LOGINFive years later.
"Come on, don't run fast."I laughed as I chased children racing around the playground. Their joyful laughter echoed throughout every corner of the foundation.The swings moved back and forth without stopping. The slide was never empty.Several children played tag across the grass that had once been nothing more than an empty field covered with wild weeds.I paused for a moment to catch my breath. My eyesSienna's POV I swallowed. "I already told him I would talk to someone who understands the law. I didn't promise him anything else.""Good. That's exactly right."The waiter came to clear our plates, and for a moment we both pretended to be normal customers. Liliana asked if I wanted dessert. I shook my head. My stomach was too tight to eat anything sweet. She ordered tea instead, and I ordered another glass of water."Can I ask you something personal?" Liliana said, lowering her voice."Of course.""Do you still believe him? Liam, I mean. Not Joshua."I looked down at my hands. My wedding ring caught the light. I twisted it slowly, the way I always did when I was nervous."I want to," I whispered. "I really want to. But some nights I lie awake and I think... what if I'm just believing him because I'm afraid of what happens if I don't? What if I'm scared of being alone? What if I'm
Sienna's POV I told her again what had happened to Liam, starting from his confession about Wilona, the money he had given her, to the incident in Hawaii. I also told her about my meeting with Joshua and his confession that he was Wilona's younger brother and the person who took Liam from the bar to the hotel on the night of the incident.Liliana listened carefully without cutting me off. Every now and then she asked a short question, then wrote something down in the small notebook she had brought.After I finished, she leaned back in her chair."Okay. Now we need to separate what we already know from what is still just an assumption."I nodded."I understand.""First, I need to know the name of the hotel where it happened. Do you know the full name?""Diamond Hotel," I answered. "It happened on May 23rd."Liliana immediately wrote down the name and date.
Sienna'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 POVMy hand gripped Noah's small hand tight, while my other hand sat in Liam's. It felt odd yet so warm. The three of us walked down the mall hall, surrounded by bright lights and the murmur of people.Noah looked to the side sometimes, his eyes shining with wonder when he s
Sienna’s POV As I walked, I noticed the other people. A father cradled his fussy daughter, a mother busily checking her shopping list on her phone. They all seemed preoccupied with their own worlds, but none of them seemed devastated. For a moment, I envied the calm. But then I realized, may
Sienna's POV I glanced briefly at Liam. He walked beside me, occasionally stealing glances with a faint smile.My eyes fell on the shopping bags in his hands before returning to Noah, who wouldn’t stop chattering about his new backpack. His mouth ran on and on, full of energy,
Sienna’s POV I stared at Emily's face for a long moment, almost unable to believe the words that had just come out of her mouth. Her words were like a knife that had been sharpened for ages, then stabbed straight into my chest, slow, neat, but excruciatingly painful."Don't go back







