Chapter 3

Cassidy looked up at me with red-rimmed eyes. "Sienna, I know you're furious, and I don't blame you. You can hit me again to feel better, but please don't do anything rash. You really are the only person Felix loves."

Tears streamed down her cheeks as if on cue. Anyone who saw us might feel sorry for her at first sight.

Felix happened to be the one who stumbled upon this scene. He immediately dashed to Cassidy's side and appraised her anxiously. "Are you hurt?"

He then glared at me, his eyes full of rage. "Sienna! Don't you know when to stop?"

Cassidy tugged on Felix's shirt, looking as if she were putting on a brave front despite the grievous hurt she'd been subjected to. "Forget it, Felix. Sienna's upset enough as it is. She doesn't need a lecture from you."

Felix grew even angrier upon hearing this. "Just because she's upset doesn't mean she can go on a rampage and hurt people! Who does she think she is?"

I shook my head out of exasperation. I knew exactly who I was—Felix was the clueless one.

All this time, I'd kept my identity a secret from Felix to shield his ego. I'd never told him I was the heiress of the most prestigious family in Hillsbury—the Winslows.

I was not just Felix's secretary or work partner. I was his boss. I was the person he answered to, the one who'd negotiated and made deals with his project collaborators in advance so that he only had to talk to them for formality's sake.

If I hadn't done that, I doubted even small-time plants and workshops would work with him based on his proposals alone.

Somehow, my silence gave Felix even more confidence in his righteousness. "Apologize to Cassidy right now, and I'll forgive you! I came down here because I was worried about you and wanted to comfort you, but I never thought you'd pull a stunt like this!

"How could you be so petty as to lash out at others?"

My gaze drifted to the jacket draped over his arm. It was Cassidy's.

The reason he'd come down here was clear.

For a while, I said nothing. I only stared at him icily.

After a long pause, Cassidy finally broke the silence. "Felix, let it go. We should bring Sienna back to the apartment. It's a little chilly here in the stairwell, and we wouldn't want anyone catching a cold."

Felix looked away from me, lowering his head as he asked Cassidy, "Can you walk?"

She acted as if to brace the pain and stand up, but after a few strained attempts, she bit her lip and shook her head.

Felix scooped her up into his arms, brushing past me as he headed upstairs. There was no telling if the chill was from the air shifting around him or the draft coming from the stairwell window, but my heart froze anyway.

After all, Felix and I had been dating for two years. We were planning to get engaged after the New Year festivities, so naturally, I still had some feelings for him.

But I was sensible enough to understand that I'd made the right call today, especially if I wanted to avoid a lifetime of misery and bullying from his family.

Deliberately choosing a spot Felix and his family could see from their windows, I put the ziplock bags down and opened them, offering the food to any strays scavenging in the area.

Then, I took a cab home.

After washing up, I began to choose who I'd like to dine with that evening. Dining with elders usually meant an evening of propriety, and all the other prestigious families were hoping to curry favors with mine.

I didn't want anyone using me as a stepping stone, lest I wake up tomorrow morning to rumors that I was secretly engaged to some scion.

Having weighed my options, I created a group chat and added a few contacts. "Forget about family dinners. Let's eat out this evening."

Everyone in the group chat was sporting enough to go along with my suggestion.

I arrived at the restaurant and was waiting for my dates to show up when I ran into Felix and his family, including Cassidy. They were raising their glasses, chatting and laughing away as they dined.

I wasn't planning on causing a scene, but Helen met my stare across the room and immediately pursed her lips. Whatever she muttered to her companions at the table after that prompted Andrew and Felix to look my way.

But when Felix noticed the two six-foot-tall, handsome men flanking me, he scowled and stormed up to me. "You did this on purpose, didn't you, Sienna? Who are these men? What's your relationship with them?"