As the sun sank beneath the horizon, casting the sky in shades of red, Daniel stood on the balcony just off the living room, enjoying the beautiful view. He felt much better since Sienna's arrival. Nathan came down from upstairs and noticed Daniel on the balcony, looking lonely and sad. He walked over and put a hand on Daniel's shoulder. "You've been taking more breaks lately," he said. Daniel turned to him with a gentle smile but remained silent.He hadn't taken a day off in the past year. He kept himself occupied with various tasks. It was to prevent his mind from wandering to Sienna and to suppress any urge to reach out to her.Daniel even avoided learning about any news regarding her or mentioning her name, fearing he would lose control and struggle to move on."How's it going?" Nathan asked as he dropped his hand and leaned against the railing, looking at Daniel."What do you mean?" Daniel looked puzzled."She's here. What's your plan?"Daniel understood the implicatio
Sienna hesitated for a moment, casting a glance back at Mila.Mila pushed Sienna toward the door. "Quick. Go on.""All right. I'll leave now," Sienna said, picking up her pace to catch up with Daniel.They stepped outside and got into the car. Later, Sienna gave Daniel the address.During the drive, Sienna kept her gaze fixed out of the window. The atmosphere in the car was heavy with tension.Daniel sneakily looked at her several times, seeing how distant she seemed throughout the journey."Is there something urgent?" Daniel couldn't help but ask, his concern evident in his voice.Sienna responded with a hum."Do you need any help?" he asked again. "No, thank you."Silence settled between them once more. Eventually, the car pulled up before a large building. Sienna unfastened her seatbelt and stepped out of the car.Before closing the door, she turned to Daniel and expressed her gratitude. "Thank you. You don't have to wait for me. You can head back."She closed the door
Sienna stood up, her tone calm and resolute. "However you choose to cancel the event, it's none of my concern. I'll be there on the agreed date with the readers, even if just one shows up. I won't disappoint them." With that, she nodded goodbye and turned to leave. But Harvey hurried to catch up. "Sienna, wait. Let's talk it through and resolve this." "Your solution is for me to admit fault, offer compensation, and take down my book." Harvey walked beside her, saying, "The best approach is to handle this quietly before it becomes widely known." Standing by the elevator, Sienna pressed the button and turned to him. "Harvey, I'll say it again. I won't admit to something I didn't do." "Fine. Do you have any proof?" he asked. "Does having the draft count?" "Of course not." Sienna's face grew darker. When the elevator doors opened, she stepped inside. Harvey followed her, trying to reason. "Alright, I believe it's your draft, but they updated their work three months bef
Daniel didn't get the full story from Sienna; instead, he went to her company to speak with Harvey. From him, Daniel learned all the details and took Sienna's book home. For the first time, he discovered Sienna's pen name and the genre she wrote in. A man who had never read a romance novel before, Daniel hid in his room, secretly reading her words. In Sienna's book, the male protagonist bore a striking resemblance to him. He spent an entire day and night without sleep, reading the book that had been plagiarized—over two hundred thousand words, neither too long nor too short.The ending was tragically poignant, with the main characters going their separate ways, leaving a lifetime of regret. The story moved him to tears multiple times, his chest heavy with emotion. It was the serene morning of Mila's wedding eve when Sienna woke up early to accompany Mila back to Hoffis Manor. As she opened the door, she was startled to see Daniel standing there motionless.Looking at him, she a
"You're Wanda's friend. Helping you is the least I can do," Daniel said with a forced, bitter smile. "Besides, with her skills, she could help you too." Sienna felt a pang of disappointment. Deep down, she still had lingering feelings for him and held onto hope. After their abrupt breakup a year ago, she should've known her place. She wondered why she still harbored fantasies about Daniel. She wanted to slap herself for her foolishness. "Thank you," she replied faintly, then immediately shut the door. She locked it, leaned against the door, and stared ahead, her vision blurred by tears. She didn't want her troubles to dampen Mila's wedding joy. On the wedding day, Sienna couldn't resist Mila's persistent pleas and ended up being her bridesmaid. Mila, in her stunning white wedding gown and exquisite makeup, looked like a beloved princess. She walked arm-in-arm with Nathan through the romantic garden—surrounded by flowers, green trees, and a lush natural lawn—with petals danci
Sienna's voice was like a gentle enchantment."If you wish to be with me, you must agree to three conditions," she stated. Dominic's excitement was palpable. "What are they?" "First, we'll get married before we start dating." Dominic hesitated for a few seconds but then nodded happily. "Second, after marriage, you'll live with my family, and any children we have will carry my last name." Dominic's face changed dramatically, and he remained silent. "Third, you'll hand over your bank card and all your income to me. I'll manage it." Dominic was rendered speechless. He forced a stiff smile and slowly held Sienna's hand, gently pushing it away from his tie. "Ms. Lawson, I don't think we're a good match." The shift to calling her "Ms. Lawson" signaled a newfound respect, suggesting his decision to step back.Just as Sienna was about to release his tie, someone rudely grabbed her arm, yanking her away from Dominic. Dominic froze as he met Daniel's cold, piercing gaze.
The ambiguity in the air grew thicker. Sienna's lips throbbed, swollen from Daniel's kisses. His hands tugged at the neckline of her dress, his lips trailing down, devouring her with fervent, unrelenting passion. Though Sienna yearned to break free, her body, weakened and trembling from his touch, betrayed her. She lacked the strength to push him away. Unable to push away Daniel's strong frame, the thought of his indifference and lack of love for her, yet still treating her this way, stung deeply and pierced Sienna's heart like needles. Her breath hitched, her voice breaking with a sob. "Please, let me go!" Daniel paused and buried his face in her shoulder. He panted, his breath hot and ragged against her neck. At that moment, a voice filled with sorrow broke through the air. "I'm sorry." As he regained his senses, he realized how harshly and irrationally he behaved, which shocked him. Because of Sienna, he had lost control. His simple apology broke Sienna's resolve,
Daniel stopped in his tracks and looked at Ryan, asking, "So, should I have forced her to choose between her mother and me?" Ryan was at a loss for words. Making his ex-girlfriend choose while he couldn't give up his job did seem selfish. He suddenly understood Daniel's decision. "Do you love her that much? Even more than your job?" he asked. "Yeah." "Is there no other way?" "No." "It's been a year. Are you sure she still likes you?" Hearing Ryan's question, Daniel's expression darkened, uncertainty clouding his eyes. Reading Daniel's thoughts from his expression, Ryan exclaimed, "You never discussed this with her, did you? Do you think quitting your job will fix everything?" "Not yet. I want to get her mother's approval first." Ryan scoffed and patted his shoulder. "Don't be naive. After a year apart, she might not feel the same. Women nowadays are practical, and they can't stand loneliness. She's probably dated a few people and moved on by now." Daniel fell sile