Chapter 66

Chapter 66

Sienna’s Pov

I gently pulled Daphne’s hand, guiding her away from Ryan. “Thank you for making her day,” I said, offering a quick nod to him as we started to walk away. But just before I turned, our eyes met, locked in a way that felt more intense than it should have. I wasn’t sure what it was, maybe just the unexpected surprise of seeing him, but it lingered for a few seconds too long, leaving me unsettled.

Breaking the eye contact, I looked down at Daphne, who was still grinning ear-to-ear, clutching her new favorite photo. She had no idea how much I wanted to move on from this encounter, how determined I was to keep people like Ryan at arm’s length. I’d seen enough of his type, charming, used to attention, always the center of the spotlight. It wasn’t a world I wanted anywhere near Daphne or myself.

“Mama, he’s so nice!” Daphne chirped, looking up at me with innocent eyes. She seemed to adore him already, and I felt a pang of guilt for feeling so guarded. She deserved a c