Chapter 8

Sienna hurried back to Silver Beach but didn't see Josiah. She decided to head to the bathroom first. As she opened the door, he stood there, shirtless.

"Sienna Shaw!" Josiah's face darkened as he pulled on his shirt, his voice low and tense.

"Sorry!" Sienna quickly shut the door, her heart pounding. How was she supposed to know he was in there? And why was he using the first-floor bathroom?

Inside, Josiah's face was thunderous; he glanced quickly over his shoulder. She hadn't seen anything, had she? Soon, he emerged, fully dressed. He pointed at a large box on the coffee table. "Go change into this." Sienna assumed it contained a dress. The Flynn family was hosting this event for her, and they weren't known for doing things halfway. "Alright," she nodded, picking up the box.

A few moments later, Sienna stepped out wearing an almond-colored, off-the-shoulder evening gown that flowed to the floor. She'd applied a quick base makeup routine, lightly defined her eyebrows, and added lipstick. Luckily, despite being broke, her job provided some basic makeup supplies. Even with minimal makeup, her striking features shone through.

Josiah looked at her, his eyes narrowing instinctively. She was tall, with fair skin, her long hair pulled back to reveal her delicate neck. She was breathtaking.

For a moment, Josiah was taken aback. She had been cute, but now, in her early twenties, she had blossomed, trading girlish innocence for sophisticated charm.

Josiah studied her. "Did you see anything just now?"

"See what?" Sienna replied, genuinely confused. What was there to see?

It seemed she hadn't noticed his back. Josiah turned and started walking. "Keep up."

The welcome party was held at South Jeiacrity Nursing Home. Since Miranda wasn't well enough to travel, it was the most convenient option. Luckily, she had a private room with a small patch of grass outside, perfect for a cozy family gathering.

The driver took them straight to the nursing home. Sienna sat silently in the back, lost in thought, gazing out the window. Josiah sat beside her, restless in the heavy silence. He remembered Sienna's constant chatter, which used to irritate him.

"Why so quiet all of a sudden? Is this some new tactic?" he mused to himself. "Anyway, she's already signed the divorce agreement, and whatever games she might play, the divorce is a done deal."

Upon arrival, Josiah led Sienna to see Miranda, but the doctor was conducting Miranda's routine therapy session.

Miranda took Sienna's hand. "The therapy will take about half an hour. Why don't you catch up with everyone? It's been years."

"Alright," Sienna replied with a warm smile.

Miranda, however, felt uneasy. She glanced at Josiah. "Stay with Sienna and keep an eye on her."

Josiah frowned, displeased. "Grandma," he protested.

"What's going on?" Miranda's face grew serious. "I listened to you four years ago when Sienna was sent away, so why can't you do the same for me?"

Josiah had no response. He could only nod. "Alright."

"Great," Miranda sighed with relief, patting Sienna's hand reassuringly. "Go ahead and follow Josiah. If you have any questions, just ask him."

"Okay," Sienna nodded.

Sienna followed Josiah from the room, through the living room, and into the courtyard. She noticed many eyes on them and overheard whispers:

"Hey, who's that with Mr. Flynn?" "Is that Yvette?" "Doesn't look like her. Yvette isn't that tall." "Can't she wear high heels?"

Sienna smiled. She knew Yvette and Josiah were close, but mistaking her for Yvette was a stretch; they didn't look alike.

Josiah stopped to answer a call. "About the Donciral issue… here's the deal…"

It sounded like business, something Sienna didn't understand or care about, so she waited quietly. Suddenly, Josiah hurried ahead. Sienna tried to keep up, but he turned around with a frustrated look. "I have things to deal with. Stop following me," he said, walking off briskly.

Sienna stood there, a little dazed but unfazed; he often left her behind. For a moment, however, she wasn't sure what to do. She placed a hand on her stomach; she'd only had two slices of bread all day and was hungry. She decided to get something to eat.

Sienna wandered to the buffet, picked up a plate, and began filling it with food. It all looked delicious, and she hadn't tasted anything like it in four years. Suddenly, someone tapped her shoulder. "Yvette!"

Sienna paused and turned to find Keyla Gibson, daughter of the well-known Gibson family, a former rival for Josiah's affections. People used to say that if not for Sienna, Keyla might have married Josiah.

"Hold on, you're not Yvette. You…" Keyla squinted, scrutinizing Sienna closely. Her expression shifted from confusion to realization. "Are you Sienna?"

Keyla's friends were startled and turned to look.

"What? Sienna?" "She's back?" "Huh? Today's party is thrown by Miranda for Sienna. How did you miss that?" "I had no idea! I just heard about a party and decided to stop by. Oh my! I can't believe Sienna is actually back."

The girls exchanged disdainful glances.

"If I had known, I wouldn't have come. Being here for her return is just disgusting." "Oh no! Sienna is back, and Jeiacrity is not going to be peaceful anymore."

Sienna ignored their chatter, determined to enjoy the rare opportunity. She reached for a brownie. Another pair of tongs appeared; it was Keyla.

"Oops." Keyla pulled back, feigning a nervous smile. "You take it. I'm not really hungry anyway."

Humph, like she's really giving it to me out of kindness. Same old fake act, Sienna thought. In the past, she would have made a scene, but now…

"Thanks," she replied with a faint smile, placed the brownie on her plate, and walked away.

Whispers followed her.

"What's going on? She didn't argue with you." "She's different now." "Different? Come on, a leopard can't change its spots," Keyla scoffed, rolling her eyes. She gave Sienna's dress a scornful look, a smirk playing on her lips. "Just wait and see. This is going to be fun to watch."

Just then, Yvette appeared, wearing a flowing, almond-colored off-the-shoulder gown, strolling arm-in-arm with Josiah, her face radiant.