Chapter 260
As the morning dew dripped from the branches, Winifred slowly opened her eyes. The bright light made her squint, struggling to adjust.
She turned her head and saw Sienna sitting in a chair, lazily reading a book. Time seemed to cast golden threads in the early sunlight, a soft glow over her, her hair shining.
“You’re awake?” Sienna placed the book on the table and got up to close the curtains, instantly blocking out all the light.
Winifred licked her dry lips and managed to croak out a single word, “Sienna.”
“Here, drink some water,” Sienna said, dipping a cotton swab in water and gently touching it to Winifred’s lips.
“Sienna, are you alright?” Winifred asked, her voice hoarse and barely audible, worry etched all over her face.
All she could remember was Sienna drenched in blood that day – after that, her mind went blank and she must have passed out.
“I’m fine, Winifred. Rest well for a while, and soon you’ll be out of here. I need to leave town for a bit; Nora will look after you. Reno will be here too, and Vivian and Amber.”
Sienna had been distracted for days, not because of Winifred’s condition, but because of Lana, who was far away in another country. She had a bad feeling that something had happened to Lana.
When Winifred heard that Sienna was leaving, she immediately reached out and grabbed Sienna’s hand, pleading, “Don’t go, Sienna.”
Winifred was afraid that Sienna was going to leave them behind again.
Sienna gently reassured her, “Winifred, don’t get upset. I promise I’ll be back within two weeks. Something might have happened to Lana – she’s one of my own, and there’s no way I could just stand by and do nothing. I’m really sorry I can’t be here to help you recover, but how about we video chat when you’re feeling better, okay?”
Winifred’s eyes slowly brimmed with tears, spilling down her cheeks. Sienna gently wiped them away, her voice soft and her gaze full of guilt. “Winifred, listen to Zane and take good care of yourself. By the time I get back, you should be better.”
Winifred knew she couldn’t change Sienna’s mind, but still asked stubbornly, “When are you leaving?”
Winifred wished she could go with Sienna, but right now she couldn’t even move.
“Tonight,” Sienna said, gently stroking Winifred’s cheek, “Don’t worry, I’ll be alright.”
After Sienna left, Amber became a regular in Winifred’s hospital room. Every day, she’d stroll in with her backpack and all sorts of pungent snacks.
Amber’s hair had grown out a lot, no longer the short cut she used to have; some strands now brushed her shoulders, and she looked so much more lively and full of sunshine. “Winifred, why are you looking at me like that? If Sienna hadn’t told me to take care of you, there’s no way I’d come here.”
Amber let out a haughty snort and started munching away while doing her homework. Winifred could only stare at the ceiling and swallow her envy, since she wasn’t allowed to eat any of that junk food.
Meanwhile, deep in a forest somewhere in Pyreson, Lana watched as a whole group of people hunted her down, swarming closer and closer. She glanced at the map in her hand – there was a river snaking through the canyon.
If she couldn’t get out finally, that river was the only way left. But she just couldn’t accept that—not when she still hadn’t personally handed the crucial intel over to Miss Enna.
“Lana, I know you’re in there, I’m giving you one last chance – don’t make me do this the hard way. Just tell me everything I want to know, and we’ll both be rolling in money and power for the rest of our lives. Why keep groveling at Hazel’s feet, just being an assistant, letting her boss you around? You bust your ass for her, risk your life, and what do you get? Just some pocket change. Is it really worth it?”