CHAPTER 94: CHAPTER 93: A THIEF CRYING "STOP THIEF

"I wanna be, be your lover, I’ll run to you... ooh..."

As the accompaniment faded, Sienna Thornton bowed to the audience, carefully making her way off the stage with the help of her elbow crutch.

She returned to her seat and suddenly noticed Simon Forrester, dressed in a suit, watching her from across the room. After a brief moment of surprise, she collected herself and walked gracefully towards him, asking, "How did you know I was here?"

Simon Forrester raised his phone and scoffed, "Share your real-time location next time."

"Wishful thinking..." Sienna muttered softly, placing one hand on the bar and steadying herself on the high stool with the other, planning to sit down starting with her right side.

At that moment, Simon Forrester reached out, grabbed her arms, and lifted her onto the chair.

"Thank you," she adjusted herself, moved the yellow cocktail in front of her to one side, and greeted the bartender, "Another Margarita, please."

Simon Forrester: "I just ordered that."

"Really? Sorry, I don’t usually drink what others buy for me."

"Fair enough," Simon said, glancing at her, a slight curve at the corner of his lips, "You sing really well."

Sienna smiled slightly, lifted the new cocktail the bartender made, clinked glasses with Simon Forrester, and took a sip.

A young man holding a wine glass approached and chatted her up: "Your singing was beautiful! Let me buy you a drink, and maybe we could hang out later?"

Sienna glanced at Simon Forrester, raised an eyebrow, and smiled, "My boss is here, maybe another time."

The young man, realizing she was with Simon, didn’t dare push further, leaving with an awkward, "Let’s meet another time then."

Sienna curled her lips, a meaningless hint of mockery in her smile, and continued sipping her drink.

The atmosphere fell silent, and after a long while, Simon Forrester spoke lightly, "Are you angry?"

"And if I am? What are you planning to do about it?"

"If you don’t like staying with the design folks, you can find a hotel."

Sienna’s smile deepened, and she countered, "What do you think your subordinates have obstructed?"

Simon frowned, "Define ’obstructed.’"

"For example, disrupted some of your plans."

Simon paused, looking at her deeply for a moment, and teased, "Yes, disrupted our date. Didn’t you feel affected?"

"Not really," Sienna lowered her gaze, staring at the yellow liquid in her glass, "Your staff is quite interesting, I enjoy interacting with them, especially those two girls, what are their names?"

"Nina Sinclair and Page."

"Yes, yes," Sienna dropped her smile, rolling her eyes, "Those two girls ’took good care’ of me, I’m quite satisfied."

Now it was Simon Forrester’s turn to smile.

After this roundabout conversation, The Straight Man Forrester finally understood why Sienna was upset, though he only grasped part of the reason.

He took out his wallet, drew out a few hundred-dollar bills, placed them under the coaster, and grabbed Sienna’s elbow crutch by the bar, whispering, "Time to go home."

Sienna didn’t resist, knowing it was like an egg hitting a rock, letting him lead her out of the bar.

As they left, a few fearless young men invited Sienna out to play again. Though she verbally declined, she still politely said, "Maybe next time."

Once in the car, she fastened her seatbelt, rubbed her face to wake up, and leaned out the window to feel the wind, finally sobering up a bit.

Simon Forrester started the car, his expression stern, "Don’t drink outside again."

Sienna murmured, "Who are you to control me?"

"If I wasn’t there just now, were you planning to drink and go out with those strangers?"

"Otherwise?"

Simon abruptly slammed the brakes, Sienna’s body lunging forward before being thrown back, her stomach churning unpleasantly.

She frowned, clutching her upper abdomen.

Simon didn’t notice her discomfort, making a stern face, "As a lawyer, don’t you know the dangers of drinking and going out with strangers?"

"Dangers? Let me ask, when you kissed me last night without my consent, wasn’t that a danger?" Sienna retorted sarcastically, "The thief shouting ’catch the thief’?"

Simon’s expression turned completely dark, restarting the car.

The pair drove in silence all the way home.

Back at the villa, the garden was brightly lit, filled with laughter. The SY crew was having another garden dinner tonight.

Seeing their boss and Sienna both with dark expressions, Harrison Rowe quickly approached, "Lawyer Thornton, where have you been all day? We’re having seafood hotpot tonight, just waiting for you!"

Sienna forced a smile, "Sorry, I’ve eaten outside, you all go ahead."

She finished and didn’t look at Simon, used her crutch, and went upstairs.

Inside her room, she went to the window, opened the curtain slightly, and saw Simon still in his seat from the previous evening. The spot beside him, empty earlier, was now occupied by Nina Sinclair.

Sienna rolled her eyes and drew the curtain closed.

She called Maeve, angrily complaining, "Who does he think he is? Controlling everything! He’s plotting against me, yet says other guys inviting me out are up to no good! He’s just projecting his own bad intentions onto everyone else!"

"Did he confess to you?" Maeve asked.

Sienna was stunned, "How could he confess to me? We are worlds apart!"

"In that case, why are you angry? Is it worth it?"

"True..." Sienna lay back on the bed.

After chatting a while longer, she told Maeve that Simon had agreed to take on the inn’s design. Maeve also shared good news, the team helped obtain a permanent spot for her on a variety show, and once signed, the inn’s funding would be resolved immediately.

This was the most encouraging news in a long time. Sienna was in a better mood, ending the call, and grabbed her pajamas for a shower. After washing, she hummed a little tune, "Curry, curry, banana, papaya~"

While towel-drying her hair, someone knocked on the door. She casually wrapped her hair up and went to the door humming.

Simon Forrester stood outside with a tray.

Seeing her hair wrapped in a bunny-ear headband, her face rosy, and still humming, his expression softened slightly: "If you’re in a good mood, eat all this."

He walked straight in, and Sienna hurried to close the door.

The tray was placed on the small desk, and Simon sat in a single chair beside it, Sienna followed suit. Sitting face to face, neither spoke.

Simon’s gaze lightly swept over her, making her feel uneasy all over, she used the excuse of blow-drying her hair to escape to the bathroom.

After dawdling for half an hour, she came out to find he was still there. Sienna spoke up to get rid of him, "Aren’t you going back? Planning to stay here till New Year’s?"

Simon finally laughed, "Not a terrible idea."

Sienna frowned with obvious distaste, going to check what he had brought.

Bending over, the neckline of her nightgown opened wide, her gaze fell directly downwards, seeing the assortment of seafood in the tray as well as her own chest.