2. Doomed

~Sienna~

The harsh ring of my phone jolted me awake, slicing through the haze of my hangover like a siren. I squinted, reaching out blindly until my hand found my phone, and I heard Violet’s voice on the other end, loud and filled with urgency.

“Sienna! You better be on your way, girl. We can’t be late today, not with the new boss making his grand entrance!”

Her words hit me like a bucket of ice water, bringing me back to reality. I blinked, trying to clear the sleep and fog from my mind, and quickly took in my surroundings. This wasn’t my bed. Sunlight filtered in through partially closed curtains, casting soft shadows over a room that was…definitely a hotel.

Memories of last night began to resurface: a heartbreak, a stranger with dark, seductive eyes, and kisses that had left me breathless, melting into him in a way I hadn’t let myself feel in years. Part of me still reeled from the breakup with Grant, the weight of it heavy, but somehow, being with that man had dulled the pain just enough, filling me with a warmth that hadn’t quite faded.

I turned, catching a glimpse of him sleeping peacefully beside me, his chest rising and falling with an easy rhythm. A surge of panic joined my hangover headache.

What the hell have I done?

Quietly, I slipped out of bed, gathering my clothes scattered across the floor. My hands shook as I hurried to get dressed, hoping he wouldn’t wake. With one last glance back, I made my escape, softly closing the door behind me.

---

Back home, the relief was short-lived as I stepped through the door. Before I could even take a breath, I heard my adoptive mother, Lillian, berating my younger half-sister, Hannah, from the living room, her voice carrying through the thin walls.

“Hannah, I can only count on you to find someone decent,” Lillian’s tone was edged with impatience. “If your sister just listened to me, she’d be married by now. But no—she’s got to be so difficult!”

"She's not my sister!" I heard Hannah's voice.

Rolling my eyes, I entered, my face as neutral as I could make it, despite the anger simmering just within me like a furnace. Lillian’s gaze locked onto me, narrowing as she took me in.

“Well, it's the rebel herself,” she said with a scoff, barely masking her irritation. Hannah sat beside her, shooting me a look that was half disdain, half jealousy. She thought I had taken her place in Dad’s heart since the day I joined the family, but I’d never once done anything to make her feel that way.

“You’re back early,” Lillian continued, her gaze sweeping over me as though sizing up an opponent.

“Yeah.” I tossed the word out, hoping it would be enough to stop her from asking more.

But of course, Lillian wouldn’t let it go. “I spoke to Mr. Hall, and he said you turned him down. He was willing to cover Andrew's hospital bills, Sienna. Do you realize the opportunity you’re throwing away?”

I swallowed, forcing myself to keep my voice calm. “I’ve got it, Lillian. Dad’s surgery is scheduled for the latest in two days.”

A lie. There was no way I had enough money for the bills mounting up, and I had no idea where I would get it, but I couldn’t let her keep dangling marriage proposals in front of me like that was the only way to help my father.

“Got it, how?” she sneered. “Your salary in twenty years couldn’t cover those bills. Jack Lowry’s son is still interested, and you’re not in a position to be picky.”

My fists clenched, every word laced with bitterness as I felt the fight simmering within me. Instead of snapping back, I forced a tight-lipped smile.

“I’ll handle it, don’t worry.”

Without waiting for a reply, I slipped into my room, letting the door close behind me. The exhaustion of everything—last night, my father’s health, and Lillian’s endless pressure—hung heavy in the air, and I fought to keep the pain at bay. The only family I had, the only father I’d ever known, was lying in a hospital bed, his life tethered to machines, and I was barely holding on myself.

The memories of my past swirled as I took a seat on my bed. I was only twelve when I lost my memory, waking up in a cold, sterile hospital room, told I’d been found alone on the roadside with no identification. Andrew Wilde, the doctor who’d tended to me, eventually became my father, giving me a home, a name, a life. And now, years later, he was my only constant—the man who’d saved me when no one else did. I owed him everything. But the cost was so high, and Lillian… well, Lillian had only grown more cold and calculating as Dad’s condition worsened.

I sighed, pushing the thoughts away. I had work to face, and a new boss to meet.

---

An hour later, I stepped through the revolving doors of Weston Corp. The lobby bustled with energy, a strange tension in the air as employees moved hurriedly around, in their extra ordinary polished looks Today marked the return of the CEO’s son, freshly back from London and rumored to be taking over.

As I walked toward my department, I spotted Violet, her coffee-brown bob bouncing as she waved me over excitedly. She looked especially put together, her amber eyes practically glowing with anticipation.

“Thank god you’re here,” she whispered, grabbing my arm and looping it through hers.

“Mr. Jones Jr. is set to arrive any minute. Apparently, he’s taking over sooner than anyone expected. Can you imagine, running an empire like Weston Corp at twenty-six?”

I forced a smile, my mind still swimming with last night’s memories. “I’m just trying to imagine what he looks like,” I replied, trying to shake off my thoughts.

Weston Corp is one of Bellmore’s biggest conglomerates, known for its reach across finance, real estate, tech and more. Working here as a designer in the design dept, means I’m just one of thousands of employees, and frankly, most of us will never even meet the CEO, let alone his elusive son who’s been outside the U.S. since he was young.

“Well, I heard he’s ruthless and hot. And, rumor has it…” She paused, giving me a sly smile. “…he’s single.”

I rolled my eyes, laughing despite myself, but before we could exchange more gossip, a sudden hush fell over the lobby. A sleek convoy of black cars pulled up, uniformed drivers moving in synchronization to open the doors. Bodyguards flanked the entrance as a tall figure emerged from the central car.

The crowd shifted, every head turning as he entered. He wore a long, dark-brown wool coat that brushed his calves, a sophisticated Kangol hat angled just so, obscuring part of his face. Beneath, his suit was immaculately tailored, fitting him like it was made for him alone.

As he strode forward, the scent of expensive cologne drifted through the lobby, and an unspoken power followed in his wake. Everyone’s gaze followed him, captivated by the aura he commanded.

My heart thundered as he walked in, his gaze sharp and assessing as it swept the room. But then his eyes locked on me, and a spark of recognition flashed between us, sharp as a blade. The world seemed to tilt, my heart stammering in my chest as the realization washed over me, crashing over me like a wave.

It was him. The stranger from last night—the man I’d thought would be nothing more than a fleeting memory.

My head spun as everything clicked, my mind racing to process the truth. I’d spent the night with my new boss. And with the way his eyes narrowed at me, It's obvious he remembered me, too.