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Chapter 18: Unspoken Longing
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-03-12 12:04:17
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Hate You, Love You Chapter 19: Breaking the Rules Again
The clock on Sienna’s nightstand read 2:37 AM when she heard it—the soft, muffled sound of crying.Her heart clenched as she sat up in bed, listening intently. The Lancaster mansion was enormous, yet the sound was unmistakable. It was Lily.Without a second thought, Sienna threw on a robe over her nightdress and padded barefoot down the long hallway, following the quiet sobs. When she reached Lily’s door, she hesitated only for a second before pushing it open.The room was dimly lit by the nightlight on the bedside table, casting a soft glow over the little girl curled up beneath a mountain of blankets. Her small shoulders shook as she cried into her pillow, her tiny fingers clutching at the fabric as if trying to hold herself together.Sienna’s heart ached at the sight.“Lily?” she whispered gently, stepping closer.The child flinched at first, but when she turned and saw Sienna, her teary blue eyes widened in relief. Without
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-12Hate You, Love You Chapter 20: The Line Blurs
The air between them was charged, thick with an energy neither of them wanted to acknowledge. Ever since that night in Lily’s room, something had shifted. Grayson had become even more distant, yet his presence felt heavier whenever he was around.Sienna noticed it in the way his gaze lingered a second too long, the way his jaw tightened when she laughed with Lily, and the way his hands curled into fists when another man so much as looked at her.She wasn’t imagining it.She knew the signs.But she also knew Grayson was a man who thrived on control, and whatever this was—this unspoken tension between them—was something he refused to accept.Tonight, the tension reached its breaking point.A storm raged outside, rain hammering against the mansion’s windows while thunder rumbled in the distance. Sienna had been making her way to the kitchen when the power flickered, plunging the house into darkness. S
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-12Hate You, Love You Chapter 21: A Slip of Emotion
The mansion was quiet, wrapped in the kind of stillness that only came late at night. The storm from earlier had passed, leaving behind a crisp chill in the air, and outside, the moonlight filtered through the grand windows, casting soft silver shadows across the marble floors. Sienna should have been asleep. She had tucked Lily into bed hours ago, read her a bedtime story, and even curled up in her own room, willing herself to drift off. But sleep never came. Not when her mind was still replaying everything that had happened over the past few days—the almost-kiss, the way Grayson had looked at her, the way he had pulled away at the last second as if touching her would be a mistake. The way her heart ached, even though she knew it shouldn’t. With a sigh, she threw off her blankets and padded barefoot down the dimly lit hallway. She wasn’t sure why she was heading downstairs—maybe for a cup of tea, maybe just for an excuse to move. But as she descended the grand staircase, she
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-13Hate You, Love You Chapter 22: A Night of Vulnerability
The mansion was silent, save for the soft crackling of the fireplace in the grand sitting room. Outside, the night stretched endlessly, the moon casting a pale glow over the manicured estate. It was late—too late for either of them to still be awake—but neither Sienna nor Grayson seemed willing to retreat to their rooms. Sienna sat curled up on the plush leather couch, a cup of tea in her hands, while Grayson sat across from her, his fingers loosely wrapped around a glass of whiskey. His posture was tense, his gaze distant, staring at the amber liquid as if it held all the answers he refused to acknowledge. She had never seen him like this. Grayson Pierce was a man of control, of rigid discipline, of impenetrable walls. But tonight… tonight, there was something different about him. Something raw. Sienna hesitated before breaking the silence. “You look like you have something on your mind.” His gaze flickered to her, dark and unreadable. “I always have something on my mind.”
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-13Hate You, Love You Chapter 23: A Touch Too Long
The storm from the night before had passed, but the weight of their conversation lingered in the mansion like an unshakable presence. Sienna couldn’t stop thinking about the way Grayson had looked at her, the raw emotion in his voice as he spoke about Evelyn. For the first time since she had met him, he had let his walls crack—just enough for her to see the man underneath the cold, untouchable exterior. But come morning, it was as if it had never happened. Grayson was back to his usual self—detached, composed, unreadable. If it weren’t for the flicker of something in his gaze whenever their eyes met, she might have convinced herself that she had imagined the entire thing. But she hadn’t. And neither had he. ---The Kitchen EncounterSienna was in the kitchen when it happened. She had woken up early, intending to prepare breakfast for Lily before Maria, the housekeeper, arrived. She didn’t know why—maybe it was her way of trying to bring some warmth into the house. Ma
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-13Hate You, Love You Chapter 24: A Storm Within
The mansion was silent, but the air inside was anything but calm. It was thick with unspoken words, heavy with tension that neither of them had the courage to acknowledge. Grayson had always prided himself on control. Control over his company, control over his emotions, control over the way he interacted with the world. It had always been easy—compartmentalizing, keeping things in neat, separate boxes. But ever since Sienna walked into his life, those walls had started to crack. And after last night—the touch that lingered longer than it should have, the way his body had frozen instead of pulling away—he knew he was on dangerous ground. So, he did what he had always done when faced with something he couldn’t control. He buried it. He buried it beneath distance, beneath coldness, beneath an indifference that he knew would hurt her. Beca
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-13Hate You, Love You Chapter 25: Sienna Fights Back
The next morning, Sienna woke up with a renewed sense of purpose—and frustration. She had spent half the night tossing and turning, reliving every moment of her confrontation with Grayson. The way he had looked at her, the way his voice had been cold but his eyes had burned with something else entirely. He wanted her. He was fighting it. And he was punishing **her** for it. Well, if he thought she was just going to roll over and take it, he had another thing coming. She had been through too much in her life to let some emotionally constipated billionaire push her around. If Grayson thought he could ignore her, freeze her out, and make her feel small—**he was wrong**. And today, she was going to prove it. ---**Breakfast Tension** The moment she entered the dining room, she felt it. The weight of his
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-13Hate You, Love You Chapter 26: A Private Moment
The house was quiet.Not the cold, suffocating silence that usually filled Grayson’s estate, but something… softer.He stood just outside Lily’s bedroom, watching through the slightly open door as Sienna tucked his daughter into bed.She moved with an ease that baffled him.Lily, who had spent so long retreating into herself, now giggled as Sienna fluffed her pillows, dramatically pretending to wrestle them into the perfect shape.“There we go,” Sienna declared, placing her hands on her hips. “The comfiest pillow fortress in all the land.”Lily grinned, snuggling under her blankets. “It’s perfect.”Sienna sat on the edge of the bed, brushing a stray lock of blonde hair from Lily’s forehead. “Did you have fun today, sweetheart?”Lily nodded eagerly. “Yes! The puzzle was hard, but we finished it!”“That’s because you’re a genius,” Sienna teased, booping Lily’s nose.Grayson felt something shift inside him—something foreign.A warmth he didn’t know what to do with.For so long, this hous
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-17
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Hate You, Love You Chapter 41: A Kiss Born from Anger
The tension had been building for weeks, simmering beneath the surface, unspoken but undeniable. Sienna had done her best to ignore it, to pretend that she didn’t notice the way Grayson looked at her when he thought she wasn’t paying attention.But tonight, she was done pretending.He had been cold all day, avoiding her as much as possible, barely speaking a word unless it was about Lily. It was infuriating, especially after everything that had happened between them. The near-kisses, the charged moments, the way his eyes darkened when she was too close.And worst of all—the kiss.The one that had shattered everything.The one he had walked away from, leaving her standing there like it had meant nothing.She stormed into his office, her fists clenched at her sides. He was seated behind his massive desk, reviewing some documents, his posture stiff and controlled.
Hate You, Love You Chapter 40: The Walls Begin to Crumble
Grayson had spent years perfecting the art of control.Discipline, precision, and emotional distance had built his empire. They had kept him sane after his wife’s death, ensuring that no one could ever get too close, that no one could touch the raw, broken pieces of him.But Sienna was chipping away at that foundation, and he didn’t know how to stop her.And worse—he wasn’t sure he wanted to anymore.The house was quiet that evening, save for the soft hum of classical music drifting from the speakers in the living room. Lily had gone to bed hours ago, and Sienna was curled up on the couch, flipping through a book she had found in the library.Grayson had been watching her for the past ten minutes.He told himself he had just happened to pass by. That he wasn’t here because of her.But he knew better.She was wearing one of those oversized sweaters that always seemed to swallow her frame, her legs tucked under her. A strand of hair had fallen over her cheek, and she absentmindedly tuck
Hate You, Love You Chapter 39: Cracks in the Armor
The night had been long, but the thoughts in Grayson’s mind were longer.After putting Lily back to bed, he had returned to his office, but sleep eluded him. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Sienna—her fiery defiance, the softness in her touch, the way Lily had melted into her arms like she belonged there.It was dangerous.Sienna wasn’t supposed to belong here.And yet, she did.Now, as the morning sun streamed through the large windows of his office, Grayson sat at his desk, staring at his laptop screen without seeing the words in front of him.He wasn’t sure how much longer he could fight this.A soft knock at the door made him look up.Sienna.Her hair was pulled into a loose ponytail, a few strands falling around her face. She was wearing a simple fitted sweater and jeans, yet she looked more stunning than any woman he had ever seen at his corporate events or high-end parties.Grayson’s fingers twitched, but he kept his expression neutral. “Something you need?”Sienna arched
Hate You, Love You Chapter 38: A Battle of Willpower
Grayson sat in his office, his fingers steepled together as he stared at the untouched glass of whiskey in front of him. His mind was a storm—one he had been trying to contain for days.It wasn’t working.Sienna’s words still echoed in his head, haunting him like a melody he couldn’t shake."Only if you keep pretending it doesn’t exist."He clenched his jaw, gripping the glass and taking a slow sip, as if the burn of alcohol could drown out the fire she had ignited in him. It didn’t.She had gotten under his skin in a way no one ever had.And that was the problem.Grayson Pierce didn’t lose control. He didn’t allow himself to want things he couldn’t have.Yet, here he was, craving her like an addiction.The way her eyes flashed with defiance when she challenged him. The softness in her voice when she spoke to Lily. The way she looked at him, like she saw through all his walls and wasn’t afraid.He exhaled sharply, setting his glass down with more force than necessary.This needed to
Hate You, Love You Chapter 37: A Crack in the Armor
Grayson wasn’t avoiding her.At least, that’s what he told himself.The truth, however, was harder to swallow.Ever since their conversation in the garden, he had been on edge. Sienna’s words lingered in his mind, looping over and over, refusing to be ignored."I’m not going to keep pretending. You care about Lily, but you also care about me."He hated how easily she saw through him.How effortlessly she peeled back the layers he had spent years fortifying.So, like any man who was too much of a coward to face his feelings, he buried himself in work, using meetings and contracts as an excuse to avoid unnecessary interactions with her.Unnecessary, as in anything that didn’t involve Lily.It should have been easy.It wasn’t.—Sienna noticed the shift immediately.For the past two days, Grayson had been more distant than usual—not in his usual brooding way, but deliberately.He left early, returned late, and when he was home, he kept their conversations minimal, his words clipped and p
Hate You, Love You Chapter 36: A Reluctant Truce
Sienna wasn’t sure how much sleep she got, but it wasn’t enough.Her mind had been a whirlwind ever since last night’s conversation in the kitchen. She kept replaying Grayson’s words—his confession, his raw vulnerability, and the way he had shut down as soon as he realized how much he had let slip.The man was impossible.One minute, he was letting her in, and the next, he was slamming the door in her face.By the time she made her way downstairs the next morning, she expected things to be back to normal—meaning Grayson would pretend last night never happened.She wasn’t wrong.She found him in the dining room, reading the morning paper while sipping his coffee. His expression was unreadable, his posture stiff, as if the man from last night had been a figment of her imagination.Lily sat at the table too, idly stirring her cereal, humming soft
Hate You, Love You Chapter 35: Cracks in the Ice
Sienna should have known that last night’s laughter wouldn’t last.The next morning, Grayson was back to being the cold, composed man she had met on day one. He was distant, buried in his work, and barely acknowledged her presence.If she hadn’t witnessed him sitting on the floor, covered in paint, with his daughter giggling in his lap, she might have believed it was all a dream.But it wasn’t.She had seen him soften. She had felt the shift.And now he was pretending it never happened.Well, two could play that game.She wouldn’t push. If he wanted to retreat behind his walls, fine. But she wouldn’t pretend she hadn’t seen the man behind them either.—The tension simmered throughout the day.Sienna spent most of her morning with Lily, reading to her in the sunroom while Grayson took work calls in his of
Hate You, Love You Chapter 34: A Tension That Won’t Fade
Sienna had had enough.Enough of the push and pull. Enough of the way Grayson looked at her like she was the only woman in the world, only to turn cold the next moment. Enough of pretending she wasn’t affected when she very much was.After the kitchen encounter, she made a promise to herself: she would not let Grayson Pierce get under her skin.But it was easier said than done.The following morning, she was in the playroom with Lily, setting up an art station when she felt his presence before she even saw him. A rush of awareness prickled along her skin, and she straightened her shoulders, refusing to acknowledge him first.Lily, however, had no such reservations.“Daddy!” she called out, waving a tiny paintbrush in excitement.Grayson stepped into the room, his gaze sweeping over the scene. His eyes softened—just barely—when they landed on Lily, but whe
Hate You, Love You Chapter 33: A Moment Too Close
The silence between them stretched for days.Grayson kept himself locked away in his office, throwing himself into work as if it could erase the memory of her lips, the warmth of her body pressed against his. His schedule became even more rigid—meetings back-to-back, conference calls late into the night, and strict avoidance of any moment where he might be alone with Sienna.It was childish.He knew that.Yet every time he looked at her, he could still feel the ghost of her touch, the taste of her lips lingering like an unshakable addiction.Sienna, on the other hand, refused to let his cold behavior affect her—at least, that’s what she told herself. She wasn’t the type to sit around pining over a man, especially one as emotionally unavailable as Grayson Pierce. If he wanted to pretend their kiss never happened, fine. She wasn’t about to beg for his attention.But t
