Chapter 57

“I’m ordering the most expensive items on the menu,” Amber declared, determined to eat her out of house and home.

If Sienna knew what Amber was thinking, she’d probably burst out laughing. ‘Eat me out of house and home? Not even in a hundred lifetimes could you pull that off,’ Sienna wondered.

“Okay,” Sienna said.

Sienna took Amber to an upscale restaurant, where Amber, without a hint of hesitation, immediately started ordering the most expensive dishes on the menu.

Sienna watched Amber’s food preferences, recalling how she’d always loved seafood since childhood, and clearly, nothing had changed. Amber ordered one of every seafood dish on the menu.

After ordering the most expensive items on the menu, Amber shot Sienna a defiant look. “Don’t think buying me dinner will make me forgive you. Not a chance.”

Sienna replied with a gentle, indulgent smile, “Alright, I know.”

Amber crossed her arms and lifted her chin haughtily. At least she knows her place, she thought.

“Want my forgiveness? Go slap Vivian, and then we’re even,” Amber added.

Sienna looked up from her phone, her eyes radiating the commanding presence of a born leader. One glance was enough to make anyone feel intimidated.

Sienna fixed Amber with a stern look. “Amber, do you truly not see your mistake?”

Amber flinched under Sienna’s piercing gaze, but jutted her chin defiantly and snapped, “I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Vivian totally deserves every bit of scolding. She’s such trash, Amber thought. ‘She doesn’t even deserve to be related to me by blood.’

Sienna’s voice was firm and commanding. She looked Amber straight in the eye. “No, you’re wrong, Amber. I don’t regret slapping you. Whether you forgive me or not, you crossed the line with your words. Do you understand that?”

Upon hearing Sienna’s cold, stern voice, Amber’s eyes instantly filled with tears again. Defiantly, she shouted back, “I’m not wrong.

“Vivian is trash. She doesn’t deserve to be my family. She’s disgusting, despicable. She hit Mom and even cursed at her.”

Sienna felt anger surging within her, but she forced herself to keep her temper in check. “Amber, don’t you realize you’re making another mistake right now?”

Sienna’s gaze held not a trace of warmth, cold as an arctic wasteland, piercing enough to freeze someone to death on the spot.

Amber’s heart gave a sudden jolt, her face paling with fear. She didn’t dare say another word.

“Amber, do you even know your mother’s name?” Sienna demanded, her voice cutting through the silence.

“I—” Amber faltered, suddenly at a loss for words. Ten years ago, her father brought Linda home, claiming she was Amber’s mother.

Linda had been so kind and caring that Amber truly believed she’d regained a mother’s warmth.

Sienna’s voice was icy yet razor-sharp, her eyes glinting with cruelty. “Amber, remember this. You have only one mother, Selina Bayer. If I ever hear you call anyone else Mom again, I won’t hesitate to slap you again.”

Sienna’s words brooked no argument. Amber dared not retort, her eyes brimming with unshed tears as she bit down hard on her lower lip.

Sienna’s lashes fluttered as she looked away, her tone softening. “Amber, do you know? When you were little and got kidnapped because you wandered off, Mom took three stab wounds to the abdomen rescuing you.

“She was drenched in blood, leaving crimson footprints in the snow as she dragged you to safety. You may not acknowledge me as your sister, but you cannot deny your mother.”

“I-“ Amber’s eyes went vacant, lost in her thoughts. Absentmindedly, her arm knocked over her water, spilling it all across the table. Calmly, Sienna discreetly signaled for a waiter to clean up the mess.

Amber remained lost in thought, the image of her mother’s gentle, white-clad figure surfacing in her memory, her hair lifted by the breeze, ethereally beautiful.

“Amber, you’re so adorable. Promise me you’ll always stay this cute, okay?” a voice sounded.

Sienna continued sternly, “I don’t know what happened between you and Vivian, Amber, but when you said those things, did you feel proud?

“Or were you humiliating your sister? Or is this what you wanted to see, Vivian bullied, forced, empty-eyed and broken?”

Amber’s pupils contracted violently as images of Vivian being bullied flashed unbidden through her mind. ‘No, I never wanted this to happen to her,’ she thought, her hands trembling uncontrollably. ‘I—‘

“Let’s eat first. When we get home, you’ll apologize to Vivian for what you said today. Got it?” said Sienna.

Amber sulked, in no mood to apologize to Vivian because she absolutely couldn’t stand her.

The next second, Sienna’s voice rang out again, gentler this time. “Only good girls admit when they’re wrong and make amends. Say you’re sorry, and I’ll take you out for some fun this weekend.”

Amber’s eyes instantly brightened at those words. The slight pout still playing on her lips betrayed her lingering petulance.

‘Fine, just for you. What’s the big deal about saying sorry? I’ll just pretend I’m pitying her,’ Amber murmured.

Sienna smiled faintly, “Dig in now.”

Sienna brought Amber back, which inexplicably annoyed Jocelyn. Forcing a sweet smile, she said, “Amber, you’re back. Let me check.”

Amber instinctively started walking toward Jocelyn, but halfway there, she hesitated and turned back to look for Sienna, only to find her already heading upstairs.

Jocelyn noticed Amber staring at Sienna, a shadow of malice flashing in her eyes. “That little bitch,” she thought venomously.

Jocelyn continued, “Amber, where did you go just now? I really wanted to come find you, but you know how the rain always makes my joints ache, so I had to rest.

“And Sienna, honestly. What was she thinking, hitting you for no reason? That was completely unacceptable. Since she made you unhappy, why don’t we just ignore her from now on, hmm?”

Jocelyn reached out and ruffled Amber’s hair, flashing her a bright, almost triumphant smile as she spoke.

Listening to Jocelyn’s words, Amber felt an inexplicable tightness in her chest. ‘Should I really ignore Sienna?’ she wondered. ‘I guess I should do the same.’

Jocelyn watched the obedient girl with immense satisfaction, her smile smug.

Jocelyn sneered inwardly, ‘So what if you ran out desperately searching for Amber, Sienna? With just one word from me, I can turn her into your enemy in an instant.’

“Sienna, you’re back?” Vivian was reading when she saw Sienna walk in. Instantly, she jumped up, ran over, and wrapped her arms around Sienna’s arm.

“Sienna, Lana told me you went to see Amber?” As she spoke, Vivian looked up at her. Sienna gave a firm nod in response.

“Has she come back yet?” Vivian pressed further.

Sienna said, “She’s back. I’ll make sure Amber apologizes to you in a bit.”

“Okay,” Vivian murmured.

Vivian felt a stab of disappointment, obsession flickering in her eyes. ‘Amber, why did you have to come back? Aren’t you just Jocelyn and Linda’s lapdog? Then stay their lapdog forever, and keep your distance from us. Sienna belongs to me!’

“Linda just said Dad was hospitalized. She went to visit him at the hospital. Sienna, should we go too?” Vivian said.

Sienna ruffled her hair gently. “Do you want to go, Vivian?”

Vivian shook her head. “No.” She’d long since lost faith in this father of hers. He was nothing but a willfully blind fool who kept hurting her.

‘Good riddance that he’s hospitalized. Best if he stays there for weeks and never comes back,’ Vivian wondered.

“If you don’t want to go, that’s fine, Vivian,” Sienna said gently. “Whatever happened between you and Amber before, I won’t allow any fighting at home.

“Remember, you’ll always be sisters. She’s still young and naive. Try to be more patient and look out for her, okay?”

Vivian’s heart lurched. ‘Amber must’ve poisoned Sienna’s ears against me,’ she fumed. Typical Amber, back for a few minutes and already spreading lies. How utterly vile!

“Sienna, I understand. Tonight, I’d like to visit Anya,” said Vivian.

“Alright then, why don’t you take Lana with you?” Sienna suggested.