LOGIN~Sienna~The lunch rush at the small restaurant three blocks from the office is a deafening. Hums of clinking silverware and chatter, but Elias and I sit in a secluded booth in the far corner, where the world feels pin-drop silent. I’ve spent so long guarding the truth like a physical weight in my chest that now, as I prepare to let it spill, my hands are trembling so hard I have to tuck them under the table.Elias watches me, his expression patient but etched with a deep, lingering concern. "Sienna," he says softly, "you’re shaking. Whatever it is, you don’t have to force it. I don’t mind you not telling me."My hands tremble more. His blind trust in me is just too strong. It’s the more reason why I can’t continue to keep I’m in the dark. I take a deep breath, the scent of toasted bread and coffee suddenly making me lightheaded. "I had an affair with him, Elias. Years ago, when I was just a junior assistant at Gray Stone Luxury Real Estate and Hospitality."Elias doesn't blink, he b
~Sienna~Ever since Nova has got to know about the triplets, there’s hardly a day she doesn’t come over to the house. Most afternoons, after work at the studio, Nova’s sleek car pulls into the gravel driveway. She doesn't come empty-handed, she brings bags of organic purees, high-end wooden toys, and soft, cotton dresses that probably cost more than my first car.My mother was wary at first. She’s spent a year being the only gatekeeper to this world, but Nova’s sheer, relentless enthusiasm has worn her down."She has his hands," Nova whispers today, sitting cross-legged on the nursery rug with Nyomi. She’s holding a tiny bottle, her designer dress forgotten as she focuses entirely on the infant in her arms. "Look at the way she curls her fingers around the glass. This pinky finger is just like my father’s, Sienna. I could swear she’s even scowling like him."I lean against the doorframe, a basket of laundry balanced on my hip, and I can't help but smile. Seeing Nova here, getting alon
~Sienna~Nova nods, her eyes glassy. We get out of the car, and I lead her to the front door. My hand shakes as I turn the key. The moment the door swings open, the familiar sounds of home wash over us—the soft, constant thump-thump of a baby jumper and a high-pitched, delighted squeal from the living room.My mother appears in the hallway, wiping her hands on an apron. She stops dead when she sees Nova standing behind me. Her eyes dart to mine, wide with a silent question."It’s okay, Mom," I say, my voice thick. "She knows. Nova knows everything."My mother exhales a long, shaky breath and steps aside, her face softening into a look of pure pity and relief. Nova doesn’t wait for me to invite her in. She moves past me into the living room, her heels clicking softly on the hardwood before she stops at the open door way of the living room.I stand back, watching her.Noah is on his tummy, pushing himself up with surprisingly strong arms, his brow furrowed in concentration. Nyomi is sit
~Sienna~ The walk to the parking garage feels like a long mile. Nova doesn't say a word. She just walks ahead with a focused energy, her heels echoing like gunshots against the concrete. When we reach her car, she unlocks it with a shaky hand and practically dives into the driver's seat. I slide into the passenger side, my hands trembling. "Nova, talk to me. You’re scaring me." She doesn't speak. She just reaches into the envelope and pulls out a stack of perfectly shot photographs. She drops them into my lap as if they’re burning her fingers. I look down, and my world stops spinning. The first photo is of me at the beach, three weeks ago. I’m laughing, wiping Noah mouth as he keeps munching on the food. The second is of my mother, pushing the triple-stroller through the grass. The third is a close-up of Naysa’s face as she sleeps in her car seat. There are more. Me entering my house. My mother carrying a bag of diapers. A shot of the three of them together on a blanket in the bac
~Sienna~I duck behind a large display of rocking chairs, my heart hammering so hard I’m sure he can hear it. I’m clutching the baby clothes to my chest like they’re a shield. "Will there be anything else today?" the clerk asks."Actually," Norman pauses. I can hear the rustle of his coat. "Show me those hand-knit blankets in the window. The white ones."No. No, no, no. Those blankets are right next to where I’m crouching.I see his polished black shoes move across the floor. He stops less than five feet away from me. I hold my breath, squeezing my eyes shut. I can smell him—that scent of mint and expensive rain that I breathed in during those long nights in the hospital. It’s so close I could reach out and touch the hem of his trousers."They're beautiful, aren't they?" the clerk says. "Perfect for a christening or a first homecoming.""They look... soft," Norman says. There’s a strange, distant quality to his voice. "I remember when my daughter was born. Everything was so small. Yo
~Sienna~She doesn’t look all mighty and glamorous as I’ve know her to be. That’s the first thing I notice when I see her clearly. She’s not the Everly I remember. The polished, sharp-edged woman from the firm is gone. Her hair is a mess, her makeup is smudged, and she looks like she hasn't slept in a week. She’s wearing a coat that looks too big for her, and her eyes are wild, darting back and forth."Sienna," she spits. The name sounds like poison coming out of her mouth."Everly," I say, keeping my voice steady even though my knees are shaking. "What are you doing here? You shouldn't be near this building. Norman has security everywhere."It’s a lie. I know. But only a fool like Everly will believe that since Norman was the one who handled her arrest. She thinks I’m back with Norman again. She lets out a sharp, jagged laugh that sets my teeth on edge. "Norman. Always Norman. You think he’s your knight in shining armor, don't you? You think you won.""I don't think I won anything
~Sienna~ Tears run down my face as I stand by the door, I don’t bother stopping it. My hands tremble as I wrap them around my stomach, hugging my babies. It feels like a dream. I still can’t believe I’ll be able to meet them soon. In three weeks, they will be here. I’ll bring them home. To this be
~Sienna~The moment we step into the kids’ store, the air changes.Bright colors, soft lullabies humming from little speakers, and shelves lined with tiny clothes, clothes so small they barely even look real.Everything feels unreal. It’s like I’m operating on an automated command as I move through
~Sienna~I smile with tears in my eyes as we walk out of another doctor’s appointment. Elias’s hand clenches around mine, tugging me forward, out of the hospital.The sharp, bitter smell of antiseptic, blood, and pills lingers in the air but I didn’t even notice. My heart soars to the brim, I’m too
~Sienna~“What did you just say?” I hiss lowly.My gaze flicks around the spacious sitting area. Wide and empty, with the windows open and bare of any curtains. The musky, thick smell of wet paint and leather dilutes the air, wrapping around my lungs.I turn to Elias and my mom again. I narrow my e







