CHAPTER 2- Family's Table
1743 Words
The house was quiet.
Too quiet.
Not peaceful.
Not calm.
Just… controlled.
Sienna stepped out of the car without waiting for the driver.
The gates had already opened.
Of course they had.
Nothing in the De Luca estate moved without someone knowing first.
Her heels met the marble steps— steady, unhurried—
like she owned the ground beneath her.
Maybe she did.
The doors opened before she reached them.
Again.
“Miss De Luca,” a maid greeted softly.
Sienna didn’t respond.
She didn’t need to.
Her presence was acknowledgment enough.
“Is he home?” she asked instead.
The maid hesitated.
Just for a second.
That was all it took.
“Yes… dinner is ready.”
Sienna’s expression didn’t change.
But something behind her eyes did.
“...everyone is waiting.”
Of course they were.
They always waited.
Not out of respect—
but because timing mattered here.
Position mattered.
Everything mattered.
The dining room lights were already on.
Soft.
Warm.
Deceptive.
They were all seated.
Her father at the head.
Still.
Unreadable.
Untouchable.
To his right—
her stepmother.
Graceful.
Perfect posture.
Perfect expression.
A small smile that never fully meant anything.
To his left-
her stepbrother.
Relaxed.
Like nothing in the world could touch him.
Across from him—
her stepsister.
Composed.
Quiet.
But not absent.
Never absent.
And at the far end—
the youngest.
Observing.
Learning.
Choosing.
Sienna took her seat.
No greeting.
No hesitation.
Just presence.
The kind that shifted the air without effort.
“Late,” her father said.
Sienna reached for her glass.
Calm.
“I had something more important.”
That made him look up.
Slowly.
“And what would be more important than this table?” he asked.
Sienna met his gaze.
Steady.
“Results.”
Silence.
Her stepmother’s smile deepened slightly.
Interested.
“Work must be demanding lately,” she said softly.
Gentle.
Considerate.
“I just hope you’re not putting too much pressure on yourself.”
Sienna didn’t look at her.
Not immediately.
She took a slow sip of water.
Then—
“If I were, it wouldn’t show here.”
A small pause.
Polite.
But sharp.
Her stepmother’s smile didn’t drop.
It adjusted.
“Of course,” she said lightly.
“You’ve always been… composed.”
Her stepsister’s fingers stilled on her fork.
Subtle.
But there.
Her stepbrother leaned back.
Watching now.
More interested than before.
“How is the internal allocation issue?” her father asked.
Direct.
Sienna set her glass down.
“Handled.”
“Already?”
There was a slight shift in tone.
Not doubt.
Curiosity.
“Yes.”
A pause.
Then—
her stepmother spoke again.
Soft.
Measured.
“That’s impressive.”
Sienna’s gaze flickered briefly to her.
Then back to her father.
“But sudden changes can sometimes create… instability.”
There it was.
Not an attack.
A suggestion.
A seed.
Her stepbrother smiled faintly.
He saw it too.
“And instability at that level can be risky,” he added.
Casual.
Like he wasn’t pushing it.
Like he was just… contributing.
Sienna leaned back slightly.
Relaxed.
Unmoved.
“Only if the person making the decision doesn’t understand the system.”
Silence.
Her stepsister finally spoke.
Her voice quiet.
But clear.
“Or if they move too quickly."
Sienna’s gaze shifted.
Landed on her.
Studied her.
Not surprised.
Not impressed.
Just… aware.
“You think I’m moving too quickly?”
Sienna asked.
The table stilled.
Because that—
was direct.
Her stepsister didn’t look away.
Didn’t shrink.
“I think visibility matters,” she said carefully.
“And when something changes too fast…”
A pause.
“People notice.”
Not an accusation.
Not fully
But not innocent either.
Her father leaned back slightly.
Watching all of them now.
Measuring.
Always measuring.
“And what do you think?” he asked Sienna.
The question carried weight.
Because this wasn’t just about work anymore.
It was about position.
Power.
Control.
Sienna didn’t rush her answer.
Didn’t react.
She let the silence sit.
Then—
“If they’re noticing,” she said calmly.
“It means I’m doing something worth noticing.”
That landed.
Her stepbrother’s smile sharpened slightly.
Her stepsister looked down.
Not defeated.
Just… recalculating.
Her stepmother tilted her head slightly.
Still smiling.
Still composed.
But watching Sienna more closely now.
Because that answer—
wasn’t careless.
It was deliberate.
“Confidence,” her father said slowly.
“Or arrogance?”
Sienna met his gaze.
Unflinching.
“Competence.”
Silence.
Again.
Heavy.
Real.
And this time—
no one tried to interrupt it-
Because they felt it
That shift.
That quiet change in balance.
Her father nodded once.
Not approval.
Not rejection.
Just acknowledgment.
“Then we’ll see how long that holds.”
Sienna picked up her glass again
Unbothered.
“It will.”
Dinner continued.
But not normally.
Not comfortably.
Because now—
everyone at the table knew something.
Not fully.
Not clearly.
But enough.
Enough to understand—
this wasn’t just a family dinner anymore.
It was positioning.
And Sienna—
was no longer just part of the table.
She was becoming a threat on it.
Because something had shifted.
Not loudly.
Not obviously.
But enough.
Enough for everyone at that table to feel it.
______
Later that night—
Sienna stood by the window in her room.
The estate stretched out below.
Lights.
Guards.
Control.
Her phone buzzed.
She didn’t need to check.
She already knew.
Unknown.
Again.
“Family dinner didn’t go well.”
Her grip tightened slightly.
Not surprised.
Not shocked.
Just—
aware.
She typed.
“You watch too much.”
A pause.
Then—
“Not enough.”
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
Because that—
was new.
She replied.
“What do you want?”
This time—
the response took longer.
Then—
“To see how far you’ll go.”
Her chest stilled.
Just for a second.
Then—
she typed.
“Farther than they expect.”
Send.
Another buzz.
“Good.”
A pause.
Then—
“Don’t disappoint me, Sienna.”
Her expression didn’t change.
But her eyes—
sharpened.
Because now—
this wasn’t just observation.
It was interest.
And in her world—
interest that was never innocent.
She locked her phone.
Set it aside.
And looked back out at the estate.
Unblinking.
Unshaken.
Uncertain of one thing only—
Who was watching her…
and why.
_______
The problem wasn’t obvious.
It never was.
It hid in numbers.
Small shifts.
Tiny inconsistencies.
The kind most people would overlook.
Sienna didn’t.
She stood in front of her screen, eyes scanning the report again.
Same figures
.
Different outcome.
That wasn’t an error.
That was intent.
“Run it again,” she said.
Her assistant hesitated
“Ma’am, we already—”
“Run. It. Again.”
No raise in tone.
No emotion.
Still—final.
The assistant moved immediately.
Sienna leaned back slightly.
Thinking.
Not reacting.
Because this wasn’t damage.
Not yet.
It was a test.
Someone was touching her work.
Not destroying it.
Adjusting it.
Carefully.
Which meant one thing—
They wanted her to notice.
The door opened without a knock.
“Don’t tell me you’re already breaking things.”
Zara Kane walked in like she lived there.
Because, in a way, she did.
Sienna didn’t look up.
“You’re early.”
“I was bored,” Zara said, dropping into the chair.
A pause.
Then—
“And you’re tense. I can feel it from the hallway.”
Silence.
Sienna tapped the screen once.
Zara leaned forward slightly.
“…What happened?”
“Someone’s editing internal data.
Zara’s expression shifted
Not shocked.
Interested.
“Inside job?”
“Yes."
Zara leaned back again.
A slow smile forming.
“Well… that’s bold.”
A beat.
Then—
“Or stupid.”
“Both,” Sienna said.
Another voice cut in—
“Not stupid.”
Kai Moretti.
Already inside.
Already listening.
He walked in like he always did—
quietly.
Like he didn’t need permission.
Zara didn’t even turn fully.
“You’ve been standing there how long?” she asked.
“Long enough.”
“Creepy.”
“Observant.”
Zara smirked.
“Same difference.”
Kai stepped closer, placing a file on the desk.
“Internal flag,” he said.
“Someone rerouted part of your report before submission.”
Sienna picked it up.
Read once.
Closed it.
“How clean?” she asked.
“Clean enough that most wouldn’t catch it.”
Zara tilted her head.
“But she did.”
Kai glanced at Sienna briefly.
“Of course she did.”
Silence settled.
But not heavy.
Focused.
Zara tapped her fingers lightly against the chair.
“So what’s the move?”
Sienna didn’t answer immediately.
She stood.
Walked toward the window.
City stretching below.
Controlled.
Predictable.
Unlike this.
“They want a reaction,” she said finally.
Zara raised a brow.
“And you’re not giving them one.”
“No.”
Kai crossed his arms slightly.
“Then what?”
Sienna turned back.
Calm.
Sharp.
“We let them think it worked."
Zara smiled slowly.
“Oh, I like this already.”
“Submit the altered report,” Sienna continued.
Zara blinked.
“Wait—you’re serious?”
“Yes.”
Kai didn’t question it.
He was already thinking.
“They’ll move again,” he said.
Sienna nodded.
“Exactly.”
Zara leaned forward.
“So we’re baiting them.”
“Yes.”
A pause.
Then Zara grinned.
“Finally. Something fun.”
The room shifted.
Not tense anymore.
Strategic.
Alive.
Because now-
this wasn’t a problem.
It was a game.
______
Later
The office had quieted.
Lights dim.
People gone.
But Sienna remained.
Alone.
Or so it seemed.
Her phone buzzed.
Unknown.
Again.
She stared at it for a moment.
Then opened it
“You saw it."
No greeting.
No hesitation.
Just observation.
She replied.
“You talk too much.”
A pause.
Then—
“You moved fast.”
Her expression didn’t change.
“Not fast enough.”
Another pause.
Longer.
Then—
“Let’s see if that’s true.”
Her eyes sharpened slightly.
Not fear.
Not irritation.
Recognition.
Because whoever this was—
They weren’t impressed.
They were watching.
Evaluating.
She locked the phone.
Set it aside.
Then looked back at the city.
Unmoved.
Unshaken.
But now—
certain of one thing.
This wasn’t random.
And whoever was behind it—
wasn’t done.
- Writer
