Colin could be stubborn at times. Realizing that I wasn’t going to change his mind, I surrendered and returned to the yard where I found Joseph waiting for me, expressionless as always. His back was stiff, and his eyes followed me as I approached him.
“Mr. Campbell, is there something I can help you with?”
He handed me a plastic bag and explained, “Mr. Featherstone told me to pass this to you. It’s medicine for your injury.”
“Please relay my thanks!” I accepted the plastic bag with a nod.
Joseph mirrored my action. He thinned his lips before divulging, “Mrs. Featherstone, Mr. Featherstone has been waiting for you. He knows well that he could have easily found you in the past four years if he wished to, but he’s afraid. He’s afraid that you still hate him and that you would push him away. So he’s been patiently waiting—waiting for you to let go of the pain… Waiting for you to come home.”
A faint smile played on my lips. Though heartfelt, Joseph’s words did little to sway me. “Help me thank Mr. Featherstone,” I responded. “Please tell him that each person has their own path to take. There’s no need to stay entangled in the past.”
Joseph opened his mouth to reply but stopped when he heard the finality in my words. He sighed, perhaps in disappointment, and left.
The next day, my ankle had healed significantly. After dropping Summer off, I headed to the hotel.
At the entrance, I ran into Joyce, who was flanked by two burly men.
I coldly stared at her while suppressing my rage.
“Sienna, if you kneel and beg for my forgiveness, I might consider letting you off for hurting me and let you continue working in the hotel. Else…”
“Else what?” I asked.
She scoffed, “Else, your daughter would be the one to suffer.”
I frowned. Being youthful was supposed to be a beautiful thing, but she just made it really annoying.
My gaze fell on the man behind her. “You can try.”
Her temper sparked from my remark and said, “Alec, David, did you hear what she just said? Show her what you’re capable of. I want to see if she’s still haughty then?”
Status was everything in this tiny city. There weren’t many wealthy people here. Even if there were, they wouldn’t even concern themselves with these folks.
Joyce’s arrogance was partly attributed to her father’s position. He had maintained his position for so many years that he was considered the local tyrant.
Seeing the two men approached me, my brows snapped together, and I scoffed, “Joyce, didn’t you investigate one’s background first before you offend the person?”
Joyce sneered, “Investigate? What is there to investigate about you? You’re just a nobody.”
I pulled out my phone and called Louis while keeping my gaze on her. “I’ve warned you before. Because of you, your father would lose his position, and you deserve it.”
Her face darkened at my warning, then she ordered angrily, “I want her dead!”
Once the call connected, Louis asked, “Sienna, did something happen?”
I pressed my lips together and answered, “Uncle Louis, the R Province’s county mayor Stanley oppresses and exploits its residents. He pocketed the funds used to alleviate poverty. Please send someone here to investigate!”
Louis grunted in acknowledgment and reconfirmed, “Are you sure you’re alright?”
“I’m fine. They wouldn’t dare to do anything to me!”
He continued, “I’ll drop by later tonight, so be sure to take care of yourself. Leave the rest to me.”
I nodded and ended the call.
Joyce paused briefly, then scoffed, “Sienna, didn’t you only have a mother who’s in dire straits. Why are you acting like some rich man’s daughter?”
She demanded, “Alec, David, take her to a desolate area and torture her. Don’t worry if she dies in the process. I’ll bear the responsibility.”
Alec and David still had their wits about them. They stared at me with hesitation and asked, “What’s your family name?”
I arched a brow. “Stanhope. Didn’t Joyce tell you my name?”
The two men were dumbfounded and exchanged glances. “We know there’s a Louis Stanhope among the higher-ups. We even met him the other day when Uncle Stanley went to the city for a meeting. I heard that he was going to be promoted again.”
Joyce mocked, “Oh please! She has been in R Province for four years. If she really does have connections with some powerful figure, she wouldn’t have stayed here all these while with no visitors.”
“It looks like you won’t believe it until you see it.”
The voice came from Joseph, who was leaving the hotel, followed by Anthony. The latter’s eyes were cold.
Joyce was taken aback by their appearance. “Mr. Featherstone and Mr. Campbell!”
Anthony didn’t spare a glance at her and instead focused his gaze on me. “Are you feeling better now?”
I only nodded in reply.
Joseph glanced at the two brawny men by my side. “It would be best for the both of you to quickly apologize and return home to discuss a way out of this mess.”
Both men were not dumb. They noticed Anthony had an elegance, similar to those born in upper-class families.
They hung their heads and swiftly apologized. “Ms. Stanhope, sorry for the trouble. We hope that you could forgive us and let it be water under the bridge.”
“Leave!” said Joseph as he waved his hand dismissively.
Before they left, both men persuaded, “Joyce, don’t do anything rash. You better hurry home as well!”
Joyce’s face turned red with rage. “Sienna, aren’t you just good at seducing men? Maybe…”
I wasn’t in the mood to fight with her, so I ignored her and entered the hotel, but she held on to me, not letting me leave. “Why are you running? Didn’t you say you know someone powerful? Well, where is he? Aren’t you going to investigate my father? I’m waiting!”
My brows drew together, and I fixed my gaze at her. “Ms. Newton, I was curious from the start as to why a county mayor’s daughter was working the front desk in a hotel. But now I understand. Your father is smart enough to know you’re dumb. So, instead of letting you hold any important position, he asked you to work here. Else, his future would’ve been shot.”
“You…” I pushed her away then headed straight for my office in the hotel.
Finally, it was afternoon.
There was no more trouble from Joyce since the morning. It could be that she had left work early due to being in a bad mood.
Deep in thought, I didn’t notice Joseph standing at the entrance to my office until I heard the excited screams from my female colleagues.
“Ms. Stanhope, may we speak in private?” inquired Joseph.
I felt the prying glances from all around me, so I nodded uneasily. “Sure!”
We left my office and came to a quiet area. “Mr. Campbell, is there anything I can help you with?”
He pressed his lips into a thin line. “Mr. Featherstone wishes to see you.”
I instinctively wanted to reject but nodded after some hesitation. “Where is he?”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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