Shadow games, p.10
Shadow Games, page 10
"Thank you, Mrs. Byrne. I hope you enjoy it," she replied with a polite smile. "It's peach, for dessert. A Miller family recipe."
"Oh, call me Ciara, please," my mother insisted, taking the pie from Sienna's hands and leading her inside.
Everyone came inside and I began introducing Sienna and Jamie to my family. My parents were delighted with their grandson, showering him with attention, but I noticed that both Jamie and Sienna were slightly surprised to see Saori in a wheelchair. I raised an eyebrow, feeling the need to protect my sister.
"Is something wrong, Sienna?" I asked, my tone slightly rude.
Sienna seemed confused by the sudden attack, shrinking back slightly as she pulled Jamie closer. Saori bumped my leg, almost running over my foot with the wheel, and went to greet them.
"No, there's no problem at all," he replied, his voice softer than usual.
Before things could turn sour, my mother, with her skill in handling tense situations, kept everything fun and welcoming. Saori, in turn, made a point of breaking the ice by talking to my son's mother and showing a genuine interest in getting to know her. Sienna demonstrated unexpected tenderness towards my sister, giving her all her attention and affection.
The appetizers were served and the conversation flowed well. Logan and my father were delighted with Jamie. My son was lively and intelligent. During the sessions, I discovered that he was hyperactive and undergoing treatment. However, because it was a new situation, he was restless, talking quickly and a little anxious, so Sienna was constantly attentive, calming him down, helping him complete sentences and offering words of comfort.
Lunch was served and Jamie stood between the two of us. She offered him some water, wiping the sweat from his brow.
"Is he alright?" I asked, merely moving my lips.
"Anxious. Everything's fine," Sienna whispered with a small smile.
"So, Sienna, what's it like dealing with Jamie every day? He seems like an amazing kid," Saori asked, smiling.
"He's amazing, yes. A boy full of energy, curiosity... and a passion for cooking that always surprises me," Sienna replied, returning Saori's smile. "And you? Have you chosen which university you'll go to next year?"
"Not yet. My brothers want to influence my choices, but I prefer something related to the arts," Saori retorted, and Logan scoffed.
"It'll break the Byrne family's cycle of being lawyers," he murmured, and Dad laughed, shaking his head.
— Leave your sister alone, Logan.
Sandra, on the other side of the table, watched the scene with a hard expression. It was clear that the growing friendship between Sienna and Saori was infuriating her. And the more Saori smiled at what Sienna said, the more irritated Sandra became, and I signaled for her to calm down. Logan even put his hand on her thigh, but in the middle of lunch, Sandra stood up abruptly, knocking over her chair in the process.
"I can't stand this charade anymore!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with rage.
Jamie, who had been laughing at something Saori had said, was startled and grabbed my hand.
"What a farce?" Sienna asked, alert.
Sandra pointed an accusing finger at her.
— The charade of you being here pretending to be a wonderful mother and an upright person, when in reality you are responsible for putting Saori in this wheelchair!
Silence fell over the table like a bomb. Jamie's eyes widened, he turned to his mother in confusion and fear. He let go of my hand.
"Don't talk to my mother like that!" he shouted, angrily. Jamie stood up, visibly shaken. Sienna quickly placed her hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down.
"Jamie, darling, calm down. We're leaving now," she said in a controlled voice. She stood up, holding Jamie securely in her arms, and looked at me with a gaze that seemed to pierce my soul. It was a look of deep contempt and hurt. Without saying anything more, she left the house, taking Jamie with her, who refused to look at me even when I called him.
I stood there for a moment, trying to process what had just happened. From a wonderful lunch with my son to a complete disaster. Anger began to rise within me, and I turned to Sandra, who was still standing, her eyes filled with fury.
"Why did you do this? Why did you want to ruin everything?" I asked, my voice low and heavy with indignation.
Sandra did not back down.
I couldn't stand this hypocrisy anymore. She really should lose custody of Jamie, she's a crazy murderer!
“I don’t think Sienna did that, Sandra,” Saori, who had been silent until then, finally spoke, her voice calm but full of determination. “If she attacked Adam before, it was out of resentment. Let’s be honest, Adam, you cheated on your girlfriend with Sienna and then gave her a fake number. She was eighteen, alone with a child in a conservative society. Who wouldn’t feel resentment?”
Everyone turned to face her, shocked by her words. I myself didn't know what to say.
"And if I were in her position, I would do much worse," he added, with a slight shrug. "Your girlfriend was known for being crazy in the tabloids. You had a bad reputation, I don't know the reasons for it, but I would certainly do anything to protect my son from you."
I stood there, trying to process everything Saori had said. She was right, of course. Sienna had reasons to hate me, but that didn't justify the attacks, just as there was no explanation for what Sandra had just done. No one had the right to bring Jamie into the middle of the war I was waging with his mother; I wouldn't allow them to hurt my son like that.
"This just got a lot more complicated," I muttered, feeling the weight of the situation.
"Complicated? Adam, this should never have happened! She doesn't deserve custody of Jamie. You know that!" Sandra still seemed adamant.
"And you think what you did today is going to help anything?" I replied, my anger finally overflowing. "All you've accomplished is pushing Sienna and Jamie even further away from us. Now she's going to get rid of all the missing evidence to prove she orchestrated the attack that left Saori paraplegic. How are we going to get anything out of this?"
Sandra remained silent, guilt beginning to well up in her eyes. But it was too late for regrets; the damage was already done. Saori sighed, looking at me with a sad expression.
“Adam, you’re going to have to find a way to deal with Sienna that doesn’t involve direct confrontation. Jamie needs peace, not more drama. And we need to remember that, deep down, we’re all trying to do what’s best for him,” Mom said, touching my arm. “His sister is alive and well. Let it go. Forget about it. And if it wasn’t Sienna, what are you going to do to repair the damage?”
The frustration inside me was almost unbearable, but I also knew I needed to find a solution.
"I need to think," I said finally, turning away from the table.
"The peach pie is wonderful," Dad murmured with his mouth full. We stared at him. "What? I'm not going to participate in this chaos. I want to be a healthy part of my grandson's life. If you seek war, then deal with the consequences. You're adults, figure it out yourselves!"
I went outside thinking about how everything was falling apart, and I had to find a way to reverse the situation. I needed to protect Jamie, but I also couldn't ignore what Sandra had done. The war between me and Sienna had reached a new level, and a solution seemed increasingly distant. My son's mother had found ammunition that she had against her and was going to arm herself to attack with everything she had.
As she walked through the garden, she felt the tension building in her throat, her chest tightening. Despite everything she had to deal with, the only thing she could think about was Jamie's frightened face and Sienna's look of contempt. And that hurt more than anything else.
CHAPTER 18
Sienna
I WAS POSSESSED. RAGE boiled inside me, every muscle in my body tensing more and more at the accusation Adam and his family dared to make. It was as if my head were inside a pressure cooker. How dare he insinuate that I could have orchestrated something as low and vile as an attack that left a teenage girl paraplegic? Just thinking about it made me taste the bitter flavor of indignation. I might be evil, but I never missed my targets.
Jamie was sitting next to me in the car, tears streaming silently down his face. He was a strong child, but this had deeply shaken him, because of the joy that consumed him at being with his father, at meeting his paternal family, and he had been so disappointed.
"Mom, I don't want to see Dad's family again," she whispered between sobs.
Jamie used to have that brusque reaction when he got angry, and I couldn't encourage that kind of feeling. I needed to keep him calm; it would pass.
"I know, darling, I know. But please calm down. It's okay, I'm here with you," I said, returning full of affection and patience, hugging him tightly and kissing his forehead, while rubbing his arms with all my love.
When we finally got home, I did my best to distract him, gave him a snack, and after much insistence, managed to convince him to take a nap. He needed to rest to calm down, so that the events of lunch wouldn't continue to haunt him. As soon as he fell asleep, my anger, which I had temporarily contained, resurfaced in full force. I picked up the phone and called my team, ordering them all to come to my house immediately.
I needed answers urgently. There was no way I could wait until the next day, and I couldn't contain the fury exploding inside me. Adam called several times, but I ignored each call, as well as the messages he sent. I couldn't talk to him at that moment.
In no time, everyone was gathered around the kitchen table. Taylor had his laptop open, his fingers moving quickly across the keyboard.
— Tell me you have some for me, Taylor!
Taylor looked up from the screen, his expression serious.
"The Byrnes did an exceptional job of sweeping Saori's accident out of the media. The police handled everything with extreme secrecy, and the investigation was concluded as an 'unfortunate coincidence.' But I managed to access more complex reports," he said, still typing. "I had some things printed at the office."
"I'll go get it," Mike said, getting up from his chair while Verna made coffee.
"And what did you find?" I asked, leaning forward anxiously.
"Saori's car had bullet holes from large-caliber weapons, and it was clearly a chase on the road. There's no doubt it was a deliberate attack," Taylor replied, his eyes fixed on mine. "It was professional."
My mind started working quickly. On that particular date, we didn't have any case in common with the Byrnes. I only provoked Adam when we wanted the same client, like in the case of Olivia King's ex-fiancé. I took advantage of situations, yes, but I didn't deliberately go after him. I just... enjoyed sabotaging him in the race; after all, business could be cruel, and so could I.
"And there's nothing that connects us to this incident?" I asked, already thinking about the next steps.
"I'm certain there's nothing that directly connects us," Val replied, ever practical. "I'll take care of all the reports and promise to deliver everything within twenty-four hours. I'll prove that you and the team had nothing to do with this attack on Saori, even if it was done in a style similar to ours... which is intriguing, to say the least."
I remained silent for a moment, letting Val's words echo in my mind. Who could be imitating my steps? Who would be trying to frame me for something so low? There were so many unanswered questions. Why would I attack Adam's family? It didn't make sense.
"Taylor, keep digging through everything you can. I need to know who's behind this. We can't let this accusation hang over us," I ordered, resigned. I was going to prove it wasn't me and make Adam swallow every single piece of paper.
"Leave it to me, Sienna. I'll figure it out," he assured her, accepting Verna's coffee and returning to work.
We sat together, debating what we had done that day, everything that had happened, and even researching who the real perpetrator of the crime might be. When we had obtained what Val needed to complete her report, most of the team left; Kourtney stayed. I grabbed a bottle of wine and two glasses, knowing I needed to relax a little before I exploded.
Jamie woke up and was in his room, playing. I promised him I would take him to the zoo the next day and let him have a little more screen time.
"What do you think is really going on, Kourtney?" I asked, pouring the wine and handing her a glass. "I've been very confused today. His actions never really made sense to me. To be resentful because I hid a child? There are plenty of men out there who would appreciate it. I understand he's angry about how much I've hurt him in business, even accusing me of hurting his sister— after all, he doesn't know me. He doesn't know what I'm capable of..."
Kourtney sighed, bringing the glass to her lips.
— I think there's more to this game than meets the eye. Sandra clearly hates you, so it's something that deeply affects them. And damn, the way we acted, I also thought, for a moment, that it was us. This is the work of someone who wants to destroy you, Sienna, and not just annoy you.
"And Adam?" I asked, curious to know his opinion about my son's father. "He seemed devastated for a moment, and I didn't understand that expression."
Kourtney shrugged, a wry smile appearing on her lips.
"He was definitely playing a game. But I think part of him really wanted to believe that you had nothing to do with it. You're the mother of his child; it would be easier if, somehow, you could be on the same side. But the evidence, or the lack thereof, is pushing him one way and you the other," she said with a sigh. "Were you sad?"
I took a long sip of wine, trying to process everything.
"Furious is the right word. Do you think he's being manipulated by Sandra? Saori and his mother didn't seem to hate me as much as she does."
— It's possible. Sandra seems to have considerable influence over him, and she clearly hates you.
"But Adam's expression... it wasn't just anger. He seemed... lost," I said, a little worried.
Before she could answer, Sam entered the kitchen, his expression serious.
"Adam is at the gate. He really wants to talk to you," she said, crossing her arms.
I let out a long sigh, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on me.
Let him in.
Kourtney raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. She simply poured herself more wine and waited while I waited for Adam to come in. A few minutes later, my son's father appeared in the doorway, his expression tense. He looked tired, somewhat worn out, but his eyes were still fixed on me with an intensity I couldn't ignore.
— Sienna... — he began, but I raised my hand, interrupting him.
"What do you want, Adam? To make more accusations?" I retorted, leaning against the door frame.
He took a deep breath, trying to remain calm.
I need you to listen to me.
"Listen to what? Are you stalling to gather ammunition to incriminate me?" I retorted, my anger resurfacing. "Don't worry. My team is already gathering everything we need to rub it in your face and your whole family's face that I had nothing to do with Saori's accident. And this isn't to clean up my image, because even if it had been me, however horrible it would have been, I'm woman enough to take responsibility for my actions. I bear the consequences of my actions and I don't hide. But I also refuse to be accused of something I didn't do!"
Adam shook his head in frustration.
"That's not it, Sienna. I..." He hesitated, looking at Kourtney for a moment before continuing. "I need answers, but I was upset by the way Jamie left. I'm worried."
"Do you really think I would attack your sister? That I would risk a teenage girl's life to get to you?" I asked, crossing my arms and staring at him hard. "I never needed to hurt your family, they had nothing to do with it! My resentment has always been about that damn fake phone and you being a traitorous jerk!"
He ran his hand through his hair, clearly disturbed.
"If it wasn't you, why would anyone act like you? Sandra is my investigator, and she gathered all the semi-conclusive evidence pointing in your direction."
"So, you choose to believe her?" I asked, my voice softer now, trying to understand his position. "And as I said, semi-conclusive."
"Right now, at this very second, I don't want to believe it, but..." Adam looked at me, the pain evident in his eyes. "If it wasn't you, who else would have a reason to do this?"
Kourtney stood up, breaking the silence that followed.
Perhaps someone who wants to destroy your life by blaming Sienna. Someone who has something to gain from it, having fun with it.
Adam looked at Kourtney, seemingly considering her words.
— And who would that someone be?
"That's what we're trying to find out," I replied, my tone softer. "But as long as you keep accusing me, we're not going to get anywhere. I take responsibility for what I did to you, nothing more than that."
Adam looked defeated, as if he was finally realizing how far he had strayed from the truth. He sighed, running a hand over his face.
"I just want to protect my family, Sienna. What happened to Saori almost killed us. And Jamie..." He hesitated, as if the words were difficult to say. "Jamie is what matters most to me."
"And for me too, Adam. That's why we need to resolve this situation the right way," I said, finally sensing a small glimmer of understanding between us. "He is my entire existence."
He nodded, still looking lost, but less aggressive.
"I'll do whatever it takes to find the truth. And I hope that, in the end, we can give Jamie the life he deserves," she concludes, taking a deep breath. I was exhausted.
Kourtney approached, handing Adam a glass of wine.
"Here, you look like you need this," he said with a small laugh.
"Jamie! Your father is here to see you!" I shouted from the stairs. "Stay for dinner, we're going to order pizza. He's been very nervous, so this will be good to calm him down."
Adam accepted the wine, taking a sip and seeming to calm down a little. The silence that followed wasn't as heavy anymore, but there was a sense of something unfinished, something that needed to be resolved. At that moment, I was willing to find a way to coexist for Jamie's sake, but that didn't mean I was going to let my guard down. Quite the opposite. I was still determined to find out who was behind the attempt to frame me and to protect my son at all costs.
