Chapter 46: Maybe Because Of Me?
Sienna let out a long breath as if releasing the last bit of stress from the day.
"Well, it’s a win-win for us," she added lightly. "That’s why we went out tonight."
There was a brief pause before she continued, her tone brightening again.
"We went to Virelle Lounge," she said. "Do you know that place? It’s not far from the Imperial Hotel."
"Yes," he replied simply. "I know."
Sienna nodded to herself, even though he couldn’t see it.
"We had dinner, drank a little, and just... celebrated," she said. "Because today felt like heaven finally decided to help us."
She smiled softly.
"And I just got home."
"I see..." His response was short.
Sienna tilted her head and looked a bit concerned. "Zach," she asked softly, "is my story boring?"
She tried to sound casual, but there was a hint of uncertainty in her voice.
On the other end, Zachary cleared his throat. "No," he said firmly. "I was just surprised."
"Surprised?"
"Yes. I can’t believe someone could have such malicious intent," his tone turning colder. "Using guest safety issues to trap you and your team is horrible..."
Sienna agreed. That was exactly what troubled her the most. In their line of work, guests were everything.
"I agree with you. Guests are not just customers," she said quietly. "They trust us. When they stay at the hotel, they trust us with their safety and convenience. That’s why this situation... It’s not just about my career."
Her fingers tightened slightly around her phone.
"It’s about something bigger than that." There was a pause as Sienna took a deep breath silently, "But someone helped us in the end," she added, almost thoughtfully.
"Someone?" Zachary asked.
"Hmm, someone. But, we still don’t know who it was," she admitted. "Well, whoever sent the evidence, they sent it with complete anonymity. No name. No trace. But they have... everything we need to prove we’re innocent."
Her voice softened with curiosity. "It’s strange, isn’t it? As if someone or some people out there are watching over us. Still, I feel so grateful... I hope God can repay their good deeds to us."
Silence.
For a moment, there was no response from the other end.
...
And somewhere far away, in a quiet room lit only by dim light, Zachary listened to her voice.
A faint, unreadable smile touched Zachary’s lips as silence stretched between them, soft but heavy with unspoken thoughts.
He leaned back slightly in his seat, his gaze drifting to the dim city lights beyond his window, though his mind was far from the view in front of him.
There were too many questions circling in his head. Questions he had no intention of answering, at least not yet.
He had helped her. That much was clear.
But why?
He wasn’t the type of person to interfere in someone else’s problem, especially not to this extent. And yet, when it came to Sienna, his usual logic seemed to quietly step aside, as if it had decided to take a day off without asking for permission.
He exhaled slowly, shaking his head just a little.
No, he wouldn’t tell her that he was the one who gave them the evidence. Not now. Or, maybe not ever.
"Zach, are you there?"
Sienna’s voice broke through his thoughts, soft but filled with a hint of worry that made his attention snap back instantly.
He cleared his throat, adjusting his tone as if nothing had just crossed his mind. "Hmm, I’m here..."
"I was just imagining you quietly leaving me to sleep."
Her words carried a teasing edge, and without his knowing it, Zachary felt a small smile tug at his lips. He could practically picture her expression: slightly pouting, slightly amused, and entirely unaware of how easily she could affect his mood.
"This is too early for me to sleep," he replied calmly. "Maybe you?"
A light laugh echoed from her side, sounds warm and genuine.
"I usually fall asleep quickly on weekdays," she said, her voice softer now, almost thoughtful. "But strangely enough, I’m not sleepy yet. Maybe because I’m happy today."
Zachary’s fingers tightened slightly around his phone, his gaze softened just a fraction as a bold thought slipped out before he could stop it.
"Maybe because of me?"
The silence that followed was instant.
Zachary shook his head, realizing what he had just said. For a man who usually measured his words carefully, that had been... reckless.
Very reckless.
On the other end, something clattered loudly, followed by a muffled sound that made his posture straighten instantly.
"Sienna, are you okay?" His voice sharpened, concern slipped through without holding back.
"Yes—yes—I’m okay!" she rushed to reply, though her voice sounded slightly breathless, as if she had just wrestled with gravity and lost.
Zachary leaned back again, an amused smile slowly forming as the image played clearly in his mind... Sienna, wide-eyed, possibly tripping over something after hearing his words.
’Dangerous,’ he thought. He shook his head lightly, trying to set that aside.
"Oh, right," he continued, deciding to shift the conversation before she either fainted or accidentally redecorated her apartment with her own body. "Do you have any plans this weekend?"
There was a small pause before she answered, her tone carrying a hint of suspicion. "Why did you ask?" she asked. "Are you going to ask me out?"
Zachary’s hand tightened again, his expression turning slightly serious this time. For a brief second, he actually considered saying yes.
But he didn’t.
"More precisely," he replied calmly, though his voice held a quiet weight beneath it, "I want to offer you a side job for this weekend."
"A side job?"
Her surprise was obvious, and he could almost hear her sitting up straighter on the other end, her curiosity now fully awake.
"Yes," he said simply. "If you want."
And then he waited.
Zachary frowned slightly, glancing at his phone screen as the seconds ticked by.
’Did she faint again?’ the thought crossed his mind, half serious, half amused.
Just as he was about to call her name again, her voice finally returned.
"I’m interested..." she said slowly, carefully, as if choosing each word with caution. "But can I ask...what kind of job?"
Zachary’s gaze sharpened, his lips curving into a faint smile that carried both mystery and intention.
He didn’t answer right away.
Instead, he let the silence linger for just a moment longer, as if he was weighing how much he should reveal and how much he should keep hidden.
Because this wasn’t just a simple job.