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A long stretch of silence followed as they considered pros and cons of going with Sienna’s plan. At last, they exchanged a look, wordlessly communicating their decision.
“I want to see a draft of the speech before you go through with it,” her father told her. Sienna nodded, happy to have them on board.
“Talk to my sons and organize the whole thing. I want it done as soon as possible, and this time we’ll broadcast it on national TV, which means you’ll have to be careful how you word some things so as to not let people know about our establishments,” Mr. Carrington added, then continued, “If we get the public looking for Kyle, we’ll have a better chance of finding him. Tell Xavier to set up the cameras in the war room. I don’t want any incidents or attacks. Adrianna has the numbers for the press. I don’t want them in the room, but I’m sure they’ll be eager to give us their equipment to play the video on their channels.”
“Of course, we’ll take care of it. Thank you,” Sienna said and bowed her head in deference.
Before they could change their minds, Sienna excused herself and left the war room. She had a lot of things to do, including writing a speech, and so little time. Was it even possible to put together a press conference on this grand scale in only a couple of hours? She wasn’t sure, but she was about to find out.
CHAPTER 9
Thestagewasset,the lights were on, and the cameras were rolling. It was showtime. Despite Adrianna touching up Sienna’s make-up, doing her hair and picking the perfect outfit, she still felt a bit squeamish about appearing in front of millions of people. It was her idea, her plan, her choice. There was no way back.
Sienna sat at the head of the table, ignoring that it was Mr. Carrington’s usual seat. There were dozens of cameras pointed at her, just as many microphones on the table in front of her, and a single sheet of paper containing her speech.
The Carrington heirs along with their parents and her biological family stood behind the cameras, but she couldn’t see their faces thanks to the blinding lights. She imagined them giving her supportive looks.
Sienna nodded to no one in particular, and as one, the red lights on all the cameras turned on. She was live.
“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen,” she started, looking at the cameras with an air of confidence, her voice strong and unwavering. “Thank you for tuning in on this spontaneous broadcast. My name is Sienna Ryder and I’d like to share a piece of my story with you.
“Right now, most of you might know me as the sole and unexpected heir of the Aghayan empire, but that’s not all that I am. I’m also the long-lost daughter and successor to the Lockwood empire, as well as the heir to the Ryder fortune.
“The reason I’m telling you all this isn’t to brag about the money. Quite the opposite actually. I want to tell you that I gave up my rights, but in order for me to explain that, I have to start with the events that took place a couple of months earlier.”
Even though she knew the story of her life by heart, Sienna still glanced down at the paper, allowing herself a moment to slow down and take a breath. With newfound strength, she looked up with determined expression and faced the cameras again.
“A couple of months ago, I was kidnapped by the Remingtons and held at gunpoint to marry Kyle Remington,” she announced, imagining the shock on everyone’s faces. “One of my good friends was shot in front of me and I had no choice but to go through with the farce of the wedding.
“After Kyle and I said our I do’s and signed the papers, my rescue party arrived. In the fight that ensued, the old Remington and Kyle’s twin brother Lyle were killed. For a moment, I thought that I was saved, and everything would be okay, but my bubble burst as soon as they told me that Kyle ran away with our marriage certificate.
“Fast forward to the present and the reason of this broadcast, now Kyle’s actively trying to kill me, thinking that he would inherit all the fortune belonging to me. I came live to tell all of you and to Kyle as well, if he’s watching, that there’s nothing to inherit.
“Everything that Ryders had, I gave to the Carringtons. I forfeited my rights to the Lockwood empire, believing that my brother Angel is a better fit to lead it. He was the one being groomed his whole life to take over the business after all. Lastly, the Aghayan fortune, I decided to split it with Tina Ryder, formerly known as Remington. She was Lyle’s wife in a less than ideal marriage and as the unknown niece of Dalia Aghayan, I thought it fair to give her what always belonged to her.”
This time, Sienna looked directly in the camera with the intention of addressing her husband.
“Kyle, I don’t know if you’re watching this now, but even if you aren’t, I know you’ll see the videos later. I just wanted to tell you that you won’t gain anything by killing me. Face it, you lost. Your picture is being shared all over the world as we speak and it’s only a matter of time before you’re caught. Do yourself a favor and give yourself to the police. I promise that you’ll be judged fairly in front of an untampered jury. Our sham of a marriage is over and so is everything else.
“Remember, if you have any information on Kyle Remington’s whereabouts, I urge you to call the number on the screen. Every bit of information will help us get a very dangerous person behind bars. Thank you for tuning in. Take care of each other and stay safe.”
Sienna let her words hang in the air for a moment longer before she gave the cameras a curt nod. The red lights went off and the broadcast was over. She did it.
The palms of her hands, hidden under the table, were covered with sweat. She didn’t dare to wipe them during the transmission, but now that it was over, she gingerly rubbed them against her pants, leaving wet marks behind.
As the adrenaline seeped away from her body, she started shaking uncontrollably. Her breathing was erratic and shallow, her vision blurring. She couldn’t distinguish one thought from the other nor could she keep up with the movements around her.
“Sienna,” someone called her name, but it sounded as if it traveled through a very long tunnel.
There was a high-pitched ringing in her ears that she couldn’t quite shake. It was as if another bomb went off, but she knew it was impossible. The simple explanation was that her mind had been overwhelmed by a storm of emotions while her brain replayed the trauma from the last time, she’d given a speech.
“Sienna.”
Sienna blinked rapidly a couple of times, her vision finally clearing. The noise in her ears subsided and she was able to tune into her surroundings.
Jensen’s hand rested on her shoulder, gently squeezing it. It was him who called her name to get her attention. Now that the lights were turned off, she could see everyone staring at her.
“I’m okay,” she told them, sounding stronger than she felt.
