Dark clouds shrouded the rising sun, and mist spread across the landscape. Sienna stood halfway up the hill of Memorial Heights, clutching a bouquet. Her gaze was full of sorrow as she looked at Shelly's photo on the tombstone. For the past year, she had been traveling and working. It had been too long since she visited Shelly's grave."Mom, I came back yesterday. I visited Felix. He's doing great in the prison, behaving well, and even had his sentence reduced." Sienna moved closer, placing the flowers near the headstone. She sat next to it, leaning against Shelly's grave. Gazing at the distant mountains, she appreciated the serene, beautiful surroundings. "It's peaceful and lovely here," she murmured with a faint smile. "Mom, living here isn't bad at all. At least it's away from the noise and worries. It's peaceful here, and we can enjoy mountains, scenery, and moonlight. "I have another important reason for coming back this time. I want to find Jane." Sienna's tone grew he
"What about social media? Why did you block me?" Sienna inquired. "Sorry, Sienna. Why exactly did you call me?" Jane's response left Sienna somewhat resigned, a sense of foreboding settling over her. Such was the way of supposed lifelong friends. Sienna had no interest in maintaining one-sided emotional investments in friendships. Cutting straight to the chase, she asked, "Jane, did you write 'Into the Light'?" There was silence on the other end. For Sienna, this silence was deafening. She couldn't believe it. Her heart clenched with a mix of sorrow and indignation. "So, 'Into the Light' is really your work?" "Yes." Jane's voice, though slightly hollow, carried an air of entitlement. "I've already bought the book's copyright and secured a film contract." Sienna let out a wry smile, her eyes moistening. "I never imagined that my best friend would steal my book. I—" Before Sienna could finish, Jane cut her off, her tone assertive, "Sienna, my book was published three mon
It was Vivian. Adorned in an exquisite custom-made gown, she exuded an air of elegance and grandeur. She looked like she was going to walk the red carpet or grace a prestigious event. At her side stood a charming and refined woman in a tailored suit. Sienna had no desire to engage in small talk with Vivian. She regarded her with a sense of detachment. "Is this your new boyfriend?" Vivian cast a fleeting glance at the lawyer. The lawyer promptly rose to his feet and extended his business card. "I represent Ms. Lawson legally, not in the capacity you're suggesting." Vivian acknowledged him with a nonchalant hum, declining his card. She directed a frosty stare at Sienna. A faint mocking smile played on her lips as she said, "Perhaps Daniel was initially drawn to you because you bore some resemblance to me. But once the allure faded, he likely found you lacking. "After all, a plain Jane will always remain just that. To rise higher, one must possess self-awareness." Sienna c
Florence warmly greeted Sienna, expressing genuine concern and asking how she had been lately. When she found out Sienna was looking for Daniel, Florence happily sent him a message."Sienna's here to see you. Finish up and head home soon."Upon getting Florence's message, Daniel quickly put aside his work and sped home. The hurried slam of the door and his quick footsteps made quite a stir.Sienna and Florence turned to see who had just come in.Daniel was slightly out of breath. He looked at Sienna with a blend of nerves and concern in his eyes.Florence smiled and said, "Daniel's back. You two catch up. I'll go tend to my flowers in the greenhouse."She tactfully excused herself, leaving them alone in the living room.Sienna stood up, offering a polite nod of greeting."You wanted to talk to me?" Daniel walked over, setting his car keys on the coffee table before settling into the armchair beside Sienna.Sienna settled into her seat as well. Memories of Daniel forcefully kis
Sienna nodded and hummed in response."I'm not getting any younger, too, and I still haven't found the right woman to marry. Why don't we just settle and get married?" Daniel's hands sweated nervously as he spoke.Sienna's expression shifted suddenly.Not getting any younger? Settle?Without a word, she grabbed her bag, stood up, and started walking away.Daniel quickly caught up with Sienna and grabbed her arm, pulling her back. Urgency laced his words as he spoke, "Sienna, we're both adults now."We've moved beyond the awkward and shy stages of young love. Isn't blind dating and marriage all about assessing a person's compatibility?"Sienna managed a bitter smile, sadness evident in her eyes. Each word she uttered was laden with emphasis, "Mr. Morrison, I wasn't up to your standards before, and now I'm even less deserving of you.""I didn't mean any of those things I said when we broke up. They were all insincere," Daniel explained anxiously, gripping Sienna's arm with his ot
In the days that followed, Sienna felt completely disoriented. If she didn't love Daniel, there would be nothing to agonize over. She would have moved on decisively. But the problem was, she still loved him.Even after more than a year since their breakup, his pleas to get back together still stirred her heart. She scheduled a meeting with her lawyer to discuss court dates and other important matters.At the law firm, the lawyer was busy attending to other clients. She could hear an angry woman's voice coming from inside through the slightly ajar door."When he had nothing, I stood by him through hard times. We lived in a basement and ate expired bread. Our love endured many hardships."I defied my parents to be with him, supporting him every step of the way. He said I was the only one he would ever love, his everything. But he turned out to be a worthless scumbag."Now that he's successful, he's forgotten what we went through together. He transferred all his assets to his mistres
Daniel looked into Sienna's eyes, her determination causing a pang of emotion to prick his nose. Heartache flooded him in waves. He couldn't resist moving closer and reaching out to hug her.But Sienna recoiled and avoided his touch.Daniel was stunned briefly before withdrawing his hand. He sensed the lingering resentment in Sienna's heart. She seemed repelled by him.Perhaps his words during their breakup a year ago had deeply wounded her pride."Let's go register our marriage," Daniel suggested.Sienna paused before asking, "Shouldn't you discuss this with your family first?""It's not too late to inform them after we register." Daniel feared Sienna might change her mind, so he wanted to register their marriage promptly.Sienna hesitated. "I don't have my identification documents with me. Let's postpone it. You should speak to your parents first. Get their approval, and then come to me."I'd prefer to avoid family conflicts right from the start. Once you've had the chance to
Sienna stepped out of the car, her eyes sweeping over the red and yellow leaves scattered across the ground. She looked up at the long-missed sight of the house.Daniel unloaded the luggage and came to stand beside her. "Let's go inside. The code and fingerprint haven't changed."Sienna walked up to the door and pressed her fingerprint against the reader. With a soft click, the door unlocked. She pushed the door open.The spacious living room was bright and airy, unchanged from how she had arranged it. It was still warm and welcoming.However, there were a few new touches—several bouquets of fresh flowers and a large, newly-acquired green plant added vibrancy to the room. The living room felt alive."I'll take the luggage to the room. You can sit for a bit," Daniel said, lifting the suitcase toward the master bedroom.Sienna turned and grabbed the handle of her suitcase. "I can handle it myself."Daniel paused, then let go and handed it over to her.Dragging her suitcase and ca