Chapter 4

Sienna POV

"Please leave. I want to rest."

This was the first time since my release that I had rejected him.

Sebastian froze. But he quickly recovered his polite facade. "The firm is busy lately. Take care of yourself."

With that, he turned and left.

I threw the pristine strawberry cake straight into the trash can. As I walked past the hallway stairs, Serena's voice drifted up.

"Seb, you literally left our dinner halfway through just to drive across town for Sienna's favorite cake. Are you getting a little too into your 'savior' role?"

"Serena!" Sebastian's voice was sharp, laced with a rare trace of panic. "I am only doing this to compensate her. There are no feelings involved."

"Good. Because let me remind you, you and Melanie got engaged three years ago."

Engaged?

I leaned against the wall, dizzy. While I was rotting in a prison cell, weeping for my dead grandmother, they were happily celebrating their engagement.

And Sebastian never mentioned a single word about it. He even...

A wave of nausea hit me.

I gripped the banister, forcing myself to stay calm. Sebastian was a meticulous lawyer; he would never destroy key evidence easily. He had to have kept something to keep Melanie under his thumb. But where was it?

Over the next few days, I used my cleaning duties to search every corner of his study and bedroom, but found nothing.

Sebastian continued to have gourmet meals delivered to me daily. I quietly handed them over to the other staff.

One afternoon, while I was stirring soup in the kitchen, a warm body pressed against my back, arms wrapping tightly around my waist.

My muscles tensed.

"Why haven't you been replying to my texts?" Sebastian's low voice brushed against my ear.

I forced a smile and turned around. "I've just been busy with chores."

Sebastian tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "There's an alumni charity gala tomorrow. Wear something nice. We're going together."

"I don't think I should..."

"Be good, Sienna." His voice was gentle, but his eyes were dead cold.

I knew I couldn't say no. Sebastian leaned down to kiss me, his hands sliding down my waist.

I pushed him away abruptly. "I'm on my period."

Sebastian frowned slightly but let go. "Make sure you wear the dress I bought you."

The gala was held at the lavish Rosewood Manor, a clear display of Sebastian's immense devotion to Melanie.

Melanie wore a jaw-dropping red haute couture gown. The moment Sebastian walked in, she clung to him like a snake.

I quietly found a seat in the furthest, darkest corner of the hall.

"Sienna?" a mocking voice called out.

It was Julian Kane, the notorious playboy from our college days who used to harass me.

"Hey, everyone! Look who's here!" Julian suddenly shouted, raising his glass. "Sienna, our former Ivy League goddess who got locked up for a hit-and-run, is now working as a maid for the Sterlings! If any of you need your toilets scrubbed, hit her up!"

The room fell silent, followed by a wave of hushed whispers and pointing fingers.

I bit my lip so hard it bled, my eyes burning with humiliation.

Julian walked over, pinching my chin, whispering in my ear, "Why don't you come to my place instead? I'll treat you way better than Sebastian does."

The next second, his hand was violently slapped away.

"Watch your mouth, Julian." Sebastian stepped in front of me. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me out of the ballroom, using his silk handkerchief to furiously wipe my chin where Julian had touched me.

"I'm sorry, Sienna. I wanted to bring you here to help you socialize... I'll have the driver take you home first."

I nodded. For a split second, I actually thought he cared about me. But the memory of the setup quickly extinguished that spark.

As I reached the exit, I realized I left my clutch in the hall. I turned back to retrieve it.

"Nice touch with the knight-in-shining-armor act, Sebastian."

It was Julian's voice coming from the balcony.

I froze, hiding behind a marble pillar.

Sebastian didn't say anything, slowly blowing a puff of smoke into the night air.

"Why did you have me do that? To make her cling to you even more? Or to keep up your image as the righteous defense attorney?"

My heart stopped.

Sebastian didn't answer immediately.

Maybe he felt I had been too distant lately. No tantrums, no looking at him, not even eating his cakes.

He hated losing control. He wanted me to realize that without him, I was nothing but trash to the rest of the world.

"Just do what you're paid to do," Sebastian said, stubbing out his cigarette.

A cold sweat broke out all over my body. Even Julian's harassment was orchestrated by him. Was anything in my life real?

I covered my mouth, taking a step back in horror. My shoe hit an empty soda can, making a sharp clink.

"Who's there?"

Sebastian's voice cut through the dark, sharp and dangerous.