บททั้งหมดของ LIES BEFORE VOWS: บทที่ 31 - บทที่ 40

The month after that quiet, emotional evening in Sienna’s home felt like a blur. Life resumed its rhythm—Fred went back to his place, Jordan buried himself in school, and Sienna returned to work, burying herself in deadlines, meetings, and presentations. Yet no matter how busy her schedule became, Damon lingered in her mind. His voice, his touch, the memory of his hand wrapped around hers—it all stayed with her, slipping into her thoughts when she least expected it.It was in the middle of a late afternoon when her phone buzzed. Damon’s name lit up the screen.“My parents are hosting a charity auction this weekend. They’d like you to come.”For a heartbeat, Sienna thought of declining, afraid of what it meant to step into the Caldwell family’s world again. But she knew she couldn’t. She had been to their mansion countless times, had spent evenings laughing with Margaret, and had even joined them on their family vacation to Nigeria. On that trip, she and Margaret had bonded more than s

For seven days, the Caldwell offices ran without Damon. His absence left a visible emptiness in the atmosphere, a silence that no amount of polished meetings or stock reports could fill. He hadn’t shown up to work once since the phone call with Sienna. Sienna noticed it immediately. At first, she told herself it was none of her business. He was Damon Caldwell; if he wanted to brood in solitude, let him. But by the fourth day, the unease started to chew at her. By the seventh, she couldn’t shake the heaviness in her chest. She thought about calling his parents but quickly dismissed the idea. That would raise too many questions. Instead, she dialed Thomas, the family’s longtime driver, a man who knew more about Damon than most of his own relatives. “Thomas,” she said carefully, “I need to know something. Has Damon been home this past week?” There was a pause on the other end, then Thomas answered in his low, steady voice. “No, ma’am. Mr. Damon hasn’t been home at all. But… I know w

The fallout from Elise’s sudden return was immediate and merciless.By sunrise, gossip blogs were buzzing with scandal. The top headline screamed across Sienna’s phone screen:“The Other Woman? Billionaire Damon Caldwell’s Secret Affair Exposed.”Her stomach twisted as she stared at the grainy picture of herself—taken outside Damon’s penthouse, clearly snapped by a hidden camera. The caption beneath it was cruel: “Meet the assistant who allegedly stole Damon Caldwell from his fiancée, Elise Laurent.”Her hands shook as she scrolled. The article portrayed her as a manipulative opportunist, someone who used her position at work to seduce her boss. Her name, her face, her career—all dragged into the mud overnight.By the time she reached the office, she could feel the shift in the air. Conversations stopped when she walked by. Stares followed her every step. And in the middle of it all was Elise—smiling sweetly, chatting with employees as though she had never left.“Oh, Sienna,” Elise pu

The fallout from the scandal had spread like wildfire. By morning, the tabloids still pulsed with venom, and Sienna’s name remained plastered across every gossip site. The internet spun endless narratives about her, but today she didn’t have the strength to face any of it.She stayed home, curtains drawn, curled beneath a blanket as if hiding from the world could erase the headlines. Her phone buzzed relentlessly, but she ignored it. Even the thought of stepping foot in the office again filled her with dread. Shame clung to her skin, heavy and suffocating.Jordan, who was supposed to be in school, refused to leave her side. He sat cross-legged on the floor with his textbooks forgotten, eyes fixed on her in quiet concern. “You don’t have to pretend with me,” he said softly. “I know it hurts.”Sienna swallowed hard, trying to keep her voice steady. “They’ve already decided who I am, Jordan. No matter what I do, it’ll never be enough.”Jordan shook his head firmly. “Damon won’t let this

The evening air was cool, and Sienna sat in the dim glow of her living room lamp, curled into the corner of the couch. The cup of tea in her hands had long gone cold, but she hadn’t noticed. Her thoughts kept looping: rent was due in two weeks, Jordan’s tuition fee next month, electricity bills piling up. She rubbed her temple, a quiet sob escaping her chest.Her life had collapsed in days.She had walked away from her job, not because she wanted to, but because the shame had become unbearable. Headlines painted her as a gold digger, Elise had humiliated her in the office, and though Damon fought back against the media, she couldn’t silence the voice inside her that whispered: How long until you lose everything?A knock at the door jolted her out of her spiraling thoughts. She wiped her cheeks quickly, setting the mug aside.When she opened the door, Damon stood there. He looked exhausted—dark circles under his eyes, his tie loosened, his usual composure fractured.“Damon…” she whispe