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“It’s true,” Sienna agreed. “Yes, the Lockwood name helps, but I don’t need their fortune. He can keep all that, I just need their support. Dalia left me more than enough to keep me sustained and busy for the rest of my life.”
Adrianna squeezed her hand at the mention of the old Aghayan widow. “I’m sorry about your loss. I wanted to say it before, but it just didn’t seem the right time for it.”
“It never is for those things. Thanks.”
“I don’t think your brother is a bad person,” Adrianna said, returning to the topic. “I know that the last time we talked, I might’ve made him look a bit scary, but that was only because I wanted you to be careful while I figured him out.”
“What’s your advice?”
Adrianna’s brows furrowed as she scratched her chin. “I think you two should talk alone. Listen to his side and acknowledge everything he says, then explain to him what you want.”
Sienna got up and started pacing the room, lost in thought. Having an enemy inside her household would work against her. She didn’t have many people she could trust as it was, and she should be able to count on her family. The family empires of their society were built on internal support. They might’ve hated each other, but the outside threats always had priority over anything else.
“Try to set up something without making it too obvious,” Sienna told Adrianna.
Adrianna’s reply was cut off by a knock on the door. They exchanged looks to see if the other expected anyone. Sienna shrugged and gestured for Adrianna to go see who it was.
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” Brian apologized with a small bow of his head, then glanced over Adrianna’s shoulder at Sienna. “The Carringtons and the Lockwoods have gathered at the war room for the debriefing. Your presence has been requested.”
Sienna held back a groan, reminding herself that it was the last one. With heavy steps she walked past her friend, giving her hand a light squeeze, then exited the room to go to the war room. She hoped they wouldn’t come up with more tasks for her that would take her away from home. She had more than enough of travelling for a while and wouldn’t mind staying locked up in her room for the rest of the day. A smile found its way on her face at the thought of simpler times when she was Carrington’s prisoner.
Brian trailed after her at a respectful distance. Her armed escort didn’t make an appearance yet and he still had the role of her bodyguard. Sienna expected things to return to normal, but they probably didn’t have the time to make the arrangements.
“I’m sorry to keep you waiting,” Sienna apologized to everyone when she entered the war room. “I didn’t know we’re doing this now.”
“That’s quite all right,” Mr. Carrington said with a softer tone than she was used to. “I assume you’re in need of some rest after all the successful missions. Bravo!”
Sienna bowed her head ever so slightly at the praise, then went to her usual place between Jensen and Aiden. She would properly greet the heirs later.
“We won’t keep you long,” Mr. Carrington assured her. “Xavier already told us some of the details, we just want to confirm certain things and come up with the next step.”
“Whatever you need,” Sienna said and looked around the table, her eyes passing her father’s and her mother’s whose shone with affection while her brother’s stared intently at her with the identical green color she had. Across from her, Xavier was frowning at the documents in front of him, while Jaxon never stopped looking at her. Aurora was as regal looking as ever, her face void of any emotion. Aiden was a constant support at her side, and she reached under the table, giving Aiden’s hand a light squeeze, her chest warming up when he squeezed back before she retreated. Jensen’s solid presence radiated with less tense energy than what she was used to him, even his shoulders seemed more relaxed.
“Xavier told us that you talked to Emyr by yourself and got him on board,” Mr. Carrington said, waiting for Sienna to nod. “How did you manage that? What did you promise him in return?”
“Nothing,” she said carefully, used to the attention by now. After she saw their looks of disbelief, she added, “Mr. Ochoa and I came to some sort of an agreement that I can’t go into details now. You’re just going to have to trust me.”
“Trust you?” Aurora barked, losing her composure for the first time ever, which said a lot because the woman caught her fucking her son on the kitchen table.
“Yes, trust me,” Sienna said with a levelled tone. “The same way I had to trust all of you. We’re equals now, aren’t we? You have some secrets that benefit our arrangement and I have mine, but as long as we work together, we’ll be fine.”
“Is this how you repay our kindness, girl?” Mr. Carrington said with a barely contained anger.
The heirs visibly stiffened, but no one had said a word. Her defense came from the most unexpected source.
“You’ll do well to remember who you’re talking to,” Patrick Lockwood reminded Mr. Carrington. “She’s not anyone’s pet anymore. It’s time you all start treating her as my daughter.”
Mr. Carrington’s face turned red, but he forced a small smile on his lips and nodded. “We should talk about what comes next.”
“We will,” Patrick agreed. “But not now. First, I’d like a word with my daughter. Alone.”
The blood left Sienna’s face, turning pale. She was looking forward to talking to her family, dreamt about it for so long, but now that the moment was here, she would do anything to delay it. It could’ve been fear of being disappointed again, or maybe she was afraid they’d find a way to use her against her will. Whatever it was, it would break the illusion she harbored in her mind of one day having a perfect family.
“Do you know where our rooms are?” he asked her, then added after she nodded, “I’ll wait for you there. Don’t take too long.”
As one, the Lockwoods stood up and left the war room, leaving her alone with the Carringtons. Sienna forced herself to look at Mr. Carrington, whose face lost a bit of the angry red color. After he and his wife left, the atmosphere in the air turned lighter as the heirs got up to embrace her.
Being closest to her, Aiden was the first to pull her into a hug. “I’m so glad it’s over,” he told her.
