Now......
*Nine years later* In the midst of the elegant and ornate room, Sienna Clairvoyant, who now goes by the name Sienna Williams, sat poised in a tailored black suit, gracefully listening to the interviewer ask about her late husband. Sienna's once short black hair was now a thick shade of brown, cascading perfectly over her shoulder in a 2a wavy curls. A bright shade of red lipstick caressed her lips. The tinge of concealer helped define her cheekbones in a sharp cut, giving her an appearance of a supermodel. It was quite an upgrade from the once timid and abused twenty-two year old girl. "Mrs Williams, once again, accept my heartfelt condolences at the loss of your husband," the woman who sat on the opposite end was a cheerful, brown haired woman in her early forties. "Oh, thank you, Eloise. I miss him everyday," replied Sienna with a sad smile on her face, her thoughts drifting to the last memories of her late husband, Octavio Williams. "So, Mrs Williams, you’ve been asked this question a lot but you've never given a clear answer, and this leaves people wondering about your transparency. Is it true that you married your husband for his money? And, his children? How did the stomach the fact that you are now the sole heir of his properties?" Indeed, Sienna had been asked that question a lot, and every time, she gave them an answer that had them questioning a lot of things. The truth is, she did loved her husband, even though he was twice her age. Maybe, not love in the typical husband and wife sense, but she did love him. He was her saviour. He took her out of the grave that night and stood by her every step of the way, even with her plans for vengeance, right till his last breath. Yes, Sienna loved her husband. "Yes, I married my husband for his money," Sienna answered, a subtle glow adorned her features, a proof to the strength she had grown over the years. "But I also married him because I loved him," she added. "No man will want to marry an ugly woman. While he certainly married her because of some qualities she possessed, her beauty contributed to his decision to marry her. Its the same thing. My husband, may his soul rest in peace, married me because of my beauty, just like I married him for his money," Sienna's response had left the interviewer, as well as the men behind the camera lens astounded. She was well aware of the thousands of people watching her, certain that a majority of them were already cursing her. An innocent smile spread across her face as the interviewer struggled to regain her composure. "Well, Mrs Williams, thank you for your honesty. I think that clears the rumours about your marriage,” she said. Sienna sensed judgement lingering in her words that remained unsaid, but it left her unfazed. She'd grown immune to it. "So, what's next for you Mrs Williams? I assume you're taking full control over your husband's companies. Will you be managing them alongside his son?" Suddenly, Sienna's phone vibrated, disrupting the still tense atmosphere. Sienna excused herself with a polite smile, stepping into the corridor to answer the call. "Sienna, I know you're in the middle of an interview, but this can't wait," a dark, edgy voice spoke from Sienna's receiving end. It was Damien, her late husband's eldest child. "Talk to me," Damien sighed dejectedly on the other end, making Sienna worry. "Rylee has been suspended from school," Sienna froze. The news of her daughter's suspension pierced the air, injecting urgency into her composed demeanor. "What do you mean suspended? What happened? Is Brylee okay?” Sienna asked in reference to her other daughter. Without a moment's hesitation, Sienna rushed out of the building owned by her and as soon as her driver spotted her scurrying toward him, he rushed to open the door. Arriving at the school, Sienna was met with an unexpected sight – her daughter Rylee a total mess. Her school uniform was torn, her hair dishevelled and blood thick on her nostrils. "Oh my goodness me! Rylee! What happened to you baby? Are you okay?" Sienna asked, inspecting her daughter's arm for any more possible bruises. "She's okay mama, should have seen the boy," Brylee, Rylee's twin interjected with a proud smile on her face. "A boy? You fought a boy?" Sienna exclaimed in disbelief, her eyes darting between her daughters. Both girls were a mirror image of each other in many ways. Their jet-black hair which they got from the mother, cascaded in sleek waves, however, their feline eyes of forest green colour they inherited from their father. Despite their identical appearance, subtle differences set them apart. Brylee's features softened by a sprinkling of freckles across her nose and cheeks, while Rylee, though lacking these features, possessed an air of confidence. Her intense gaze hints a depth of maturity beyond her years, while her sister exudes a sense of calmness. Often times, one mistook Rylee for the elder sister as she was more stern, but Brylee was the older one, by three minutes. "She's been suspended for two weeks for beating the kid, almost leaving him unconscious. It is because of your donations to the school that she wasn't dismissed," Damien spoke up, his presence reassuring. "Jesus, Rylee. You can't go around hitting other kids," Sienna spoke. She was well aware of her youngest inability to control her temper. "I can and I will. He was bullying Brylee okay? And he spoke shit about you and grandpa Octavio," the little one spat, stomping her foot on the ground and folding her little arms. "Language, Rylee. You know the punishment for using foul language," Sienna warned. "But mummy! He called you a skank whore! That's foul language too," Brylee defended her twin. Sienna sighed in defeat. Clearly, this wasn't an issue that could be sorted out in school premises. Sienna turned to Damien and gave him an appreciative smile, to which he shook his head dismissively. "Let's go girls. We'll talk about your punishment at home Rylee," Sienna spoke, leading her girls towards the car. She turned to Damien with a worried expression on her face. "We'll talk about it at home. I'll ride behind you girls," he dismissed. Sienna nodded. Rylee and Brylee turned, waving at Damien with majestic smiles. "Bye Uncle Daddy Damien," they called out cohesively. Sienna smiled at the interaction between her girls and Damien, her heart threatening to combust with joy. ----------"Is everything set for my return?" Asked Sienna Williams. She was currently sat at the mahogany desk in the study of her mansion, her fingers tracing the edges of a photo album, flipping through the pages and digesting the faces of everyone who had a score to settle with her. Those who thought her dead. Damien leaned against the bookshelf, his gaze landing on a picture of Aaron and Gisella their wedding day. An inexplicable expression swept across Damien's face as he cleared his throat, straightening his posture. "Everything is in order. My source tells me the DeMarque are impatient about your arrival," This newfound information made Sienna smile and dropped the album. She gave him a look that said 'tell me more' whilst walking towards the couch in her study. "They're excited at the thought of a personality like yourself coming to settle in their town. My source tells me Aaron DeMarque just announced his candidacy for mayor and they need all the finance they can get for their campa
Sienna Williams hadn’t expected the nerve-wracking and gut-wrenching emotion that came with seeing her ex-boyfriend, the man who broke her heart in the most vicious way so soon. She had prepared to face him, along with the rest later that evening, and now, as their gaze locked, she wasn’t sure what to do. She wasn’t sure how to react.Aaron DeMarque looked handsome, more handsome than she’d seen in the pictures of him and his family. He’d grown beards over the years and they caressed his sharp jawline, giving him a rough yet gentleman-ly demeanor.It felt like an eternity before Sienna blinked and took in a deep breath. As Aaron rounded the vehicle, staggering for her side of the door while stomping the vehicle with his hands, Sienna ordered the chauffeur to drive off.“Drive! Fast!” Sienna said in a stern yet shaky voice, her heart pounding against her ribcage. Her hand clutched to her chest as she turned on the spot, eyeing the raging man running at full speed behind them.“Mummy,
Sienna Williams chatted with the Governor for a while in her study in the watchful presence of Damien, though he was subtle about the way he stared at George. When Sienna had had enough exchange of words with him, she zoomed off, letting her mind wander to the party beginning in barely hours. She had hoped for an hour's rest after the Governor’s departure, but his constant blabbering didn’t seem to end. “Mr Governor,” Sienna spoke and rose to her feet, drawing the attention of Damien. Simultaneously, the Governor rose to his feet as well. “Thank you for coming all the way to welcome me back home, but, as you already know, I am hosting a party this evening which I must get ready for,” Sienna stated firmly. “Of course, Mrs Williams,” the Governor says, stretching out his hand for a farewell handshake with Sienna, but Damien stepped in between, taking his hand and giving it a firm shake. “I’ll see you out, Mrs Williams has something important to tend to,” Damien says while still sh
Later that evening, the stars shone brightly in the sky, creating a warm and festive ambience. In the foyer of the Fortress, the air was filled with a soft glow from the chandeliers that casted a warm and inviting light. With the tables dressed in crisp white linens adorned with intricate centrepieces of fresh flowers on some tables and diamond on others, the first set of guest began to make their way to the delicious buffet. Outside the foyer of the Fortress, guest dressed in their finest attire mingle and chatted. Women, most of whom Sienna could vaguely recognise, were dressed in flowing dress of sateen, their jewellery catching light with each movement. Most of them were accompanied by men in tailored suits and tuxedos. In the background, a light orchestra plays a gentle waltz, the strings blending harmoniously with a soft hum. Sienna Williams sat in her study where she had the perfect overview of everything. She was dressed in a forest green dress with an off-the-shoulder desi
All through the night, Sienna Williams tried as much as possible to stay a thousand feet away from Aaron. Standing so close to him had brought back emotions that swept her off her feet, but, she maintained a demeanor that didn’t give it away. She could feel his gaze on her, boring a hole in the back of her head. Whenever she moved from one table to the next, she would feel his gaze sweep all through her body, watching her every move. And even when she smiled flirtatiously at the Governor – though it made her skin crawl, Sienna could feel the dead glare Aaron shot at him.‘Why was he acting so possessive and jealous of someone he had just met? Or perhaps, had he caught into the fact that I was Sienna Clairvoyant, the girl whose heart he broke?’ Sienna wondered. Across the room, her gaze locked with Damien. He tilted his head to the side, signaling that he needed a minute alone with her. Sienna quickly excused herself from the crowd she chatted with and headed towards Damien. When sh
“I’m telling you, she’s the one! I would recognise that lowlife good for nothing bitch anywhere. Money and class could not change her,” Sienna barely caught into Gisella’s words as she approached their table because as soon as they spotted Sienna, everyone quieted down, exchanging stares between them.“Are we having fun?” Sienna spoke up with a big smile on her face despite knowing she had been the topic of conversation a few seconds ago. None of them replied to Sienna’s question, but she didn’t let that stop her from pulling out the empty chair between Gisella and Natalia.A waiter approaches their table, offering a glass of champagne to Sienna and then to the others. Sienna gracefully sipped her champagne, not faltering at the way they intensely stared at her every mannerisms. The waiter gone, Sienna placed her glass on the table. She pushes the hair that covered her cheek bone over her shoulder, crossed her legs and smiled at Natalia.“So, what brings you to Portsmouth?” Natalia a
At the end of the party, Sienna stood on the patio where a an aisle made of flower was placed. With a polite smile plastered on her face, she greeted the last of the guests who filtered out from the grand hall and the garden, their laughter and conversations trailing into the night. Damien was a steady presence at her side, his hand resting lightly on her lower back in a gesture that was both protective and possessive.The party had been a success, the kind of glittering affair that left everyone talking for weeks, although currents of tension had woven through the event when she’d sat with the DeMarque. Sienna Williams knew this well, for she had been the one to set those currents in motion, pickling at their weaknesses. Her demeanor betraying the provocations she had seeded throughout the night.When Aaron approached, Sienna’s demeanor barely changed as she gave him the same smile she’d given to everyone who greeted and applauded her for a wonderful party. Gisela was still fuming fr
Sienna Williams leaned back in her plush office chair, twirling a pen between her fingers as she listened to the Governor wax poetic about the town’s future. It was two in the afternoon and Damien had left the office for the day to go spend sometime with Rylee and Brylee. Sienna insisted on staying for another two hours as she had a meeting with the Governor.“Mrs Williams, I’m telling you, this town has so much potential. We just need the right investments to bring it to life,” the Governor said, his enthusiasm easily perceived. Sienna listened to him speak, silently taking in his appearance. He was a tall, slightly portly man in his mid-fifties, with a receding hairline. He wasn’t bad looking for someone his age, but if he wasn’t physically repulsive in his thoughts and actions, Sienna would have loved to do business with him. Sienna nodded, though her mind was partially on the stack of proposals from the head office she needed to review by the end of the day. “I hear you, Mr Gover
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