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 31 Sienna’s Pov “Here’s your order, ma’am,” a voice said, almost too calm, too steady. I opened the door expecting to see the delivery guy, but the moment I looked up, my stomach tightened. It wasn’t who I was expecting. The man standing there had the uniform and the delivery bag, but something about him felt wrong, off. His eyes were too focused, too intense, and he didn’t look like someone who was just here to drop off food. “We need to talk. Privately,” he said, his voice low, as he pushed the bag toward me. I froze for a second, my mind racing. “Excuse me?” I managed to say, glancing at Daphne who was still in the room behind me. The man didn’t move, just stood there, watching me carefully. “Not here. Outside.” Daphne, sensing something was off, looked up from the bed. “Mama, where are you going?” I forced a smile, trying to keep my voice light. “Just going to meet a friend for a few minutes, sweetie. I’ll be back soon. Enjoy your food, okay?” Daphne tilted her h
Chapter 32 Lucas Pov “You’re leaving already?” Lisa murmured without looking at me, her voice barely a whisper as she stirred beneath the sheets. “Yeah,” I replied, leaning down to kiss her cheek, but she didn’t turn to meet me. “I’ll see you tonight.” “Mm-hmm. Be safe,” she muttered, still facing away from me. I stood there for a second, waiting for her to look at me, maybe give me one last glance before I left. But she didn’t. I sighed, grabbed my keys, and left the house. Things with Lisa had been tense lately,like something was off, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. Or maybe I just didn’t want to. The drive to work was quieter than usual. Too quiet. The thoughts in my head were louder than the world outside the car, and none of them were good. As I pulled into the company parking lot, a part of me was bracing for disaster. But when I stepped into the office, everything seemed normal. People were working, the buzz of phones and keyboards filling the air. It was business
Chapter 33Sienna's Pov"Mama, why did you say I can go out with Lucas now?" Daphne asked, her small voice breaking through the morning quiet.I looked at her, trying to hide the conflicting emotions swirling inside me. I had just told her not to follow strangers, but when it came to Lucas, I hesitated. Why did I still trust him with her after everything? I brushed the thought aside, trying to focus on Daphne."You like him, don’t you?” I asked, forcing a smile. “And if you’re happy, I don’t have a choice, do I?"Daphne beamed, her eyes lighting up. "So, does that mean I can go out with him again?"I hesitated for a second before nodding. “Yes, sweetheart. But only if I know where you're going.”Her smile widened. "What about you, Mama? Will you come out with me today? Can we go somewhere fun?"I smiled softly, glad to see her excitement. It had been a while since we’d spent time together like this, and after everything, I owed her more than just apologies."Of course! How about we g
Chapter 34 Lucas’s Pov“Lucas, what are we going to do?” Lisa’s voice had cracked with frustration earlier that morning, but now, as I stood in my office staring at the latest email, everything had changed.I was reading the confirmation over and over, not fully believing it. After so many losses, it felt surreal to finally have something solid.It had all started with a single email that caught my eye. The offer wasn’t massive, but it was enough to keep us afloat, to keep the company going. I could still hear the faint ping of my inbox, the subject line reading: Urgent Project Proposal – Immediate Attention Required.I opened it cautiously, half-expecting another hoax, but as I read through the details, my heart began to race. This was it. A real chance. The company was legitimate, the project clearly defined, and they were offering a contract that we desperately needed.I didn’t waste a second. I quickly sent a message to Ken…“Ken, we’ve got a new project. Start preparing the team
Chapter 35Sienna’s Pov“Daphne! Daphne!” My voice cracked, hoarse from hours of yelling, searching, running from one corner of the park to the next. The carousel, the rollercoaster, the stalls, none of it mattered anymore. Nothing but finding her. It had been hours since she disappeared, and every passing minute made my heart race harder. I had searched everywhere, asked every parent, every child, every worker. But no one had seen her. She was just... gone.Tears stung my eyes, but I didn’t have time to cry. I had to think, to keep moving. The sun was already setting, casting long shadows over the park, making it harder to see clearly. My stomach twisted in knots. Where was she?I knew what I had to do, even though the thought of leaving the park terrified me. I had to go to the police. I had to get help.I jumped into the car, my hands trembling as I gripped the steering wheel. The drive to the police station felt endless, every second ticking by like an eternity. My mind raced wit
Chapter 36Sienna's PovAs soon as we got home, I locked the door behind us, letting out a long breath I didn’t realize I was holding. I knelt down in front of Daphne, gently brushing her hair out of her face.“Sweetheart, how did you end up there? With that family?”Daphne blinked sleepily, rubbing her eyes. “I don’t know, Mama,” she mumbled. “I was on the horse ride, and then... I don’t remember. I just wanted to sleep. Can you sing me a song?”Her innocent words tugged at my heart, making it ache. She didn’t even realize how scared I had been, how close we came to losing each other. Tears welled up in my eyes before I could stop them, my emotions crashing down all at once.“Mama, why are you crying?” Daphne asked, her small hand reaching up to touch my face.I tried to smile, but the tears kept falling. “Oh, baby... don’t you know how worried I was? I couldn’t find you. I thought... I thought something bad had happened.”Daphne tilted her head, confused. “But I’m here now, Mama.”I
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