Chapter 83: It Has To Be Him
Sienna’s fingers twitched slightly at the thought.
’Stop it, Sienna! Stop thinking about it. Just accept it...’
Another thought immediately followed, completely unhelpful.
’Well... look at the bright side. Ten months’ salary could’ve been your emergency fund anyway. What if you got fired tomorrow?’
Sienna froze.
"...Fired? Why would I get fired?" she whispered, genuinely offended by her own imagination.
’Or worse,’ her inner voice continued mercilessly, ’what if the hotel suddenly caught fire? Or what if they were going bankrupt?’
Her eyes widened at that thought.
’Damn Girl! Don’t jinx yourself!’
She shook her head quickly, as if she could physically throw the thought out of her brain.
Clearly, her mind had stopped cooperating.
Sienna pushed her chair back, stood up, and grabbed her bag, inhaling deeply as she tried to reset herself.
"I need to go home," she decided firmly. "Before I accidentally resign in my imagination."
She walked toward Mia’s desk, her steps steady enough to appear normal, even if her thoughts were anything but.
Mia was already packing her things, humming softly as she stuffed various items into her bag with questionable organization.
"Done with work?" Sienna asked, leaning slightly against the desk.
Mia looked up, her face immediately lighting up with a grin. "Yeah, done. If I stay any longer, I might start charging this company overtime."
Sienna let out a small laugh. "Want to go home together?" she offered.
"Of course," Mia nods. "Emotional support is necessary after surviving today’s hell."
Sienna raised a brow slightly. "Oh? Did a guest ruin your mood today?" she asked curiously.
Mia shook her head, still smiling. "Nothing dramatic. Just someone complaining about a ’discounted offer’ she got from a travel app."
Sienna frowned slightly, curious about the trouble.
But before she could ask more, Mia spoke again.
"No need to worry, Boss. We’re already handling it..."
Sienna gave a small nod. "Alright. But I still want the full report tomorrow."
"Of course, Ma’am," Mia replied with exaggerated formality, placing a hand over her chest.
Sienna can’t help but smile. Before she could respond, another voice came from behind them.
"I can smell a problem. Should I be concerned?"
Sienna and Mia turned at the same time.
Riley stood nearby, leaning casually against the partition, a playful smile tugging at his lips.
Mia rolled her eyes. "Don’t you realize by now that you’re always concerned?"
"Really?" Riley placed a hand in his pocket, feigning thoughtfulness. "That must be because I care too much."
His gaze shifted to Sienna. "You two heading home?"
"Yes," Sienna replied.
"Perfect. I’m about to head home, too," he said without hesitation. "Let’s go, girl...I’ll drive both of you."
Mia’s eyes lit up instantly. "Wait... Did you just offer us a free ride?" She clasped her hands happily. "Wow. Are you repenting for your sins?"
Riley sighed, though the corner of his lips lifted. "Stop teasing me and get in the car before I change my mind."
That was enough.
Both women laughed as they followed him toward the elevator.
The ride home was filled with easy conversation, light teasing, and the kind of laughter that made the day feel lighter than it had any right to be.
Sienna sat in the back seat, resting her head lightly against the window. For a while, she allowed herself to relax, her eyes closing briefly as Mia and Riley argued over something trivial.
But just as the car approached her apartment building, a soft vibration came from inside her bag.
Her eyes snapped open. Her heart tightened the moment the thought crossed her mind, ’Zach... it has to be him. Right?’
Trying to remain calm, she reached into her bag and pulled out her phone. Her fingers moved slightly faster than intended as she unlocked the screen.
But the moment she saw the message, her heart tightened.
Her brows furrowed when she saw an unknown number.
Slowly, she opened the text.
And just like that, the warmth inside the car disappeared.
"Are you done enjoying your time at the company? Are you ready to face the consequences you deserve?!"
Sienna’s heart sank.
Her fingers tightened around her phone as she stared at the screen.
The number was unfamiliar. And, different from the number she received before.
However, the text wording—
She didn’t need confirmation; she simply knew who the sender was.
’Angie—’
The name surfaced instantly in her mind.
’It has to be her!’
A quick flash of irritation appeared on her face, clear and sudden.
’What does she want now?’
Her pulse quickened, her thoughts racing as unease settled in her chest. This time, it wasn’t about Zachary.
This was something else.
Something heavier.
Even after the car came to a stop in front of her apartment building, her mind hadn’t slowed down.
The looming threat she wanted to set aside in the back of her mind gradually started to fill her thoughts.
Her hand tightened around her cell phone.
’Sienna, you’d better download an anti-spam app on your cell phone,’ she reminded herself.
"Sienna, what are you waiting for...?"
Riley’s voice pulled her back.
She blinked gently, smoothing over her negative thoughts with a warm, polite smile.
"What?" She asked.
"Arrived..."
"Ah, so fast..." She awkwardly said.
"See you tomorrow," he said lightly.
"Thank you, Riley," she replied. "Drive safely... and text me when you both get home."
"Yes, ma’am," Mia and Riley answered in unison, giving her a playful salute.
That earned a genuine laugh from her.
Sienna stepped out of the car, closing the door gently behind her. She stood there for a moment, watching as the car drove away, its headlights fading into the distance.
Then, slowly, her gaze dropped back to her phone.
The message was still there.
Her grip tightened slightly before she slipped it back into her bag.
Sienna let out a quiet breath and turned toward the building, her steps calm and composed.
But beneath that calm, the unease remained. And this time, it refused to be ignored.