A Meeting with Mr. Anonymous

Sienna’s POV

I arrived at the bar half an hour early and as I sat down at the bar, focusing on the tart and fruity mocktail in front of me, I felt my stomach growl in anxiety.

I glanced at my wristwatch a couple of times, flicking my gaze tothe entryway every now and then, half expecting the anonymous texted to walk in. But it was too early and he or she had specifically said eight pm. 

I checked my phone again and reread the cryptic message that had led me here. As I read through it for the hundredth time, my fingers hovered over the screen more than once, tempted to respond with questions. But something told me this wasn’t the kind of person who liked to repeat themselves.  

Dropping my phone back into my purse, I indulged myself in my drink, hoping that time would go by faster.

A while later, I felt a presence sit down on the stool next to mine and I glanced at his direction. It was a masculine man dressed in a crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up and his black trousers tailored perfectly. He was good looking.

“A glass of Manhattan.” He said to the bartender, not bothering to even glance at my direction. Then, a couple of seconds later, he turned his head slightly, catching my eye with a raised brow.  

“Didn’t anyone tell you it’s rude to stare?”  

I blinked my eyes in embarrassment as I dropped my gaze to my mocktail.

Oh. Shoot. That was a caught. 

“I wasn’t staring.” I muttered, even though we both knew I was lying.  

“Sienna Blake, right?”

I lifted my gaze and raised a curious brow at him. 

“How do you know my name?”  

He ignored my question, instead reaching into his shirt pocket and pulling out a folded envelope. He placed it on the bar between us and tapped it twice, as if summoning my attention.  

“Before we get into that,” A small grin creeped up his lips. “How has life been after your little video went viral? Can’t be easy, I imagine.”  

My face burned at his words. 

“Excuse me?”  

“The humiliating scene at the business gala.” He continued, unfazed by my rising anger. “Must’ve been rough.”  

“Who the hell are you?” I demanded, my voice sharper now. 

He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. 

“Just someone who knows a lot of things. Things you might want to know too.”  

And then, it dawned on me. Immediately, I checked my wristwatch for confirmation. It was 8:03pm. 

I looked back at the man seated beside me. He was the anonymous texter.

“Go ahead.” He pushed the envelope closer to me. “Open it.”  

Reluctantly, I picked up the envelope and slid out its contents. A series of photographs spilled onto the bar. They were photos of a wrecked car with its front end crumpled like paper. 

I frowned, flipping through the images. 

“What is this?”  

“Look closer.” He said, his tone calm and annoyingly too relaxed. 

I examined the pictures again and a few seconds later, my heart slowed as a terrible sense of recognition finally set in. I squinted my eyes to get a better look. And no. I wasn’t thinking wrong. 

The car wasn’t just any car. It was Roman’s car. The same car he used to drive six years ago, when we were still together. 

My throat tightened and my heartbeat raced as I looked up at the man again.

“What… where did you get these?” 

He swirled his drink lazily before taking a sip. 

“On the night you gave birth, Roman left, didn’t he? Said he was going to pick up your favorite noodles, if I’m not mistaken.” 

I felt a chill down my spine.

“How do you know that?”

He ignored my question, pushing another photo toward me. It was a close-up of the wreckage, with the license plate still partially intact. It was Roman’s license plate. I could still remember it. 

“That car crash happened a few minutes after he left the hospital. Roman was in it.”  

I felt like I’d been punched in the stomach and my heart stopped at that moment. I shook my head objectively. 

“No. That’s not possible. He… He just left…”

“And never came back.” The man finished for me. “Because he couldn’t.”  

My mind was spinning. 

“Wh… what are you saying?”

He turned to face me fully now, his expression dark and serious. 

“Roman lost his memory in that crash. He didn’t know who he was, where he was, or who he belonged to.”  

I stared at him, feeling cold grip me. My lips parted in an attempt to say anything but I couldn’t even produce a single word. I couldn’t believe my ears. But it all made perfect sense now. Roman’s sudden disappearance, his marriage to Sabrina and his inability to recognize me. 

Was there any chance that this stranger was telling the truth?

“Now, here’s the real kicker.” The man continued. “Sabrina found him first and claimed to be his wife.” 

I froze again and tears began to well up in my eyes. I shook my head, refusing to believe his words. 

“No… no, she wouldn’t do that. She wouldn’t…”

“Oh, but she did.” He interrupted, his tone cutting. “She saw an opportunity and took it. She stole your life, Sienna.” 

My head spun as his words sank in. All this time, I had thought Roman had abandoned me and our daughter without a word. Never did I suspect there was something else.

“I don’t believe you.” I whispered, but deep down, I believed him. Everything made perfect sense now. I had fallen in love with Roman because he was kind and had shown me a kind of love I had never tasted before. We were so excited for the arrival of our daughter. So, it made zero sense that he would just vanish one day, only to get married to my own sister and pretend that he had never met me before.

Unless of course, it was truly Sabrina’s doings.

The man shrugged, finishing his drink in one long sip. “Believe what you want. But you can’t change the facts.”  

I stared down at the photos in my hands, my vision blurred by unshed tears that I tried to sniff back. 

She had stolen Roman from me, lied to him and deceived everyone just so that she could steal my identity and my life. 

I felt rage surging through me and more than anything, I wanted to confront and drag her by the hair for everything she had done to me. I was not going to let her go free this time around. 

“I’m going to find her.” I said getting up abruptly but the man caught me by the wrist and pulled me back down.

“Bad idea.” He said flatly.  

“You think I’m going to sit here and do nothing?” I snapped, glaring at him. “She lied to everyone. She’s a fraud, a manipulator, and…” 

“A killer.” He interrupted, his voice cutting through my rage like a whip.  

I froze, the word echoing in my ears. “What?”  

He leaned closer.  

“Listen, Sabrina might be your sister, but the biggest mistake you’ll make is underestimate her. Sabrina isn’t just a liar, Sienna. She’s deadlier than you think. If you go storming up to her, calling her out, you’ll be risking your life.”  

“That… that is not true.” I knew that Sabrina was capable of many things but I couldn’t just believe that murder was on the list.

“You really think you know her, don’t you? Sabrina isn’t the person you think she is, love. She’s not the type who takes kindly to people standing in her way.”  

“She’s not a murderer.” I insisted, hearing the waver in my voice. 

He laughed, a humorless sound. 

“Is that so? Because I wouldn’t put anything past her. After all, this is the same woman who stole your husband by pretending to be you. Who’s to say she wouldn’t go a step further if she felt threatened? She’s obsessed with Roman and wouldn’t bat an eyelid if it means eliminating you to get him for herself. Or your daughter.”

The mention of my daughter sent a jolt of terror through me and I felt sick at once, my knees instantly turning weak.  

“I cannot let her hurt my daughter.” 

“Then you’ll listen to me.” He said. “Lay low. Pretend you don’t know anything. Sabrina can’t suspect you’re onto her, or she’ll make sure you regret it.”  

I shook my head, tears cascaded down my face now. My hands gripped the edge of the bar. 

“I can’t just sit back and do nothing. Roman…”

“Roman doesn’t remember you.” The man’s tone was blunt. “To him, Sabrina is his wife and you’re the evil twin sister. If you try to expose her now, all you’ll do is make yourself a target.”  

I wanted to argue but I couldn’t. I wasn’t just fighting for myself anymore. I had my daughter to protect, and I couldn’t afford to make a reckless move that might put her in danger.  

He stood, tossing a few bills on the bar to pay for our drink. He was really tall. Almost as tall as Roman.

“You’re smart, Sienna. I can see that. So, use your head. Stay quiet. Keep your daughter safe. And wait for me to contact you again.”  

I looked up at him, a curious look on my teary face. 

“Why are you helping me?”  

He smirked.

“Let’s just say I have my reasons.”  

Before I could ask anything else, he turned and walked out of the bar, leaving me alone with the photographs and a secret that could destroy everything.