Chapter 43

Daniel’s POV

The anger still hummed inside me from the meeting with Lila, Evan a snake, a desperate one. And Sienna, she was reeling, I knew that.

My gut twisted with the thought of her facing Zoe after everything. I wanted to go to her, to just be there, but I couldn’t, not like that.

I had to hold my ground, she needed to come to me, truly come to me, not out of fear or convenience, but because she finally understood what she wanted, what she needed.

The knock on my door was light, almost hesitant. My breath caught. I knew it was her, my heart hammered against my ribs, a desperate drumbeat wanting to sprint to the door, to pull her into my arms. But I held still, this had to be different.

I opened the door, Sienna stood there, her eyes red rimmed, her face pale. She looked exhausted, beaten down. My throat tightened. Every fiber of my being screamed to reach for her, but I kept my face blank, a cold mask.

“Daniel,” she whispered, her voic