Chapter 66

Sienna sat in the driver's seat, staring at her phone. She re-read Riley's message, trying to make sure she wasn't imagining things.

"Come over to my place tonight," the message read. Sienna's heart skipped a beat. Did Riley move back to her old unit?

Just as she was about to respond, her phone's ringtone startled her—it was a video call from Riley. Clearing her throat and running a hand through her hair, Sienna hesitated for a moment before answering.

Riley's face appeared on the screen, still damp from her shower. "Where are you?" Riley asked, towel in hand as she dried her hair.

"Did you just get out of the shower?" Sienna's voice cracked, and she swallowed nervously. Riley noticed and tried to stifle a laugh, but it escaped anyway.

"Why's your voice all shaky? It's not like this is the first time you've seen me post-shower," Riley teased with a shrug. Sienna watched as Riley set her phone down on the table, the screen now facing the refrigerator. "Give me a sec," she said, turning around.

Sienna's gaze lingered on Riley's back—she was only wearing a sports bra and sweatpants, her usual casual look. Then something caught her eye. "Wait... is that a tattoo on your spine?" Sienna leaned closer to the screen for a better look.

Riley glanced over her shoulder with a grin. "Yeah, I got it recently. Pretty cool, huh? You like it?"

Sienna nodded. "Can I see it in person?"

Laughing softly, Riley poured herself a glass of water. "I told you to come over, didn't I? You still have my RFID, right?"

Sienna smiled, her excitement growing. "Of course, I do. I'll be there soon." She blew a playful kiss toward the screen, and Riley chuckled, shaking her head.

"Alright, come on then. Take care on the way. I love you," Riley said, her voice warm and teasing.

Sienna's face flushed as she bit her lip. "I love you more," she whispered, almost shyly, trying to conceal how much the moment made her heart flutter. She ended the call, her smile lingering.

The day had been stressful, but knowing she had Riley—her safe haven amidst the chaos—made everything else seem so much lighter.

Sienna tapped Riley's RFID card on the scanner, hearing the familiar beep before stepping into the unit. She closed the door behind her and stood still for a moment, soaking in the feeling of being back. She had missed this place. It used to be her home, too, for a year before she was called back to her family's mansion. When Riley wasn't around, Sienna would sometimes visit the unit, a quiet retreat whenever she longed for her.

Slipping off her sandals and placing them neatly on the shoe rack, she was about to take a step when a small, excited bark caught her attention. A fluffy Pomeranian puppy scurried over, its tiny tail wagging eagerly.

"A puppy?" Sienna crouched down, a smile spreading across her face as she gently petted the furball. "Hi there, cutie." She picked up the puppy, cradling it in her arms as she headed down the hallway. The sizzling sound from the kitchen drew her in, and she peeked around the corner, spotting Riley at the stove, cooking.

"You made it," Riley said, glancing over her shoulder with a smile. "What do you think of him?" she asked, nodding toward the puppy in Sienna's arms.

Sienna walked to the dining table, placing her handbag down as she settled into a chair, still holding the puppy. "Where did you get this little cutie?" she asked, grinning as she stroked the pup's soft fur.

"Picked him up today," Riley replied, turning off the stove and removing her apron. She hung it up before pulling out a chair next to Sienna. "I thought you might want a dog," she added with a soft smile.

Sienna looked up, meeting Riley's hazel eyes. "You didn't name him yet?"

Riley shrugged, leaning closer. "I wanted you to name him."

Sienna's face lit up as she looked down at the puppy. "Let's call him Mochi then," she said after a moment, her voice warm.

"Mochi, huh?" Riley repeated, reaching out to pet the little pup. "Alright, Mochi it is."

"So, how did your talk with your husband go?" Riley asked, casually stroking Sienna's legs, which rested on her lap, as she leaned back in her chair.

Sienna raised an eyebrow. "What's with you calling Ethan 'my husband'?" she replied, rolling her eyes.

Riley chuckled softly. "Isn't he, your husband?"

Sienna clicked her tongue in frustration, letting out a sigh. "He's caught up in this scandal, and I'm trying to resolve it," she admitted, surrendering to Riley's teasing.

Riley pressed her hand lightly against Sienna's legs. "Ah, so your husband is stressing you out? You've only been married for a few months," she said playfully.

Sienna flicked Riley's hand away. "You sound just like him—'your husband' this, 'your husband' that. After this, I swear I'll publicly announce who I really love. I'll make it clear that it's you."

Riley gulped, meeting Sienna's serious gaze. She realized Sienna wasn't joking. "As if your father would agree to that."

Sienna laughed, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Well, he can't do anything about the mess with Ethan, so what power does he have over my feelings?" She pierced a slice of fruit and fed it to Riley, a playful glint in her eye.

"Why don't you just step down from your position and work with me instead?" Riley suggested, casually chewing the fruit Sienna had fed her while giving a gentle massage to Sienna's feet.

Sienna leaned in, a playful smile on her lips. "What? Can't stand seeing me with 'my husband' now?" she teased, trying to suppress a laugh.

Riley frowned, scrunching her nose in disgust at the mention of Ethan. "He doesn't suit you. I could be so much better than him," she declared, her confidence shining through.

"Of course you could," Sienna replied, her eyes warm as she looked at Riley. "You don't need to compare yourself to Ethan; there's no competition. I've made it clear to you that it's always been you—and only you." With that, she playfully messed up Riley's hair and leaned in to kiss her cheek.

"Now you're just being cheesy, aren't you?" Riley said, her ears turning a shade of crimson from Sienna's sweet words.

"I'm just reminding you of the truth in case you've forgotten," Sienna said with a soft laugh as she looked at Riley. She noticed how Riley's aura seemed to change; she appeared much more at ease now.

"If you keep this up, I might just whisk you away to a far-off place," Riley replied, her gaze locked onto Sienna's.

"I would love that," Sienna said, her smile widening as she cupped Riley's cheeks. "But you know we're not living in a fairy tale." She paused for a moment, her expression turning more serious. "Once everything settles, we can finally be free," she added before leaning in to kiss Riley softly.