Chapter 56

“Oh, really?” A middle-aged man, appearing just over forty, sat on the couch. His hair was combed back, thinning on top and revealing his scalp; his face bore the marks of early baldness and numerous lines; his belly protruded. Despite his suit and high position, the man possessed a commanding presence. Ryan lifted his gaze, assessing Sienna. “You’re Sienna?”

“Yes.”

Henry gave Sienna a look; she understood immediately, stepping forward and standing with dignity. “Mr. Jones, I’m Sienna Shaw. Nice to meet you.”

“Oh,” Mr. Jones mused over her name, smiling. “Sienna Shaw, such a wonderful name.” Not only was the name lovely, but her appearance was even more so. Although she wore a mask on stage, hiding her features, her visible eyes revealed a beautiful girl. He had, however, underestimated her beauty; she was stunning.

“You’re too kind,” Sienna smiled, her eyes sparkling. “I’m here to thank you for your support these past few days and the flowers. I really like them.”

“Is that so!” Ryan raised an eyebrow, clearly pleased. “I’m glad you do.”

As Sienna began to speak, Henry signaled behind him. A waiter promptly arrived with a tray. Sienna picked up a filled glass and handed it to Ryan. “This drink is a toast to you.”

“With pleasure,” Ryan said, accepting the glass.

Sienna grabbed another glass. “I’ll drink first to show my respect.” She tilted her head back and drank it quickly, choking slightly. She gave an embarrassed smile. “I’m not a strong drinker. Please don’t mind me.”

Ryan chuckled, slightly raising his eyebrows. “Since you’re not a strong drinker, don’t drink like that from now on. You don’t need to be so formal with me, understand?”

“Got it,” Sienna nodded with a smile. “Thank you for understanding, Mr. Jones.”

Ryan raised his glass and drank it in one gulp. “See, I joined you. From now on, we don’t need to…”

“Alright.” Sienna nodded, knowing when to stop. “Mr. Jones, you seem busy, so I’ll take my leave now.”

“Okay.”

Sienna turned to leave but paused, turning back to Ryan. “Mr. Jones, will you be back tomorrow?”

Ryan looked surprised. “Would you like me to come?”

“Of course,” Sienna nodded, smiling. “So, tomorrow, I’ll be waiting for you.” She turned and walked away.

Ryan paused, then chuckled. “Interesting. Very interesting.”

Outside the private room, Henry looked at Sienna with a complicated expression. “Sienna, have you thought this through?” Her earlier actions suggested an olive branch to Ryan; once involved with someone like him, it would be difficult to withdraw. Sienna neither agreed nor disagreed. “Henry, what do you think of Ryan?”

“What do I think?” Henry sighed. “For you, he’s a bit too old. More than just a bit. He’s old enough to be her father.” But Sienna didn’t need him to say that; she had her own eyes.

Sienna shook her head. “That’s not what I meant. I mean, do you think it would work?”

“Huh?” Henry wondered if Sienna was asking if Ryan was someone she could be with. Even he was taken aback. Honestly, the answer would be “no.” But anyone taking this path usually faced difficulties. When Sienna first came to him, she was struggling and needed money, accepting whatever he required. But using her to bring business to Maze and sending her to Ryan were different things. He even compared Ryan to Josiah.

“Ryan isn’t as good as Josiah, in terms of money. The plus side is that he’s in a position of power. You know what I mean?”

“Yeah,” Sienna nodded. “I understand.”

“So, sticking with him for an easy life isn’t too hard,” Henry continued. “And another thing, though he’s older, he doesn’t have a wife.”

“No wife?”

“Divorced,” Henry chuckled. “I heard it was his wife who asked for it. It’s a good thing.” That was certainly an advantage. Even as a business arrangement, no wife reduced complications, regardless of the moral aspect.

“Yeah,” Sienna agreed. “Okay. I’ll count on you to sort things out from here.”

However, Henry felt uneasy and hesitant. “Sienna, are you sure you don’t want to reconsider? Maybe wait a little longer? Maybe Josiah might come back, or you could meet someone similar.”

“No,” Sienna shook her head. “Ryan is pretty good. I’m fortunate to be with him.” She was just a dancer, struggling at the bottom of society, barely making a living. She couldn’t afford to choose a backer; she needed $160,000 for Joyce’s surgery, and the sooner, the better.

Henry sighed, feeling sorry for her. “Alright, I understand. Don’t worry, I’ll handle everything.”

Sienna visited Miranda, spending time with her in the sun, then joining her for afternoon tea.

Miranda tasted a dessert. “This one is good today, Sienna. You should try it.”

“Okay, Grandma,” Sienna said, though she lacked an appetite. “It’s delicious.”

“Isn’t it?”

Sienna hesitated. “Grandma, I want to finalize the divorce as soon as possible.”

Miranda was startled. “What happened? Divorce? It was so sudden.”

Sienna put down her spoon. “Grandma, the divorce will be finalized sooner or later. I just want to do it earlier. Please help me.”

“Then tell me why! Josiah can wait, so why can’t you?”

Sienna took a deep breath. “Grandma, you said that as long as I’m happy, that’s enough. But without divorcing him, I can’t start a new chapter of my life.”

“What do you mean?”

Sienna didn’t know how to begin. She was about to become Ryan’s mistress, and even as a mistress, she couldn’t bear the status of being married. Getting a divorce from Josiah was urgent. She bit her lip and made up an excuse. “Grandma, I’ve fallen in love with someone else.” The door opened, and someone walked in.