LOGINLiam's POV
“Emily,” my voice was low, trying to remain polite. “We’re working. This isn’t-”“I know,” Emily cut in quickly. “But we used to be like this. Sitting together. Eating together. You always kept me company.”I closed my eyes for a moment. The memories surfaced on their own, long buried, and I had no intention of unearthing them again.“That was before, Emily. That was then. Things are different now.”Emily leaned back, a fSienna's POV What hurt the most wasn't even the hotel. It was the idea that Wilona had studied us. She had studied my marriage. She knew that Liam would do anything to protect our family, and she turned that love into a weapon. She didn't need to threaten him with violence. She just needed to threaten him with losing me.When I got home, the house was quiet. Too quiet. Liam wasn't there yet. I stood in the living room for a while, just listening to the clock. I wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn't come. Instead there was this heavy, dull ache in my chest, like I was carrying something I couldn't put down.I went to Noah's room. His bed was still neatly made. His photo was still on the desk. I touched the frame with my fingertips and whispered, "Your mom is trying, sweetheart. I'm trying to do the right thing."I didn't know if I was doing it right. Part of me wanted to confront Liam again, to demand every detail right now. Another part
Sienna's POV I stared at Joshua, who had just told me everything honestly."Does Wilona know that you don't want to help her anymore?"Joshua nodded."She knows. We even argued about it.""What did she say?""She threatened to drag me down with her if she ever got caught. She said I could also lose the life I'm building right now."I let out a slow breath."And how did you answer her?""I told her I'm tired of living with lies." Joshua looked at me with a steadier gaze. "I don't want to keep being someone who takes advantage of other people's kindness. I don't want to let Wilona hurt other people just because I'm afraid to face the consequences of my own mistakes."There was sincerity in his voice.I didn't know if he would be able to prove that change through his actions, but at least for the first time, he wasn't trying to run away from
Sienna's POV Joshua didn't answer right away. He swallowed hard."I didn't know her whole plan from the start, ma'am. I really didn't. But after everything happened, after I saw what she did next, I started to realize that she deliberately made Mr. Liam be in a difficult situation. She wanted him to be in that exact situation.""How? How did she do it?""Wilona wanted to have something. Something she could use to pressure Mr. Liam with. Leverage. She knew Mr. Liam was married and that he loves his family very much. He's very protective of you, ma'am. Everyone knows that. She thought Mr. Liam would do anything so that the problem wouldn't reach you. So it wouldn't reach his wife. She thought if she could scare him with that, he'd pay."I felt my hands start to tremble. For real this time. I had to put them in my lap so he wouldn't see.It wasn't because I just found out Wilona wanted money. I'd already suspect
Sienna's POV Joshua's face changed right away. Like, instantly.He just went quiet. And then he squeezed his hands together on top of the table so hard his knuckles turned white."I knew part of her plan. Before you and I even met."My heart started beating so fast I could hear it in my ears."Part of it?" I said. My voice sounded smaller than I wanted it to.Joshua nodded slowly, not looking at me."I knew Wilona wanted to get money from Mr. Liam. I knew that. And I also knew she had a plan about that night. The night Mr. Liam was at the bar. But I swear, ma'am, I didn't know all the details from the start. She never tells me everything. She never did."I tried so hard to hold back my shock. To not react."Then what actually happened that night, Joshua? Tell me."He looked at me then, and his face was just full of regret. Like he was already sorry for what he was about to say."I will tell you, ma'am. Everything. I promise. But I want you to know one thing first before I do.""What?
Sienna's POV I took a slow breath, trying to keep my emotions steady. My fingers were wrapped so tight around the cup I thought it would break."Then start from the beginning. Tell me about your life with Wilona."Joshua was silent for a very long time before he finally started talking."Wilona is my biological sister. We grew up together, but after our parents died, everything changed. We didn't have much money. At first, we really were struggling just to survive."I listened without cutting him off."But over time, Wilona started doing all kinds of ways to get money. She often used sad stories so people would feel sorry for us. I joined her. I did it too. With her."My fingers tightened around the cup."So those stories you told me? About your hard life?""Some of it's true, ma'am. We really did live hard. But I didn't always tell the whole truth. I made it sound worse. So people would help more. So they'd give us more money."I just stared at him. I didn't even know what I was fe
Sienna's POV That night, I could barely sleep. Not really.Every time I closed my eyes, Joshua was there. His face. His voice. That one confession playing over and over.Wilona is my sister.Such a simple sentence. Four words. But it just kept spinning in my head, like a record stuck on the same line. Like there was something I was supposed to remember, something important, right at the tip of my tongue, but I just couldn't grab it.I kept trying to reason with myself. Telling myself - come on, Sienna. Blood doesn't make you the same person. Just because you share blood doesn't mean you share a soul. Joshua could be different from Wilona. He has to be different. I've seen it with my own eyes, how hard he's been trying to change his life. I didn't want to just wipe away all the good things I've seen in him just because of one confession.But I couldn't lie to myself either. The truth is, there are so many thin
Sienna's POV The lounge had a serene atmosphere. The rain outside had eased, pattering softly against the window. The scent of damp soil blended with the cozy ambiance of the room, generating a feeling that oddly compelled me to weep not out of sorrow.Simply as it seemed so wh
Sienna's POV We had just completed packing all the food into the picnic bag when the wind unexpectedly gusted colder than it had been. I glanced up at the heavens ominous clouds loomed directly over the park, racing by as if drawing a curtain."Seems like it’s going to rain," I
Sienna's POV A nervous chuckle washed over me. "No, Noah. Mommy told him a little." “About our Lego house?" “Yes, that too. Has it been reported by Mommy that Daddy produces loud snoring sounds at night? I'm curious to know.”Liam's gaze lit up with excitement. "What did
Sienna's POV “It seems your picnic idea was fully approved,” I said gently.“And it also seems like it’s the perfect idea for today,” he replied, his warm smile slowly making my heartbeat quicken just a little.I nodded, then returned to the stove. “In that case, I’ll prepare our l







