Chapter 37

Sienna froze, her eyes fixed on Josiah and Yvette locked in an embrace that seemed almost a kiss. Josiah faced her directly; Yvette, with her back turned, remained oblivious to Sienna's presence. Suddenly, Josiah's expression changed; his face paled, and he instinctively tightened his grip on Yvette's arm. "Sienna! What is she doing here?" he thought.

Sienna was the first to react, turning to flee. "Why is she running? Am I some kind of monster?" Josiah wondered. Awkwardly, he pushed Yvette away. "Yvette, you don't need to walk me out. I'll handle it myself." He then took off, swiftly chasing after Sienna in the direction of her escape.

Yvette watched his retreating figure, clenching her fists anxiously. "Is she running away so fast because I startled him?" she pondered.

Using his height and long legs, and familiar with the building's layout, Josiah quickly caught up to Sienna, cornering her in the fire escape. "Where do you think you're going?"

Sienna had nowhere to escape; her back hit the wall. Josiah leaned against the wall, effectively trapping her. "Why are you running? Do I look like a ghost?"

"You are a lot scarier than a ghost," Sienna thought, trying to curl up, avoiding any contact. Clasping her hands together, she pleaded, "Please let me go! I didn't mean to interrupt you!"

It wasn't her fault they couldn't keep their romance private; the spot they chose wasn't secluded at all. If it hadn't been her, someone else would have walked by.

"Interrupt?" Josiah's expression darkened. He narrowed his eyes, his voice low and threatening. "Sienna! What ridiculous thoughts are going through your head?" Yvette was his sister-in-law; how could anyone think there was something more between them?

This wasn't the first time Sienna had made such an accusation. Not just her—most of Jeiacrity seemed to misunderstand him. He doubted even half of them believed in his innocence. He'd never explained himself. Because what was there to explain? His history with Yvette wouldn't simply disappear… but he always held his head high and didn't care about outside gossip.

But, for some reason, Josiah found himself saying, "Yvette and I are not what you think!"

Sienna looked confused. "What do you mean, not what I think?"

"Seriously, Sienna," Josiah snapped, his irritation flaring again. "Are you trying to push my buttons?"

Seeing his displeasure, Sienna bit her lip and carefully replied, "Are you trying to explain something to me?"

His silence answered her.

"Not necessary," Sienna responded in surprise, unable to grasp the situation. "I'm just your ex-wife. It's old news. You and Yvette… as long as you're clear about it, that's all that matters."

Josiah felt anger bubbling up, threatening to boil over, but found himself at a loss for words. What was the point of explaining anything? It was completely pointless!

Sienna then added, "Or maybe you should explain things to Howard."

"Seriously, Sienna? That one sentence reignited Josiah's fury. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Sienna ducked under his arm and bolted. As she ran, she called back, "Maybe you should ask Miranda to help you out! This sort of thing happens in real life, you know!"

What sort of thing? Was she talking about him possibly being with his sister-in-law while his older brother was seriously ill? No way that could happen! The Flynn family would never allow such a scandal.

Not to mention, as he watched Sienna's figure fade into the distance, Josiah felt an unsettling vibe. What had Yvette's expression meant when she'd looked at him just now?

"Maybe I should consider finding a woman," he mused.

A woman? Where would he even start? You couldn't just decide to find someone and have it happen right away. A few years back, he hadn't thought about it, even though Sienna was living abroad; they weren't even divorced. But now? Who was he supposed to find?

That night, without any plans to meet up with Thomas or Yosef, Josiah decided to go to Maze by himself. The big booth directly facing the stage was still reserved for him.

Henry, the manager, was overjoyed when he heard Josiah had arrived. He rushed over with a big smile. "Mr. Flynn, you're here!"

Josiah casually leaned back, one arm draped over the sofa, while he absentmindedly tapped his knee. "How many performances before she… goes…?"

"Sienna! Sienna is my golden goose!"

Henry's heart raced with excitement. Just as I thought! Mr. Flynn came here for Sienna! But he still had to keep a professional front. "Well, Mr. Flynn, we have quite a few performers here. Which one are you asking about?"

Josiah chuckled and pointed at him. Who else could it be? I practically stormed the makeup room for her!

"Haha, yes, yes!" Henry rubbed his hands together eagerly. "She won't perform until after the third act."

"Really?" Josiah raised an eyebrow. "So the timing's all over the place?"

"Exactly." Henry quickly explained. "It all depends on the lottery draw the girls did."

"Lottery? What lottery?"

Knowing Josiah wasn't up-to-date, Henry elaborated on the details of the Dance Queen Competition and then grinned widely at him. "Mr. Flynn, what do you think? Want to join in on the fun?"

Join in on the fun! Josiah lifted an eyebrow; Henry knew how to sell it. "Alright," Josiah was here for Sienna anyway, and he beckoned with a finger, "Just remember, no matter how much anyone bets, I'm always ahead by 160 thousand dollars."

Hearing this, Henry couldn't contain his excitement! He struggled to keep a straight face as his lips curled into a grin. "Great! Mr. Flynn, I'll thank her in advance for you!"

Then, he asked, "What kind of drink do you like, Mr. Flynn? This place is small, so let me know in advance, and I'll have it ready for you."

Josiah glanced at him with a smirk; the old guy was trying to pocket some of his drink money. He waved dismissively. "Let her pick. Whatever she likes is fine."

"Got it!" With such fantastic news, Henry dashed off to find Sienna. "Sienna! Big news!"

"What is it? So cheerful?" Sienna was puzzled but smiled back.

"You've got a benefactor!" Henry was practically bouncing with excitement, gesturing wildly. "This benefactor said that whoever bets the highest, they'll go over budget by 160 thousand dollars!"

Now that was a benefactor! It was hard to say how much the final bids would be, but that extra 160 thousand dollars was jaw-dropping. No wonder Henry said she didn't understand the world of the wealthy. It was definitely a spending spree.

"Get ready!" Henry urged as he saw her still putting on makeup. "I won't disturb you any longer. It wouldn't be right to show your face too early. No rush—after the competition, you'll get to meet him. Don't worry, he's not some bald middle-aged man!"

"Okay," Sienna replied. Whether he was a bald middle-aged man didn't concern her. It was just a toast, and she had no issues with that.

Meanwhile, in the booth, Josiah sat back casually, waiting patiently. Finally, the stage lights dimmed. Was it her turn?

The music began, and countless tiny light circles lit up, rippling out like waves on water. The sounds of flowing water filled the air. Then, she emerged, a frown beneath the surface.