Chapter 42 SURPRISE

Chapter 42 SURPRISE
SIENNA

“When did the boss release you yesterday?” Catherine asked, causing fear to rush through me for a second. Had she suspected anything? Aside from being nosy, she was also smart, and it wouldn’t be surprising if she had successfully connected the dots or noticed something.

“Five minutes after everyone… left,” I stuttered, clutching the side of my dress to conceal my trembling hands.

She inhaled. “Thank God. I was scared you were the scapegoat yesterday. Boss suddenly asked everyone to go home early,” she let out. “Don’t you find that suspicious? It seems he’s hiding something,” she continued.

As expected. It would’ve been surprising if Inspector Catherine hadn’t probed further. And for the first time, I loathed this side of her. Can’t she just accept the boss’s decision and stop trying to search for what really happened?

Picking up the cup of coffee from the coffee machine, she moved closer to me and whispered, “I think his woman was here, and he didn’t want anyone to see her.”

My eyes broadened, and my heart skipped a beat. Fuck! Catherine should’ve become an FBI agent instead of being the manager of a department.

My face and neck burned as trepidation sizzled within me.

“Tell me, did you notice anything when leaving yesterday?” she mumbled, brushing my shoulder with hers.

“What?” I tried my best not to let my voice expose me, but the bastard shook rigorously. “No… No, Catherine. I didn’t see anything.”

She didn’t believe me. There was a doubtful glint in her eyes as she stared at me. Her mouth parted, but before she could say a word, I countered her.

“You can’t keep being in everyone’s business, Catherine. If the boss doesn’t want anyone to know about his woman, we should respect it,” I chided, frustration vivid in my tone. I was tired of her. She was the only one who could keep me on my toes in this office, and drawing a line was the right thing to do if I wanted to survive.

She pouted, shrugging. “You didn’t need to be so stern, Sienna. I’m just trying to have a chat with you.”

“Well, it’s still work hours,” I mumbled simply, grabbed a cup and a coffee pod, and inserted it into the coffee machine.

She watched as I did all this, pouting but not saying a word. After a few seconds, she stomped her feet and left the break room. A sharp breath escaped me. This was risky. I knew it. And it was quite unfortunate that I was the one being pushed to the edge every minute. He wouldn’t feel half of what I’d been feeling.

Putting my coffee on the table, I settled beside it, and my phone’s ringtone ripped through the air. When I skimmed the caller ID, it turned out to be my mother’s. Instantly, my heart dropped to my stomach, and irritation coursed through my veins.

Absentmindedly, a low hiss escaped my lips as I picked up the phone. I didn’t need to be told. I already knew what it was. We hadn’t had any conversation since the day I left her place. She didn’t bother to call, and I didn’t do the same. Whenever I thought about what happened that day, I kept getting exasperated even though I didn’t want to. But it just couldn’t be helped. My mother picked Ethan, my ex-husband, over me? Because of some designer bags and shoes? Gosh! I didn’t think that was what I was worth.

Reluctantly, I clicked the accept button and put the phone to my ear.

“You’re ignoring your mother, huh?” Her voice sounded from the other side of the phone. I didn’t react. I just stared at the database on the screen. “Sienna? Are you there?”

“Mmmm,” I hummed, kneading my left brow.

“You’re not turning me into your enemy for wanting the best for you, are you?” she said. No emotions. No guilt. Just pure nonchalance, and it caused my stomach to ache. How did my mother become this way? When did she become so irresponsible?

“Mom, what’s wrong?” I asked, trying not to be rude. “When did you become greedy and inconsiderate?”

“What? Did you just call me…”

I didn’t let her finish her statement. “Listen, Mother. I don’t know what he told you, and I don’t fucking care about the relationship between you two. Just please…” I paused as I noticed my voice was getting louder and drawing my colleagues’ attention. “Please, don’t add me to your shenanigans. Ethan asked for the divorce first, and that’s it. There’s no rekindling or rebuilding. I cannot be the one he returns to when…”

“He’s sorry, Sienna,” my mother cut me off. “He explained everything to me, and he already apologized. I’m sure he has learned his lesson too. Just for…”

“That’s enough, Mum,” I snapped, ignoring the stares from my colleagues. Shutting my eyes, I blew out some air as I tried to stabilize my erratic breath. “You know what? Stay out of my business. I’ll sort things out myself.”

Before she could respond, I disconnected the call and flung the phone onto my table. My mother was unbelievable. I’d thought she called to apologize for choosing to side with a stranger, but who would’ve thought that I was just deceiving myself? My mother wasn’t remorseful or sorry. Ethan was such a bastard. He made such a move quickly. I didn’t even suspect anything.

“Please, I’m here for Ms. Sienna Vale,” I heard an unfamiliar voice say.

Turning my head, I saw a man in a navy blue uniform and black helmet, holding a bouquet of red roses. Everyone looked in the same direction at the same time, and gasps filled the room. Catherine’s and John’s voices were the loudest… as expected.

“Here!” I raised my hand.

He came forward and placed the bouquet on my table. “You have an order, Miss.”

“Please, who’s the sender?”

After asking this question, I realized I’d made a mistake. What if the flowers were sent by Lucien and he mentioned his name? That meant my secret would be out in the open. My body tightened as I held my breath, anticipating his response.

Then, I heard, “There’s no information about the sender, ma’am,” he responded.

Thank God.

With a smile, I nodded, and he left. My tense muscles relaxed as soon as he disappeared. Thankfully, my foolishness didn’t cost me my secrecy. I just had to be careful henceforth.

“Hmm… Sienna has found her lucky man,” Catherine mumbled, causing my ears to burn.

Ignoring her, I picked up the card on the bouquet and opened it. It said:

“For the woman who still pretends she doesn’t like flowers,

I saw these and thought they belonged with you. Soft, beautiful, impossible to ignore… just like the person holding them now.

You looked happier the last time I saw you. Keep smiling like that for me.

Yours endlessly.”

Heat crawled to my neck by the time I finished reading the card, and fluttering waves rushed over me. It felt like a fleet of butterflies was surging within me. The last time I felt this way was before I got married to Ethan. When he asked me to be his wife, I felt on top of the world. It was everything I asked God for, and it was happening.

I didn’t know there were tears and sleepless nights beneath what I thought was a dream come true. He made life a living hell, but I never gave up on him. On us. Until I was pushed to my limit.

Emotions swirled within me as I reminisced about the old days. It had been months already, but I just couldn’t help being emotional after remembering the past. I would’ve gotten angry if anyone had said in the past that Ethan and I would end this way. Well, it happened, and I was glad it did. He never deserved me.

I reread the note one more time. Then, I carried the bouquet and inhaled its scent. It was calming. It pushed my myriad of emotions back and replaced them with an inexplicable peace. Yeah. That was what I felt after perceiving the flowers. My lips curved into a smile. If there were no sender’s details, then it would surely be from my boss. He was the only one who could pull this stunt.

Excitedly, I picked up my phone and sent an appreciative message to him.

“I saw what you did, Lucien. Thank you so much for the flowers.”

Flinging my phone aside, I continued inhaling the scent of the flowers. It was everything—calming, sweet, soft, and floral.

A few seconds after I sent the message, the CEO’s office door opened, and Lucien walked out, both hands tucked into his pockets. He stopped after taking a few steps, and then his eyes fell on the flowers.

For a second, I thought he came to see my reaction, but I realized I was wrong when his frown deepened and a dark glint flashed across his eyes.