Chapter 20

Sienna swung her legs absentmindedly, the rhythmic motion matching the gentle drizzle outside. The rain had eased, leaving a calming stillness in the air. Her fingers tightened around the warm cup of coffee, her mind still circling the revelation. Anne is Riley's cousin? She couldn't help but chuckle, feeling silly for being jealous.

"Hey," a voice pulled her from her thoughts. It was Anne. "Mind if I sit?"

Sienna shook her head. "Go ahead," she said softly, allowing Anne to take the seat next to her, leaving a small gap between them.

Anne leaned back, staring out at the misty landscape. "Something on your mind?" she asked, her tone casual but probing.

Sienna let out a small laugh, taking a sip of her coffee. "Did you enjoy pretending to flirt with Riley, knowing full well you're her cousin?"

Anne smirked, glancing sideways. "It wasn't about me having fun. I thought it might help you figure out how you really feel about her."

Sienna blushed, biting her lip. "Yeah, well, it did. But now I feel like a complete idiot for getting so worked up over a cousin." She let out a bitter laugh, the weight of her confusion settling back on her shoulders. "I mean, what does that make me? Jealous over someone I'm not even officially dating... over feelings I don't fully understand?"

Anne clicked her tongue and shook her head. "If you're already this jealous, why not just tell her how you feel? You're clearly not indifferent, and if it's bothering you this much, maybe it's time to stop tiptoeing around it."

Sienna sighed, lowering her gaze. "It's not that simple. I've never felt like this toward a girl before, let alone someone like Riley. It's scary. What if I'm wrong about what I'm feeling? What if people don't understand?"

Anne's voice softened. "You're worried about what people will say, right? That's normal. You've never been attracted to girls before. You're straight—or at least, you thought you were."

Sienna winced, her fingers gripping the edge of the cup. "It's more than that," she murmured. "I'm not just anyone. I'm the daughter of LunaVera's owner, the rival of Riley's company. On top of having no history of being attracted to women, there's the whole business rivalry. What happens when people find out? It could cause a lot of damage."

Anne sat quietly for a moment before letting out a long breath. "The way I see it, it comes down to one question: what's more important to you? The opinions of other people, or how you feel about Riley? You can't control what people will say, but you can control whether or not you take a chance on your feelings."

Sienna bit her lip, the weight of Anne's words sinking in.

Anne placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "Look, sometimes in life, no matter what you do, you won't get everyone's approval. But if you know in your heart that you're not hurting anyone and this is what feels right for you, then maybe that's all that matters. But... if you think loving Riley is going to bring more trouble than it's worth, maybe you need to let it go before it's too late."

Sienna's heart clenched at those words, a sharp pain shooting through her chest. "What do you even know?" she mumbled, feeling the tears begin to sting her eyes.

Anne didn't respond, sensing Sienna's turmoil. Sienna laughed bitterly, trying to swallow the hurt. Is this how my sister felt when she had to choose between staying and running away with Riley's sister? she wondered. The weight of that choice pressed on her, just as it had for her sister all those years ago.

She sighed deeply, knowing that the decision ahead wasn't any easier now than it had been for her sister then.

Riley leaned against the balcony door, rubbing her forehead as she listened to her sister, Nyx, on the phone. Her frustration was evident in the way her fingers massaged her temples.

"Nyx, I told you, just get someone else to handle it. I... I can't," Riley said, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. She had distanced herself from this part of her life for so long, not because she didn't care, but because the memories it dredged up were too painful.

She ran her fingers through her hair, sighing deeply. "I said I'm not doing it!"

"I'm not yelling," she snapped, softening her voice as she bit down on her lower lip. "You're just... you're impossible, being my sister..." Riley muttered.

The room door creaked open, and Sienna entered quietly before closing it behind her. Riley glanced at her, then returned her focus to the phone. "Fine! But you owe me for this, Nyx. I've told you a hundred times—I don't want to do this in front of people anymore." She shot Sienna another look, noting her silent demeanor.

"I mean it, if you don't pay me, I'm not doing it," Riley grumbled, watching Sienna stand motionless in the room. Something felt off. "I'll talk to you tomorrow. I have to go," she said hurriedly, ending the call.

She swallowed a lump in her throat and walked towards Sienna. "Are you going to sleep?" she asked gently. Sienna only nodded.

Riley rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. "Are you mad at me for not telling you that Anne's my cousin?"

"I'm sorry if it felt like I was keeping it from you—" Riley began, but before she could finish, Sienna buried her face in Riley's chest.

Riley blinked in surprise. "What's wrong?" she asked softly, her hand instinctively running through Sienna's hair.

Sienna stayed silent, her eyes closed as she rested against Riley's warmth. A storm of thoughts brewed inside her. Should she tell Riley she needed to stop these feelings? Should she act like nothing had happened and let things go back to how they were? But deep down, she knew she couldn't. She knew the answer to Riley's unspoken question. So why was she still so afraid?

"How did you come out?" Sienna mumbled, still pressed against Riley's chest, breathing in the subtle blend of floral and woodsy notes that made up Riley's familiar scent.

Riley chuckled lightly. "Why are you asking?" she said, looking down at Sienna. "I just... I just acted like myself. I didn't make some grand announcement or anything. If people had a problem with it, that was on them."

Sienna sighed, her eyes opening, though she remained nestled against Riley. She reached for Riley's free hand, intertwining their fingers. Riley looked down in surprise at the sudden intimacy of the gesture.

Sienna exhaled softly. She was ready. It was worth the risk. Because it was Riley. She straightened up and looked into Riley's eyes, her heart steady now.

"I finally have my answer," Sienna said, her voice soft but sure. Riley's brows knitted in confusion.

"I finally understand this weird feeling I've been having," Sienna continued, reaching out to gently caress Riley's cheek.

Riley's breath hitched. "And what is that?" she asked, her own hand covering Sienna's.

"I like you, Riley. That's the feeling. I like you," Sienna admitted, her gaze unwavering, full of sincerity. Riley blinked, processing what she had just heard.

"I like you," Sienna repeated, her voice firmer now. "That's why... I'm taking a chance on you."

Before Riley could respond, Sienna leaned in, pressing her lips softly against hers. The kiss was brief, but it sent a jolt of warmth between them.

When Sienna pulled away, she looked up at Riley, her eyes glinting with newfound confidence. "I suppose you hear me loud and clear, Riley Pierce. I told you—I'm taking a chance on you."

Riley cleared her throat, the weight of the moment settling over her. She wrapped her arms around Sienna, pulling her into a tight hug. "Thank you," she whispered, burying her face in Sienna's shoulder, relief and emotion washing over her.

Sienna hugged her back, her smile gentle as she closed her eyes. This had better be worth the shot, she thought, already knowing deep down that it would be.