I was Ashton’s fiancée, and his childhood sweetheart. That day, I saw him kissing his so-called "bro"—who happened to be another girl. "She is so annoying. Always acting fragile and making a big deal out of nothing," he complained, holding her close. His "bro" giggled. "She acts like that because you spoil her. I told you to set some boundaries so she wouldn't dare act out, but you didn't listen. Whose fault is that?" Oh, so that’s how it was. Actually, I didn't need him either. Later, just as he wished, I left. But then he acted like a completely different person, claiming he wouldn't marry anyone but me. 1 It was late when Ashton texted me, asking me to bring some liquor from our apartment to the club. I had caught a nasty bug yesterday—fever, dizzy spells—and had been in bed all day. He knew this perfectly well. "I'm not feeling well. Can't you just order something there?" I texted back. He called me. When I answered, the first thing I heard was a chorus of cheering in the background. "Quiet down, everyone! Let’s see how our guy puts his foot down!" "Hahaha." "You sure you want to do this, Ash? Your girl is pretty delicate." Amidst the raucous laughter, he asked: "Did you eat dinner?" I paused. "Yes." "The guys are all waiting. Why is it so hard to ask you to drop something off?" his voice dropped, sounding stern. "You have the energy to eat, but no energy to come over?" "..." "I took cold medicine. I'm really dizzy right now," I said, my voice hoarse. "Ash, whatever, let it go! If you lose the bet, just pay up!" a sharp female voice cut in. I knew that voice very well. It was Ashton's "bro," Chloe. She giggled. "Looks like you're losing money today, Ash. The little wifey isn't obeying!" The cheering erupted again. A sudden wave of nausea hit my stomach. "Sienna." Ashton's voice carried that familiar tone of impatience. I closed my eyes. "Fine. I'm on my way." 2 I caught an Uber and arrived at the club. Pushing open the door to their private VIP room, the first thing I saw was Ashton standing in the center, amidst a chorus of cheers, kissing Chloe passionately. Seeing me, the rowdy room instantly went dead silent. Sensing the shift, Chloe glanced over, let out a shriek, and shoved Ashton away. As if she had just seen a monster. Ashton stumbled back a few steps, frowning as he looked my way. He looked heavily intoxicated. Meeting my gaze, Chloe seemingly unconsciously wiped her glossy lips, looking flustered. "Sienna, don't misunderstand... we were just playing a game and lost. It was a dare..." My eyes swept over her revealing crop top and white mini skirt. Ashton and his other friends had praised her more than once. Pure but seductive. "Oh." I walked over, suppressing a pounding headache, and placed the expensive bottles on the glass table. "The drinks are here. I'm leaving." "Oh my gosh, Sienna, please don't be mad!" Chloe suddenly grabbed my arm, rubbing her face against my sleeve. I turned and frowned at her. "Everyone here can vouch for us. We're just bros messing around. If you get mad over a misunderstanding, we'll feel terrible..." Heh. Misunderstanding. I turned my head. "Bros messing around?" With teary eyes, she nodded frantically. I pointed randomly at one of the other guys in the room. "Then go kiss him too." Chloe's face instantly went white. "Sienna... what kind of person do you think I am..." As she said this, her eyes filled with humiliation, turning red like a wounded little rabbit. At that moment, one of the guys stood up. "Come on, Sienna, the guys were just playing a drinking game... Chloe's a girl, don't be too hard on her." "Yeah, yeah..." "It was just a game..." Heh. I turned and looked at the crowd. "Too hard on her? So you guys actually know what that means? You didn't think forcing me to deliver alcohol while I'm sick was being too hard on me?" The group fell silent, exchanging awkward glances for a long moment before looking at Ashton. "Ash... look at this..." "Enough." I turned around. Ashton walked over and grabbed my arm. "What is wrong with you today? I told you it was just the guys messing around. Why won't you let it go? You're ruining the whole vibe." "Chloe is a girl. Do you really have to embarrass her like this?" A girl. His "bro" had suddenly reverted to being a girl. "I'm sorry, Sienna, it's my fault..." By now, Chloe was crying delicately. "If I knew you guys were going to fight, I wouldn't have insisted on drinking this specific liquor..." Oh. So the alcohol was specifically requested by Chloe. My earlier suspicions were confirmed. A crushing wave of exhaustion suddenly hit me from all sides. In that moment, I just wanted to get out of this ridiculous, laughable place as fast as possible. I shook off Ashton's hand and turned to leave. "Oh, Sienna, please don't be mad!" Chloe tried to grab me again, but I pushed her away. "Ah..." She stumbled slightly and fell weakly right into Ashton's arms. That little stumble seemed to instantly ignite Ashton's fury. "Sienna! Stop right there!" he shouted from behind me. I looked back. He was holding a pitiful-looking Chloe, his face dark with rage. "Apologize to Chloe!" I stopped in my tracks and calmly looked at the face radiating anger. This face used to look at me with so many different expressions. Worry, love, heartache, helplessness... Now, because of his "bros," he glared at me with pure hostility. "If you don't apologize today, we're done!" he continued. At this moment, all his good friends in the private room had the look of people enjoying a show, watching the three of us. I felt like a monkey in a circus. "Sure," I took a step forward. "What?" Ashton frowned. "Oh Ash, look at you..." Chloe looked at me, then affectionately patted Ashton, her eyes getting even redder. "Why are you doing this? Don't be so hard on Sienna..." "What did you say?" Ashton asked again. "I said, sure." I looked at him calmly. "I agree. We're done." 3 Maybe because I was still dizzy, it wasn't until I got into the Uber that I realized I didn't have my apartment keys in my pocket. I probably dropped them in the club hallway. I had to turn back to look for them. Thankfully, the bartender had found them. Just as he handed the keys to me, the door to Ashton's private room suddenly opened. Chloe was supporting a heavily intoxicated Ashton, complaining as they walked toward the restrooms. "Ugh, seriously. Even if you're mad at Sienna, you need to take care of yourself." "If you don't care about yourself, someone else does." Ashton smiled foolishly and cupped her face. "Tell me, why... why isn't she as understanding as you? I just asked her to drop off some drinks and she gives me an attitude, even threatens to break up..." Chloe let out an "Oh." "Well, Sienna is pretty immature. I mean, look how good you are to her. Any other girl would be so jealous... But honestly, she was definitely just saying that out of anger. You're a rich heir; how could she bear to break up with you? Doesn't she always come crying back?" "Rich heir, money..." Ashton paused blankly. "Maybe you guys are right. She's just after my money..." After saying that, he muttered to himself: "Honestly, sometimes I find her really annoying. She's sickly and weak, and I don't even hold it against her, but she's always complaining..." "Oh, Ash," Chloe sighed. "You never like it when I'm honest, but Sienna acts like that because you spoil her. We all told you to set some boundaries so she wouldn't dare act out. If you can't bear to do it, whose fault is that?" "And stop wondering if she's just after your money. Look at how she has you wrapped around her finger. Even if she is just after your money, you wouldn't bear to break up with her, so stop making yourself miserable..." Talking like this, the two of them entered a handicap-accessible family restroom together. Click. The door locked from the inside. My stomach churned again. I turned and walked away. 4 Maybe because I caught a chill from the night wind, my fever spiked again in the middle of the night. In a hazy state, I seemed to dream about my past with Ashton. We both grew up in the same foster care system. I was sickly from a young age, and as far back as I could remember, Ashton was always by my side. He would fight off the kids who bullied me. He would run barefoot to find a nurse when I was sick. He would hold my hand and say in his childish voice, "Don't worry, Sienna. I'll take care of you forever." And during the fire at the group home, he had already been rescued but ran back in to save me. A falling ember burned his shoulder, leaving a permanent scar. Back then, I thought, what kind of love could be more important than one's own life? I had no parents, no family. Ashton was the best person in the world to me. So I told myself: Sienna, you have to be good to Ashton forever. When we were 16, Ashton's biological parents found him. It turned out he was the long-lost son of a wealthy family. They took him back, and he instantly became rich. But he didn't forget me. He would secretly visit me at my high school, bring me food and medicine, and we promised to get into the same college. And we did. We were the most envied couple on campus. And it was during that time that Chloe, along with his group of friends, entered our lives. Chloe was a minor influencer on campus, known for her "one of the guys" personality. The male friends around her all seemed to be her "bros." The Ashton family's business was huge in our city. I had seen enough of the cold realities of the world to understand exactly what the people surrounding Ashton were after. I warned him more than once. He didn't care. In fact, he enjoyed the feeling of being surrounded and admired. After college, Ashton officially introduced me to his family. He knelt on the floor and told his parents I was the only one he would ever marry. Ashton's biological mother had a kind face. She spoiled Ashton excessively, but she was incredibly harsh to me. In her eyes, a girl from the foster system with an unknown background was not worthy of stepping through their doors. When his parents refused, Ashton stood in the rain outside their mansion all night. The next day, he was hospitalized with pneumonia and a 104-degree fever. My heart broke for him. Not wanting him to be caught between me and his parents, I tried my hardest to make his mother happy. I endured her deliberate cruelty, accepted her constant criticism, and meticulously monitored my every word and action so no one could find fault. Over time, she reluctantly accepted me, but she still summoned me to their estate every weekend for what she called "Etiquette Training." On those days, the staff were given the day off, and I was expected to serve his mother and all her friends alone. Serving tea, washing dishes, holding umbrellas. "You're just sickly because you don't get enough exercise," his mother would say, watching me sweating and out of breath, while admiring her fresh manicure. "Doing more chores is good for you." Her friends would look at me appraisingly: "She looks so weak. Can she even have kids? You should probably take her to get checked." "No family background and can't bear children? That would be a terrible investment." In that house, I was like a commodity, constantly scrutinized, judged, and commented on by those condescending eyes. I never told Ashton any of this. I knew how hard he was working after taking over the company, and I didn't want to add to his stress regarding me and his family. And honestly, it wasn't that bad. As long as Ashton loved me, defended me, and stood firmly by my side, all these grievances meant nothing. After graduation, I received a great job offer. His family forbade me from taking it. That time, Ashton and I had a massive fight. He called me stubborn. "Don't you know your own health condition?" he yelled. "I don't get it. My family is letting you stay home, relax, and prepare to be my wife after graduation. What exactly are you unhappy about?" "Sienna, why are you always so selfish? I've worked so hard to get my family to accept you. Why can't you be a little more understanding?" He started crying as he spoke. "I almost gave up my life to save you back then. Can't you just compromise for me this once?" And so, I compromised again. Because he saved my life. Because he was so good to me in the past. Because he was the only light in my life. Whenever I thought of the boy who braved the fire for me, and the scar on his shoulder, no matter how bad the fight was, I always found a reason to reconcile. I didn't ask for much. I just hoped we could be together for a long, long time. But today, I finally understood. He thought I wouldn't leave him because I couldn't bear to let go of his money. He actually found me incredibly annoying. Today's deliberate "test" wasn't the first time. And the reason I went to deliver the alcohol was probably because I was looking for the final straw to break my own heart. In my dream, tears wouldn't stop flowing. In my memory, the sunny boy seemed to stand behind me, waving and happily calling out: "Sienna, wait for me! Let's go together!" But I no longer wanted to walk with him. I was too tired. Letting the tears flow endlessly, I walked forward, step by step. Until I reached the end of the sunset. When I looked back— The figure in my memory had long been washed away by tears, vanishing completely. Leaving no trace that he ever existed. 5 I woke up the next day, my fever finally broken. Even though my body felt exhausted, I opened my suitcase and began packing. Just then, the front door of the apartment unlocked, and Chloe's voice carried through the bedroom door. "Ash, the new basketball game is this afternoon. We agreed to go! I'm wearing my Lakers jersey!" Ashton gave a brief "Mhm." My hands paused while folding clothes. Today was supposed to be the day Ashton promised to go with me to meet my biological parents. A week ago, the foster agency contacted me, saying they might have found my real parents. They requested a DNA test first. Today was the day the results were supposed to come out. I was nervous and anxious when I got the notice, but Ashton promised he would be with me. Yet, only a few days later, he forgot and made plans to go to a game with someone else. The bedroom door opened. It was Ashton. "What are you doing? Throwing another tantrum?" He frowned at me packing. "Don't you know your own health condition? I won't have time to go on vacation with you right now." "I don't need you to," I said softly. "We broke up last night. I'm moving out today." "Heh..." He froze for a second, then suddenly laughed. "Sienna, they always said I spoiled you too much, and I didn't believe it." "But look at you now. What have you turned into?" "Threatening to break up at the drop of a hat? Are you that confident I can't live without you?" He crouched down and disgustedly batted away my hand holding the suitcase. "Enough. Didn't you make enough of a scene last night?" "Using dropping off the liquor as an excuse to embarrass me in front of my friends, intentionally humiliating Chloe... are you satisfied yet?" A sudden surge of anger flared in my chest. I looked up and met his eyes. "Ashton. First, I told you I wasn't feeling well, and you insisted I deliver the drinks. Second, you were the one kissing Chloe, and she was the one who spoke to me first. Third, you were the one who said we were breaking up." I shook off his hand and zipped up the suitcase. "I've never been confident you couldn't live without me. And I am perfectly capable of living without you." "Are you serious right now?!" He raised his voice. "Constantly making a fuss about your health! Do I owe you or something?!" He exploded. "Sienna, do you have any self-awareness about how good I treat you? I literally risked my life for you!" "Last night I just asked you to bring some alcohol to see how much you actually cared about me. Turns out, I got my answer!" He grabbed my arm tightly. "Do you have any idea what my friends say about you behind your back? They say you're a gold digger, and I'm an idiot. That you're only here for my money!" "Shouldn't you prove you aren't? But what have you done? I've sacrificed so much for you. What have you done for me? What's wrong with me wanting to verify things for myself?" I remained silent, which only fueled his anger. "I really loved the wrong person. You really want to break up, right? I won't stop you. Go ahead!" "Before you walk out that door, you better think carefully. The position of Mrs. Thorne won't be kept open for just anyone." I looked up into his eyes, which were dull from a hangover. I used to look into these eyes and see a beautiful past, mutual support, sweet romance, and a hopeful future. Now, all I saw was a barren wasteland. "Ashton, you succeeded," I said quietly. "What?" He froze. Ashton, you finally succeeded. You successfully made me disgusted with this relationship. You successfully made me stop loving you. 6 I left the apartment. Ashton didn't chase after me. I hadn't rented a new place yet, and I didn't have a job. I spent half the day in a Starbucks on the corner, putting on some light makeup to hide my swollen eyes from crying all night. Just earlier, the DNA results came out. Tonight, I would meet my biological parents. Before, Ashton had said that parents who throw away their child right after birth must have terrible character. Now that I was looking for my family, maybe they just wanted to leech off the Thorne family's money and resources because they knew about my relationship with him. And now, I was broken up with Ashton. I didn't know if they would be disappointed when they saw me. What exactly is family? I didn't really know. Ashton used to say he was my family, and his family was my family. But with his so-called "family," all I felt was exhaustion and torment. The sunset today was beautiful. The clouds rolled gently across the horizon, bathed in a warm, golden light. I sat by the window, watching the sun slowly dip below the skyline. Finally, I grabbed my suitcase and walked out of the coffee shop. 7 The meeting place was a high-end restaurant not far away. I dragged my heavy suitcase, preparing to cross the street. Suddenly, an e-bike sped toward me from a distance. In a split second, I couldn't dodge in time. A strong force from behind yanked me, spinning me and my suitcase around. The e-bike zipped past, brushing the edge of my skirt. "Are you okay?" The voice of the person who saved me came from above. It was a very nice, deep voice. I shook my head and quickly thanked him. "It's fine. There are a lot of e-bikes around here, be careful when you walk or drive." He smiled, but froze the moment he saw my face. "You... could you be... Sienna?" I froze too. "I am Sienna. You are..." "Your cousin's brother-in-law," he smiled. "Your face looks exactly like Aunt Nora's. Why did we even need a DNA test? I guess the Sterling family has been scammed so many times they're being overly cautious." He sighed. "But then again, there have been quite a few scammers with plastic surgery trying to claim the inheritance, so we couldn't be too careful." "Let's go." He enthusiastically grabbed my suitcase. "There are too many gossips at Sterling Corp, so meeting at a restaurant owned by Vance Corp is to protect you. I cleared the place out. Don't worry." "You said... Sterling... Vance..." He thought for a second, then let out an "Ah." "Forgot, you don't know yet." He smiled. "You are the only daughter of the second son of the Sterling Group." "I'm Preston Vance from Vance Corp. My sister married your cousin, so our families are in-laws." 8 Sterling Group, Vance Corp... Before I could fully process it, I had followed Preston to the restaurant entrance. A group of people were standing at the door, looking anxiously in our direction. At that moment, a beautiful, elegant woman suddenly rushed forward and hugged me. "Is it Sienna? Is it my Sienna?" She cupped my face, crying uncontrollably. "It really is my baby. Honey, our baby is back." A tall man standing behind her walked over, his eyes also red. "Yes, our baby is back." Looking at the face in front of me that shared seventy percent of my features, the corners of my eyes involuntarily grew hot and stinging. "Uncle Sterling, Aunt Nora, let's go inside first," Preston said softly from the side. Once inside the VIP room, my biological mother held my hand tightly the entire time. I could feel her hand trembling slightly. Today, the director of the foster agency and the police were also present. They collectively explained the process of finding me. It turned out that back then, after Nora gave birth to me, they had hired a nanny. Nora was ill for a while after having me, and the nanny, thinking she was attractive, tried to seduce my biological father, Sterling. He didn't indulge her, and out of spite, the nanny stole me after being fired. Technology wasn't as advanced back then. Even though the Sterling family had money, they searched for a long time without finding her. It wasn't until six months later that the police found the nanny's clothes and some baby clothes on an undeveloped beach, along with a suicide note. The note said that since she couldn't have Sterling, she would make sure he never forgot her. So she took his child and died with her. The police later found the nanny's abandoned car near the cliffs, but they never found me. They assumed the worst. Over the years, even though most people assumed I had died, my parents never gave up. They never had another child, holding onto a sliver of hope, searching and waiting. But the nanny didn't actually kill me. Perhaps due to a final shred of conscience, or a twisted desire to satisfy her own narrative, she left me at the doorstep of a foster home in the next county. She left a note saying my name was Sienna and that my mother was a single teen mom who couldn't raise a child. The last name she gave me was hers. Later, that foster home burned down, and we kids were transferred to a facility in the city. But because my background had a record—that my "biological mother" had a different last name—naturally, no one associated me with the supposedly deceased heiress of the Sterling family. For so many years, I was in the same city as my biological parents, yet we never met. Until recently, during a charity project by Vance Corp, CEO Preston Vance chatted with my former foster agency director, bringing up that tragic fire. The director pulled out childhood photos of the kids, and Preston noticed that my photo looked exactly like Nora when she was a child star. Suspicious, he informed the Sterling family. Over the years, the Sterling family had dealt with too many fake heiresses showing up at their door. Some even bribed hospitals to forge DNA reports just to inherit the massive estate. So this time, they were just as anxious as I was, not daring to hold out hope. Even though they were desperate to see me, they held back until now, fearing that the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. 9 That night, I went home with my parents. My uncle and cousin's family were there too. My mom held my hand and asked gently, "Sienna, the director told us you were dating the youngest son of the Thorne family. Is that true?" I froze for a moment. "I..." "Mom and Dad don't mean anything by it," she quickly added. "Even though the Thorne family isn't as prestigious as ours, if you like him, we'll support you." I shook my head. "Mom, Dad, we broke up." My dad asked what I wanted to do next, and if I was willing to learn how to manage the company. I hesitated. I had no corporate experience. "I'm afraid I don't have what it takes," I said, looking down. "Sienna just got back, why are you rushing her?" my mom immediately complained. That night, I slept with my mom. I'm a light sleeper. I knew she woke up many times in the middle of the night, gently stroking my hair, crying softly to herself. And my dad made breakfast for me himself the next morning. He watched me eat with red eyes, carefully asking if it tasted good. During the few days I was home, I felt a familial love I had never experienced before. They were doing everything they could to make it up to me, but I knew that these past years must have been more painful for them than for me. A few days later, my cousin Declan came to see me. Preston was there too. Declan told me that my dad's health hadn't been great in recent years. The mental torture of searching for me for years and the pressure of running the business were like two mountains crushing him. His doctors had long advised him to retire and rest. Actually, I had already noticed the grey at his temples. Even though he was five years younger than my uncle, he looked much older. "Sienna, Sterling Corp currently has two main business divisions. One is with me, and the other is with your dad. And his division will eventually need to be handed over to you." Declan asked me, "Are you willing to take it?" I lowered my head, thought for a long time, and finally nodded. "I'm willing to try." Declan let out a sigh of relief. Then Preston, who had been quiet, suddenly chimed in: "I think... dropping her straight into Sterling Corp might not be the best idea." Declan looked up. "Why not?" "The people at Sterling Corp are shrewd. She looks so much like Aunt Nora; don't you think people will guess who she is?" "Gossip is one thing, but that kind of complex interpersonal environment isn't conducive to her learning." Declan frowned slightly. "You make a fair point. Then..." "If you want to help, go all the way," Preston smiled. He walked over. "If she really wants to learn corporate management, how about she comes to my place?" Me: "Huh?" He blinked. "Vance Corp is just as big as Sterling Corp."
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