Chapter 91

On the other end of the line, Yvette answered the call.

“Josiah?” Her voice was cheerful, teasing. “Mr. Flynn, you’re always so busy. Why are you calling me? What’s going on?”

“Yvette,” Josiah hesitated, thinking of the unconscious Howard. His brow furrowed as he searched for the right words. Finally, he spoke firmly, “From now on, don’t mess with my phone.”

“What?” Yvette’s tone immediately shifted to cold distance. Her smile vanished. “What are you talking about? I… I don’t understand what you mean.”

Josiah paused, choosing his words carefully before deciding on the truth. “My phone has a program that can recover deleted call logs.”

Yvette paused, instantly understanding. He knew she’d taken Henry’s call and deleted the record. She didn’t deny it. “Yeah, I did take a call from Mr. White. And now you’re questioning me over something so trivial?”

Josiah didn’t answer directly, simply stating, “I expect you to respect me. Don’t let this happen again.”

He ended the call. This was the first time in years he’d criticized her. He closed his eyes, leaning back in his chair, the hot, uncomfortable backrest pressing against him. A subtle pain followed, memories flashing, sweat beading on his forehead.

Meanwhile, Yvette was stunned. She sat for a while, holding her phone, then let out a mocking laugh. “Humph,” she mused. “How did he know? And he actually managed to recover the deleted records? Is this really such a big deal?” She smirked. “Why?” she wondered. “Wasn’t it his idea to blacklist Sienna in the industry? And now he’s accusing me just because I touched his phone? Interesting… Has he really forgotten what happened back then? Has living well for so long made him think he’s some big shot? Or is it that he only remembers being grateful to Howard, who’s lying unconscious in a hospital bed, and forgets that he wouldn’t have made it this far without me?” She shook her head slightly. “No, no,” she whispered. “He hasn’t forgotten, and he can’t forget. He should remember that, deep down, always.”

That night, Sienna and Joyce had a video call from 12th Avenue; William used his phone.

“Hi Mom,” Joyce appeared, lively and well.

“Hi, Joyce,” Sienna’s heart melted at the sight of her daughter. She often thought, Thank goodness I have Joyce. If it weren’t for her, I’d be full of bitterness by now! But with Joyce, everything felt different. Just looking at her made all the frustration and resentment fade away. Kids really were little angels sent from God.

“Mom, I have been really good, listening to Mr. Thompson, getting my shots, and taking my medicine,” Joyce said.

“Is that so?” Sienna smiled, warmth glowing in her. “Well, Joyce, you’re amazing! Taking medicine and getting shots is hard even for adults.” Thankfully, Joyce was about to have her surgery. Afterward, her illness would be cured, and she wouldn’t need more medicine or shots. “You’ve been so good, and you deserve a reward, Joyce. What would you like?” Sienna added with a smile. “It can be something a little more expensive if you want.” Sienna had worked part-time while studying to support Joyce, and over the years, Joyce hadn’t had many expensive toys. Now that Joyce was about to have her surgery, it was a big deal, especially for a three-year-old. Sienna had already decided to buy Joyce a more expensive toy; she’d been cutting back on her spending for a long time. She was still young and healthy, so it wasn’t a big deal.

“Mommy,” Joyce, still a child at heart, spoke with cautious excitement. “Is that true?”

“Of course,” Sienna replied, her heart aching. She forced a smile. “What do you want?”

“Mommy,” Joyce said in her cute little voice, “I want Minnie Mouse.”

Sienna knew exactly what Joyce meant: a special, limited-edition Minnie Mouse toy. Joyce had liked it since they were in Fliraty, but it was so expensive Sienna couldn’t afford it. She’d kept that wish in her heart for a long time, even after moving to Jescrity, and had tried ordering it online several times but never managed to get one. Just a few days ago, Sienna found out there was a physical store in Jelacrity that sold it. She planned to buy it and bring it back for Joyce when she returned to Fliraty. Before Joyce’s surgery, Sienna was definitely going to visit Fliraty. Luckily, she had earned quite a bit recently working at Maze, so she could afford the plane ticket. Otherwise, she couldn’t imagine how terrified Joyce would be undergoing surgery without her mom.

A few days later, Sienna spent the day working with Brenda at Lightning Dance, and in the evening, she filmed a dance scene for the crew. By the time she returned to 12th Avenue, it was very late. She checked the time, relieved she could still get some rest. Tonight, however, she had an important task. Around ten-eleven, she left the apartment and headed straight for TeeMall. TeeMall was the largest shopping center in Jelacrity, open until eleven at night. By the time Sienna arrived, the security guards were escorting the last customers out. She wasn’t here to shop; she was here to queue. Tomorrow morning, the limited-edition Minnie Mouse toy would be sold in-store. No pre-orders were accepted; it was first come, first served. So, Sienna had to queue now to secure Joyce’s prized toy. She’d researched and knew exactly which door opened first. When she arrived, she was relieved to have made it just in time. Six others were already there, ready to stay up all night.

Sienna sighed inwardly. Thankfully, there were only 20 limited spots, and she was number seven in line. Everyone had come prepared. Sienna took out a foldable chair from her bag, set it up, and sat down. She also brought snacks, water, and a blanket, then settled in to wait.

As the night wore on, the cold bit. Sienna wrapped herself tightly in her blanket, but still felt cold. Suddenly, someone walked toward her. “Hi, Sienna?”

Hearing the voice, Sienna looked up, her face darkening. It’s him? Jelacrity really is small, she thought. Ever since Sienna had asked him for a loan and he’d turned her down, she had blocked him. She turned her gaze away, ignoring him.

“Sienna,” he frowned, looking her up and down. “What are you doing here? It’s so late. Why aren’t you at home resting?” He seemed to recall something. “Is this about money? I have the card with me,” he said, reaching for his wallet.