Chapter 49

Sienna scrolled through her social media feed, her mood growing heavier with each new notification about her upcoming "wedding." The flood of comments and congratulatory messages felt suffocating, a constant reminder of the lie she was living. As she mindlessly scrolled through the barrage of posts, one profile caught her attention. The display picture—a slice of raspberry cheesecake—seemed oddly familiar. Curious, she clicked on it. The account had no posts, and no recent activity, and oddly enough, she was the only one on the following list.

Her heart skipped a beat. Riley. She couldn't help but scoff at the thought. Raspberry cheesecake had always been Riley's way of saying, "I'm thinking of you," a subtle nod to Sienna's favorite dessert. A bitter laugh escaped her lips as she whispered, "I miss you so bad."

It had been three long years, and still, no word from Riley. No messages, no letters, no explanations—just a void where Riley once was. Sienna's chest tightened with the weight of all the unanswered questions, the unresolved pain. Was Riley hiding from her? Was she waiting for the right moment? Or had she simply moved on?

Sighing, Sienna leaned back in her swivel chair, glancing out the window. She had just been appointed CEO of LunaVera, a role she had worked tirelessly to earn. Her father no longer scrutinized her every move, not since she had agreed to the engagement with Ethan. To him, her compliance was enough. He didn't care about the details anymore—he just wanted the wedding to happen.

But for Sienna, it all felt hollow. The title, the responsibilities, the facade of a perfect life—it was all meaningless without Riley.

"Girl," Sienna jumped, startled by Ethan's sudden appearance in her office.

"What the—Ethan, could you please learn how to knock?" she said, holding her chest to calm her racing heart. Ethan just laughed and casually walked over to the couch, plopping down with ease.

"It's settled already," he said, waving an envelope in the air. His tone was smug, clearly satisfied with whatever he was referring to.

Curious, Sienna got up from her desk and walked over to where he sat, tilting her head to peek over his shoulder as he pulled out the document inside.

"That should do," she said, examining the papers. There was a sense of finality in her voice as she took in the contents, though her mind wandered back to everything else that was far from settled in her life.

"You know, if Riley doesn't show up after all this, I don't know what it'll take. Maybe you should find another lover by then?" Ethan said, shrugging nonchalantly as he slipped the documents back into the envelope.

Sienna crossed her arms and raised her brows, her patience thinning. "And you know, if you don't stop talking like that, I might not be able to stop myself from spilling the truth to everyone. Do you like that idea?" Her tone was sharp, warning him.

Ethan just laughed, unfazed. "You really don't know how to handle a joke, do you?" he teased, turning to look at her with a smirk.

Sienna rolled her eyes, suppressing the urge to throw a pillow at him.

Sienna rested her chin on her clasped hands, her gaze fixed on the window as memories of her time with Riley flooded her mind. If only Riley was the one she'd be marrying, she'd be overjoyed to share the news with her friends. But reality was far from that dream.

"Do you think Riley will come back?" Sienna asked quietly, turning her attention to Mia, who sat across from her with a worried expression.

Mia sighed, her response hesitant. "Honestly? I don't know," she chuckled, though the sound lacked any humor. "I haven't spoken to her since... that day. I'm not sure what she's planning to do about—" She cut herself off, realizing she had almost said too much.

Sienna's brows furrowed in confusion. "Planning? About what?" She eyed Mia curiously, suspicion creeping into her voice.

Mia shrugged quickly, taking a sip of her juice to avoid the question. "She's just planning something, but I don't know all the details," she said with a forced laugh. "Honestly, I miss Riley's presence too. It feels like we're all incomplete without her."

Sienna sighed, a bitter laugh escaping her. "Do you think she'll still want to talk to me after all these years?" She glanced at the ring on her finger, the same one Riley had given her when they officially became a couple. "She told me that if I ever took this ring off, she would never talk to me again."

Mia's gaze softened as she looked at Sienna, unable to find the right words to comfort her.

Sienna laughed, but the sound was hollow, her words laced with a sense of longing. "I hope Riley shows up on my wedding day and stops me from marrying anyone else. But who am I kidding?"

Mia sighed, offering a small smile. "It would be a miracle if she did that." She paused, her expression turning more serious. "Aren't you mad at her? For leaving you like that?"

Sienna stilled, her fingers fidgeting nervously. "Mad? No, not mad... just confused. I don't have the words for what she did. We never fought. Not once. And then, one day, she was just... gone," her voice wavered slightly. "If she didn't want to be with me anymore, she could've just told me. Instead, she left me with nothing but questions. It's been three years, and I'm still trying to figure out what went wrong. I'd rather she told me she didn't love me anymore than leave me guessing about what could've been."

Mia nodded, understanding the pain behind Sienna's words. "It's unfair to leave things unresolved like that," she said softly, knowing that Sienna was still holding on to hope despite everything.

Sienna leaned back in her chair, her gaze distant as she continued, "But knowing Riley, she wouldn't just let me figure everything out on my own. I'm almost certain something happened while I was gone... and I have a feeling it has to do with my family."

Mia nodded slowly, watching her closely. "You're still thinking about Riley this much, even though you're getting married in a few days?"

Sienna let out a deep sigh, her lips curling into a bittersweet smile. "Your friend's fault," she said, her voice soft. "She made me fall harder for her than I ever thought possible, and then she just left... for three years. How do you move on from that?"

Mia's expression softened as she listened. "She always had a way of making an impact on people," Mia replied gently. "But that doesn't make it any easier for you."

Sienna's eyes glistened with unspoken emotions. "No, it doesn't," she whispered.