Six

Sienna Williams chatted with the Governor for a while in her study in the watchful presence of Damien, though he was subtle about the way he stared at George. When Sienna had had enough exchange of words with him, she zoomed off, letting her mind wander to the party beginning in barely hours. She had hoped for an hour's rest after the Governor’s departure, but his constant blabbering didn’t seem to end.

“Mr Governor,” Sienna spoke and rose to her feet, drawing the attention of Damien. Simultaneously, the Governor rose to his feet as well. “Thank you for coming all the way to welcome me back home, but, as you already know, I am hosting a party this evening which I must get ready for,” Sienna stated firmly.

“Of course, Mrs Williams,” the Governor says, stretching out his hand for a farewell handshake with Sienna, but Damien stepped in between, taking his hand and giving it a firm shake.

“I’ll see you out, Mrs Williams has something important to tend to,” Damien says while still shaking hands with the Governor. The Governor, stunned, simply nodded and followed Damien’s hand that directed him out of Sienna’s office.

Damien walked with the Governor until he met with his entourage outside. When they spotted him, they all bowed. Damien exchanged one last handshake with the Governor before his guard opened the vehicle for him to get in. “I’ll see you later, Mr Governor,” Damien added with his hand raised. As soon as the Governor’s car took off, Damien mounted the stairs and headed back to Sienna’s study.

“Tell me you found something on that piece of shit,” Sienna said as the door to her study closed and Damien walked in.

“You bet I did. He’s part of the gambling ring,” Damien said, pulling out his phone and showing the new found information he had of the Governor. Sienna stared at it intensely, the wheels in her brain spinning at full speed.

“Do you need me to handle him?” Damien asked.

“For now no. Keep him away from the kids,” Sienna says. There was a light knock on the door disrupting them. Sienna slopped her head as the door creaked open, revealing her assistant, Melissa. She was a pale and timid looking woman who always had thick glasses on.

“Mrs Williams. Mr Williams.” She acknowledged both Sienna and Damien after she closed the door behind her. “I just received news from the headquarters. Mr Kebison refuses to work with the CEO and insists on having a meeting with you first before signing the contract. I’ve penciled a zoom meeting with him for Monday 19,” Melissa says, reading off her notepad.

“That’s eight working days from today,” Sienna interjected.

“Yes, Mrs Williams. Also, the beauty room is ready. The makeup artist is ready to begin when you are,” Melissa adds.

Sienna Nods in approval and gratitude. “Thank you, Melissa,” Sienna says and Melissa leaves the room. Now alone with Sienna, Damien finally voiced out the one question that has been twirling in his brain since Sienna stepped out of the vehicle.

“I take it you ran into him,” he says. Sienna stared at him, giving him a knowing look.

“He bumped into the vehicle,” she replies matter of factly.

Damien was silent for a while, studying Sienna’s body language. “How did you feel? Seeing him after so long?”

Sienna sighs. It was a question she had hoped not to receive, particularly coming from Damien. How did she feel seeing Aaron, her first love, the man who shattered her heart beyond repair. How did she feel seeing him? Sienna knew the answer to that.

“It came as a shock, regardless, it doesn’t matter,” she dismissed, smiling reassuringly at Damien. “Do you think they will recognize me”

“The DeMarques?” Damien asks and Sienna nods.

“No. You are no longer Sienna Clairvoyant. She was a timid girl, that isn’t you. Not anymore. You are a strong and fierce and determined woman. Besides, they are too conceited and have a superiority complex bigger than the fortune they claim to have to even think of comparing you, Sienna Williams, to that girl they broke nine years ago,” Damien says firmly.

Sienna nods, letting Damien’s words sink in. “You are right,” she rounded the huge mahogany table centered in the middle of her study. “I should make sure the girls are well settled in before getting ready for tonight’s gala,” Sienna says, walking past Damien.

Just as she grabbed the doorknob, Damien spoke up. “You’ve got this, Sienna Williams,” Damien says, laying emphasis on her last name. The name which she took when she married his father, the late Mr Octavio Williams.

Sienna gave Damien a smile that didn’t reach her eyes before she closed the door behind her.

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