Chapter 12

Sienna's POV

I kept wondering how long this was going to take. Truly, the wedding was drawing closer, but then… Everything kept repeating in a monotonous pattern that was driving me crazy.

I paced the length of the room, staring at the same walls I’d been staring at for days. Max was away on a business trip, and I was stuck here like some kind of prisoner. The house felt even bigger and lonelier without his snide remarks to distract me.

I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was just past noon, and the idea of spending another minute in this oversized cage made my skin crawl.

“That’s it,” I muttered to myself. “I need out.”

The moment I stepped into the foyer, Harry was there, standing like an unmovable statue. His calm expression only irritated me more.

“Harry,” I said sweetly, plastering on my best fake smile. “I need to go out. Just for a little while.”

“I’m sorry, Miss Brooks,” Harry replied, his tone polite but firm. “Mr. Hollandale has given strict orders. You’re not to leave the premises.”

“Come on, Harry,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “I’ll only be gone for an hour. Two, max. No one will even notice.”

Harry didn’t budge. “I’m afraid I can’t allow that.”

I crossed my arms, narrowing my eyes. “So you’re just going to keep me here like a prisoner?”

“I’m simply following orders,” he said, his face completely neutral.

“This is ridiculous,” I snapped, pulling out my phone. “Fine. Let’s see what your boss has to say about this.”

I returned into the house and dialled Max. We had a deal, I had to be protected, whatever, but I wasn’t going to let the baby in my stomach put me in Max’s prison.

Max picked up on the third ring. “What do you want, Sienna?”

“Your guards won’t let me leave,” I said, trying to keep the frustration out of my voice.

“That’s because I told them not to,” he replied flatly.

“And why is that?”

“Because the last time you went out, you caused a scene,” he said. “I’m not taking any chances.”

“Max,” I said through gritted teeth, “I’m losing my mind in here. I just want to step outside for a bit.”

“And risk another PR disaster? No thanks,” he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Stay put, Sienna. It’s for your own good.”

Before I could argue, he hung up.

I stared at the phone, my blood boiling. “Unbelievable.”

By the time I made it back to my room, I was determined. If Max thought he could control me from miles away, he had another thing coming.

I pulled open the closet, digging through the clothes until I found something simple enough to blend in—a pair of jeans, a hoodie, and sneakers. After pulling my hair back into a messy ponytail, I studied myself in the mirror.

“Perfect,” I said to my reflection. “Time to put those early years of mischief to good use.”

Getting past Harry and the other guards wasn’t easy, but I had an edge they didn’t expect—I’d grown up finding ways to sneak out of places. After pretending to lock myself in the bathroom and causing a minor commotion in the kitchen, I slipped out through the side gate while they were distracted.

The moment I stepped onto the street, a rush of freedom hit me. I took a deep breath, savoring the fresh air.

“Finally,” I muttered, stuffing my hands into my pockets and heading down the road.

I wandered for a while before finding myself in an open field. The grass was lush and green, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I felt a small sense of peace. Then slowly, my mind wandered. I sat down, hugging my knees to my chest as memories started flooding back—memories of who I used to be. I used to be on top of the world. My face was everywhere—magazines, billboards, TV screens. People wanted to be me. And then, in the blink of an eye, it was all gone.

My eyes reddened and my ears rang.

The betrayal, the humiliation, the loneliness... it all came crashing down on me at once. Tears stung my eyes, and before I could stop myself, I started to cry.

“Get it together, Sienna,” I whispered, wiping my face with the sleeve of my hoodie. “You’re stronger than this.”

I took a deep breath and stood up, brushing the grass off my jeans. It wasn’t much, but the fresh air and quiet had helped clear my head.

I began to make my way back. Harry would be going crazy already. That was when I heard it – music. It was thumping, and colorful lights of the bar from which it came spilled out onto the street. For a moment, I hesitated, debating whether to go inside.

“You know what?” I said to myself. “Screw it.”

I pushed the door open, and the atmosphere hit me like a wave—loud, chaotic, and exactly what I needed.

I made my way to the bar, ordering a drink and downing it quickly. The warmth spread through me, loosening the tension I’d been carrying for days. Before long, I found myself on the dance floor, moving to the music without a care in the world. It felt good to let go, even if just for a little while.

But then I felt it—that prickling sensation on the back of my neck.

I turned, scanning the crowd, and my eyes landed on a man in a hoodie standing near the wall. He was watching me, his face partially obscured by the shadow of his hood.

I frowned, brushing it off as coincidence. After all, this was a bar and men who were after the bodies of women were always on the lookout. But as I continued dancing, I couldn’t shake the feeling that his eyes were still on me.

When I looked again though, he was gone.