Chapter 5: Sienna’s Defiance

Sienna knew she was breaking the rules. **His** rules. But for once, she didn’t care.  

The sun shone warmly overhead, filtering through the lush greenery of the Pierce estate’s private gardens. A soft breeze carried the scent of fresh roses and jasmine, rustling the leaves as Sienna led Lily down the stone pathway. The little girl’s small fingers clutched Sienna’s hand, her grip hesitant but present.  

Lily had barely spoken in the past few days, but Sienna had noticed the way her eyes lingered on the window, staring longingly at the open world just beyond the cold, glass barriers. 

Grayson had made it **very** clear that Lily’s routine was non-negotiable. That her schedule was carefully structured to ensure stability. That there was no room for disruptions.  

But Lily wasn’t thriving under that rigid structure—she was suffocating. 

Sienna crouched beside Lily as they reached a small pond, where koi fish glided gracefully beneath the water’s surface. “See that one?” she asked, pointing to a bright orange fish with specks of white along its body. “He’s the king of the pond. Look how proud he is.”  

Lily’s eyes followed the fish, and for the first time, there was something **other than emptiness** in her gaze. Curiosity. Wonder.  

Sienna smiled. “I bet if we sit very still, they’ll come closer to say hello.”  

Lily didn’t speak, but she slowly lowered herself onto the stone edge of the pond, her tiny legs swinging slightly. Sienna joined her, letting the moment settle between them. It was peaceful, free from the suffocating weight of expectations.  

She pulled a small cracker from her pocket, breaking it into crumbs. “Watch this,” she whispered, tossing the pieces into the water. The koi fish immediately gathered, their mouths opening and closing as they devoured the tiny morsels. 

Lily blinked, her small fingers twitching. Then, tentatively, she reached out to Sienna’s hand, taking a crumb and tossing it into the water herself. 

Sienna hid her smile, pretending not to notice. **One step at a time.** 

And then the peace was shattered.  

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”  

Sienna flinched at the sudden voice, deep and laced with fury. She turned her head slowly, already bracing herself for the storm.  

Grayson stood at the garden’s entrance, his powerful frame rigid with tension, his steel-gray eyes blazing with unrestrained anger. His presence was overwhelming, a force of nature that demanded submission. 

But Sienna had never been good at submitting. 

She rose to her feet, standing protectively in front of Lily. “We’re outside,” she said, as if it weren’t obvious. “Getting some fresh air.”  

Grayson stalked forward, his fury palpable. “I told you—”  

“No, you **ordered** me,” Sienna interrupted, her voice steady but firm. “And I made a judgment call. Lily needed this.”  

His jaw clenched so tightly she thought it might crack. “You don’t get to decide what my daughter needs.”  

Sienna took a step closer, refusing to back down. “Then why did you hire me? To be a glorified babysitter? Or to actually help her?”  

His nostrils flared. “Helping doesn’t mean ignoring my authority.”  

“Authority?” Sienna let out a sharp laugh. “You act like you’re running a boardroom, Grayson. But this isn’t about business, this is about **your daughter.** She’s not one of your employees. She’s a little girl who has been locked away for so long she’s afraid to speak.”  

Something flickered in his eyes—an emotion so raw it was gone before she could fully grasp it.  

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he ground out. “Lily has a structured routine for a **reason.**”  

Sienna crossed her arms. “Then explain it to me.”  

Silence.  

Grayson’s fists clenched at his sides. His breathing was controlled, but Sienna could see the effort it took for him to rein in his temper. “I don’t owe you an explanation.”  

Sienna shook her head. “You know what? You’re right. You don’t owe **me** an explanation. But you owe one to **her.**” She glanced back at Lily, who sat frozen by the pond, her hands gripping her dress. “She’s your daughter, Grayson. Not a project. Not a mistake to be managed. A **child** who needs more than schedules and walls.”  

The tension between them crackled like a live wire. For a moment, Sienna thought he might fire her on the spot, that she had pushed too far.  

But then—  

Lily moved.  

Her small fingers reached toward the pond, gently touching the water’s surface. The koi fish darted away before slowly returning, their fins rippling beneath the surface.  

Sienna watched in silent awe as Lily let out the tiniest sound—a soft giggle, barely there, but real.  

Grayson stiffened. His eyes snapped toward his daughter, and for the first time, his anger faltered.  

Sienna didn’t speak. She just let him **see.**  

Lily’s laughter, faint as it was, was proof. Proof that she needed more than what he was giving her. Proof that he had been wrong.  

And maybe, just maybe, he knew it too.  

Grayson exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. He looked at Sienna, something unreadable in his gaze. “Fifty minutes,” he muttered. “Not a second more.”  

Sienna smirked. “Noted.”  

She turned back to Lily, sitting beside her once more. And this time, Grayson didn’t stop them. He just stood there, watching, as his daughter smiled—**truly smiled**—for the first time in what seemed like forever.