Chapter 40

Sienna’s POV

The canvas stared back at me. It was a new piece, meant to be a fresh start after the chaos of the last one, but it felt stuck. The colors felt flat. The lines refused to flow. My mind was a tangled mess, caught between Zoe’s cutting words, Daniel’s confusing signals, and the chilling reality of Evan’s dead rose. I hadn’t touched the phone since Zoe left. I just wanted to disappear.

My phone rang. The sound startled me in the quiet studio. I glanced at the screen. It was Lila. My stomach clenched. I almost ignored it, but something in me knew this was different. I answered.

“Sienna.” Lila’s voice was firm. Serious. No small talk. No playful banter. Just raw, unyielding intent. “It’s time to talk. I have everything. I’m coming over.”

My breath hitched. “Everything?” I whispered, my voice barely audible. A wave of dread washed over me. I knew what “everything” meant. It meant Evan. It meant the truth. The truth I had avoided. The truth I fea