The evening air felt cooler as they stepped outside, the city already glowing under the soft lights of streetlamps and passing cars.
Riley's black SUV was parked not far.
A few minutes later, Sienna was seated in the passenger seat, her bag resting on her lap as the car pulled smoothly onto the road.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
The quiet wasn't uncomfortable. But it wasn't light either.
Riley glanced at her briefly. "You sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" he asked.
Sienna let out a soft sigh, leaning her head slightly against the window.
"I'm not sick," she replied. "Just a little tired."
"People say that right before they faint," Riley muttered.
Sienna gave a weak smile. "Hmm...If I faint, you can panic then."
"I'm already preparing mentally," he said. "I've never carried someone dramatically before."
She huffed a quiet laugh. "Don't even think about it. I'm heavier than I look."
Riley smirked. "Wow. Thank you for the warning."
Despite her exhaustion, the small exchange eased something in her chest.
But only a little.
Her social energy was gone.
Completely.
She leaned back into the seat, closing her eyes briefly as the car moved through the city streets.
The drive was short.
Fifteen minutes passed quickly, and soon, the car slowed to a stop in front of her apartment building.
"We're here," Riley said.
Sienna opened her eyes and nodded.
"Thank you," she said softly as she unbuckled her seatbelt.
Riley looked at her for a moment. "Text me when you get inside."
Sienna gave a small nod. "I will."
She stepped out of the car, closing the door gently behind her. Riley waited until she reached the entrance before finally driving off.
Sienna stood there for a moment, watching as his car disappeared down the street.
Then, instead of going inside, she turned.
Her feet carried her away from the building, toward the small convenience store just outside the apartment complex.
She needed food.
Something simple. Something quick. Because right now, cooking felt like climbing a mountain.
The night air brushed against her skin as she walked slowly, her mind finally beginning to quiet down after a long, exhausting day.
But then, her steps slowed.
Her gaze shifted forward.
A familiar figure appeared not far from her.
Tall.
Calm.
Walking with steady, unhurried steps.
Her eyes widened slightly as recognition hit her.
"Oh my…" she muttered under her breath, her heart suddenly beating a little faster. "Isn't that the man who helped me?"
Without thinking, she quickened her pace.
Then—
She began to run toward him.
"Excuse me, sir…"
Sienna's voice cut through, a little breathless, a little uncertain, but filled with urgency.
"Sir, please wait..." Her voice blended with the passing car.
She quickened her steps as she tried to catch up with the man walking ahead of her.
'It had to be him...' Her heart told her so.
But the distance between them didn't shrink.
The man's strides were long and effortless, and no matter how much Sienna sped up, she couldn't quite close the gap. It felt almost unfair. It feels like she is chasing a moving train with bare feet.
"Sir..."
Before she could call out again, he walked straight into a building opposite the convenience store. The glass doors opened for him automatically, swallowing his figure in a matter of seconds.
And just like that, he was gone.
Sienna slowed to a stop, her steps gradually fading into stillness.
Her brows furrowed slightly as she stared at the glass doors, as if expecting them to open again and reveal him standing there, looking at her.
But nothing happened.
"…Did I call the wrong person?" she muttered under her breath.
She stood there for a few seconds longer, her thoughts tangled between doubt and certainty.
Her mind tried to reason with her. 'Geez... Maybe it's not him. Maybe you're just tired and seeing things.'
But her heart stubbornly argued back.
'No. It's him. It must be him!'
Sienna let out a small sigh and turned toward the convenience store.
"Fine," she mumbled to herself. "If I'm wrong, then I'm wrong. But if I'm right…"
She didn't finish the sentence.
Instead, she walked inside.
The convenience store was quiet, with only a few customers scattered around. The soft hum of refrigerators and the faint sound of music filled the space, creating a calm contrast to the chaos in her mind.
A few minutes later, she found herself sitting by the glass wall, facing the building across the way.
On the table in front of her sat a slice of wonderful-looking pizza and a cold drink.
She didn't even remember choosing them.
Her eyes stayed fixed outside, watching the opposite building like a guard on duty.
"I'm just confirming," she murmured softly. "This is not stalking. This is… visual verification."
She took a bite of her pizza.
Then paused.
"…Okay, maybe slightly stalking."
She sighed deeply before chewing slowly, her gaze never leaving the building's front yard.
Minutes passed.
One bite became two.
Two became the entire slice.
The cold drink was half gone, then empty.
The crowd in the store slowly changed, people coming and going, but the one person she was waiting for never appeared.
Sienna leaned back in her chair, letting out a long sigh.
The street outside remained the same. As if nothing had ever happened.
"Alright," she muttered, rubbing her temple lightly. "At least you tried."
Her tone carried a hint of frustration.
"If you missed him this time… maybe fate just wants you to suffer a little more."
She stood up, threw away the empty packaging, and stepped out of the store.
The night air greeted her again, cooler now, quieter.
Her steps were slower this time as she walked back toward her apartment building.
There was a strange feeling in her chest.
Not disappointment. Not exactly. More like… unfinished business.
She reached the entrance and pulled out her keys.
Just as she was about to unlock the door, her phone vibrated.
Sienna frowned slightly and took it out of her bag.
The screen lit up, and a message appeared there.
From Aunty Maya, her uncle's wife. The only person in her family she hadn't blocked.
Sienna's expression softened for a brief second before she opened the message.
"Sienna, I just wanted to let you know… your father sent those gangsters to the capital to look for you."
Her fingers tightened around her phone. The softness in her expression disappeared instantly.
Her grip became firm.
Her jaw clenched.
For a moment, she didn't move.
Didn't breathe.
"…Wow," she whispered slowly. "He's really determined to ruin my life, isn't he?"
A bitter laugh escaped her lips.
"Father of the year," she added under her breath. "Truly inspiring."
Her fingers clenched around her phone once more before she slipped it back into her bag.
She could only take a deep breath, knowing the trouble she was running from was already catching up to her.