Chapter 21 Lucas's POV I walked into the office that morning with one thing on my mind, stability. The last few months had been a mess, and everything I had worked for was slipping through my fingers, thanks to Sienna. Still, I couldn’t let that happen. Not to the company, not to myself. So when I told Ken to send out those emails, I had already decided this was going to be a defining moment. "Make sure every client knows we’re still here, and that we’re not going anywhere," I instructed Ken firmly, watching as he scribbled down notes and nodded. He was dependable, one of the few people I could count on when things got rough. "Also, gather everyone in the office. I want them to showcase their current projects and see if we can leverage anything for a new pitch." At least he didn't think my idea was bullshit for a while. He answered almost immediately and to keep his job he knew he needed to do that also. As I stood by the window in my office, the sunlight filtering in through
Chapter 22 Sienna's POV The kiss wouldn’t leave me. It wasn’t just the way his lips felt, or the surprise of it. it was everything it stirred up inside me. I’d closed my eyes countless times since then, and each time, it was right there, playing back like a loop I couldn’t escape. Normally, something like this wouldn’t affect me so much. I’d brush it off, ignore it. But this time, it was different. It felt different. I couldn’t get the image of Daphne’s face out of my mind either. Her little arms crossed, her expression so distant. She barely looked at me anymore. I had tried to talk to her, to make things right, but nothing worked. It was like every word I said just bounced right off of her. I didn’t know how to fix it. Earlier today, in one last desperate attempt, I asked her, "What can I do to make this up to you, baby? How do I make it right?" She just stared at me for the longest time, her eyes so intense it almost made me feel like she was much older than four. And
Chapter 23 Lucas’s POV The phone call caught me off guard. I hadn’t expected to hear from her, not like this. I knew right away it had something to do with Daphne; it had to. Sienna wouldn’t reach out otherwise. I didn’t waste time thinking about it. I grabbed my keys and headed straight for the hotel. When I walked into the lobby, I spotted them almost immediately, Sienna standing there, and Daphne beside her, looking up at me with those wide, expectant eyes and I could see that Daphne was waiting for something. Sienna cleared her throat, her voice softer than I remembered. “I’m... I’m sorry, Lucas,” she said, her eyes barely meeting mine. “Daphne wanted me to apologize.” That was it. No emotion, no explanation, just words strung together because her daughter had asked her to. I could feel the hollow tone in her voice, and I knew she didn’t mean it. But still, I wasn’t here for Sienna. I was here for Daphne. Kneeling down to Daphne's height, I scooped her up into my arms. She w
Chapter 24 Sienna’s POV As soon as Daphne was out of earshot, Lucas turned to me, his eyes were cold and filled with frustration. "You need to stop with this childish nonsense," he snapped. "The stories, the rumors, take them all down, Sienna. What is wrong with you?" I crossed my arms, not backing down. “Childish? You think that's childish? What about you telling me what to do, you don't think that's childish? ” His jaw clenched, the muscles in his neck tightening. “What has gotten into you!? Spreading lies about me isn’t just childish, it’s pathetic. You’re making everything worse for Daphne, can’t you see that?” “Lies?” I scoffed, feeling my blood start to boil. “You really think I’m the one who ruined everything, don’t you? You act like you’re some saint in all of this. And you think all of those are lies?” “This isn’t about me, Sienna! It’s about Daphne, and you know it.” “Don’t pretend like you’re doing this for her,” I shot back. “You don’t get to call the shots, Lucas.
Chapter 25 Lucas’s Pov How could she be so heartless and even finding it hard to do the right thing!? I just couldn't decipher what was up with her. If she found someone even before I left her she should be able to let it go properly. Why should I suffer for it? I drove home faster than usual, my mind raced with everything that had happened. The argument with Sienna replayed in my head on a loop, every word sharper than the last. How could she be so cruel? I just couldn't place my mind out of it, it was extremely frustrating to stop thinking about it. By the time I pulled into the driveway, I was exhausted, physically and mentally. I just wanted peace, something simple. I needed to let go of the frustration that clung to me like a second skin. I stepped through the door, Lisa was already there, waiting for me, obviously. She must have been waiting for a long time. She looked up, her eyes lighting up as soon as she saw me. Without saying a word, she wrapped her arms around my
Chapter 26 Sienna’s Pov For the first time in what felt like forever, Daphne was smiling at me. It wasn’t just a small smile either, it was bright, genuine, the kind that made me feel like everything wasn’t completely falling apart. We had spent the last hour laughing, talking about her day, and even though it was simple, it was enough. I hadn’t realized how much I missed this, how much I needed it. “Thank you, Mama,” Daphne said softly as she leaned against me, her little arms wrapped around my waist. “For what, baby?” I asked, running my fingers through her hair. “For saying sorry to Lucas” she murmured, her face buried in my side. “I didn’t want him to hate me.” I froze for a moment, my heart catching in my chest. It was like a knife to the gut, hearing her say that. All the fighting, the tension between me and Lucas, it had affected her more than I realized. But I forced myself to smile and hugged her tighter. “I’m glad you’re happy, Daphne,” I whispered, pressing a ki
Chapter 27 Lucas’s Pov I wasn’t expecting anyone, so when the knock came at the door, I was surprised. I swung it open and immediately exclaimed, “Ken? What the hell are you doing here?” Without waiting for an invitation, Ken brushed past me into the house, his face serious, tense. I shut the door behind him, watching as Lisa’s expression shifted. She quickly picked up on the mood, glancing between us before offering a polite smile. “I’ll give you two some space,” she said softly, touching my arm as she walked past. She headed upstairs, leaving Ken and me standing in the living room. Ken didn’t waste any time. “We bagged another contract,” he began, but there was hesitation in his voice. “But I don’t think it’s going to work out.” I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “It’s late, Ken. Real late. Do we really need to do this now?” Ken looked at me, his expression was flat. “Lucas, this could backfire. The client’s already shaky. We’ve been burned before, you know that.” I
Chapter 28 Sienna's Pov I stared at my phone, waiting for a voice, a sound, anything. But there was nothing. Just silence. The longer it stretched, the more it made my skin crawl. It felt intentional, like someone was on the other end, just listening, refusing to speak. Lucas? No. He’d have said something. Someone else? “Hello?” I repeated for what felt like the hundredth time, my voice shaky now, more desperate. Still, nothing. Just the eerie sound of silence, and maybe, just maybe, faint breathing. My chest tightened. Enough was enough. I hung up, the click of the call ending breaking the heavy silence that had settled around me. I stared at the screen for a moment, my fingers trembling slightly. That didn’t feel like a wrong number. It felt deliberate. I tossed the phone onto the table and took a deep breath, shaking my head. “You’re being paranoid, Sienna,” I whispered to myself, though the tension in my shoulders didn’t ease. My nerves were still shot from earlier, Lucas, D