Chapter 3: Unavoidable Trouble
1050 Words
Sienna wasn’t the type to complain about work.
She handled tight deadlines, demanding clients, and frustrating suppliers without much fuss.
But this?
Being forced to work closely with Rowan Carter—the man who had already managed to get under her skin in record time?
This was cruel and unusual punishment.
She was still fuming when she stepped into the office that morning, coffee in one hand, tablet in the other. She barely slept, her mind replaying yesterday’s encounter like a bad joke.
As if dealing with delayed shipments and last-minute design adjustments wasn’t stressful enough—now she had to handle Rowan’s arrogance on a daily basis?
Her patience was already running on fumes.
The moment she reached her desk, her coworker Leah swiveled her chair around with a knowing smirk. “You look like you’re about to murder someone.”
Sienna exhaled sharply. “That obvious?”
Leah took a sip of her coffee. “Let me guess—has to do with our favorite insufferable lawyer?”
Sienna groaned, dropping into her chair. “Why does he enjoy being a pain in my ass?”
Leah chuckled. “Because it’s fun for him. And let’s be honest—you’re one of the few people who talk back to him.”
Sienna scowled, rubbing her temple. She wasn’t trying to make herself a target. She just couldn’t stand the way Rowan carried himself—as if everything and everyone had to bend to his will.
Unfortunately, she’d have to deal with him whether she liked it or not.
Her boss, Mr. Salazar, had been painfully clear about the new setup.
Rowan’s law firm was overseeing the legal side of the company’s biggest construction project, and Sienna—as the lead drafter assigned to the project—would need to collaborate with him directly.
Which meant daily meetings, site visits, and far too much unwanted interaction.
Just thinking about it made her blood pressure rise.
She took a long sip of coffee and mentally prepared for the worst.
And sure enough—her day only got worse.
Sienna barely made it an hour into her workday before Rowan’s infuriating presence disrupted her focus.
She was reviewing structural blueprints when a smooth, too-familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.
“Good morning, Miss Smith.”
Her shoulders tensed before she even looked up.
Rowan stood by her desk, perfectly put together in his tailored navy suit, arms crossed, watching her with thinly veiled amusement.
Sienna slowly placed her tablet down, exhaling through her nose. “Mr. Carter.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You sound thrilled to see me.”
“I’m at work,” she said flatly. “I don’t do ‘thrilled.’”
Rowan smirked, unfazed. “Pity. I was hoping for a warmer welcome.”
She leveled him with a deadpan stare. “If you were hoping for that, you should’ve tried being likable.”
Leah choked on her coffee beside her.
Rowan, of course, just grinned. “Feisty so early in the morning?”
Sienna clenched her jaw. “Did you actually need something, or are you just here to test my patience?”
He tilted his head slightly. “Both.”
God, she hated him.
Rowan placed a stack of documents on her desk. “Legal paperwork for the construction site. I need your input on some design adjustments before final approval.”
Sienna grabbed the first document and skimmed through it. She wasn’t thrilled about working with him, but she was a professional.
However, as she read through the fine print, her frustration only deepened.
“This clause,” she said, tapping the page. “It implies last-minute design changes can be approved without consulting the engineering team. That’s a disaster waiting to happen.”
Rowan leaned in slightly, peering over her shoulder. “It’s meant to allow flexibility.”
“It’s meant to let executives make decisions without understanding structural integrity,” she countered.
His lips twitched. “You don’t trust your higher-ups?”
“I trust my work more.”
A pause.
Then, to her dismay, Rowan smiled.
Not his usual smirk. Not a mocking grin.
An actual, genuine smile.
Sienna blinked. What the hell?
“That’s an admirable mindset,” he said, taking the document from her hands. “I’ll make adjustments.”
She frowned, suspicious. “Just like that?”
Rowan met her gaze. “You’re right. It’s a liability.”
Sienna narrowed her eyes. “You’re not going to argue with me?”
He chuckled. “Do you want me to?”
No, but… she expected him to.
Rowan was difficult by nature—yet now he was just… listening to her?
She didn’t like it.
It made her feel like she was playing into some unspoken game.
“Well,” she muttered, looking back at the documents, “at least you have some sense.”
“High praise,” Rowan mused. “Coming from you.”
She rolled her eyes. “Just leave the paperwork. I’ll review the rest later.”
Rowan lingered a moment longer, studying her.
Then, with a small smirk, he said, “I like working with you, Sienna.”
She nearly spilled her coffee.
Before she could recover, he turned and walked away, completely unfazed by the chaos he just caused.
Sienna buried her face in her hands.
This was going to be a long few weeks.
Later that night, Sienna sat in her apartment, staring at an old, worn-out envelope she hadn’t been able to throw away.
Inside was a letter.
A letter from her mother.
Unread. Unopened.
She had received it months ago, but she couldn’t bring herself to see what was inside.
She already knew what it would say.
Come back home, Sienna.
This is not the life I planned for you.
You belong with your family.
Family.
She swallowed, gripping the envelope.
Family wasn’t supposed to suffocate you.
They weren’t supposed to dictate your choices.
She had spent years running—from the expectations, the manipulations, the guilt.
She changed her name, built a new life—but sometimes, on nights like these, when the world was quiet, the past still found her.
Sienna exhaled slowly and shoved the letter back into her drawer.
She wasn’t going back.
Not now. Not ever.
- Writer
