Chapter 47

Sienna let out a bitter laugh as she leaned back in her swivel chair, rubbing her temples in frustration. The moment her father learned about her breakup with Riley, she had been summoned back to the mansion. There was no way around it-those were his conditions, and she had no choice but to comply.

A soft knock on her door broke her thoughts, though she didn't bother to respond. Her eyes remained fixed on her laptop screen, though her mind was elsewhere. The door creaked open and closed again, and a familiar voice spoke up.

"You haven't eaten anything yet," her mother, Vivian, said gently.

"I'm not hungry, Ma." Sienna's voice was flat, devoid of any emotion. How long had it been since Riley left? She had lost track of time-months, maybe more. All she knew was that she wanted answers. Why had Riley left? What had driven her away?

"You've been like this ever since you came back," Vivian remarked softly, standing near her daughter's back. She swallowed hard, a heavy sigh escaping her lips.

"I'll eat when I'm hungry," Sienna replied, closing her eyes for a moment. In the darkness behind her eyelids, she could still see Riley's smile. I miss you, you know? she whispered in her mind.

"Your father wants you to meet someone," Vivian began, crossing her legs as she waited for a reaction.

"Alright," Sienna answered coolly. "Just tell me when."

"Sienna..." Vivian's voice held a hint of concern.

"I know this is what Papa wanted all along. You must be happy now that Riley's out of the picture." Sienna finally turned her chair around to meet her mother's gaze. Her eyes were dull, drained of all the warmth and emotion they once held. "You can take control now, demand whatever you want from me. Isn't that what you both wanted?"

Vivian sighed, her own emotions conflicted. "You shouldn't have gone to see him that day."

Sienna frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"I mean... you shouldn't have visited me at the hospital that day," Vivian clarified, her arms crossing over her chest.

Sienna blinked, the realization dawning on her like a cold wave. Her mother was referring to the day Riley disappeared-their anniversary. "Ma... did Papa do something to Riley?"

Vivian's expression softened, and her voice grew tender. "I warned you, didn't I? I told you to protect what you two had. Because the moment your father saw an opening, he would tear you apart." She stood up slowly, her words hanging heavy in the air.

"Anyway," Vivian continued, her tone turning distant, "now that you've broken up, you'll have to follow your father's wishes. That means meeting the man who will soon be your husband." Without waiting for a reply, she left the room, leaving Sienna in stunned silence.

Sienna's eyes widened in disbelief as she recognized the person standing before her-the one she was apparently destined to marry. She couldn't believe it. Both of them were frozen, their shock mirrored in each other's expressions. Meanwhile, their parents smiled proudly, exchanging introductions.

"Ethan?" Sienna whispered, her voice barely audible, as though saying his name out loud might make the situation more real. Ethan stood just as stunned, his body rigid like a statue.

"You two had a relationship in the past, didn't you?" Sienna's father chimed in. "Now's the perfect time to rekindle that. After all, you're going to be tying the knot soon."

Sienna shot Ethan a look, her eyes wide with confusion and anger, as if silently asking, What the hell is happening? Ethan avoided her gaze, looking down at the floor, seemingly deep in thought.

"Well then," her father continued, clapping his hands together, "we'll leave you two to talk." Both their fathers exited the room, leaving them awkwardly alone.

"What are you doing here?" Sienna hissed, leaning closer to him, her voice barely above a whisper. "Aren't you with a boyfriend?" Her words were sharp, laced with frustration.

Ethan scoffed, leaning in as well, as though they were sharing a secret conversation. "And what about you? Aren't you with Riley?"

The mention of Riley's name hit Sienna like a punch to the gut. Her expression faltered, a bitter smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "She left," she admitted softly, the pain evident in her eyes. "I'm still trying to figure out why. But seriously, Ethan, why are you even here? You have a boyfriend."

Ethan rubbed the back of his neck, sighing in frustration. "That's the thing. I do have a boyfriend, but do you think that old geezer cares? I haven't told them yet-"

"What?!" Sienna's voice was low but furious, her teeth clenched. "You still haven't come out to them?"

Ethan let out a half-hearted laugh and shook his head. "It's not that easy, you know? I'm not sure how they'd react, what people will say..."

Sienna's face soured, and she let out a long, tired sigh. "And here you are, just accepting this arranged marriage?" she said, her voice tinged with exasperation.

Sienna shook her head, unable to grasp the absurdity of the situation. Ethan, her soon-to-be husband, was gay, and both of them knew it. He had openly admitted it, and yet here they were, pushed into this farce of an arranged marriage. As for Sienna, she had made a promise-to herself and to Riley-that she would only ever marry Riley.

Ethan broke the silence with a dry chuckle. "You know, sometimes it's hard to be a guy," he said, leaning his arms on the table, staring out the window. "It's like I have no choice but to play the role society expects of me. Be the man, meet expectations, conform."

Sienna clicked her tongue, shaking her head in frustration. "It's not just you, Ethan. I get it. People don't understand how suffocating those expectations can be. My whole relationship with Riley felt like a battle. People were always against us, like loving someone of the same gender is some kind of crime."

"It's exhausting, isn't it?" Ethan responded with a bitter laugh. "I don't even know how I'm going to tell my boyfriend about all this. I doubt he'd understand. How do you explain something like this?"

Sienna leaned in, her expression thoughtful. "Look, I have an idea-something that could work for both of us," she said quietly. "Maybe we don't have to fight this battle alone. If we're stuck in this, why not use it to our advantage?"

Ethan raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What are you thinking?"

She sighed, leaning back. "You know what they say-'The world is a stage, and we are merely players'." She smiled faintly, remembering the Shakespearean quote. "If they want a performance, we'll give them one. But we'll be the ones writing the script."

Ethan nodded slowly, a small smirk forming. "So, you're saying we play along? But on our own terms?"

"Exactly," Sienna said, her voice firm. "We make them think we're going along with this, but behind the scenes, we keep living our lives. You stay with your boyfriend, and I figure out what's going on with Riley. We buy ourselves time. Until we can break free from all this."

For the first time that evening, Ethan looked like he could breathe again. "It's not a bad plan," he admitted. "You think we can pull it off?"

"If we're smart about it, yes." Sienna's gaze hardened. "Because one thing I know for sure-I'm not giving up on Riley. And you shouldn't have to give up on your happiness either."

Ethan gave a small, grateful nod. "Alright, partner. Let's play this game-but we play it our way."

Sienna exhaled in relief, a weight lifting from her chest. It wasn't a perfect solution, but it was something-a way to buy time, to keep hope alive.