Chapter 3

In the days since moving into the Clearwater Bay house, Sienna ignored Grant’s one-sided attempts to get her attention.

Aside from going to work as usual, she devoted all her energy to something deeply important to her.

Yvette.

Yvette was a luxury eveningwear label her father had founded and named after her mother. It had once been highly respected in the industry, but after her father became seriously ill, the business had been left dormant for years.

Its experienced dressmakers and artisans had gradually moved on. The textile suppliers that had worked with the label for years were no longer in contact, and even its official website hadn’t been updated in ages.

Now, Sienna wanted to fulfill her parents’ final wish and bring Yvette back.

Many longtime customers still left comments on social media asking when the label would return, but their interest alone wasn’t nearly enough to revive it.

Besides tracking down the dressmakers and artisans who had scattered over the years, her most urgent task was rebuilding the label’s supply chain for luxury fabrics.

Sienna had spent the past few days calling in favors and contacting one supplier after another.

Some carried fabrics that didn’t meet her standards. Others refused to work with her because her order volume was too small.

After several setbacks, she finally found a well-established supplier specializing in premium silks and French brocades.

At six that evening, Sienna drove to the Oakhaven Grand Hotel.

The meeting had been arranged in a private dining suite on the top floor.

The hotel was known for its old-world European elegance, with polished marble floors, dark walnut paneling, and gleaming brass fixtures. It had always been one of the city’s preferred venues for business dinners and private negotiations.

A hostess greeted Sienna warmly. After confirming Sienna’s reservation, she pressed the elevator button and escorted her upstairs.

Just as the elevator doors closed, a man dressed in black entered through a side door, surrounded by several people.

“This way, Mr. Sullivan.”

---

When they’d first discussed the partnership, the other party’s assistant had mentioned that her employer was familiar with Yvette and had met Sienna’s father several times.

The moment he heard Sienna was the one reaching out, he’d agreed to meet with her.

She couldn’t help wondering who he was.

Sienna thanked the attendant outside the suite, then gently pushed open the door.

A woman in a tailored business suit immediately came forward to greet her.

“Good evening, Ms. Reed. I’m Ava Ross, executive secretary to the CEO of Riverton Group.”

Sienna recognized her voice. Ava was the person she’d spoken to about the partnership.

Riverton?

Hadn’t she contacted Heritage Silkworks?

When had Riverton become involved?

Ava seemed to notice her confusion and explained with a smile, “Heritage Silkworks became a subsidiary of Riverton Group two weeks ago. Our company has traditionally focused on overseas markets, but we’ve been expanding our presence domestically in recent years. We’ll be handling all future business negotiations and partnerships.”

Sienna had heard of Riverton.

The international company specialized in high-end luxury goods and frequently hosted couture showcases, galas, and other exclusive events.

If Riverton intended to expand into the domestic market, entering through the traditional luxury textile industry made perfect sense.

Still, why would a small label like Yvette warrant the personal attention of Riverton’s executive secretary?

“This way, Ms. Reed. Mr. Reed has been waiting for you.”

Mr. Reed?

A name immediately came to mind.

She followed Ava deeper into the enormous private suite.

Beyond a short hallway, a crystal chandelier cast a warm glow over the richly paneled dining room. White orchids and greenery formed an elegant centerpiece on the round table.

Sienna looked toward the head of the table.

Her gaze met the man’s directly.

He wore a casual gray suit and lounged in his chair with relaxed elegance. One hand rested on the edge of the table as he idly turned a teacup between his fingers.

The moment he saw her, his dark, slightly upturned eyes lit with unmistakable joy.

“Sisi.”

Sienna’s heart skipped a beat.

Rowan Reed.

Tessa had only casually mentioned his return a few days ago.

Now that he was standing right in front of her, it still didn’t feel real.

Sienna had never expected to see him again.

While she stood frozen, Rowan had already crossed the room and stopped beside her.

He glanced toward Ava, who immediately took the hint and withdrew.

The familiar scent of fir surrounded Sienna as Rowan gently pulled her into his arms.

His deep voice sounded beside her ear.

“Sisi, I’m back.”

Sienna’s mind went blank.

Her thoughts returned to that summer, when she and her father had first found Rowan outside a scrap yard.

He had appeared in her life when he was ten and vanished just as suddenly at twenty.

After the car accident, he’d vanished without a trace.

Now, he had returned as the CEO of Riverton Group.

Rowan’s gaze softened as he looked at the woman he’d spent years longing for.

His fingers brushed slowly over the base of her ring finger, his voice betraying nothing.

“I’m not leaving again.”

Sienna met his eyes.

He was both familiar and strange.

The softness of youth was gone. His features had sharpened, and an unmistakable air of privilege and authority now surrounded him. Yet behind his gold-rimmed glasses, his dark eyes remained as deep and unreadable as ever.

No one looking at this polished, untouchable man would ever imagine that he had once fought stray dogs for food behind a junkyard.

Rowan bent slightly and drew her into his arms again.

The sudden intimacy made Sienna uncomfortable.

Perhaps it was because they hadn’t seen each other in so long.

Or perhaps it was because he was no longer the same person she remembered.

She gently pushed him away and smiled.

“That’s good.”

Her deliberate distance made Rowan pause.

He quickly recovered and led her to the table, pulling out her chair for her with practiced care.

Sienna didn’t make a fuss.

She sat down without hesitation.

“I heard you’re getting divorced.”

Sienna stiffened but didn’t answer. Instead, she took the proposal out of her purse.

“Let’s talk about Yvette.” She looked up at him. “Riverton didn’t acquire Heritage Silkworks just to expand into the domestic market, did it?”

Seeing her dodge the subject, Rowan merely smiled.

He leaned back in his chair, took the folder from her, and began flipping through it.

“I know Yvette well. Dad built the label from the ground up. It may have been dormant for a few years, but it still has a solid foundation and a loyal customer base. Riverton wants to bring it back to life.”

Dad.

Her heart ached all over again at the mention of her father.

Sienna looked directly at him.

“This isn’t about Riverton. This is something you personally want, isn’t it?”

Rowan smiled.

“Am I not allowed to do something for you and Dad?”

---

The drink in front of Grant remained almost untouched.

He paid no attention to the endless round of toasts around the table. His phone screen lit up, went dark, then lit up again.

Their conversation still showed the message he’d sent that night.

Four days had passed.

Sienna hadn’t replied.

Caleb leaned closer and reminded him carefully, “Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Lawson is proposing a toast.”

Grant lifted his eyes. He picked up his glass without much interest and clinked it against the other man’s.

The liquor burned on the way down, making him frown.

He loosened his tie, unable to shake the irritation simmering inside him.

The feeling was foreign to him.

Even his worst fight with his father had never left him this unsettled.

His frown stared back at him from the dark phone screen.

No matter how upset Sienna had been in the past, she’d never gone more than two days without contacting him.

Caleb noticed his impatience. After some hesitation, he explained, “Mrs. Sullivan seems to be busy with Yvette lately.”

Yvette?

That little fashion label her father had left behind?

She’d asked him before whether there was any way to revive it.

He vaguely remembered answering her, but he couldn’t recall what he’d said.

Grant ran a finger along the rim of his glass and scoffed.

What was so important about it?

All she had to do was ask, and he could buy her ten labels just like it.

He gave a dismissive snort.

“She certainly knows how to keep herself busy.”