bChapter /bb67 /b

At that, ire’s beyes /bwidened. “Amber, you’re so rough. What part of you even resembles a proper girl? Throw down? I’m no violent girl like you. You have to apologize to me, ten times, and not a single one less.”

Amber scoffed, “ire, either throw hands or get lost. An apologyb? /bIn your dreamsb. /bIf you hadn’t gotten in bmy /bbway/b. bI /bwouldn’t have hit you. Serves you right.”

b“/bAmber, you-” ire stammered, her voice shaking with brage/b.

No wonder Amber bis /bthe worst in school–lousy grades and an even worse attitude,‘ she wondered.

“Let’s go.” Amber sneered, shoving ire baside /bbas /bshe strode up to Siennab, /bconfidently looping her arm through Sienna’s before marching out with her head held high.

ire stared dumbfounded at Amber and Sienna’s retreating figures as she wondered, ‘How bdare /bAmber loop arms with my idol? What bgives /bher the right? Is she even worthy?

‘How could she be so shameless? Wait a minute. When Sienna said she had a younger sister who’s also ba /bstudent. Could she mean Amber? No, I’ve met Amber’s sister beforeb, /band she looks nothing like Sienna.

So what exactly bis /btheir rtionship? Amber Hart and Sienna Hart?‘

ire could deny the truth all she wanted, but there was no escaping the connection between Sienna and Amber. On the bverge /bof tears, she got into the bcar /band headed home.

ire fumed inwardly, ‘Why is Amber so lucky? Life’s so unfair.

Sienna reached out and gently ruffled Amber’s hair, her voice full of concern as she asked, “So, what did the doctor say?”

Amber went rigid, her pupils dting in shock. ‘Did Sienna just ruffle my hair?‘ she thought as her heart pounded.

Amber desperately tried to suppress the smile tugging at her lips, forcing her bface /binto what she hoped was a bfierce/bb, /bunapproachable expression.

She crossed her arms over her chest, a single stubborn cowlick sticking up from her short hair, making her look irresistibly cute, even as she maintained a deliberately cold, aloof posture.

Amber scoffed, “Like that could bother me.”

Sienna smiled faintly, her good mood evident. “Let’s visit Dad first, then head home.”

Amber frowned in confusion. “Dad? Wait? He’s here?”

“Yeah, he’s injured,” said Sienna.

Amber shrugged. “Oh,” she replied tly.

Amber barely showed any emotion upon hearing that Aiden had been hospitalized, clear proof of how little care and affection he’d shown her over the years if not outright mistreatment.

‘Reno went itoo /ibeasy /bon him, Sienna thought coldly.

Sienna knocked on the door. “Come in,” Linda called out.

As Sienna and Amber walked in, Aiden let out an exaggerated groan. “Sienna, you’re finally hereb. /bYou have no idea. Someone actually tried to kill me. I bwas /bjust minding my own business, walking along, when suddenly a gang jumped.

“They threw ba /bsack over my head and dragged me into an alley at once. They beat the hell out of me. Every blow was brutal and precise.

“I have no idea what weapons they used, but they left me with

foot in the grave, barely clinging to life, almost kicked the bucket. If it hadn’t been for a kind passerby who bgot /bme to the hospital, I wouldn’t even be breathing right now.”

Sienna fixed him with an icy gaze, her voice devoid of warmth. b“/bbIs /bthat so? Then, Dad, have you made any enemies recently?”

It was the first time Amber had heard her father pour his heart out like this. She guessed Sienna must really mean something special to him.

Amber thought to herself, ‘Dad would never listen to our exnations. Even the smallest things, Linda would blow them out of proportion, and then he’d just lecture us.

‘In my memory, ball /bI bever /bfelt at home was punishment and grievance!

2:15 P

bEvery /bbtime /bJocelyn showed Amber concern and Linda put on her fake motherly act, she couldn’t help but crave it. Amber used to think that if she just catered bto /btheir whims, she might finally have a warm, loving home.

Amber nced bat /bSienna and noticed an uncharacteristic coldness in her demeanor. Her wordscked their usual warmth. It waspletely different from how she treated Amber and Vivian.

bAiden /bpondered deeply, then shook his head and said earnestly, b“/bSienna, bI /bhonestly bcan’t /brecall offending anyone. You must help me uncover the culprit. Don’t let them bget /baway with it.”

Linda snapped, her beyes /bglinting with provocation and disdain, “Siennab, /bit’s been days. Why haven’t you found any leads? bAre /byou even trying? He’s your bfather/b.

“After he suffered such injustice, you bact /blike you don’t care at all. Are you beven /bfit to be called his daughterb?/bb” /b

Sienna’s bexpression /bremained unreadable bas /bshe mused inwardly, ‘Since you’re all so eager to know, I might as well give byou /bthe truth.

“Dadb, /btruth be told, I’ve actually uncovered some leads, but I hesitate to say more. bAfter /ball, the person involved is-” Sienna hesitated.

Aiden grew frantic at the words. He jerked upright, neck straining as if trying to stretch his whole bodyb, /band pressed urgently, “Who? Who the hell bwas /bit?b” /b

Who the hell dares toy hands on me in broad daylight?‘ Aiden wondered, and a ze of fury erupted within him. ‘What reckless fool dares to ouch me? Does he have any idea who he is messing with?

‘Doesn’t he know Hart Corporation’s standing these days?‘

Standing nearby, Linda bnced /bat Sienna, meeting those piercing eyes. A wave of unease crept into her heart.

Sienna’s lips curved in a faint, knowing smile, her frosty bgaze /bglinting with a hint of amusement. “Are you absolutely certain you want to know, Dad?b” /b

Aiden nodded fiercely, his voice tight with rage. “Who the hell was it?”

Sienna’s gaze settled on Linda as she said coolly, “Ms. Lambert, won’t you step forward and exin about your dear rtives and friends?”

Upon hearing this, Linda’s face drained of color. As if jolted by electricity, she sprang to her feet in shock. “Sienna, what nonsense are you spouting now? Don’t you dare sling mud at me?”

“This has nothing to do with me. I want to find out who’s behind this attack on my husband, too. If I ever get my hands on them, I won’t let them off the hook.” Linda vehemently argued, desperate to clear her name.

Aiden ground his teeth. He’d never doubted Sienna’s methods. “Who the hell was it?”

Sienna said, “Dad, do you recall Leo, the former finance manager, apparently ba /brtive of Ms. Lambert? The moment associates couldn’t wait to resign.

1

took office, he and his

“Laterb, /bthey came begging to be rehired, but what’s done cannot be undone. I told them we’d handle things by the book. They left, threatening to demand justice from you.

“I expected a civil conversation, but I never imagined their resentment would drive them to target

The truth hit Aiden like a thunderbolt. Now he understood bexactly /bwhat had happened.

Aiden turned on Linda in a fury, bellowing, “Linda, so it was your people all along. I told you from the start.

youb./bb” /b

4

back then.

Those shifty–eyed guys

looked like trouble

they’re trying

to fucking kill

meb./b”

“What was that bullshit you promised me about them being honest and hardworking? Now

Linda’s eyes widened in horror as she frantically shook her head. ‘How could this be?‘ she wondered. ‘Leo behind this? Impossible. Even if Leo had the guts, he couldn’t pull this off. She’s framing me. It’s Sienna.

“Honey, listen to me. It absolutely can’t be him. Sienna is spoutingplete nonsense; her investigation is all wrong,” said Linda.

Aiden clenched his fists, seething with brage/b. ‘And to think I actually put my trust in them, even had high hopes for them. This is how they repay

me?‘

“Those ungrateful sons of bitches,” Aiden bspat /bthrough gritted teeth, his bfists /bclenched so tight his knuckles turned pale.

Aiden believed Sienna without question. Thinking it overb, /bonly those ungrateful wretches, he wondered.

people harbored enough r

resentment to actually attack him. ‘What a bunch of