Chapter 221
Sienna thought to herself that Joyce was definitely more important. But she couldn’t say this out loud.
“Where are you?” Sienna pressed her lips, trying to calm him down. “Can we meet and talk, please?”
“Where am P Josiah let out a self–deprecating laugh, answering her question with sarcasm. “What do you think?”
They had agreed that he would pick her up from the Lightning Dance.
“I see.” Sienna replied, frowning. “I’ll come over right away; please wait for me, okay?”
On the other end, Josiah didn’t reply. Once the call ended, Sienna hurried to the Lightning Dance. When she arrived, she quickly spotted Josiah’s car. Sienna rushed over, pulled on the passenger door, which was unlocked, and slid into the seat.
The wannth of the car surrounded her, and she took a moment to steady her breathing, thinking about how to handle the evening ahead.
“Speak,” Josiah suddenly turned to her, his gaze intense as he asked, “Where have you been? What was so important?”
- Sienna struggled to find the right words. “I had something urgent come up.”
“What is that?” Josiah frowned, his eyes darkening with anger. “Is that all your explanation?”
Sienna hesitated, trying to give a vague reason. “It was about my roommate; she needed my help with something”
“This is your excuse?” Josiah’s confusion quickly turned to shock. “Sienna, I waited for you all night, and you canceled on me issue?!”
on me for s
some roommate
“Yes” Sienna frowned, looking down. It was indeed her fault for standing him up tonight. But she couldn’t let things get worse between them “Josiah,” she said sincerely. “I’m sorry for not being there. It was wrong of me… I wanted to-
“So, what was it really about?” Josiah interrupted sharply. What could possibly he so important that you would ditch our date and ignore my calls?” Sienna looked away, unable to meet his stare. “I’m sorry; it’s not convenient for me to explain.”
Josiah felt a surge of anger rising within him as he suddenly grasped her shoulders, “Our date fell apart, and you can’t even give me a straight answer? Do you have any idea what I went through over the past few hours?”
He felt torn between worrying about her safety and feeling frustrated with her dismissive attitude toward their plans. He had suffered emotionally for her sake. And now, he couldn’t even get a clear explanation.
“Sienna, I am your boyfriend! Don’t you care about me at all? Don’t you think about my feelings? His disappointment and frustration were clear.
Yet all Sienna could say was, “I’m sorry; it was my fault.”
Josiah didn’t w
want an apology. To him, her words felt insincere
A cold smile appeared on Josiah’s face as a sense of hopelessness washed over him. “Do what you want.” He let go of her, gripping the steering wheel tight as he started the car.
As they drove off, he asked, “Are you still coming with me?
Sienna quickly nodded. “Of course.” Looking at Josiah’s serious face, the realized he was really angry. During the ride home, Josiah stayed silent, as if she didn’t exist. When they arrived at Silver Beach, he went straight upstairs.
Sienna let out a tired sigh and followed him. As the went up, she noticed he didn’t go to the master bedroom but headed to the study. Reluctantly, she followed and knocked on the door. “Josiah?” There was no answer.
“Josiah,” she knocked again. “I was wrong tonight; please open the door and don’t shut yourself away in there, okay? Still, there was no response. Josiah?”
Inside, Josiah frowned as he stood by the liquor cabinet. He uncorked a bottle of whiskey and searched through the lowest drawer for a pack of cigarettes, taking one out to light up
He thought, “She didn’t care about me, so why should I stop drinking and smoking for her? What did it matterf
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Chapter 221
Suddenly. Josiah paused. He thought he had misheard, but outside, there was complete silence. He pondered. She just left after such a short time? Did she have so little patience for me?”
“Sienna“” Josiah’s breathing grew heavy as he loosened his tie and tossed it aside, raising the bottle to his lips and taking a long drink. After what felt like ages, the room stayed quiet. Josiah slumped on the sofa, his head pounding.
He scoffed, thinking of her ingratitude. What is Sienna doing? She couldn’t have fallen asleep already, could she? A thankless little vixen! I’ve been so good to her can’t she show just a little bit of gratitude!
Suddenly, he heard a noise outside. It sounded like a key turning in the lock, more than once. Finally, with a click, the door swung open.
“This is it!” Sienna whispered as she pushed the door open. Before she even stepped in the strong smell of alcohol and smoke hit her hard. She asked. “What are you doing?”
Sienna rushed inside and saw the alcohol bottles on the table and the ashtray filled with cigarette butts. She wondered. How much did he drink in such a short time! And why has he gone back to smoking and drinking? What a bad smell”
Frowning. Sienna opened the curtains, and flung the window wide for fresh air. Turning back, she saw Josiah still surrounded by smoke. Feeling frustrated, she walked over to him, grabbed the cigarette from his hand, and put it out in the ashtray.
Josiah frowned in annoyance but didn’t say anything. Meeting his eyes, Sienna pressed on. “Are you planning to live on cigarettes and alcohol! Don’t you care about your health?”
Josiah found her concern amusing “Oh, what’s this? You’re worried about me!”
“Yes,” Sienna replied firmly.
Josiah laughed, letting out a big puff of smoke. “How funny–when did you start caring about me! You don’t even think I exist.”
T-
Suddenly. Josiah wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her onto his lap and looking up at her. “Sienna, tell me, do you like me? Do you like me
or not?”
Sienna was caught off guard. She thought. How am I supposed to answer! What does he want to hear? She could tell he hoped for her to say yes, yet her lips felt sealed.
“Tell me, okay!” His hand caressed her waist gently, but he sensed her body stiffening under his touch and her eyes turning away.
Josiah’s heart sank. “I get it now–you don’t like me.” The realization hit him hard. He sighed. “From the very start, I pushed this on you; you never wanted to be with me. It was all my force”
Suddenly, he let her go “Leave; I won’t force you anymore.”
