Chapter 10 - Unexpected Reunion

Still at the charity gala, Sienna knew she had to take advantage of the situation to get closer to David and stoke the flames of Lyra's jealousy. As the event proceeded, she observed the perfect opportunity: a waltz was announced, and couples began to form on the dance floor.

As Sienna gracefully made her way around the room, a mischievous idea struck her. She spotted the event's master of ceremonies and approached him with a charming smile. She whispered a request in his ear, and he nodded enthusiastically.

The master of ceremonies addressed the attendees. "Ladies and gentlemen, for the next dance, we have a special surprise! We will randomly pair our distinguished guests for a waltz."

Guests exchanged excited glances, and the room filled with anticipation. The master of ceremonies began to call out the pairings, and Sienna crossed her fingers, hoping for the outcome she desired.

As luck would have it, Sienna was paired with David. Their eyes met, and David, unable to resist Sienna's captivating presence, extended his hand to her.

"Shall we?" he asked, a playful smirk on his lips.

"Only if you can keep up, Mr. Hendrix," Sienna replied, her voice dripping with challenge.

Moving gracefully together, Sienna drew David closer, their bodies pressed together in perfect harmony. The chemistry between them was undeniable, and David found himself unable to look away from Sienna's enchanting eyes.

"You're quite the dancer, Ms. Hamilton," David commented, impressed by her skills.

"Thank you, but don't be too surprised," Sienna replied, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "After all, I'm full of surprises."

David chuckled, his curiosity piqued. "I'm starting to see that, and I must admit, I'm intrigued."

Meanwhile, Lyra had been paired with a less than desirable dance partner. Her heart pounded with jealousy as she watched David and Sienna, unable to tear her eyes away from the intimate scene.

Sienna, fully aware of Lyra's gaze, made sure to increase the intensity of the dance. She looked deeply into David's eyes and whispered something inaudible, her breath hot on his ear. The impact on him was immediate; his grip on her tightened, and his eyes flashed with desire.

As the song came to an end, the two reluctantly separated, both feeling the electric tension between them.

"Thank you for the dance, Sienna," David said, his voice filled with warmth and admiration.

"It was my pleasure," she replied, her eyes shining with a mix of satisfaction.

As they exchanged lingering glances, she could see the confusion and desire in his eyes, and she knew she had made an impact.

Frustrated and humiliated, Lyra stormed off, leaving David to ponder the mysterious allure of Sienna Hamilton. As she made her way through the crowd, she spotted David's parents, who had arrived late to the gala.

Feeling the need to vent her frustrations, she approached them.

"David was just dancing with another woman," Lyra complained, her voice seething with jealousy. "I can't believe he would do this to me."

David's parents exchanged concerned glances.

John, David's father, clenched his fists. "This is unacceptable! Our son is engaged to you, and he should not be entertaining the advances of some unknown woman."

Margaret, David's mother, nodded in agreement. "We'll have a word with him, Lyra. This is highly inappropriate."

As they made their way through the crowd, a fellow guest mentioned to them in passing, "Isn't it wonderful to have Sienna Hamilton here? Such a brilliant and accomplished woman."

“I wish she danced with me instead of dancing with David Hendrix! Maybe I’ll have more luck next time!”

David's parents stopped in their tracks, realizing the woman in question was a Hamilton. Margaret's expression softened, and John's anger dissipated.

"A Hamilton, you say?" Margaret asked, her tone changing. "Well, that's quite a different matter. The Hamiltons are an influential family. Perhaps we should get to know Sienna better before jumping to conclusions."

Lyra watched in disbelief as David's parents changed their tune, her anger and jealousy intensifying. She knew she had to find a way to regain David's attention and keep Sienna at bay.

But fate had other things stored for her. Her heart clenched when she spotted Sienna and David together again, talking by the bar.

She felt a mixture of jealousy, anger, and confusion – David had never shown interest in another woman before. She couldn't understand what it was about Sienna that seemed to captivate him so.

As she drew closer, Margaret and John, David's parents, joined Lyra in approaching Sienna and David near the bar. David, noticing their approach, turned to face them.

"Ah, Mom and Dad," he said warmly. "I'd like you to meet Sienna Hamilton. Sienna, these are my parents, Margaret and John Hendrix."

Margaret's eyes lit up with excitement as she extended her hand to Sienna. "Ms. Hamilton, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. We've heard so much about your remarkable achievements."

Sienna’s expression remained cordial. "Thank you, Mrs. Hendrix. It's lovely to meet you as well."

As she shook their hands, her inner turmoil threatened to break through her composed facade. She couldn't help but recall the way they had treated her when she was married to David – as if she was nothing more than a servant's adopted daughter, never truly worthy of their son.

And now, they were fawning over her, showering her with praise simply because she was a Hamilton. The hypocrisy stung, and she had to suppress the urge to lash out at them.

John joined the conversation, adding, "Yes, our son speaks highly of your recent partnership. We're looking forward to seeing what great things you two can accomplish together."

"Thank you, Mr. Hendrix," Sienna replied. "I have no doubt that our collaboration will be fruitful."

Lyra, on the other hand, watched the interaction with growing resentment. Her heart twisted painfully as she saw her future in-laws, the people she was supposed to call family, become completely captivated by Sienna.

She had always been the center of attention, the woman everyone wanted to be around. But now, it seemed as if Sienna had effortlessly stolen the spotlight.

Lyra gritted her teeth, vowing to find a way to turn the tables and reclaim her position in David's life, as well as the admiration of his parents.

As their conversation carried on, David spotted a familiar face across the room.

"Mom, Dad, it looks like Aunt Ginny is here. It's been ages since we last caught up. Would you like to join me in greeting her?"

Margaret and John readily agreed, leaving Lyra and Sienna standing alone by the bar. Once they were out of earshot, Lyra's smile dropped, and she turned to Sienna, her voice cold.

"Listen, Sienna. I don't know what your game is, but you should know that David and I are very much in love. He won't be swayed by your little flirtations."

Sienna's expression remained calm, but her eyes held a dangerous glint. "I don’t know what you are talking about. I'm merely here to enjoy the gala and contribute to a worthy cause. If David chooses to engage in conversation with me, that's hardly my fault."

Lyra seethed but knew she couldn't cause a scene. With a forced smile, she said, "Well, then I might be mistaken."

And with that, she turned on her heel and walked away.

Sienna watched Lyra retreat and couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. She pulled out her phone and sent a quick text to her assistant, Shane:

["Shane, my work here is done. Please send a car to pick me up."]

A few moments later, a reply came through:

["Understood, boss. The car will be there shortly."]

As Sienna prepared to leave the gala, her thoughts shifted to the following day when she would be picking up her beloved twins at the airport.

Their arrival would mark the beginning of a new chapter for all of them, and she couldn't wait to see her children again. But as her plan continued to unfold, she knew there would be more surprises and challenges waiting for her.

The following day, she stood at the airport, a mix of anticipation and nerves coursing through her. She was eagerly waiting for her parents to arrive with her beloved twins, Xander and Bella.

She hadn't seen her children in a few days, and she couldn't wait to wrap them in her arms again.

Scanning the crowd of passengers, she suddenly caught sight of two familiar figures – Xander and Bella. Her heart swelled with joy at the sight of them, but something was off. They were holding hands with someone she hadn't expected to see – David.

"Mommy!" Xander and Bella squealed in unison, running towards her with David trailing behind. "Look, we found Daddy!"