b“/bbAlright/b.” Sienna bsaid/b, her voice btight/b. “bThank /bbyou/bb./bb” /b

Hearing her formal tone, Jason’s face fell. b“/bEnna.. after all these yearsb, /bdoes our bfriendship /bmean nothing to your Every time you talk to me, it’s all polite and distant. Feels like I’m not even a friend to you anymore.”

Sienna blooked /bbat /bhim, ba /bplex mix of emotions in her eyes. They had known each other since they were children, grown up together. But a decade was a long time. The shy, awkward boy she remembered was now a confident, life–saving doctor.

Jay,” bshe /bsaid, her voice softening.

“That’s bener,” he bsaid/b, his mood instantly lifting “Come on, let’s get a bdrink/b.”

Vivian, waiting outside the office, pecked through the ss, wringing her hands. Am I really that sick? she wondered, anxiety creeping in.

Seeing her anxiety, Sienna softened her expression when leaving bthe /boffice, hiding any hint of concern.

“Alright, youngdy,” Jason said, his voice cheerful and reassuring “You’re perfectly healthy. Nothing to worry about.”

“Really Vivian’s eyes lit up with a fragile hope. “Are byou /bsure? But sometimes I do things. I bit my sister.”

“You just get a little overwhelmed sometimes,” bJason /bsaid breezily. “It’s no big deal. You just need to learn to manage your emotions

“So I don’t need medication?” Vivian asked, half–convinced. She knew something was wrong with her. In the dead of night, she would often feel herself teetering on the edge of aplete breakdown, with only Mason as her lifeline.

Sienna put an arm around her “No, bVivian/b,” she said gently. “You bdon’t/b. bYou /bare fine”

Tears welled in Vivian’s eyes. “But I bit you. I‘

“That’s because you were having a panic attack, Sienna exined patiently. “It was an understandable reaction. You have nothing to feel guilty about. The man who hurt you is in jail now. From now on, you won’t be inggered like bthat /bagain. If someone mentions him now, would you still bbe /b

bVivian /bshook her head the image of Sienna smashing the teapot over Kevin’s bhead /bbshing /bin her mind. “No,” she said, her voice firm. “No, Sienna I’m not afraid anymore. I’m moving on.”

“Good.” Sienna said.

The next bday/b, Vivian went to work as usual. Sienna had already known that she worked at Dynastis, a smallpany, but she was still confused. With Vivian’s grades, Sienna was sure she could have gotten ba /bjob anywhere

Sienna decided to figure it out. She sent Lana a message to investigate before meeting her up. “Lana,” she said, rubbing her temples. “Bring me the

files

“Miss Enna, here you are “Lana reported. “It appears someone has been deliberately sabotaging her career.”

Sienna’s eyes snapped open. She btook /bthe file. Vivian bhad /bgraduated three years ago, bpaying /bher way through college with part–time jobs.

Her eyes fell on ba /bname: Sophie Quinn

“Sophie is the eldest daughter of the junior branch of the Quinn family, Lana exined. “Three years ago, when Miss bVivian /bstarted dating bMason/b, Sophie was vehemently opposed. She demanded that Miss Vivian break up with him. When she refused. Sophie used her connections to cklist Miss Vivian from every majorpany in the city”

“Sophie Quinn Sienna murmured. The name sounds familiar.”

The Quinns bwere /bba /bmajor yer in Varis, but bMason’s /bbranch of the family was less significant. Still, they had enough influence to make Vivian’s life difficult

“I believe I have an unsigned contract with the main Quinn family,” Sienna said, a cold smile touching her lips. Tell them I’m in Varis personally In oversee the deal.”

“Of course, bMisi /bEnna. And regarding

ng Miss Vivian’spany?” Lana asked.

“That liulepany threw my sister a lifeline when she was drowning” Sienna said. “Acquire it

Lana nodded. That small, insignificantpany bhad /bjust won the lottery. “Yes. And one more thing. Ma. Lambert has been trying to contact you. She asks that you call her back when you have a moment.”

418 PM

“I heard you.” bSienna /bsaid, waving her hand dismissively. “You may bgo /b

Lana nodded and left. Sienna stood at the window of her penthouse wife, a vision in a red silk dress, and looked out over the city of Varis,

Vivian returned to work a new woman. She was cheerfulb, /boptimistic, and full of energy.

“Vivian, you’re glowing!” a colleague teased. Is there a wedding in your future?”

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