Chapter 20

The phone rang repeatedly, but Josiah didn't answer. Sienna frowned and sighed, assuming he was engrossed in a business lunch. She had no choice but to wait. Another hour passed; it was 2:30 PM. Only thirty minutes remained before her 3:00 PM meeting with Josiah.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed—it was Josiah. Without a second's hesitation, she answered, "Hello, it's me."

Perhaps relieved to finally be free of her, Josiah sounded uncharacteristically cheerful. "Hey, did you call? I was swamped." After a brief pause, he asked, "Where are you? At the courthouse already? If so, just wait. I'll be there soon."

"Josiah," Sienna interrupted, her words stumbling slightly. "Uh, I don't think I can make it today. Can we reschedule? Just for one day. I promise I'll be there on time tomorrow."

Josiah fell silent. Then, a cold, sarcastic laugh cut through the line, barely concealing his anger. "Sienna, you're doing it again, aren't you? Even now, you're still trying? How long are you going to keep bothering me?"

Sienna shook her head. "No, I didn't—"

Josiah cut her off, his voice tight with barely controlled rage. "Sienna, I hated you then, and I still do now. Stop living in a fantasy."

"I swear I didn't," Sienna said, her voice laced with desperation. "Don't worry. I'll go through with the divorce. But I'm stuck at Bacchus Bridge now. It's not just me—there are a lot of people—"

"Why would she be at Bacchus Bridge? She's just making excuses," Josiah scoffed, clearly unconvinced. "Really? What a convenient coincidence."

"I don't care where you're stuck. You better get here—crawl if you have to. This divorce is happening today," he shouted before hanging up.

"Hello?" Sienna stared at her phone's dark screen, feeling utterly lost. After Josiah's outburst, she was out of options. The roads were still blocked, so she'd have to walk.

It's better than crawling, right? she thought bitterly, letting out a mirthless chuckle. She slung her bag over her shoulder and stepped out of the car.

A gust of wind, carrying rain, hit her with full force. She raised her arm to shield herself, but it was futile. The rain was relentless, and she was without an umbrella. Sighing, she steeled herself and pressed on. Pulling her hoodie over her head, she prayed it would offer some protection.

Unfortunately, it offered little help. The rain poured down heavily, and she was soon drenched, the hood plastered to her head, making her miserable. To make matters worse, her stomach ached. Sienna clutched her abdomen, gritting her teeth as she trudged through the downpour.

After about half an hour, she reached the collapsed highway bridge. By then, she was soaked to the bone. Traffic officers had blocked off the street; firefighters were clearing the rubble. Ambulances were lined up like a long train.

"Hey!" A traffic officer stopped Sienna. "This area is being cleared, and the road isn't open yet."

"I know," Sienna said, forcing a smile. "I have an emergency. I can slip through on my own. I promise I won't hold you up or get in the way."

The traffic officer assessed her. "Where did you come from? You're drenched."

"From Bacchus Bridge," Sienna replied.

"What?" The officer looked surprised. "That's quite a trek. You walked all the way here?"

"Yeah," Sienna nodded, pleading with her hands. "I really have an emergency. My child is home alone, and I'm really worried."

"Where's their dad?" the officer asked.

Sienna laughed awkwardly. "There's no dad. I'm a single mom."

The officer paused, then waved her through. "Alright, I'll make an exception. Go on."

"Oh, thank you so much, officer!" Sienna grinned.

"Go on through," the officer said, moving the roadblock aside. He quickly closed it once she'd passed.

Sienna checked her phone for directions. It would take at least two and a half hours to walk to the courthouse. Gritting her teeth, she pushed onward, hoping to catch a ride. Though paying for a taxi made her wince, she was determined to finally settle things with Josiah.

In his car, Josiah glanced at his watch. It was already 5:00 PM, and Sienna was nowhere to be seen—she'd made him wait two hours. His patience was wearing thin, and he fidgeted with his phone, about to call Sienna again.

"Hello?" Sienna answered, her voice barely audible.

"Sienna, are you messing with me?" Josiah snapped, seething.

Sienna whispered, "Sorry, I'm almost there. Can you wait a little longer?"

Wait longer? Josiah sneered inwardly. "Fine, I'll wait," he said, wanting to see how she'd resolve this.

Time crawled by. Finally, Sienna called, her breath ragged. "I'm here. Where are you?"

"Really?" Josiah looked out the car window. A taxi pulled up in front of the courthouse, and Sienna stepped out. "Thanks," she told the driver before closing the door. Scanning the surroundings, she spoke into the phone. "Did you see me? Or have you gone inside already?"

"I see you. Hold on." Josiah hung up and got out of his car. He approached Sienna, carrying a black umbrella.

Seeing her wet hair and mud-splattered clothes, he couldn't hide his frown. "Where have you been? You look a mess."

"Let's go," Sienna said, avoiding his question and rubbing her nose. "This won't affect the divorce."

"Sienna!" Josiah reached out and grabbed her arm without thinking.

"What are you doing?" Shocked, Sienna pulled away, staring at him. "I've told you a million times. Don't touch me!" Josiah was taken aback. There it was again—that look in her eyes, a mix of fear and revulsion at his touch.

Does she dislike me? he thought, a tight, uneasy feeling gripping his chest. He yelled in frustration, "Are you untouchable? What did I ever do to you? Are you out of your mind?"

Sienna clutched her stomach; the cold rain and her frantic rush had intensified her pain. She bit her lip, her face paling.

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm out of my mind. But don't worry, we're about to divorce, so it won't matter anymore."

"You're only saying that because you know we can't get the certificate today, aren't you?" Josiah scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"What?" Sienna looked confused, staring at his cold expression.

"Stop pretending," Josiah snapped, avoiding her gaze. "You show up just as the courthouse is closing. You really went out of your way to avoid the divorce."