Chapter 4

Josiah smirked coldly. “So it’s about money. It’s only been a month. Why the hurry? Don’t worry, you’ll get what you need—just wait. Do you think we can’t spare you a dime?” After a moment, he added, “From now on, don’t call me unless it’s truly important. If something comes up, I’ll reach out.” With that, he hung up.

He despises me that much. Sienna stared at her phone, stunned. Her face drained of color as she realized how pathetic she must have seemed, begging him for money. She raised a hand and rested it on her still-flat belly, letting out a cold, bitter laugh. After a while, she closed her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Eight months later, in Fliraty’s slums, Sienna lay asleep in bed, her belly now round and swollen. Her due date was just days away, but the doctor had warned her that her baby was breech and suggested she get to the hospital early. Sienna had only forced a smile, saying nothing—she had no money. Eight months ago, after that heartless call with Josiah, she still hadn’t received a dime for living expenses. She had burned through her savings and could no longer afford her apartment, so she moved to the slums. She never asked him for money again—she couldn’t bear to be called a parasite one more time. After settling down, Sienna found a part-time job, trying to balance work and school. Even though she wasn’t making much, she managed to scrape by and feed herself.

Suddenly, a loud noise yanked her from her sleep.

“Whoa, what the heck—” “Fire!” “Run for your lives!”

Sienna bolted out of bed and flung open the door to a scene of pure chaos—thick smoke swirled and flames shot into the sky. Fear immediately clutched at her chest.

“Sienna!” her neighbor, also an exchange student, yelled urgently. “What are you doing? It’s on fire! Hurry up and get out!”

“Okay,” Sienna replied, panic rising as she rushed to grab her backpack. But just as she turned, her neighbor grabbed her arm. “Are you crazy? Where are you going? Just get out!”

“I can’t!” Sienna screamed, her voice cracking with desperation. “All my money is still inside—every penny I’ve saved for my unborn child, hospital bills, and everything. I have to go back.” Determination hardened her eyes. But as soon as she took a step, a beam came crashing down right in front of her. Sienna reacted just in time, stepping back. She was okay, but the way into her place was now completely blocked.

“Sienna, run!” her neighbor shouted.

“No!” Sienna shook her head fiercely. She yanked her arm free and sprinted back inside, blocking out the surrounding chaos.

A gust of wind drove a blaze toward her. She spun out of the way, but the flames still grazed her lower back, causing her to wince and cry out in pain.

“Sienna!” The neighbor pulled her back hard. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Sienna said, shaking her head, but the dense smoke hit her, causing her to cough even more fiercely.

“We gotta move. No going back in there,” the neighbor urged, gripping Sienna’s arm firmly.

“But…” Sienna hesitated.

“This smoke isn’t just bad for you—it’s dangerous for your little one too. If you don’t listen, you could lose it all. Go, now!” the neighbor insisted, practically dragging Sienna away.

Eventually, Sienna escaped the fire zone. Her back was burned, and she hadn’t managed to grab any cash. With a heavy heart, she watched as her worn-out house was swallowed by the flames, turning to ashes. “What should I do now?” she thought, feeling overwhelmed. Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced her stomach, causing her to wince and double over.

A crowd quickly formed around her, their voices a mix of concern and urgency.

“What’s wrong?” “She’s going into labor!” “Someone call 911! We need to get her to the hospital, stat!” “Ah!” “Push!”

Sienna lay on the delivery bed, going through over ten hours of intense labor. Finally, she delivered her baby. When the nurse gently laid the baby in Sienna’s arms, tears of joy rolled down her cheeks—this was her baby, and she wouldn’t be alone anymore. With a sigh of relief, she closed her eyes and passed out.

When Sienna opened her eyes again, she found the same nurse standing by her bedside. The nurse reminded her about the hospital bills. Sienna had managed to cover a part, but it was far from enough. Clutching her newborn close, Sienna’s eyes were heavy with worry, and she was silent. She knew she needed to say something, but being flat broke left her speechless.

The soft-hearted nurse sighed, guessing Sienna had been abandoned by a heartless man. “Don’t you have any family or friends? Contact them; maybe they can help,” she said and then left without pressing Sienna too hard.

Sienna lifted her head, eyes brimming with tears. Family and friends? She didn’t have anyone. But she was a mom now, and she couldn’t leave the hospital bill unpaid. She pulled her phone from her bag. After eight months, she dialed Josiah’s number again. The phone rang and rang before finally connecting.

“Josiah,” she began. But her stomach dropped as she heard the familiar voice on the other end.

“Hello? Is this Sienna?” Yvette chuckled softly. “Looking for Josiah? He’s not available right now, but you can tell me what’s going on.”

Could she really be this nice? Doesn’t she hate me? Sienna was skeptical, but at this point, she didn’t have the luxury of being choosy—she was out of options. Swallowing her pride, she nearly begged, “I—I was wondering if he could lend me some money?”

“Please, I swear I’ll pay him back. The moment I get my hands on some cash, I’ll give it back,” Sienna added, her voice wavering. She didn’t dare ask Josiah for money directly again.

“I get it,” Yvette smiled. “Alright, I’ll let him know. Talk to you later.”

“Thanks…” Sienna said, but the line was already cut. She clutched her phone, her heart racing. Josiah will lend me the money, won’t he? After all, he respects Miranda, and our divorce isn’t final yet!

But two days passed, and still no money came. Sienna stood at the hospital entrance, bag over her shoulder and her child in her arms—with no way to pay for the hospital fees, she was forced out. She gazed up at the sky, the warm winter sun causing her to squint. Tears brimmed in her eyes and then streamed down her cheeks.

“No crying,” Sienna scolded herself through clenched teeth. “You have no right to cry. You have a child to take care of. No tears!”

But the reality was harsh. She was flat broke, and her house in the rough part of town had burned down, leaving her homeless.

Two weeks later, Sienna ran through the streets, her child cradled in her arms.

“Stop that thief! She stole something!” “Someone catch her!”

The footsteps behind Sienna grew louder, and escape seemed impossible. Just then, she stumbled and lunged forward. As she fell, she instinctively twisted to protect her child. Before she could get up, a store clerk who had been chasing her grabbed her and pinned her down. “Gotcha! Where do you think you’re going? What’d you steal? Give it back!”

The clerk yanked her bag away, unzipped it, and spilled the contents onto the sidewalk. The onlookers leaned in, murmuring amongst themselves.

“Baby formula? Diapers? Why would she take these?” “Look, she’s holding a baby.”

Mortified, Sienna squeezed her eyes shut, wishing the ground would swallow her up—her pride was completely shattered. But with her child clutched tightly to her chest, she knew she couldn’t afford to quit.