Chapter 184

With her eyes closed, Sienna blurted out, "Don't hold me like this. I can't sleep."

Josiah was taken aback. "Why? We used to always sleep like this, didn't we?"

Sienna retorted, "You said that before. Do you think today and the past are the same? I don't want you touching me right now." Even though she had returned with him, it didn't mean everything was resolved.

Josiah's arm stiffened slightly. "Not right now? How long will that be?"

"I don't know. I can't answer something I'm not even sure about myself," Sienna shook her head. Deep down, she thought that if she were pregnant, "for now" might as well mean forever.

As Josiah remained silent, Sienna raised her voice. "You don't agree?" She wasn't afraid of his disagreement; she thought he still needed her for Yvette.

After a long silence, Josiah surrendered. "Alright." But just as the words left his mouth, he held her even tighter.

Sienna felt confused.

Before she could react, Josiah whispered, "I'll do whatever you want. But can you promise me to forget Cedric and try to make things work with me?"

With that, he let go. "Goodnight," he said, turning over so they were back to back.

Sienna's eyes widened in the dark. "What does he mean by that? I thought we were just in this together. Why does he suddenly care so much about my feelings? Isn't that a bit much? I don't even mind that he still likes Yvette."

Eventually, Sienna, exhausted, fell asleep. In a daze, it seemed Josiah got up several times to replace the ice packs, give her water, and even change her sweat-soaked pajamas.

As dawn approached, things quieted down, and Sienna slept more deeply. When she opened her eyes, still dazed, she was alone.

Her phone rang. It was Joyce, calling from Tara's phone. "Hello, Joyce," Sienna said softly.

"Mommy," Joyce called sweetly. "Yesterday you left without saying goodbye. When I got home, you weren't there."

"Are you angry?"

"Just a tiny bit. Mommy, are you feeling better? Is your work too exhausting?"

Sienna's heart swelled. Joyce was her angel, and no matter how difficult Josiah was, she would handle anything for her. "Joyce, don't worry. I'm doing just fine."

After the call, Sienna glanced at the clock; it was almost noon. Feeling refreshed and comfortable, she threw off the covers and got out of bed.

She walked to the window and opened the curtains. Sunlight stung her eyes. She squinted, shielding them with her hand.

Josiah walked in. "Sienna."

Sienna turned, bewildered, as he strode over, brimming with anger.

"Can't you take good care of yourself?" He closed the distance, wrapped an arm around her waist, and lifted her like a child.

"What's the matter?" Sienna asked, puzzled. "Why's he so angry?"

He placed her on the bed. "Wait right here." He dashed into the coatroom and returned with socks, crouching at her feet. He gently pulled them onto her feet.

Sienna's feet were delicate, her toes round, her toenails neatly trimmed, naturally pink, and quite cute.

After putting on her socks, Josiah hesitated to let go. His annoyance about her bare feet had almost faded.

He spoke again, his tone gentler. "You just got over a fever. You shouldn't be walking around barefoot."

Sienna blinked. "Huh? It's indoors. Outside, it's snowing heavily, but here, we have a 24-hour fresh air system. Plus, the hardwood floors are carpeted. It's not cold at all; it's actually pretty warm!"

"Moreover," Josiah said, cradling her feet, "remember when you ended up in the hospital with stomach cramps during your period? Don't step on the cold floor barefoot anymore. Even when I'm not around, you need to be cautious."

Sienna felt panicked. She remembered his words from last night about forgetting Cedric, and how he'd stayed up all night checking on her.

"What's up with him? Why is he acting like this? Is he afraid I'll change my mind and decide not to stay with him, letting Yvette down? Yeah, that's got to be it," she thought.

Figuring she understood, Sienna relaxed. She pulled her feet away. "I get it. You don't have to nag."

Josiah smoothed her hair. "Hungry? Want something to eat?"

"Yeah," Sienna nodded.

"Great. If you're thinking about food, it means you're getting better," Josiah sighed in relief. "Good thing I brought you back. The fever went down overnight."

He added, "I'll have someone get the meal ready and bring it up here. You can eat in the room, okay?"

"No," Sienna frowned. "I don't want the room smelling like food."

Josiah raised an eyebrow. He bent down and picked her up. "I'll carry you downstairs. You haven't eaten for long, and you won't have the strength to walk."

Downstairs, the servant had set the table. Seeing the feast, Sienna decided to make an exception and eat more than usual.

Josiah noticed her expression. He placed a crab cake on her plate. "Go ahead and eat. Once you're healthy again, you can worry about your figure. You've skipped enough meals; indulging just this once won't make you gain weight."

"Alright," Sienna agreed.

Josiah watched her with a warm smile when his phone rang. It was Zach. He stepped aside. "Yeah, it's me. Go ahead…"

It was about work. Josiah hadn't gone to the office that morning. Zach kept in touch, handling what he could and consulting Josiah for advice.

The call was longer than expected. Sienna finished her meal, but he was still on the phone. She glanced down at her sock-clad feet – he'd carried her down without shoes.

Her phone rang. "Hey, Rosie," she said.

Rosie asked, "Are you alright? Is he treating you okay?"

"Yeah, and my fever's gone," Sienna replied.

"That's a relief," Rosie said, sighing. "He seemed so scary, but I guess he must be good to you, right? You two probably had a misunderstanding. Anyone who would fly a helicopter across cities to take you to a hospital can't be all bad, can they?"

Sienna's face gradually softened. "Rosie, what are you talking about...?"