Two weeks felt like they flew by faster than Sienna wished.
Time, it seemed, had no sympathy for her exhaustion or the chaos that had quietly followed her from Evercrest. It simply moved forward, dragging her along, refusing to give her a break to enjoy even a single day.
On the surface, her life looked… normal.
She went to work every day at the Imperial Hotel, attended meetings, and dealt with guests and colleagues with her usual calm professionalism.
No one would have guessed that just two weeks ago, she had been running through a hospital hallway, escaping from men sent by her own father.
No one would have guessed that even now, part of her remains alert at all times. Watching. Listening. Waiting for those people to appear before her.
Sienna knew better than to feel completely safe. She had changed her phone number the very next day after receiving Aunty Maya's message. It was the safest option. The simplest way to cut off any direct contact.
Her father was not someone who would give up easily.
Especially not when he had people backing him up. People who didn't follow the rules. People who didn't care about boundaries. They are gangsters.
Just thinking about it made her sigh inwardly.
'Great,' she thought, 'Most people deal with deadlines. I deal with criminals.'
But she didn't let it show to her friends. She couldn't.
Because today—
Today was important.
It was Friday, the final meeting before the Sterling Capital management training event that would begin on Monday.
This event had been building up for weeks, and everything had to be perfect.
She can't afford to make mistakes or be delayed. And most importantly, she must not give Angie any reason to criticize her.
Sienna sat at her desk, her eyes fixed on the laptop screen as her fingers moved steadily across the keyboard.
Her posture was straight, her expression focused, but her mind drifted for just a second—
"Sienna…"
The voice came from right in front of her.
Sienna blinked, looked up, and saw Riley standing there, one hand casually resting on his pocket, a playful smile already forming on his lips.
"What matters that makes you go into a trance like that?" he asked, tilting his head slightly as he observed her.
Sienna stared at him for a second before her expression returned to neutral.
"Why are you here?" she asked, deliberately ignoring his question as her gaze dropped back to her laptop. Her fingers resumed typing, faster than before. "Do you not have any work?" she added.
Her tone was formal, as if conveying, "Not today... Don't bother trying to humor me, Riley...it's pointless."
Riley raised an eyebrow but didn't look offended.
Instead, he straightened slightly and nodded as if accepting a challenge.
"No worries," he said smoothly. "I'm done with the task you assigned."
That made Sienna pause.
She glanced up at him again, this time giving him her full attention.
"All the rooms for the conference are already prepared," Riley continued, his tone shifting into a more professional report. "I've double-checked the layouts, seating arrangements, and equipment. Everything matches the requirements."
Sienna nodded slowly.
"And?" she prompted.
"Mia and I also talked to the reception team about the guests' special requests," he added. "Dietary restrictions, early check-ins, VIP handling...you name it. They're ready."
Sienna leaned back slightly in her chair, crossing her arms as she studied him. For once, he looked serious. Competent and responsible. It was… a little surprising.
Riley noticed her expression and smirked.
"What?" he said. "You look like you just discovered I'm actually useful."
Sienna didn't even try to hide her reaction. "I'm still confirming that," she replied calmly.
Riley placed a hand over his chest, pretending to be hurt.
"That's cold, Sienna. After all my hard work?"
"You should be used to it by now," she said, her tone dry. "And don't get too confident. The event hasn't started yet."
Riley chuckled softly. "Yes, ma'am."
He leaned slightly against her desk, lowering his voice just a bit.
"But seriously," he added, his tone gentler now, "everything is under control. You can relax."
Sienna looked at him. Really looked this time.
She can clearly see that there was something sincere in his expression, something steady and reassuring.
For a brief moment, she felt the tension in her shoulders ease.
But only for a moment.
"Relax?" she repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Do I look like someone who can relax right now?"
Riley shrugged.
"No," he admitted honestly. "You look like you're about to fight someone."
Sienna sighed. "That's not helping."
"Well," Riley said with a grin, "if anything goes wrong, I'll stand in front of you."
She gave him a flat look.
"And do what? Negotiate with the problem?"
"I'll smile confidently," he replied. "That usually works."
Sienna couldn't help it. A small laugh escaped her.
"Please don't," she said. "We're trying to impress clients, not confuse them."
Riley chuckled, clearly satisfied that he had managed to lighten her mood, even if just a little.
"Alright," he said. "I'll leave you to your intense thinking session. But don't forget the final meeting was about to start in ten minutes. Don't make the big boss wait."
"Hmm, thank you for your reminder. But, no need to worry, I already set three timers..." Sienna replied playfully, dismissing him with a wave of her hand and focusing again on her work.
After Riley left, the office returned to its usual rhythm, filled with the soft tapping of keyboards and the occasional murmur of conversation.
Sienna lowered her gaze back to her laptop, pushing aside the brief lightness Riley had brought with him.
She focused on her tasks, reviewing schedules, confirming arrangements, and making sure every small detail aligned perfectly with the upcoming event.
Time slipped by without her noticing, her mind fully absorbed in the flow of responsibilities.
Until—
The sharp sound of a timer broke through her concentration.
Sienna blinked, her fingers pausing mid-typing as she looked at the clock.
For a split second, she looked confused, as if she had been pulled out of another world.
"Oh no…"
She quickly grabbed her notebook and pen, her chair scraping softly against the floor as she stood up.
The final review meeting.
She couldn't be late.
Not today.
Not when executives from Sterling Capital come to inspect everything before the event.
Sienna moved quickly through the hallway, her steps steady but urgent as she made her way toward the conference area.
But the moment she stepped into the lobby
Her gaze locked onto a familiar figure walking through the entrance. He looks tall, composed, and unmistakable.
Sienna's heart tightened slightly.
Her steps slowed, then halted completely for a brief second as she stared at him, making sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her.
'Yes… It's him.' She screamed in her mind, looking at the man who had helped her that night.
Without thinking, she began walking toward him.
A small, genuine smile appeared on her lips without her even realizing it was there.
"Sir," she called out, her voice soft and light but clear as she approached him.
Her steps quickened slightly.
"Thank God, I finally found you…!"