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.

In the following days, Zayden seemed like a completely different person. He visited the hospital often. Every time he came, he brought Sienna her favorite seafood porridge.

But Sienna did not touch it. She did not even glance at it. She would rather eat the bland boxed meals from the hospital than take a single bite of what he brought for her. She knew it was neither care nor concern. It was just guilt. After everything he had done to her, his kindness was nothing more than fake sympathy.

When she was discharged and returned home, Zayden was not there.

Sienna began packing up her things. She gathered all the items she had once chosen so carefully, along with the gifts she had given to Zayden.

She threw everything into the trash.

As for the gifts, she handed them to the butler.

“Miss, these are all unopened. They’re too expensive! I can’t possibly accept them.”

The butler felt happy, though he did not dare show it. Each item was worth a fortune.

Sienna looked at the gifts. They were all still in their packaging. A small, relieved smile appeared on her face.

She had chosen every single one with care. Back then, she sent them to Zayden with so much hope.

But he had never even bothered to open them. It showed how little she meant to him.

Her entire world had revolved around Zayden. She had never even stopped to think about anything else.

Looking back, she saw how pointless it had all been. How wasteful!

As she finished sorting everything out, Zayden walked through the door. Riley followed behind him.

The moment Riley saw Sienna, she lowered her head reluctantly. “I’m sorry, Ms. Lewis. What happened the other day was my fault. Please forgive me.”

Sienna was surprised. She had not expected Zayden to actually make Riley apologize to her.

But she did not feel any satisfaction in it.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw herself falling down those stairs. She had almost died at the hands of the woman standing in front of her.

How could a simple “sorry” fix all that?

Sienna looked at her and said, “I don’t accept your apology.

“Until you feel the same pain I did and kneel to beg me for forgiveness, I’ll never forgive you. If you can’t do that, don’t bother coming to me again.”

With that, she walked into her room.

Riley’s face instantly turned red in anger. “You! Zayden, did you hear what she just said?”

Zayden had not expected Sienna to react like this.

He went upstairs. Just as he was about to knock on her door, he noticed the trash can overflowing with things.

A vein twitched on his forehead.

He recognized everything inside the trash can. These were matching couple gifts Sienna had once insisted they use together, including toothbrushes, cups, bedsheets, and quilts.

What was she throwing a tantrum about this time?

He pushed open the door and saw Sienna packing everything. He frowned. “Riley already apologized. What more do you want?”

Sienna did not respond and continued with the packing. Then, she took the framed photo by the bed and raised it over her head, ready to smash it on the floor.

Zayden’s eyes widened. He rushed forward to stop her.

But he was too late. Sienna used all her strength. The frame crashed to the floor, and the glass shattered into pieces.

She picked up the photo of them together, tore it into tiny shreds, and tossed them into the trash can.

“Sienna, what are you doing?!”

For the first time, Zayden showed an emotion other than cold indifference in front of her.

He was angry and confused.

Sienna met his dark gaze. “I’m clearing out the trash.”

Riley rushed upstairs, too. She walked to Zayden’s side and said softly, “Zayden, does Ms. Lewis hate me so much? Is that why she’s so angry? It’s all my fault! If you hate me too, I’ll leave…”

Her eyes turned red and welled up with tears.

Zayden immediately pulled her into his arms to comfort her. “How could I ever hate you? You’re my favorite. Sienna’s acting up again. Give her some time. She’ll come running back to me, like always.”

His last words sounded like he meant for Sienna to hear them.

She caught every word indeed.

She sneered inwardly. In the past, she was nothing but a lovesick fool who followed him everywhere and did everything to please him. It was no wonder he felt so confident.

But she had changed.

Looking at the two of them only filled her with disgust.

As for running back to him? That would never happen.

That evening, Zayden knocked on her door again. Sienna did not want to answer it, but he just would not stop.

Annoyed, she finally opened the door. Zayden handed her an invitation. “There’s an airshow in Sea City tonight. Want to go?”

“No.”

“But your favorite pilot will be there. They say it’s the only time he’s visiting. Are you sure you want to miss it?”

In the end, Sienna agreed to go.

Even though she hated Zayden, she could not refuse because the pilot visiting tonight was someone she had always admired.

When they arrived at the venue, it was packed to the brim.

Zayden and Riley came too. Sienna paid no attention to their interactions. Her eyes stayed fixed on the show.

As the performance neared its end, she got up to leave.

Suddenly, a model plane overhead began to shudder. It swerved off course and shot toward the crowd.

It was heading straight for Sienna and Riley.

“The plane’s out of control!”

Screams erupted all around. The audience scattered in panic.

But Sienna and Riley stayed frozen.

People pressed in on all sides. They could not take a single step.

The crashing plane drew closer and closer. Riley burst into tears. “What do we do? What do we do? I don’t want to die…”

Sienna’s palms were sweaty. She was terrified, too. But fear would not save them. She forced herself to stay calm.

At last, the people around them began to move.

Sienna seized her chance and ran toward the exit. But the plane was still falling.

Boom!

A deafening crash split the air.

The force of the impact sent Sienna and Riley flying to the ground.

Pain ripped through her body.

When Sienna opened her eyes, she saw jagged pieces of the wing that had impaled itself deep into her and Riley’s lower legs.

“Riley!”

Through the ringing in her ears, she heard Zayden’s voice.

She used every ounce of her strength to turn to look. Zayden was fighting his way through the fleeing crowd to reach them.

Panic, urgency, and fear shone in his face.

Even his perfectly styled hair was a wild mess.

He finally reached them. Before Sienna could say a word, Riley’s sobs filled the air.

“Zayden, it hurts so much! Please save me!”

Zayden did not hesitate for a moment. He did not even glance at Sienna.

Between the two of them, he chose Riley without hesitation.

As he lifted Riley into his arms and turned to leave, instinct forced Sienna to shout out his name.

“Zayden!”

He turned back and saw her lying there in puddles of her blood.

But Riley kept crying.

His face twisted with worry. In the end, he said carelessly, “Wait here. Rescue will be here soon.”

Then, he disappeared from Sienna’s sight without looking back.

Exhausted and in pain, Sienna closed her eyes.

…

At Sea City Central Hospital, Sienna jolted awake.

She tried to move her legs but felt nothing.

When she looked down, she saw both her feet encased in heavy casts.

“You’re awake. Just rest for now. You’re still very weak after donating your bone marrow to Riley.”

Zayden’s words took the air out of her gut.

Sienna’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What bone marrow?”

Zayden explained casually, as if he were telling her about the weather. “Riley’s leg was pierced through. She needed a bone marrow transplant right away. Time was tight, so I used yours. Don’t worry. The doctor said it will grow back. It’ll just take a few years.”

He made it sound so normal and easy.

Sienna felt like her world had collapsed.

“You’re saying… you took the marrow from me and gave it to Riley?”

“Yes. But don’t worry. I’ll make it up to you. Haven’t you always wanted to go out for a barbecue? I promise, after Riley’s surgery is over, I’ll take you. You love spicy barbecue, don’t you?”

Zayden made it sound like he was doing her a favor, as if he had no other option. That was the last straw for Sienna. Her composure shattered.

She lifted her hand and slapped him hard across the face.

The slap rang out in the silent hospital room. Even Zayden’s assistant froze in shock.

He had never seen anyone dare hit Zayden before.

“Who gave you the right to decide for me?! Do you even know what happens to someone without a bone marrow?! Riley was hurt, but so was I! Why did you have to take what belongs to me?! Have you lost all your humanity?!”

Seeing Sienna completely lose control, Zayden, for the first time ever, did not get angry. Instead, he reached out and pulled her into his arms. “Calm down.”

“Don’t touch me!”

Sienna shoved him away, like he was something disgusting.

Sienna’s eyes were red in anger, and she trembled. She pounded her fists against his chest again and again. “Give it back! Give me back my marrow…”

Without sufficient marrow, her bones would become brittle, leaving her no different from a cripple.

How could a cripple ever fly?

She could already see what her future would become. Tears streamed down her face.

Zayden looked at her. She was a mess. She seemed fragile and defeated in his arms. For the first time, he felt a flicker of pity, maybe even sorrow.

A memory came to him of Sienna smiling with bright, innocent eyes.

Zayden’s throat felt tight. He was about to comfort her when a loud knock sounded at the door. It was Riley’s attending doctor. “Mr. Scott, Ms. Scott is awake.”

The moment he heard that Riley was awake, Zayden let go of Sienna without a second thought and walked quickly toward the door.

Before leaving, he turned back to her. “Get some rest. When you’re feeling better, we’ll have a barbecue together.”

With that, he left the room.

As soon as he disappeared from sight, Sienna buried her face in the blanket and broke down in tears.