The morning sun cast a glow over Portsmouth as Sienna Williams drove to work, her mind replaying the events of the previous night and the kiss she had shared with Damien on Saturday. The memory was sharp and vivid, and every time she glanced at him in the passenger seat, the air felt charged with unspoken words and undiluted tension.Sienna cleared her throat, trying to shake off the awkwardness. “I made an interesting discovery last night,” she began, her tone casual. “Turns out Gisela is seeing someone,”Damien turned his head slightly, his expression neutral but his eyes flickering with curiosity. “Really? Gisela is cheating on Aaron? That’s news. Who would have thought?” “Yeah, it seemed... huge. She drives herself every Thursday to a particular location. I need you to look into it. Find out who this guy is,” Sienna continued, stealing a glance at Damien. Damien nodded. “Consider it done.”They fell into silence again, the tension between them palpable. Sienna kept stealing glan
Hours after Ezra DeMarque’s departure, Sienna Williams still sat in her office, staring blankly at the wall. The room, usually a place were she exalted power and control, now felt like a cage. She couldn’t shake the feeling of being trapped, not just in her office, but in a memory that had clawed its way back into her mind. The encounter with Ezra had been brief, but its impact was profound, dragging her back to a time she’d spent years trying to forget.Nine years ago. She had been so different then—naive, vulnerable, trusting. The way Ezra had manipulated and abused her had left scars so deep that even now, they still bled. Seeing him today had ripped those wounds wide open. Sienna felt like she was back in that room with him, powerless and afraid. Her fingers dug into the armrests of her chair as she tried to push the memories back, but they washed over her like a brutal wave, overwhelming her.She didn’t hear the door open, didn’t notice the sound of footsteps until Melissa was ri
After Damien left with a promise to secure Gisela's and Aaron's shares in DeMarque Enterprises, Sienna sat back in her chair, letting out a slow breath. After a while, she began trashing out financial reports from the mall a Portsmouth.As a major shareholder, Sienna made it a habit of checking the numbers every month, ensuring that everything was on track, every money disbursed clearly accounted for and brainstorming possible ways to generate more revenue. Sienna spent the next few hours going through each report meticulously, making notes, flagging issues, and drafting emails for follow-ups. By the time she finally decided to call it a day, the sun had already begun to set, casting an orange glow through the large windows of her office. Sienna rose to her feet and stretched, feeling the tension in her shoulders ease. She grabbed her bag and walked out of her office. Sienna was surprised to see Melissa still at her desk, typing away. The office was already empty as most of the empl
Sienna Williams sighed as she stepped out of her car and into the cool evening air. It had been a long day of unwanted visits and conversations. All she wanted right now was a glass of wine whilst she cuddled with her girls. As she walked up the steps of the Fortress, Damien was already there waiting for her, his expression unusually serious. “Sienna,” he said as she approached, his tone gentle but firm. “Aaron’s here. He’s waiting for you in your study downstairs.”Sienna paused mid-step, a frown creasing her forehead. “Aaron? What on earth is he doing here?”Damien shrugged, though the slight tension in his shoulders betrayed his unease. “He didn’t say. Just that it was important.”Sienna’s frown deepened. She hadn’t seen Aaron since they bumped into each other at the mall, and she couldn’t imagine what could be so urgent that he’d come to see her. A part of her wanted to tell Damien to send him away, but another part—perhaps the more curious part—urged her to get this over with.
Rylee and Brylee looked up at Sienna with wide, questioning eyes, sensing the unusual air in their mother's room, but not fully understanding it.“Mommy, who was that man?” Rylee asked innocently, breaking the tension that hung in the air.Sienna forced a smile, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “Just an old friend, sweetie. Don’t worry about it.” Sienna played with her kids for a while. When Brylee yawned, she knew it was time for them to get some sleep. Using the intercom button in her room, she called on Nana Griselda and when she showed up barely minutes after, Sienna asked her to get the kids ready for bed. After the twins departure, Sienna walked up to the bar in her room and poured herself a glass of whiskey. Damien, who had been silent all along, watched Sienna closely, his expression unreadable. “Are you okay?” he asked quietly once Sienna had gulped the second glass.Sienna let out a long breath, rubbing her temples as she tried to process everything that had just happened.
The meeting with Sienna Williams over, Aaron DeMarque stepped into his home with a spring in his step, a beaming smile on his face. He could hardly believe it—Sienna had agreed to endorse him. The meeting had gone even better than expected, and he could only imagine the headlines tomorrow. He couldn't wait to rub it in George and Harris's face that Sienna was on his side. He strides into his bedroom and hung up his coat. But as soon as he began to unbutton his shirt, the atmosphere shifted. Gisela leaned against the door frame, arms crossed and eyes blazing with fury. Aaron’s smile faltered. “Gisela?” he began, his voice cautious. “What’s wrong?” “What’s wrong?” she repeated, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She took a step toward him, her hands trembling with barely contained rage. “You tell me, Aaron. How was your little meeting with Sienna?” Aaron blinked, taken aback by the venom in her tone. “It went well. Really well, actually. She’s agreed to endorse my campaign, which i
"It worked! Aaron just left the house in a fit of rage, and Gisela is still hysterical. Even Natalia can't calm her down," the voice on the other end of the line whispered urgently. Sienna’s grin widened. “I told you it would. Good work,” she said, her tone casual, as if discussing the weather instead of chaos she had stirred in the DeMarque estate. Sienna Williams was in her study at the Fortress still dressed in the white gown she had worn for her meeting with Aaron. She was sitting comfortably on her chair when Damien walked in and her phone buzzed on the desk. She glanced at the screen and smiled, recognizing the number. She picked it up and put the phone on speaker. “How’s the rest of the house?” Sienna asked. “A mess. Gisela’s been crying and screaming for hours. Natalia’s trying her best, but nothing’s working. Aaron slammed the door so hard on his way out, I thought the hinges were going to fly off.” Sienna chuckled softly. "Any updates on Gisela’s lover? Have you been abl
Sienna Williams had an amazing night. The follow morning, she woke up to the sound of giggles and tiny feet skipping into her bedroom. She barely had time to blink the sleep out of her eyes before the twins jumped onto her bed, each of them diving straight for her like tiny missiles.“Mommy, wake up!” Brylee squealed, bouncing on the bed next to her. Rylee, always the more composed one, but no less enthusiastic, crawled under the blankets and snuggled up next to her. “Mommy, can we have pancakes for breakfast?”Sienna chuckled, feeling the last remainder of sleep slip away. “Good morning to you, too,” she said, wrapping an arm around Rylee while ruffling Brylee’s hair with her free hand. “Pancakes, huh? Are you going to help me make them?”Brylee’s eyes lit up. “Yes! I want to mix!”“Then pancakes it is.” Sienna stretched and glanced at the clock on her nightstand. She had a few hours before she needed to head into the office, so she could afford to linger in bed with her kids a littl
Later that evening, Sienna stepped through the doors of the grand fortress. The house felt unusually quiet, none of the maids were in sight. Sienna’s steps faltered when she saw Damien descending the stairs, a suitcase at his feet indicating that he was just about to leave. The sight of it sent a pang of panic through her chest. Had things become this bad between them that he had to take some clothes with him? Sienna wondered to herself. Was he going to come and leave without seeing her? Sienna couldn’t stomach the distance she had caused between them and she knew immediately that she had to make amends.Damien’s gaze locked on Sienna but he didn’t hold her case. He grabbed his suitcase and began to walk towards her, passing her without as much as a smile.“Damien, wait,” Sienna called out, her voice barely above a whisper, but enough to make him pause. Damien turned. Although his expression was unreadable, there was a flicker of something in his eyes. They stood there for a moment,
Sienna Williams stood in the middle of the conference hall, arms crossed, her sharp gaze locked on Gisela DeMarque. Of all the things she expected to see today, Gisela, of all people, on her knees in front of her was not one of them. Yet there she was, hands clasped together, head slightly bowed.It took everything Sienna had not to smirk, particularly as Aaron and Natalia studied her reaction. This was a side of Gisela she never thought she'd witness—desperate. This moment felt especially sweet. She could practically taste the power she held over the DeMarques."Sienna..." Gisela's voice was forced. "I'm sorry."Sienna raised an eyebrow, her face impassive. She didn’t respond immediately, letting the silence pull a little longer. She wanted Gisela to feel every second of it."For what exactly?" Sienna asked. Gisela’s jaw clenched, and she took a deep breath before continuing. “For accusing you of having an affair with my husband... in public. I shouldn’t have said those things. I was
"Damien, forget about the lead investigator. He's working with Gisela. He won't be of much help to us. You should focus on getting the chief of precinct on our side,"It has been over thirty minutes since Sienna's tense exchange with inspector Everett. Sienna had been pacing back and forth in her office, wondering why she hadn't stopped to think for a second that Gisela's mistress could be someone within the law enforcement. Given the circumstances, it was hardly even on her mind. But now that she had this information, she was going to use it to her advantage. If Gisela had George killed, Everett had to have known. Sienna knew she had to find anything to link them to George's murder before they ruled it out as suicide."Why? Do you know something I don't?""Everett Gaines! He's the man we've been searching for all this while. He's Gisela's lover,""What!" Damien's shock voice made Sienna's insides swirl in a delicious way. "Yeah. I had the information last night but I didn't confirm
In the quiet of Sienna's office, inspector Everett’s voice was sharp as he broke the silence. “So, Ms Williams, I’m sure you’ve heard about the Mayor’s death by now.”Sienna raised an eyebrow, her expression giving away nothing. “Tragic news. George had a lot of plans for this city.”He nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving hers, studying every reaction. “Tragic, yes. But it’s also… suspicious and convenient for others,”She could feel the shift in his tone, enough bite to it to signal an accusation without outright saying it. Sienna let the silence stretch a bit longer, her lips curling into the faintest hint of a smile. She wasn’t new to these games.“And you’re implying… what, exactly?” she asked, her voice smooth and calm. Everett’s eyes narrowed. “You were close with George. Matter of fact, he was the very first person you acquainted with since stepping foot into Portsmouth. You were both working on some pretty big projects and correct me if I am wrong, but you were about to end
Back at the Fortress...Sienna had just finished tucking the girls into bed. After a series of explanations as to why their uncle daddy Damien wasn't coming home for the time being, she finally settled in her bathtub, the hot water relaxing the nerves that settled behind her neck. Sienna threw her head backwards, groaning as she felt the tension slip away. Her phone vibrated. She picked it up and smiled before pressing the phone to her ear."Seeing your call puts me in a good mood," Sienna says, happy to hear from her daughter after so long."I miss you too, mom," the voice on the other end says."You should visit home sometime. I'm sure the twins will be excited to see you. They have been asking nonstop about you,""You know I can't mom. It's risky," there was a slight pause before the voice spoke up again. “I’ve got something juicy for you. I finally figured out who Gisela's lover is," Sienna arched an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued despite herself. "Aaron and Gisela got into a heat
Meanwhile....At the DeMarques’ estate, the tension in the air was thick enough to choke on. Aaron stood in the middle of the living room glaring at Gisela as she paced back and forth in front of him. The argument had started an hour ago, but it had escalated fast."I can't believe you, Gisela," Aaron snapped, his voice cold and sharp. "Do you have any idea what you've done? Throwing accusations at Sienna? You cost me the endorsement. The one thing that was keeping us ahead in the polls!"Gisela stopped pacing and turned to face him. Her cheeks were flushed, not from shame, but from anger. "Oh, don't act like you're so innocent in all this! We both know WHY and HOW you got Sienna to endorse you!""Do you have any idea what you’ve done? You slandered her without a shred of proof! You humiliated me in front of people I need on my side. Not only do they think I am weak and I can't control my own wife, they also think I am a cheat!"Gisela’s eyes flashed dangerously. "Control? Is that wha
The following day.....Sienna Williams stood in front of her mirror, pulling her hair back into a sleek ponytail. She wore her signature white colour in a tailored suit, one that made her feel powerful - not that she needed the extra confidence. She grabbed her phone and bag and headed out of her bedroom. She reached the grand foyer when one of the guards intercepted her, looking uneasy."Mrs Williams, just wanted to inform you that Mr. Damien took the other car and left ahead of you. He said he had some things to take care of."Sienna blinked, the news hitting her harder than she’d like to admit. She tried to keep her expression neutral, but the sting of disappointment was hard to hide. She knew exactly why Damien had gone ahead without her. It was something he did whenever they had a disagreement, no matter the magnitude and yesterday evening was one of those times. “Right. Thanks for letting me know,” Sienna's voice was tight as she spoke.The guard gave her a respectful nod befor
"I have had enough!" Sienna Williams stepped in. Her gaze shifts briefly between Gisela and Aaron who looked like they were seconds away from plucking off each other's eyes. "Damien, get me out of here," Sienna didn't pull her gaze from Gisela as she spoke. "Unless I receive a public apology from the DeMarques, we shall have no business," Sienna felt Damien’s hand on her arm. She glanced at Aaron, who looked like he wanted to sink into the floor, and then at Natalia, whose face was a mask of shock and confusion. Then, they all left the garden. Sienna walked hand-in-hand with Aaron and Melissa walked next to her. They barely made it out of the DeMarque mansion when the heard Aaron's agitated voice behind them."Sienna! Please wait up," Sienna paused, her head freezing in Damiens'. She tilted her head and gave him a look that said: what do you think he wants now? Damien simply shrugged."Sienna, I'm so sorry for what happened back there. Gisela was so out of line," he says as Sienna tu
By the time Sienna and Damien made it back to the reception, the atmosphere had shifted from merriment to tense. A crowd had gathered in the center of the garden, all eyes focused on two women locked in a heated argument whom Sienna immediately recognised. Gisela and Melissa.“What the hell is going on?” Damien muttered under his breath as he stepped forward, but Sienna held up a hand to stop him.“Wait,” she said softly. “Let’s see how this plays out.” As they moved closer, the words between Melissa and Gisela became clearer. “I know your type,” Gisela hissed, her voice filled with disdain. “Hovering around, pretending to be so sweet and helpful. But really, you’re just a leech, clinging to Sienna’s every word, trying to climb your way up.”Melissa shot back, “I’m just doing my job, Gisela. Maybe you should focus more on your own life instead of thinking everyone is a lowlife manipulative gold digging twat like you.”The tension in the garden was thick enough to cut with a knife. S