Chapter 1
Sienna Winters‘ fingertip hovered over the phone screen.
Messages in the family group chat kept popping up, and one in particular from her mother hit her like a punch to the chest. “The Baxter family’s son is coming back next month. It’s time to move forward with our marriage arrangement.”
She took a sharp breath and sent, “Mom, I agree to the marriage with the Baxter family.” Yes–she was completely done with Lewis Mcclure.
***
The mirrored walls of the elevator reflected her disheveled collar. There were still hickeys on her collarbone, left by Lewis.
Two hours ago, Lewis had yanked off his suit jacket to cover the elevator camera. The scent of tequila on his breath mixed with cedarwood cologne made Sienna feel lightheaded.
It was urgent, just like their first kiss at the graduation party.
Lewis‘ thumb grazed her lips.
“You’re a grown woman and still don’t know how to kiss.”
Sienna had really liked him–enough to ignore her parents‘ objections and be with him anyway.
They had been together for five years, leaving traces of their relationship in all kinds of places. But this was the first time–in an elevator.
Sienna trembled slightly, nervous, just getting into the moment–when
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Lewis‘ phone rang.
The sudden ringtone froze them both.
Sienna caught a glimpse of the caller ID. It was a foreign name.
Lewis’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he cursed in Spanish, “Carlos, what the fuck…
Sienna’s back was pressed against the cold wall. Suddenly, the Spanish she had learned three years ago flooded back.
She had picked it up while accompanying her father on a copper mine. inspection in Peru–learned bit by bit over time.
Laughter came from the phone. “What’s wrong? Am I interrupting something important?”
Lewis gave her slender shoulders a squeeze, signaling her to kneel, then lazily replied, “You talk too much. Just say what you called for.”
The voice on the other end sounded teasing. “So, how is she? Compared to Tracy?”
Lewis lifted Sienna’s chin, gazing at her pitiful expression, and replied. carelessly, “Just a stand–in–an 80% lookalike. Once Tracy’s back, she’s gone.”
More mocking laughter followed.
“You’ve got skills, man. How’s this girl? Tell me.”
Lewis suddenly gripped her chin.
“Why are you spacing out?”
A pause occurred on the other side of the line. “Tracy is coming back to
develop her career here. Her flight’s the day after tomorrow.”
Lewis‘ thumb pressed against the pulse pounding in Sienna’s neck. His breathing grew heavier. “Are you serious?”
“Your first love’s returning. Won’t you have a hard time tossing out the
stand–in?”
Lewis replied coldly, “Bullshit. It’s as easy as throwing out a piece of trash.”
Ding! The elevator stopped on the first floor. Sienna stumbled out.
Lewis didn’t know she understood Spanish.
Tears welled in Sienna’s eyes, but she sniffed hard, refusing to let them fall.
Five years of genuine love and devotion, and in his eyes, she was nothing more than a piece of trash.
“I’m a bit tired. I’ll head home first.”
Five years ago, Sienna had just entered university.
At a guest lecture, she and Lewis had locked eyes across the crowd.
He had pursued her fervently. After months of gentle refusals, she finally agreed to be with him.
From that moment on, her world revolved around him- -so much so that she slowly lost herself.
Lewis didn’t notice her change. He just thought he’d lost interest because. of the interruption.
“Then go home and wait for me like a good girl. I’ve got a meeting at the
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office. After that, I’ll take you out for a fancy dinner….
Sienna left before he could finish.
Her slender figure fading into the distance seemed to carry a trace of
SOITOW
After parting ways with Lewis, her phone suddenly buzzed.
It was a message from her mother. “My dear! I’ve already contacted the Baxter family! When do you have time to meet them?”
Sienna shoved her phone to the bottom of her bag.
This platinum handbag was a birthday gift from Lewis last year. Now, its chain dug painfully into her shoulder.
At the subway station, the scene from earlier still played vividly in her mind.
The subway window reflected her reddened eyes, and across from her, an advertisement screen was playing an archaeology documentary.
Suddenly, Tracy Hudson–Lewis‘ first love–appeared on screen wearing a hard hat. The caption read, “Discoverer of the Peruvian Royal
Underground Palace.”
Sienna jerked her head away, only to meet the surprised gaze of a nearby passenger.
She rushed into the restroom like she was fleeing, splashing cold water on her face. The conversation from that phone call echoed in her ears again.
So when he said her eyes looked like stars, he was seeing the reflection of another woman.
From one of the wagons, a young girl’s excited voice message chimed, “I
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filmed a video of Dr. Tracy Hudson arriving at the airport! Her boyfriend is so handsome!”
The subway’s arrival announcement snapped her back to reality. Another message from her mother popped up: “The Baxter family wants to have. dinner tomorrow night. My dear, can you confirm?”
Sienna stared at the chat and suddenly remembered that stormy night last week–when she had a fever, and Lewis left her alone at home.
“So even back then, he already knew Tracy was coming back,” she thought.
She continued to wonder, “That’s why he could act so calm and indifferent when he heard the news again in the elevator.”
Chapter 2
Sienna threw the couple’s toothbrush into the trash as soon as she got home. The electric brush head was still buzzing, just like Lewis‘ breezy sweet talk when he made promises.
Clang!
The pottery cup shattered on the tiled floor; the bottom inscription, “LM loves SW” split in two.
Sienna squatted down to pick it up. A sharp shard pricked her fingertip, causing a drop of blood to well up.
They crafted that cup on their first date.
This book had been added on your bookshelf.
Back then, Lewis had held her hand as they shaped the clay together. As the mud oozed through their fingers, he said, “Let’s always stick together like this.”
Suddenly, her phone vibrated on the sink. A push notification popped up showing Tracy’s airport photo.
With her blood–stained finger, Sienna swiped open the screen. The trending topic #ArchaeologyLadyReturnsHome was tagged with “Trending!”
In the photo, Tracy’s camel trench coat brushed against the pant leg of a man picking her up.
Those Armani trousers–Sienna had just ironed them that morning.
The fingerprint lock at the entrance beeped.
