Chapter 203

“Here you go,” Josiah extended his phone toward Sienna. “What’s the matter? Are you really this scared of me? Am I that intimidating?”

“Thanks,” Sienna dared not provoke him; she needed his help. Still, her expression betrayed her apprehension.

“What are you thinking about?” Josiah’s rage dissipated, replaced by an unusual gentleness. He teased, “Are you thinking I really am scary?”

Before Sienna could reply, Josiah grabbed her hand, pulling her closer. Caught off guard, she almost lost her balance, falling against his chest. Josiah steadied her, one hand on her waist, the other gently tucking her hair behind her ear. He chuckled softly, his tone deliberate. “So what if I’m scary? You still care about me, don’t you?”

Sienna’s eyes widened in shock. Wait a second. What did he just say? Care about him? When did I ever care about him? she thought.

Josiah cleared his throat, his amusement evident. Her wide-eyed expression was adorable; it stirred something in him. Sienna was undeniably beautiful, and what captivated him most were her eyes—bright, lively, and particularly charming when she wasn't speaking. In the past, he hadn't noticed because she talked so much. Now, with her newfound quietness, her eyes seemed to shine even brighter.

“Are you staring at me like that? Did I say something wrong?” Josiah gazed into them. He gestured toward her phone. “If you don’t care about me, then why were you secretly looking up Maggie behind my back?”

Sienna blinked, understanding dawning. Oh wow. Well, well, Mr. Flynn. Someone sure is full of himself. Where does he even get these ideas? she thought.

“Josiah,” she began to explain.

“I’ve made up my mind about earlier,” Josiah interrupted. Sienna froze, momentarily forgetting her explanation. Taking a deep breath, she pursed her lips. Gripping her phone tightly, she said, “As long as Rosie gets released, I’ll give you the phone. And… I didn’t record anything this time. I swear.” Taking Yvette down wouldn’t benefit Sienna; all she wanted was Rosie’s safety.

“Sienna,” Josiah’s tone lacked the menace and coldness it had carried earlier in the car. “I want you back. Be my girlfriend again.”

“What?” Sienna’s thoughts raced. He’s that greedy? He wants to protect Yvette and have me back?

“Hey, hold on,” Sienna was baffled. “Are we even talking about the same thing? Did you forget I have a video of Yvette?”

“No,” Josiah, hands in his pockets, spoke calmly. “What do you plan to do? Upload it online? Go ahead. Post it. I don’t care. I’ll block it. I’ll intercept every one you post.” He leaned down, his face close to hers. “Let’s see who’s faster. You alone, or the 170,000 employees of Flynn Group?” A cold dread formed on her back. “Aren’t you afraid all 170,000 of your employees will see Yvette’s disgraceful side?” He shook his head. “They’re paid by the Flynn Group to handle its business. Besides, I can always pay more. As long as there’s enough money, a secret can stay a secret forever.”

His gaze lingered on her pale face, a smirk curving his lips. “Don’t believe me? Try it. All it takes is a word from me. Any activity on your phone, on any of your social accounts…”

Sienna’s eyes squeezed shut, her lashes trembling. She knew she couldn’t fight Josiah’s wealth and power alone, but she couldn’t agree to his terms. The last time she had compromised, it was for her child. She didn’t want to be entangled with him again, not even for a second. And now, she was pregnant again. If he finds out… she thought, horrified.

“Josiah,” Sienna said, her voice trembling as she pointed at Maggie in desperation. “You already have a girlfriend. You don’t need me.”

“Her!” Josiah chuckled softly, raising an eyebrow without explanation. “You’re right,” he began, his tone light and teasing. “Maybe I should try someone new and get a taste of what it’s like with other women.” His gaze locked onto Sienna’s face with an intensity that made her heart race. “But here’s the problem,” he continued, his voice dropping. “I’ve tried, and it’s useless. None of them are good enough. You, Sienna, you’re the only one who truly fits me.”

His warm breath brushed her cheek, causing her to flinch. Sienna stared at him, her lips pressed tightly together, refusing to speak. Josiah didn’t seem bothered by her silence. Instead, he chuckled softly.

“Not talking? That’s fine,” he said casually. “This is a big decision, after all. I’ll give you time to think it through. But…” His smile faded, his tone hardening. “You only get one chance. I want your decision, not your excuses.” He took her hand firmly. Sienna blinked in surprise. “Where are we going?” Is he planning to drag me off right now? she wondered nervously.

Josiah glanced at her, seemingly amused by her anxious reaction. “You’re so impatient,” he said, shaking his head. “Relax. I meant what I said. I’ll give you time. But since I brought you here, it’s only fair I take you back.” It was late, and Josiah wasn’t about to leave her alone. The night posed its own dangers, especially for a young woman. Sienna had only recently arrived in the city and had already experienced two accidents. “I’ll take you home,” he added, leading her out of the grand hall.

“Mr. Flynn… Wait…” Before they reached the exit, Maggie came rushing up, out of breath and visibly distressed. She cast a pitiful glance at Josiah, her eyes darting to Sienna, jealousy flashing behind her innocent expression. “Are we…?”

“Yes,” Josiah replied, nodding. “We are. Sienna and I, that is. You’re not included.” Maggie’s face paled, her heavy makeup doing little to hide her shock. Her lip quivered, and tears streamed down her cheeks. “But… but, Mr. Flynn, you said I was your girlfriend. Are you just going to leave me…?”

Josiah’s brow furrowed as he suppressed a sigh. East Entertainment’s manager actually hired someone this clueless! This naive! Did she really take my joke seriously and think she was my girlfriend? he thought incredulously. For the record, he didn’t even know her before today.

Realizing Maggie hadn’t caught on to his plan to rile up Sienna, Josiah grew impatient. It proved somewhat effective; at least, Sienna secretly looked into Maggie.

“Fine,” he said flatly. “Then let me make it official. We’re breaking up.” Without giving her a chance to respond, he resumed walking, his grip on Sienna unwavering.

“Hey…” Sienna protested, glancing back at Maggie, who was now sobbing openly. She looked up at Josiah, her eyes wide with disbelief. What a jerk, she thought.

Noticing her expression, Josiah smirked. “What? Got something to say?”

Sienna scoffed, her voice laced with sarcasm. “You’re so ruthless when you’re dumping someone. So why couldn’t you take it directly when I broke up with you?”

“Oh?” Josiah stopped abruptly, turning to face her. “Do you want to interfere in my business?” His deep eyes were intense. “Fine,” he said, “but you’ll have to become my girlfriend first.” His tone softened for a brief moment. “Sienna, listen to me. If we get back together this time, and I don’t mess up in a big way, you won’t be allowed to dump me so easily. Got it?”