Two weeks later.
Time, it seemed, had no sympathy for Sienna's exhaustion or for the quiet chaos that had followed her from Evercrest. It simply moved forward, dragging her along and refusing to give her even a single day to rest.
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 earlier, she had been running down a hospital hallway, escaping from gangsters sent by her own father.
No one would have guessed that even now, part of her remained alert at all times. Watching. Listening. Waiting for those people to appear before her.
Sienna knew better than to feel completely safe. She 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 with her father.
"Everything will be all right, Sienna. Move on..." she told herself, trying to cheer herself up and set aside her family problems.
Because today—
Today was important. It was Friday, the final meeting before the Sterling Capital management training event began on Monday.
This event had been building for weeks, and everything had to be perfect.
She couldn't afford to make mistakes or be delayed. Most importantly, she could 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.
But then Riley's voice distracted her. "Sienna..."
She looked up and saw him standing there, one hand casually tucked into his pocket and a playful smile already forming on his lips.
"How's your work?" she asked seriously.
"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?"
"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 shifted slightly in her chair, crossing her arms as she observed him. For the first time, he appeared serious, competent, and responsible. It was somewhat unexpected.
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. She laughed before replying, "I'm still confirming that."
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 flat. "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 a little.
"But seriously," he added, his tone gentler now, "everything is under control. You can relax."
Sienna looked at him. Really looked at him this time.
She could 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 only a little.
"Alright," he said. "I'll leave you to your intense thinking session. But don't forget the final meeting is about to begin in ten minutes. Don't make Zachary Sterling wait."
"Hmm, thank you for the reminder. But no need to worry. I already set three timers..." Sienna replied playfully, brushing him off with a wave of her hand before returning to her work.
After Riley left, Sienna lowered her gaze back to her laptop, pushing aside the brief lightness he 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 when the CEO of Sterling Capital would be there 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 looked tall, composed, and unmistakable.
Sienna's heart tightened slightly.
Her steps slowed, then halted for a brief second as she stared at him, making sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her.
'Oh my god... Yes... Yes... It's him! My savior!' she screamed in her mind.
Without thinking, she started walking toward him, a small, genuine smile spreading across her lips before she even realized it was there.
"Sir, please wait..." she called again.
Her steps quickened.
"Thank God, I finally found you...!"