Chapter 174

Seni awoke in Cedric’s car, rubbing her forehead. "Ugh," she mumbled.

Cedric was immediately there, looking worried. "Sienna?" he asked, his voice hushed.

Sienna was confused. She remembered being tossed around, but how had she ended up in his car? "Cedric? You're here?" she said, still groggy.

"Yep, it's me," Cedric replied.

Sienna tried to appear nonchalant. "Crazy how we keep running into each other, huh?" she said.

Cedric offered a half-smile. "Yeah, crazy," he said, but a hint of sadness lingered in his voice. They kept crossing paths, yet never seemed to find a way to be together.

"Um…" Sienna shifted uncomfortably. This was getting too close for comfort.

Cedric quickly understood, his cheeks flushing red. "Sorry, didn't mean to invade your space. You just passed out," he said, helping her sit up straighter.

"I know. Don't sweat it," Sienna said, giving him a small smile. "Just drop me off up ahead, okay?"

"No way," Cedric said, shaking his head. "You got tossed around and passed out. We gotta get you checked out. Could be serious."

"I'm telling you, I'm fine," Sienna insisted.

"We're at the hospital anyway," Cedric said firmly. "I wouldn't just blow this off if you were some random person."

He added silently, glancing at her, "And you're not just anyone to me. You're someone I can't get off my mind."

Sienna looked at him, then away. She knew he had a point. She nodded slowly.

They arrived at the hospital. Cedric handled the registration, and Sienna underwent a check-up and some tests. Everything appeared normal, but the doctor recommended she stay overnight for observation, given her brief loss of consciousness.

Cedric completed the paperwork and remained with her in the observation room. It was smaller than a regular hospital room and lacked an extra bed.

Sienna leaned back on the bed and said shyly, "Cedric, I'm good now. You should head out."

But Cedric simply pulled the blanket up for her and said, "I'm staying with you tonight."

"Cedric," Sienna protested.

But Cedric insisted, "If I go home, I'm just going to worry about you and not sleep well. I'd rather be here to keep an eye on you." Seeing she couldn't change his mind, Sienna relented.

The nurse checked on Sienna a couple of times, instructing them to alert staff if she felt unwell. Cedric nodded. "Got it, thanks."

The room fell quiet, a little awkward. Sienna broke the silence. "Cedric, how are you doing? Is your injury healing up?"

"All good," Cedric smiled, though he wasn't telling the whole truth. Sienna noticed his right foot had a slight limp. Neither of them mentioned it. "Good to hear that," she said.

"How about you?" Cedric asked.

Sienna smiled. "Nothing special. Going to the dance troupe every day, busy with practicing and performing."

"That's good," Cedric murmured, wanting to ask more about her relationship with Josiah but hesitant to delve into that territory.

He dimmed the bedside lamp and told Sienna, "Get some rest."

"Okay," Sienna murmured, turning away and closing her eyes. Her hands trembled slightly.

Chapter 171

Cedric sat by the bed, quietly watching her in the dim light, wishing this peaceful moment could last longer.

The party concluded, and Josiah slipped away to a quiet spot. He massaged his cheeks, weary from the constant smiling.

He pulled out his phone, but found no messages or missed calls from Sienna. She hadn't contacted him at all.

On impulse, he dialed her number, his expression stern. He received only a recorded message indicating the number was unavailable.

He hung up, puzzled. "Bad signal," he thought, and tried again, but got the same result. "Is her phone off? Dead battery, or is she ignoring me on purpose?" he wondered, hoping she would answer. But there was no reply.

"Josiah," Yvette called from down the hall, pushing Howard in a wheelchair. "Let's hit the road."

"Be right there," Josiah replied, shoving his phone in his pocket with a frustrated sigh, and followed them.

He decided not to worry about it. If Sienna wanted to ignore him, that was her prerogative. He wouldn't chase after her.

That night, sleep evaded Josiah. He kept checking his phone and trying Sienna's number, but to no avail.

His frustration morphed into concern. Could something have happened to her? Was she sick? It had snowed; had she gone out in it? The more he considered this, the less he could sleep. At dawn, Josiah left the house.

Sienna was up early, eager to finish her shift before the changeover. She urged Cedric to expedite the paperwork. "I'm good to go. Once the new crew comes in, it'll be crazy. Let's get this done now," she said, focused on the task at hand.

"Sure thing," Cedric said, remaining composed.

After the paperwork was completed, Cedric dropped Sienna off at the intersection on Lyceum Street.

"This spot's good," Sienna said, stepping out into the snow.

"Sienna," Cedric called, opening his car door. He hopped out, his right leg stiff, and jogged to her.

He had a scarf and wrapped it around her neck. "It's snowing. This will keep you warm. Don't want you catching a cold," he said, concerned.

Sienna felt a lump in her throat, looking up at him. His eyes spoke volumes. She became emotional, her eyes welling up, her throat tight.

She shook her head, removing the scarf and handing it back. "You keep it. I'm good, not cold at all," she said, her voice choked.

Cedric was taken aback, a bitter smile playing on his lips. "You didn't pick me, and now you won't even take a scarf from me?" he said, his voice heavy with emotion.

"Cedric," Sienna said, her voice strained. "That's not what I mean. I just…"

"Just take it. It's no big deal, just a scarf. It's all I have to give right now. I could have given you so much more…" Cedric trailed off. Suddenly, a deep, gruff voice interrupted. "She said no. Take it back. Are you deaf or something? Didn't you hear that?"