CHAPTER 147: CHAPTER 146: VICIOUS CYCLE (SECOND UPDATE)

Speaking of Sienna Thornton’s daughter, Simon Forrester asked, "By the way, where’s your cat? Didn’t you say you left it with Maeve for boarding?"

"It’s still with her," Sienna said helplessly, "It hasn’t seen me in over two months and isn’t close to me anymore, but it’s closer to Maeve, so I gave it to her."

Simon Forrester: "Oh. That’s good."

He’s narrow-minded; he can’t even tolerate a cat.

Sienna was still applying various skincare products on her face when Simon, sitting cross-legged on the footstool at the end of the bed, stretched out his arms to massage her shoulders.

Looking in the mirror and applying cream, Sienna asked, "Since you thought I was a married woman, why did you still let me move into your house?"

"If I didn’t let you stay, would I let Thomas Reed’s wife kill you?" Simon Forrester said, "I originally planned to let you stay for a day or two before having you leave, but on the first night you moved in, I found out your daughter was just a cat..."

"So, on the first night at your place, when I fell asleep on the lounge chair, was it you who carried me into the guest room?" Sienna looked at him through the mirror, gazing intently as if trying to see into his heart.

"Not telling you..." he quickly rolled back onto the bed.

Sienna raised her face, slowly applying neck cream, and laughed, "You had ulterior motives, didn’t you?"

"I know. So what? Is that a crime?"

"It’s not a crime, but it makes you seem less sophisticated. I used to think you liked me because you discovered my inner beauty."

Someone snickered: "I want to be sophisticated too. But you need to have inner beauty for me to be sophisticated." Then he buried his face in the blanket and laughed heartily.

Getting carried away, he was suddenly kicked a few times in the butt.

He clutched his butt, discontented, and asked, "Why are you kicking me?"

"I realized you seem to be itching for a fight." Saying so, she kicked again.

He yelped and jumped up, scooping up Sienna’s small frame, tossing her onto the bed, and jumped on himself.

The two of them playfully wrestled on the bed, hugging and kissing each other.

After turning off the lights, the atmosphere suddenly quieted down.

After a prolonged silence, Sienna shook the arm around her waist and then nudged Simon’s with her foot, asking, "When are you moving back to your place?"

"Whenever you do, I’ll do the same."

Sienna kicked him. "I’m being serious, not joking. Everything is fine on my end. You can move back. Stop hovering around me daily. Any day I get annoyed, see who you’ll cry to then."

"I’ll cry to you; who else?" Simon Forrester seemed unbothered.

"When I’m annoyed, I might want to break up."

In the dark, Sienna’s voice took on a more serious tone.

Simon Forrester also ceased his playful tone.

Neither of them said anything, and silence reigned for a time.

Simon Forrester turned to embrace her, saying, "Alright! I’ll move back the day after tomorrow."

"Why does it have to be the day after tomorrow? What’s wrong with tomorrow?"

"I haven’t lived there for two months; I need to have it cleaned, right?"

"Oh."

Sienna turned over.

It’s not that she didn’t enjoy being with Simon Forrester; having someone around is certainly not a bad thing. It’s just that sleeping together every night, she disagreed with rushing into intimacy. Although he agreed, it still seemed like every night was a torture.

This situation was actually better if they both returned to their respective homes, continued going out when free, without living together.

Noticing the person behind her fall silent, still hearing his faint sighs in the dark, Sienna softened. She turned over and snuggled into his embrace again.

She rested her head on his shoulder, placing a hand on his chest.

He used one hand to support his head, the other holding her little hand, occasionally lifting it to kiss.

Sienna thought for a moment and said, "Everything’s practically settled on my end. You don’t have to accompany me every day. I know you’re busy too. We were good like we started, with time to do our own things and see each other when we wanted."

Simon Forrester didn’t speak for a while.

After a while, he asked, "What are you planning next?" His tone was slightly serious, like discussing work.

Sienna matched his seriousness and said, "I’ve arranged to sign the contract with the buyer at the inn the day after tomorrow. If all goes well, we should receive the deposit that day. Once we have it, I’ll begin handling the loan matters with the bank."

"What about tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow, I plan to go to Vantage to process my resignation." As she spoke of this, she suddenly recalled her phone call with a headhunter earlier, "I contacted a familiar headhunter today, planning to find a job at a law firm in Brimfield. Shouldn’t take long to start."

Simon Forrester said nothing, leaning in to kiss her forehead.

She lifted her face slightly to look at him, asking, "What do you think?"

"Approved."

"..."

Feeling the unease in the person in his arms, he held her tighter, softly asking, "What’s wrong?"

"My neck feels a bit uncomfortable..."

"Where does it hurt?" he’d already placed his hand on her shoulders and neck, "Let me massage it for you."

As he kneaded, he suddenly applied more pressure with his right hand, puzzled, "Why is this part so stiff?"

Sienna cried out from the pain, also reaching to feel the connective tissue of her right shoulder and neck, "Here? It’s a repetitive strain injury. I’ve had it for many years, since my teens. With the furniture we used back then, ergonomics wasn’t a priority; sometimes, I’d sit for hours, even a whole day, and that’s how this problem started."

Simon’s heart tightened. Kneading her shoulders and neck, he asked quietly, "Why do you work so hard?"

She giggled, "To meet you, of course!"

He was left speechless.

Yes, if young Sienna Thornton hadn’t worked hard, how would they have ever met?

"Does it hurt?"

"Sometimes when I sit too long, it hurts, then it goes numb, and even needles can’t be felt..."

"Have you sought treatment?" He adjusted his technique to massage her.

She murmured contentedly, shaking her head, "There’s not much effect; this sort of problem usually isn’t curable."

He continued varying his massage techniques on her neck, remaining silent, lost in thought.

Neck strain typically means avoiding prolonged bending over, but with her work requiring frequent sitting, does it mean asking her to give up her job? That’s impossible, she would never agree.

She carries not just her future, but also the pressures from her family. The weak Melinda Linton, the Raines Family eager to drain her dry...

Such is the vicious cycle of fate, she may have left the mountain, but it doesn’t mean she has severed all ties.

How can he help her break free from this vicious cycle?

As he thought deeply, he fell silent. Not receiving a response, Sienna nudged his abs with her elbow, "What are you thinking?"

He snapped back, smiling, "Then every night I’ll give you a massage; it might help relax you."

"Don’t try to tempt me... we agreed... you’ll move back to your own place the day after tomorrow..."

Her voice trailed off.

Simon continued to massage her for a while, kissed her eyes, tucked her in, and then picked up his phone from the bedside table to search "massage techniques for neck strain"...