Chapter 3
748 Words
Sienna walked along the sidewalk in a daze when her phone rang.
An unfamiliar landline number.
"Ms. Ann Fletcher, hello." The voice on the other end was polite, from the HR department of Gates Group. "We sincerely apologize for the unpleasantness during today's interview. We just received a notice from the president's office. Mr. Gates has given special approval for your employment. He also requires you to attend tonight's group anniversary banquet."
Special approval? Requires attendance?
Sienna understood instantly. This wasn't generosity. It was a trap waiting for her to walk into.
"Okay." She said only one word. But inside, she felt a thrill. As long as she could get close to him, she would make him remember.
The banquet was held at a top-tier hotel. Crystal chandeliers, designer gowns, laughter and clinking glasses.
Sienna stood in a corner, wearing a little black dress that Tara had rushed over with.
The scene from earlier that day at the company entrance was clearly common knowledge. Curious and judgmental glances kept landing on her.
She didn't care. She quietly watched the stars of the banquet: Griffin and Vivian.
Vivian wore a pure white Chanel haute couture gown, her arm linked proudly with Griffin's, basking in compliments from all sides.
Griffin, however, looked distracted. His gaze kept sweeping the room, as if searching for something.
Finally, he spotted Sienna in the corner.
He didn't walk over. He raised his glass from a distance, then turned and said something to Vivian.
A moment later, Vivian walked directly toward Sienna, carrying two slices of mango mousse cake.
"Ms. Fletcher," she said with a sweet smile. "It must be lonely standing here by yourself. Try our hotel's signature mango mousse."
The familiar, dangerously sweet scent hit Sienna's nose. Her stomach churned.
She remembered clearly. She was severely allergic to mangoes. She had once gone into shock and nearly died from it.
After that, Griffin had banned mangoes from his life entirely. He never touched them again.
"Thank you, Mrs. Gates. I don't have a sweet tooth." Sienna took half a step back, avoiding the cake.
Vivian's smile froze for a second. Then she turned to Griffin not far away and said playfully, "Griffin, see? Ms. Fletcher, just like you, doesn't like mangoes."
Griffin had been talking to someone. He paused. He turned his head, his gaze cutting through the crowd and landing on Sienna. A heavy veil of suspicion clouded his eyes.
He remembered. Sienna didn't just dislike mangoes. She couldn't eat them. A single touch on her skin would cause a rash. One bite could kill her.
Vivian clearly realized she had misspoken. Her face paled. The next second, she frowned and leaned weakly against Griffin's arm. "Griffin, I feel dizzy..."
Griffin was immediately pulled back. He caught her instinctively, his voice tense. "What's wrong? Low blood sugar?"
Watching his ingrained concern, Sienna felt her heart clench with a suffocating pain. She lowered her eyes. "Mr. Gates, Mrs. Gates, I need to use the restroom."
In the hallway corner, she quickly texted Tara: [Vivian Lane. White gown. Chanel spring/summer haute couture. Get ready.]
Back in the banquet hall, Griffin was half squatting, feeding Vivian water. The scene stung Sienna's eyes.
She took a deep breath, picked up a glass of red wine, and walked toward them.
As she passed a sofa, her foot "accidentally" caught on something.
Crash.
A full glass of red wine splashed perfectly all over Vivian's pure white gown.
"Ah!" Vivian's scream cut through the music.
Griffin shot to his feet. His handsome face turned dark as thunder. He glared at Sienna and hissed through clenched teeth. "You did that on purpose."
"I'm sorry, Mr. Gates. I didn't mean to." Sienna bent down quickly to apologize, her voice trembling with false panic. "I tripped."
She bent low, revealing the delicate, pale nape of her neck.
Griffin was about to explode, but the words caught in his throat.
He saw it.
On the back of her pale neck, close to her ear, an irregular red rash was rapidly spreading.
This spot. This scene.
A sledgehammer struck Griffin's brain. Seven years ago, that summer night. She had accidentally eaten mango ice cream. She collapsed in his arms, struggling to breathe. The first red rash had appeared exactly there. Exactly the same.
He stared at that rash, his heart pounding. A long-buried panic seized him. The anger vanished, replaced by incomprehensible confusion.
"You..." He reached out. His fingertips trembled uncontrollably in the air.
- Writer
