Chapter 54

Her mind raced. “What should I do? Just sit here and wait for the worst!” Josiah’s arrogant, handsome face flashed in her mind. She clenched her fists. “No. I can’t just sit here. I have to do something.”

She stood abruptly and approached the iron door. “Officer, I need to contact my family!”

Sienna’s request was granted. She was allowed to make a call, but when she dialed, it wasn’t Josiah who answered—it was Zach.

“I’ll pass the message to Mr. Josiah,” Zach said curtly.

“Thank you,” Sienna replied, her voice low.

After hanging up, she waited. And waited. With her phone confiscated upon entering the station, she had no idea how long she had been waiting. Every second felt like an eternity. She wouldn’t tolerate being ignored. Maybe he’s punishing me, she mused.

She wondered, What if he doesn’t come? He’s the type of man…

Just as despair began to creep into her thoughts, the iron door opened.

“Sienna,” the officer called.

Her head snapped up, eyes wide with disbelief.

The officer said, “Your family is here. Come on out.”

Sienna stood so quickly her chair scraped against the floor. She thought, He actually came! Her hands trembled as she followed the officer out, tears threatening to spill over.

Josiah was waiting for her, seated casually in a chair as if he owned the place. His lips curved into a faint smirk as she approached.

“You seem to enjoy visiting the police station,” he drawled. “You’ve only been back for a short time, and this is already your…”

Sienna stood before him, head bowed, ignoring his sarcasm.

Josiah raised an eyebrow, tapping his fingers against the table. “You called me here just to watch you play games? Do you think I have nothing better to do?”

Sienna took a deep breath and lifted her head to meet his gaze. “No.”

“No what?” Josiah looked amused, leaning back in his chair. “You’re not making any sense.”

Sienna clenched her fists. He’s doing this on purpose. Why do I always react this way? Could it be…he cares about me? She quickly dismissed the thought. Impossible. In this life or the next, it’s impossible. Sienna thought, her lips pressing into a tight line. “Was it because Josiah and I hadn’t finalized the divorce? Absurd. Our marriage had been dead for four years.”

Josiah, however, wasn’t going to let it go. He demanded an answer. For her freedom, Sienna could only comply. She furrowed her brow and said slowly, clearly, “The question you’re asking, the answers you want—I don’t…”

Josiah leaned closer, his voice heavy with suspicion. “Don’t what?”

Sienna’s heart raced as she bit her lower lip, trying to suppress her shame. “I didn’t… sleep with a man.”

Was he satisfied now? she thought.

Josiah’s lips curled into a faint, icy smile. “Oh, really? You’re not lying to me, are you?”

Sienna shook her head firmly. “No, I’m not lying.”

Josiah stared at her, eyes narrowing. He lifted her chin with a firm grip, making her shiver. His voice carried a warning. “You’ve said your piece, and I’ll believe it for now. But if I find out you lied, Sienna… you won’t like the consequences.”

“I didn’t lie,” Sienna insisted, her voice trembling slightly.

“Good.” Josiah finally released her and stepped back. “I’ll take you with me.”

With that, he turned and walked out without looking back. Left in the room, Sienna clutched her chest, letting out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. Her legs trembled slightly but she still managed to follow him.

“Hurry up!” Josiah barked over his shoulder.

“Coming!” Sienna replied quickly, scrambling to catch up.

Outside, Josiah opened the passenger door of his car. When he saw Sienna heading toward the back seat, his voice thundered, “Sit in the front!”

Sienna hesitated for a moment.

“What do you mean, ‘I’?” Josiah’s face darkened. “Do you think I’m your chauffeur? Do you deserve that?”

Sienna frowned but said softly, “That’s not what I meant.”

“Then get in the front!” Josiah snapped.

Sienna had no choice but to comply. She climbed into the passenger seat, feeling a little uneasy. Josiah drove himself today, and the lack of a driver made the atmosphere even tenser.

“What are you thinking about?” Josiah asked suddenly, his sharp eyes glancing at her while his hands stayed steady on the wheel. “There’s a bag in the backseat. Grab it for me,” he ordered, his words carrying their usual commanding tone.

Sienna blinked and turned her head slightly. “What’s in it?” she asked cautiously.

“You’ll see when you open it,” Josiah replied, his voice laced with impatience. “Why ask so many pointless questions?”

“Okay,” Sienna murmured. She had no choice but to twist her body, stretching awkwardly to reach the bag on the backseat. Her fingers fumbled with it for a moment before she managed to pull it into her lap. She opened the bag and froze.