When Sienna woke up, she was in her own bedroom.

Her head was pounding, and every inch of her body was sore.

The housekeeper, who was bringing her some medicine, rushed over when she saw that she was awake. “Ms. Lewis, are you okay?”

Sienna shook her head. Her voice was hoarse. “How did I get back here?”

She remembered jumping from the balcony and crashing onto the ground.

Before losing consciousness, she thought she saw Zayden’s shadow.

Did he bring her back?

“The driver saw you passed out by the roadside and brought you home,” the housekeeper said.

Sienna’s mind went blank for a moment. It was not Zayden?

Had she imagined it?

Well, that made sense. He was probably with Riley.

As she thought that, her phone suddenly started vibrating nonstop.

She picked it up and saw texts from her friend.

[Sienna, are you feeling better now? Go check my social media! I avenged you for what happened yesterday!]

Sienna clicked on her friend’s social media.

She saw a long post that detailed everything that had happened yesterday.

It called out Riley for her actions and questioned her relationship with Zayden.

This friend of Sienna was well-connected in Sea City. She had the contact details of countless rich heirs and socialites.

As soon as the post was up, gossip-hungry elites rushed to it.

[Is Riley insane? Sienna would become a member of the Scott family someday, right? So why does Zayden allow her nonsense?]

[You didn’t know? Zayden has spoiled her rotten for years. With how close they are, do you really think there’s nothing going on?]

[That’s Zayden for you. He sure knows how to have fun.]

…

The comments kept pouring in.

Before Sienna could finish reading, the door to her room was kicked open with a loud bang.

Zayden stormed in angrily. He did not say a word and threw a phone at her.

The phone’s sharp corner nearly hit her eye.

“Why did you do it?!”

It was not a question. It was an accusation.

He did not even ask how she was feeling or if she was recovering properly.

The moment Riley was in trouble, he came running.

Sienna laughed at herself. She had treated him well for so many years and done so much for him. She had paid such a heavy price, yet he had never spared her a single kind word.

“It wasn’t me.”

Sienna met Zayden’s gaze.

Zayden did not believe her and sneered. “If it wasn’t you, then who? Sienna, I know exactly what kind of tricks you play. If you have a problem, come to me. Why go after Riley?”

Tricks?

Sienna frowned.

What tricks was he talking about?

Was it the “trick” of seducing him? Or the “trick” of drinking so much for him that she ended up in the hospital, vomiting blood, and ending up as Sea City’s laughingstock?

Or did he mean the “trick” of almost being violated like some throwaway object?

The terror from last night still haunted her. Everything felt as fresh and vivid as ever.

She clenched her fists and snorted. “Why? Did that post hit the nail on the head, and now, you feel guilty?”

Smack!

Zayden slapped her hard across the face.

The slap was forceful. A red mark bloomed on her pale cheek. It looked painful and humiliating.

Even the housekeeper standing by could not bear to watch. “Sir, Ms. Lewis just woke up. She really doesn’t know anything.”

Zayden shot her a glance. “You think I can trust you? Throw her out!”

“No!”

This housekeeper had come with Sienna from her mother’s house. She had been with her for over ten years. She was one of the few people Sienna could call family in Sea City.

How could Zayden treat her like this?

Sienna bit down hard on her lip. Her eyes turned red with tears as she looked at him and asked, “Riley treated me like that, and you didn’t punish her. But now, just because of a post that only tells the truth, you’re treating me like this? Zayden, is there really no place for me in your heart?”

Seeing her stubborn yet wounded face, Zayden felt a strange pang in his chest. But it vanished as quickly as it came.

“What nonsense are you talking about? Delete that post, and I’ll let this go.”

Let it go?

How merciful!

Sienna almost laughed out loud. Her hand was bandaged.

If she had not jumped off that balcony last night, she would be a laughingstock in the city and nothing more than an empty shell.

How could he be so heartless?

“If I don’t?”

Zayden’s expression turned icy. “Then… don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

In the end, the post was deleted.

The Scott family held too much power in Sea City, and Sienna’s friend had no choice but to back down.

But as compensation, Zayden made Riley apologize to Sienna.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Lewis. I didn’t mean to.”

Looking at the smug, taunting smile on Riley’s face, Sienna clenched her fists.

Did they really think a simple “sorry” could erase everything she had suffered?

What did they take her for?

“I don’t accept your apology,” Sienna said.

Zayden frowned. Just as he was about to say something, Riley stopped him.

She smiled sweetly and said, “That’s fine, Ms. Lewis. Of course, you’re upset. Let’s have a drink, okay? Alcohol fixes everything!”

Without waiting for a response, she started drinking on her own.

Riley had a poor tolerance for alcohol.

Zayden stood by her side and held her with care. He looked like he was afraid she might bump into something and get hurt.

The scene made Sienna’s chest tighten, but she said nothing.

She got up and walked to the bathroom. Out of sight, out of mind.

By the time they got home, Riley was passed out drunk.

“Riley will stay here tonight,” Zayden said.

Then, he walked into the kitchen.

He tied on an apron and began making her some hangover soup.

He moved with such focus and care that he looked like a loving husband taking care of his wife.

Sienna remembered the time she drank too much and landed in the hospital.

He did not even call to ask if she was okay.

She would never have a place in his heart like Riley did.

She turned away and went upstairs.

When she reached her room, she realized that she had left her phone in the living room.

As she opened her door to go back down and retrieve it, she saw something that almost suffocated her.

She saw Riley with her arms around Zayden’s neck. Their faces were so close that their lips were only inches apart.

“Zayden, I’m wearing the lipstick you bought for me. Don’t you want to know if it tastes sweet?”

Riley leaned in close. Zayden froze for a moment.

Then, all of a sudden, he pulled her into his arms.

The kiss was fiery and desperate. Their bodies soon pressed tightly together.

“Riley…”

He whispered her name before pinning her beneath him.

Sienna could not hold back anymore. She turned and fled back to her room.

The moment she shut the door behind her, the strength she had been clinging to crumbled all at once.

She broke down and sobbed uncontrollably.

All the pain and humiliation she had endured over the past five years came flooding back at once.

She recalled accidentally cutting her finger while learning to cook for him.

She remembered drinking so much that she ended up puking blood all over the hospital floor.

Every moment and memory was nothing more than a cruel joke.

That night, Sienna could not sleep.

Early the next morning, she packed her things.

When she opened her door to carry her luggage out, she saw Riley leaning casually against the doorframe.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Sienna shot her an icy glance. “None of your business.”

She lifted her luggage and was ready to head downstairs. But just as she stepped forward, Riley stuck out her foot.

Sienna could not dodge in time and was sent tumbling down the stairs.

She struggled to get up. Blood was already seeping from a cut on her forehead.

Riley walked down the stairs slowly and stopped in front of her.

She grabbed Sienna by her hair. “How dare you talk to me like that? Zayden spoils me. Even if I kill you, he’ll take my side.”

Then, she stomped down hard on Sienna’s injured hand.

“Didn’t you love flying? I’ll make sure you never touch a joystick again!”

Crack!

Sienna could hear her bones shattering.

She struggled desperately, but Riley refused to lift her foot.

It was not until a man’s furious shout came from the doorway that Riley finally stopped. “Enough!”

Sienna’s vision went dark, and she lost consciousness.

When she woke up, she was in a sterile white hospital room.

As soon as she woke up, she grabbed her phone and called Helen. “Mom, help me sort out my flying documents. I can’t stay here another day!”

She did not want to stay in Sea City any longer.

Just then, the door swung open.

Zayden walked in.

“What flying documents? Didn’t you give up flying?”

When Zayden walked in, Sienna quickly put away her phone.

“It’s nothing. Just some document renewal.”

Zayden frowned. “Really?”

He did not believe her. Sienna tightened her grip on her phone and forced out a small laugh. “What’s wrong? You never cared about this stuff before. Why are you asking me now? Do you want me to go back to flying?”

Her words left Zayden speechless.

He could only change the topic. “How are you feeling? Do you feel… unwell?”

“Thanks to Riley, I feel terrible.”

Her whole body was painfully sore.

She was not lying.

Zayden let out a sigh. “Don’t take it to heart. She’s been spoiled since she was a child. Her temper is bad, but she doesn’t mean any harm.”

Sienna scoffed. “No harm? If I had died, would you still have said it was just an accident and she didn’t mean it?”

The way Riley acted made it clear she had done it on purpose.

She wanted Sienna dead.

Zayden’s frown deepened. “What nonsense are you blabbering?”

“You know exactly what I’m saying. Zayden, I regret ever falling in love with you.”

“Enough!” he snapped.

In the past, he would have felt relieved to hear her say she no longer loved him. Her feelings had never mattered to him.

But today, her words irritated him.

“I’ve already put her under confinement to reflect on her actions. What more do you want?”

Sienna’s anger flared. She had almost died, and all he did was confine Riley?

What did he take her for?

“I want her to apologize.”

The moment she finished speaking, Zayden shook his head. “Impossible. I promised Riley she would never have to suffer.”

For the first time, Sienna did not back down. Her gaze remained firm. “But this was her fault. Isn’t apologizing the most basic thing?”

“Riley cares about her pride. She wouldn’t like it.”

So, Riley’s feelings could decide whether Sienna lived or died?

Why?

Sienna stared at him in silence. “What if I insist?”

Zayden’s gaze turned cold. “Sienna, there are limits to your tantrums.”

He tried to explain because he did not want this to create distance between them, but she showed no intention of backing down. Instead, her words grew sharper and colder.

All these years, she had always been gentle and obedient. She had never been so forceful.

His words were a warning.

Sienna found it ridiculous and pathetic. Her face turned icy as she pointed to the door. “Get out.”

“What nonsense is this now?”

“I said, get out!”

She grabbed the pillow and threw it at him with all her might.

Zayden stood up immediately. “Get some rest. I’ll come back another day.”

The door closed with a click.

Sienna collapsed back onto the bed. She was exhausted.

She had loved him for five years. In the end, she was nothing but a joke and had nearly lost her life for it.

She covered her eyes with her hand, and tears spilled out uncontrollably.