a small birthday cake in my hand, its pastel pink frosting decorated with sugar flowers and a single candle flickering softly. “Mommy…” Livvy stirred and stretched as her lashes fluttered awake. Once she got a glimpse of the cake in my hand through her half sleepy eyes, she gasped and immediately sat up from her bed, wide awake now.I chuckled lightly. I had creeped into her room while she was still asleep to surprise her and from the look of things, it was mission successful.“Happy eight years birthday, sweetie.” I settled onto the edge of the bed, beside her and pushed the cake gently towards her. “Come on. Make a wish.”Chuckling in pure delight, Livvy pressed her palm together and squeezed her eyes shut. “I wish that daddy would come back to us very soon.” Then, she leaned forward and blew the candle with all her might.My smile weakened as her wish flooded my ears. I wished
Sienna’s POV“He’s close. Too close.” I thought to myself as my gaze locked with his, my heart pounding in my chest. I felt like I was frozen and even though my head screamed at me to push him off and get back on my feet, I couldn’t move. Instead, I was teleported back to the moment nine years ago, when we had met for the first time at a children charity event. He had caught me this same way when I almost fell to the ground and the moment had lingered. It was as though the world had faded around us and I had been mesmerized by the cold depths of his forest green eyes. And the feeling of his strong, masculine arms around my waist. It was like a scene straight out of a fairytale storybook.Maybe that was the reason why our love story came to an end too early. Because it was only just a fairytale. The cab man’s voice cut through the moment.“Hey you! Who the hell are you?!” He barked at Roman who smirked at me again before helping me steady to my feet. Once I was back on my feet, he di
Candice’s POVTWO DAYS LATERI rang the doorbell and waited, clutching my purse and shifting nervously on my feet. I wasn’t sure how to face Sienna after everything that had happened. She hadn’t answered any of my calls or replied to my messages. Guilt had been eating me alive, and it took everything I had to summon the courage to come here.When the door finally opened, my heart skipped a beat as Sienna’s frame greeted me. She stood in the doorway, a mixture of slight surprise and exhaustion on her face. She looked somehow frail. Her shoulders were slumped and her eyes were puffy and red as if she had been crying. Seeing her like this made the guilt in me even worse, and for the millionth time, I hated myself for ever being involved with Sabrina.“Candice?” She said, a faint frown creasing her forehead. “What are you doing here?”I tried to smile, even though my throat tightened with the threat of tears. “You weren’t answering your calls or messages, and you’ve been out on sick l
Roman’s POV“Roman, please! Listen to me!" Sabrina cried, chasing after me as I stormed into the house. All thanks to her, I couldn’t even focus, let alone enjoy my own company’s campaign launch event. And so, as soon as it was over, I had driven straight home. But she still wouldn’t get off my back. “Listen to me already, please!” She begged, grabbing my arm to stop me from walking further.Unable to hold back my anger anymore. I spun around immediately, glaring at her with my nose flaring with rage. The fury in my eyes must have been enough because she took a step back.Good for her.“What could you possibly have to say to me now?” I hissed, my voice low but dripping with so much rage. “What more lies are you going to tell me?”I took a step closer and she backed away, her eyes wide with tears. Fake tears.“You told me and everyone else, that Sienna was the villain. That she hated you, that she tried to take everything from you!” My fists clenched tightly in an effort to control my
Sienna’s POVCandice stormed across the room, and before I could blink, her hand lashed out, delivering a stinging slap across Sabrina’s face. The impact sent Sabrina staggering backward, forcing her to grab the edge of the sink to steady herself.I froze, watching the scene unfold in disbelief. Ever since Candice had mistaken me for Sabrina and attacked me that day, I had known there was some bad blood between them. But this? This was on another level. For the first time, I might finally understand what had fueled their hatred.“For three years, I’ve been waiting for this moment.” Candice hissed with blazing eyes as Sabrina slowly straightened herself, her hand pressing against her reddened cheek. Her perfectly styled hair was now slightly disheveled, and a small cut on her lip trickled crimson. But if she felt any pain, she didn’t show it. Instead, she smirked. “Long time, no see, Candice.” She said coolly. “I thought you had left the city for good.”“I thought so too.” Candice
Sienna’s POVONE WEEK LATER“You can open your eyes now,” Candice whispered, stepping back as she finished my makeup. I opened my eyes slowly and looked at my reflection in the mirror. A smile crept my face as I admired the look. Soft and glowing with warm tones that enhanced my features without looking overdone. My hair was styled into loose waves, cascading over my shoulders effortlessly. It wasn’t bold or dramatic. Just simple and elegant. Candice had insisted I dress the part. As the creative director behind the recent successful campaign for a multi billion dollar company, now being courted by top brands, I had to exude confidence and style. And I shared her vision. “Too stunned to speak?” Candice teased, grinning as she watched me through the mirror.I let out a soft laugh. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”“Alright then.” Candice said, tidying up her vanity table which was cluttered with makeup and brushes. “Ethan’s waiting outside. He can get really cranky when we’re late.”I stoo
Roman’s POV“Roman!” Sabrina’s furious, voice rang out behind me as I sipped from my glass of sparkling water while skimming through the Vogue copy in my hand.“Care to explain this?!” She slapped the same Vogue copy on the table before me, literally fuming with rage. As much as her outburst irritated me, I tried my best to remain calm and composed.Setting my glass down, I lifted my gaze to her reddened face and raised an eyebrow in silent inquiry. “What do you mean?”“This!” She pointed at Sienna’s image on the cover page. “How can you let this happen?!”My frown deepened. I couldn’t understand how someone could hate their own sister’s success so much. Even if Sienna was so evil, getting so angry over her doing well didn’t make any sense.It was thoughts like this that made me doubt Sabrina’s truth sometimes.“You’re not making any sense, Sabrina.” I said to her, doing my best to still keep my tone calm. “All I see is a young woman who is succeeding in her field….”“Succeeding, my
Sienna’s POVAs I half-walked, half-skipped into the company building, a smile played on my lips and my heart felt warm against my chest.Catching a glimpse of Ms. Helen cleaning the corridor, I waved gingerly at her, my teeth flashing in a big smile.“Morning, Ms. Helen!”“Good day to you too, Miss. Blake.” Ms. Helen returned my wave with a smile, which carried a subtle hint of confusion. “You look and sound really cheerful today. What’s the good news?”“Oh.” I laughed again, waving her off. “It’s just that the weather feels like today. I have a feeling we’re going to have a wonderful day today. Anyway, have a great day, Ms. Helen.”I waved at her again as I walked away and Ms. Helen chuckled good-naturedly, waving me back.As I strode down the hallway, my thoughts drifted back to Roman and the spicy event of last night. It felt like one of the dreams I had always had during these past years. Those dreams of when he would slip under the covers beside me and make sweet love to me.And
Sienna’s POV“Kiss me. Kiss me, please.”The ghost of my plea from the campaign’s after-party fell on my ears as I stared at Roman’s tall, black-clad figure waiting for me by my doorsteps.“Fuck.” I cursed in my head. Why was he here? Did it have something to do with the after party?Embarrassed by my drunken plea of the night before, I had spent all morning before our return trying my best to have as minimal contact with Roman as possible.My heart beat raced and I dug my fingers subconsciously into my now palms. Did I maybe blurt out something else last night? About him being my ex husband or perhaps about Livvy being his daughter?God, please! Let it not be either of the options. The thought alone was horrifying. I tensed as he walked up to Livvy and I with a small smile gracing his face, meant to ease my mind. But it didn’t. Instead, it worsened my state of unrest. My grip on Livvy’s hand tightened and I pulled her closer to me protectively.“Mommy. Who is that man?” She asked m
Sienna’s POV Pressing the sleek brass doorbell of Candice’s luxury apartment, I stepped back and waited for the door to be answered. As soon as our return flight from Ibiza touched the soil of New York City, I had dropped my things at my place and boarded a taxi here without any delays, anticipating to see Livvy. To hug her, see her warm smile again, and tell her how much I haf missed her.Less than a minute later, the door was pushed open from the inside and Candice’s cheerful face greeted me.“Omg! It’s you, Sienna!” She squealed in delight before throwing her arms around my neck in an embrace. I chuckled softly at her contagious happiness. “Mommy! You’re back!” A small voice came from behind Candice and she stepped aside, giving way for me to see Livvy running towards me, a plush teddy bear in her hand.“Sweetie!” My heart warmed instantly and I crouched to the ground, spreading out my arms to catch her in a hug just on time. Even though it had only been three days, it felt as
Sienna’s POVAfter Harper left me to join his friend, I stood from the bar stool, swaying slightly as the alcohol pulsed through my system. I needed to pee and my bladder screamed at me to find the bathroom immediately.Gripping the edge of the counter for balance, I staggered toward the hallway, the noise from the party fading behind me as I navigated the dimly lit corridor. Suddenly, a presence stepped out from the shadows, blocking my path and almost causing me to jump off my skin in panic. I squinted my eyes past my drunk blurry vision to see that it was no other person than Sabrina. I huffed in frustration."Well, look who’s had one too many.” She flashed me a venomous smile as she scanned my body from head to toe, her arms crossed. Her nice girl facade was replaced with a bittered, mean girl demeanor now. Her true colors that only I got to see."What do you want, Sabrina?" I asked, blinking to focus my vision as my words slurred just a little. Sabrina’s smirk turned into a