Chapter 2

Sienna POV

I always felt like Sebastian's golden canary. What I ate, what I wore, when I went to sleep. He managed everything.

To keep me by his side without raising his family's eyebrows, he even made me the resident housekeeper of the Sterling estate.

By day, we were employer and employee. By night, he would quietly open my bedroom door.

I would curl up in his arms, terrified of this intimacy yet craving it. Little did I know, my submissive, fragile act only fueled the dark obsession in Sebastian's eyes.

Outside, the faint voices of the maids drifted in.

"Don't you think Sebastian is way too good to that Sienna girl? She's a felon, yet her clothes and shoes are bought according to Serena's standards. Even her lingerie is personally picked by the boss."

"Well, I heard she graduated from an Ivy League art school. Three years ago, she killed someone in a hit-and-run. If Sebastian hadn't taken her in out of pity, she'd be sleeping on the streets."

Their words felt like needles piercing my chest. My nose burned, and tears welled up.

Sebastian saw my red eyes. He threw the door open, his voice freezing cold. "The Sterling estate doesn't pay people to gossip. Pack your bags. You're fired."

Then, he closed the door, pulling me gently into his chest, whispering soft reassurances.

"I promised you, Sienna. I won't let anyone hurt you again."

At that moment, my heart melted with gratitude.

Three years ago, on the night of my college graduation party, I was completely out of it. When I woke up, the police were pinning me against the hood of my car.

"Sienna, you are under arrest for driving under the influence and vehicular manslaughter."

I was terrified. I repeatedly explained that I wasn't the one driving, but the traffic cameras, the eyewitnesses, and even my fingerprints on the passenger side of the luxury sports car all pointed at me.

I had just received an offer from a top design school in Paris, a bright future I worked my butt off for four years to get.

In one night, it was completely ruined.

The court sentenced me to three years. My grandmother, who raised me, couldn't handle the shock and ended up in the ICU.

Only Sebastian stood by me. While I was in prison, he sent me packages every month, visited me regularly, and whispered through the glass:

"Don't be scared, Sienna. When you get out, I'll take care of you."

On the day of my release, Sebastian came to pick me up.

It was a rare sunny day. He wore a crisp white suit, holding a bouquet of fresh lilies, standing outside the prison gates with a gentle smile.

"Come home with me. Work as a housekeeper at our estate first. No one will dare to make your life hard."

I knew everyone in the Sterling family opposed keeping a convicted felon around. Especially his younger sister, Serena, who thought a "criminal" like me stained their family's reputation.

But Sebastian fought his entire family for me for the first time.

"Sienna is the one I chose to protect. Anyone who goes against her goes against me."

Remembering this, I leaned closer to his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat, and fell into a deep sleep...

I don't know how much time had passed when a sharp voice woke me up. It was Serena, sounding as spoiled and arrogant as ever.

"Sebastian! How long are you going to keep that charity case around? Melanie is flying back to New York next week. We grew up together. She is the only one I recognize as my sister-in-law!"

My breath hitched. The blood in my veins turned to ice.

Then, the deep, soothing voice I adored replied:

"Sienna... she took the fall for Melanie, after all. I only keep her here to make up for Melanie's guilt. Don't worry, Serena. The lady of the Sterling house will only ever be Melanie."

Every single word felt like an icicle stabbing through my heart.

The meticulous care, the sweet promises. It was all a sick lie.

He was the one who ruined my life, only to play the savior and watch me crawl to him, kissing his hand in gratitude like a loyal dog.

Forcing back my tears, my hands shook as I pulled a worn piece of paper from the back of my diary on the nightstand. It was the note the mysterious woman in prison had slid into my hand.

Under the dim moonlight, I finally read the words clearly:

"If you ever need help, directly contact Gabriel Gray."