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
Chapter 29 Sienna’s Pov I decided to go back to the room to get some sleep, that way I'd get my head eased off a bit before anything else popped out. I hadn’t even made it halfway to the bed when the phone buzzed again. I stopped in my tracks, staring at the screen. It was the same unknown number. My pulse quickened, and for a moment, I thought about letting it ring. But curiosity, no, frustration, got the better of me. I answered it, my voice sharper than before. “Hello?” This time, a voice replied. “Sienna.” The breath I didn’t realize I was holding rushed out of me, but it wasn’t relief. I recognized the voice, it was him. The man I had been working with. “What do you want? Is there any problem?” I asked, pressing the phone to my ear, already irritated. “I’ve got something,” he said, his tone casual, as if this was just business as usual. “Another secret about Lucas. Something big. I could send out a new news flash tonight. What do you say?” I froze. Another secret? T
Chapter 30 Lucas’s POV I couldn’t find anything on that company name. No records, no mentions, nothing. It was as if the email had come from thin air. After spending what felt like hours searching, I finally gave up, convincing myself it was just some prank, someone trying to mess with my head. With everything going on, it wasn’t hard to imagine. Maybe I was overthinking it. The next morning, I dressed for work, hoping for a normal day, one without drama, without complications. It was always one everyday. I needed to focus on the company. When I got to the office, the atmosphere was surprisingly good. People were busy, heads down, working like they had a purpose. For the first time in a while, it felt like things were going smoothly. Ken was standing by his desk, grinning like an idiot. He looked over at me, gave a thumbs-up, and went back to whatever he was doing. I nodded, feeling really good. I started walking toward my office when I heard commotion near the entrance. At
Chapter 110 Lucas’s PovI didn’t know what to say. Ryan was doing most of the talking, though it was clear he was struggling to string a proper sentence together. His words came out jumbled, stammered, and frankly, they didn’t make much sense. Sienna just stood there in the doorway, arms crossed, staring at the three of us like we were a group of misbehaving children. Her eyes flicked over our bruised faces, and I could tell she was holding back her temper. When I opened my mouth to say something, she raised a hand to stop me. “Enough,” she said sharply. “All of you, stop talking. You’re grown men. Handle your injuries yourselves.” She turned around without waiting for a response, scooped Daphne into her arms, and carried her inside, shutting the door firmly behind her. I let out a long sigh, my shoulders slumping. This wasn’t how I wanted things to go. I’d hoped, naively, that seeing me in such a state would tug at Sienna’s soft, merciful side, the one I knew so well. Bu
Chapter 109Ryan’s PovI wanted to punch Lucas right there in Sienna’s living room. The smug look on his face, the way he acted like he had a right to be here, made my blood boil. But I kept my fists clenched in my pocket. Starting a fight wouldn’t help Sienna, and it would only make things worse for Daphne. So, I sat back, my jaw tight, and kept my focus on Sienna, who was doing her best to keep the situation calm. “Why don’t I cook something for everyone?” she said, her tone overly cheerful in an attempt to cut through the tension. “The three of you can go to the supermarket and get me what I need.” Lucas frowned. “The three of us?” “Yes,” Sienna replied quickly. “You’ll all need to get along sooner or later, so this is a good start.” David gave her a small nod. “Sure, if that’s what you want.” I shrugged, hiding the smirk forming on my lips. If I couldn’t hit Lucas, I’d enjoy making him uncomfortable. “Alright. Let’s go.” It took longer than it should’ve to decide wh
Chapter 108 Sienna’s Pov“Mommy!” Daphne’s voice echoed from the living room as I heard her small footsteps shuffle around. Panic gripped me. I’d left her alone for just a few minutes while I cleaned up in the bathroom. Throwing down the towel, I rushed out to see what had happened. The sight of David sitting at the dining table with Daphne by his side caught my eye. Her small hand was wrapped in a makeshift bandage, and tears glistened in her eyes. “What happened?” I asked, my voice trembling as I hurried over to them. David looked up, his expression calm but concerned. “She tried peeling an orange on her own,” he explained, gesturing to the knife on the counter. “She cut herself before I could stop her.” “Oh, Daphne…” I knelt beside her, gently taking her hand and examining the injury. The cut wasn’t deep, but seeing her hurt like this made my heart race. “I’m okay, Mommy,” Daphne said, her voice wavering. I felt a so much guilt for leaving her unsupervised. “I should
Chapter 107 Sienna’s Pov“Let go of me, Lucas,” I said firmly, jerking my hand out of his grip. He stood there, his eyes searching mine as if looking for something, but I refused to meet his gaze. “It’s none of your business,” I said sharply. “Stay away from me. Stay away from Daphne.” His shoulders slumped slightly, and he sighed, but he didn’t respond. That was fine with me. I didn’t need to hear anything else. Turning on my heel, I marched toward my car, feeling his presence like a weight on my back. As I reached for the door handle, I felt his hand on mine again. “Let me go, Lucas,” I said without looking at him. His grip loosened slightly, but his voice was low and heavy. “Why do you keep running, Sienna? Why won’t you just tell me everything?” I pulled my hand free and finally looked at him, my tone cold. “I’m not holding you back, Lucas. I never was. If you think I am, that’s on you. Now, let me live my life and leave me alone.” Without giving him a chance to r
Chapter 106 Lucas’s Pov “You weren’t even patient enough to wait? Is that how you always are, Lucas?” The voice, sharp and tinged with sarcasm, stopped me in my tracks. I turned slowly, my frustration bubbling under the surface, only to see Sienna walking toward me. She was as composed as ever, her bag slung over her shoulder and her expression unreadable. “I was beginning to think you weren’t coming,” I replied, my tone clipped. “I’m here, aren’t I?” she shot back, pulling out the chair across from mine and sitting down gracefully. I sat down as well, running a hand through my hair as I tried to collect myself. “Why were you late?” Her lips twitched, as though she was suppressing a smirk. “Because, Lucas, unlike you, I’m not in the habit of making my life revolve around other people’s demands. I’ll show up when I’m ready.” I exhaled slowly, deciding not to take the bait. “Let’s get to the point,” I said, leaning forward slightly. “I called you here because I need answe
Chapter 105Sienna’s Pov“Ryan, you can’t keep putting your life on hold for me,” I said, my voice quiet but firm. Ryan stared at me, his expression conflicted. “Sienna, I’m not putting my life on hold. I just… I want to be here for you and Daphne. You know that.” I shook my head, taking a step back. “And I appreciate everything you’ve done. But you have your own responsibilities, your own dreams. You can’t stay here forever.” For a moment, he said nothing, his hands resting on his hips as he struggled to find the right words. “You’re sure about this?” “I am,” I replied softly. “I’ll be fine. We’ll be fine.” After a long pause, Ryan sighed, nodding reluctantly. “Alright. I’ll go. But I’ll be back sooner than you think, Sienna.” I forced a smile, watching as he gathered his things and left. The door closing behind him felt like the end of a chapter, a bittersweet one, but I knew it was the right decision. A few days later, the morning sun streamed through the windows as I
Chapter 104 Sienna’s Pov. "I don’t know how to say it," Ryan’s voice drifted through the partially closed door, low and tinged with nervousness. I paused in the hallway, balancing a tray of food for him. He wasn’t talking to anyone, just pacing in his room, his words tumbling out in a stream of anxious soliloquy. “I mean, how do you tell someone you love them without sounding desperate? She probably doesn’t even feel the same. What if I ruin everything?” My heart clenched, and I instinctively held my breath. He was talking about me. I didn’t know what to do. Should I walk away and pretend I hadn’t heard anything? Or should I go in and act like I hadn’t been eavesdropping? Before I could decide, he spoke again, quieter this time, almost to himself. “She’s been through so much already. Maybe it’s better if I keep quiet…” I knocked softly on the door, pushing it open before he could respond. Ryan spun around, startled, his face going pale for a second before he forced a s
Chapter 103 Lucas’s Pov“I cannot believe you, Lucas!” Lisa’s voice rang through the house, loud and sharp, as she paced back and forth in front of me, her friends sitting awkwardly on the couch nearby, pretending not to listen but clearly enjoying the drama. I rubbed my temples, already exhausted by the conversation. “Lisa, I told you, I’m not spending another dime on something as ridiculous as matching gold napkin rings for the rehearsal dinner,” I said, trying to keep my tone calm. She whirled around, glaring at me like I’d just insulted her entire existence. “It’s not just about the napkin rings, Lucas. It’s about you not taking this wedding seriously! You’re acting like it’s a burden instead of a celebration of us!” I took a deep breath, counting to five before responding. “Lisa, I am taking this seriously. I’m funding the entire thing, aren’t I? But there has to be a line somewhere. We don’t need to go overboard.” Her friends exchanged glances, barely stifling their s
Chapter 102 Ryan’s Pov“Sienna,” I began, my voice faltering as I stood on her porch, staring into her tired but beautiful eyes. The words were on the tip of my tongue, desperate to escape, but my courage wavered. “What is it, Ryan?” she asked, tilting her head slightly, her tone soft but curious. I glanced down, swallowing the lump in my throat. “I… uh… I was wondering if you and Daphne would like to go out today. You know, just to get some fresh air. I thought it might be nice for all of us.” Her brows furrowed slightly, as if she was trying to figure out what I was really asking, but then she nodded. “Daphne could use some fun,” she said. “It’s been a tough few weeks for her.” Relief washed over me, though part of me felt like a coward for dodging what I really wanted to say. But this wasn’t the right time, I told myself. Sienna had enough on her plate already without me adding more complications. By the time we left the house, Daphne was bouncing with excitement. She