Riley ruffled her hair in frustration, leaning back against the sofa with a heavy sigh. She had received an invitation to the Pinnacle Summit, the prestigious annual event that honored the world's most successful and affluent families.
"You're going, whether you like it or not," Zoey remarked, glancing at Riley as she groaned in protest.
"She's going to be there, no doubt," Riley muttered, her fingers fidgeting nervously. Why did Sienna still have such a hold on her after all these years? She already knew the answerâdespite everything, despite the painful breakup on their anniversary, she still loved Sienna.
"Of course she will," Zoey said with a grin. "She's one of the awardees this year. And so are you." Her smile held pride, knowing how much Riley had accomplished despite everything she had been through. Riley had exceeded every expectation, even her own.
Riley let out a short laugh, shrugging. "Just don't laugh if you see me losing it in front of her, Zoey. I'm not even sure I can keep it together."
Zoey scoffed. "You want me to help you break down those walls so you can finally ask her everything you've been holding in?"
Riley chuckled. "No, don't. I didn't come to the summit for her. I'm only going because my mother blackmailed me into it."
"I didn't even mention you going to the summit for Sienna," Zoey teased, trying to hide her laughter. "You're the one getting defensive."
Riley shrugged as she slipped on her loafers. "Well, I have to defend myself with you being the most judgmental person I know."
Zoey smirked, pressing her luck. "But who knows? Maybe that old flame will rekindle once you see her."
"Sienna's married," Riley said, pausing for a moment. "And I won't cross that line. I know where I stand."
"You sure do," Zoey replied with a knowing smile.
"Why does it seem like you don't even believe what I just said?" Riley protested, her voice edged with frustration as Zoey chuckled.
"Because it's your words versus your actions, Riley," Zoey replied with a smirk. "But if you really won't cross the line, that's your choice. After all, I wasn't part of that relationship." She shrugged, trying to help Riley see that her decisions, both past and future, would have consequencesâespecially now that Sienna was married.
"See how your past decisions still affect you?" Zoey added, her tone softening but laced with truth.
Riley stood in the corner, trying to shake off the tension that lingered after the reporter had finished interviewing her. She never enjoyed dealing with the media, but she had to for the sake of publicity. Taking a long sip from her water bottle, she suddenly spotted a familiar figure. How could she ever forget her? Sienna Reed. Riley's heart raced as she straightened her posture, though she was certain Sienna hadn't noticed her yet.
Just like before, a reporter approached Sienna for a quick interview. Sienna sat there, poised and elegant, effortlessly commanding attention. Riley couldn't help but smile faintly as she watched her, her heart skipping a beat.
"Really, Riley? I thought you built up walls," she muttered to herself, taking another gulp from her water bottle. She sighed and lowered the bottle, only to feel a sudden pull on her arm.
"W-wait..." Her breath hitched as she realized who had grabbed herâSienna. Riley watched as Sienna quickly grabbed a "Room Under Construction" sign from a nearby maintenance cart and hung it on the washroom door before pulling her inside and locking it.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Riley asked, trying to mask her surprise with irritation.
"What are you doing here?" Sienna shot back, emphasizing the word you. "Last I heard, you were in France, and now you're..." Sienna trailed off, swallowing hard, her emotions betraying her cool exterior.
God, I want to hug you so badly, Riley thought, struggling to push the thought aside. No, focus, Riley!
Riley looked down at Sienna's hand still gripping her wrist, and Sienna, realizing it, quickly let go. The silence between them was thick, with Riley struggling to process that the very person she had spent years trying to avoid was now standing inches away from her.
She wasn't ready for this. Not for Sienna's reasons, not for the explanations behind the breakupâshe wasn't ready to know why.
"It's been three years," Sienna said, her soft laugh barely masking the tremor in her voice. Her gaze dropped, and Riley could hear the cracks forming in her words.
Please don't cry in front of me, Riley pleaded inwardly. You know I can't handle it. She knew if Sienna broke down, she wouldn't be able to hold her own walls together.
"I've always longed for you, you know? But... that's that. I couldn't follow you. I had commitments. I'm... already committed," Sienna sighed, the weight of her words evident.
Riley swallowed hard, avoiding eye contact, trying to distance herself from the situation. "Yeah," she muttered, almost under her breath. Clearing her throat, she added louder, "I heard you got married." Her pulse quickened, her heart pounding too loudly for her liking. "Congratulations. On the wedding, and... your success, Sienna Reed."
She watched Sienna bite her lower lip, clearly struggling with something unsaid. Riley's fingers twitched with the urge to lift her chin, to make her meet her gaze, but she held herself back. She had to remember her place. She should know where she stood now.
"Th-thank you, Riley," Sienna managed, her sigh heavy. "I missed you."
The words hit Riley like a punch to the chest. She looked up, stunned, and found herself locked in Sienna's gaze.
"Good old days, huh?" Sienna let out a bitter laugh, trying to mask the tension building between them.
Riley's heart ached, but she masked it with indifference. She pretended like none of this mattered to her anymore, even though everything inside her screamed otherwise. "I missed you too," she admitted softly, before quickly adding, "But not like I used to."
"Ouch," Sienna joked, trying to lighten the mood. "A lot's changed, hasn't it? You seem different now. More mature. The way you carry yourself, the way you..." She trailed off, her voice faltering as she cleared her throat. "It's like I barely recognize you."
"Sienna," Riley sighed, her voice harsh and breaking. "Please. Stop." She finally looked directly into her eyes. "I'm not here to mess up your life. Your marriage, your familyâI'm not here to ruin anything."
Riley could see it, though. She could see the way Sienna wanted to dive into the past, to talk about everything they had left unsaid.
"I still love you," Sienna whispered, and Riley couldn't help but scoff. She hadn't expected to hear those wordsânot now.
If you love me, why did you leave? Why did you break up with me? The questions burned at the tip of Riley's tongue, but she forced them back down.
"I think about you every day, Riley. All these years, not a single day went by where I didn't miss you," Sienna laughed softly, shaking her head. She looked almost pathetic, Riley might thoughtâstill stuck on us.
Riley took a step back, crossing her arms. "Isn't it a little too late to be saying all this, Sienna? It's been three years. You're married." Her voice cracked slightly as she added, "And besides, you're the one who ended things. We can't go back."
She gulped, her next words spilling out before she could stop them. "I'm with someone now."
The shock on Sienna's face was instant. What the hell, Riley? she cursed inwardly. She hadn't been with anyone. She couldn't even manage a casual fling.
"If this is why you broke up with me all those years ago, you should've just told me, Sienna. Instead of leaving me guessing." Riley's voice grew strained, emotional. "So please, let's just drop it. For both of our sakes."
She stopped as she saw Sienna's body tense, her expression crumbling. Had she gone too far? Riley swallowed hard, panicking slightly as she unlocked the door with shaking hands, her body begging her to escape. Without another word, she stepped out, leaving Sienna behind.
Once the door clicked shut, Riley leaned against it, listening to the faint sound of Sienna crying on the other side. She bit her lower lip, smacking her forehead in frustration.
"You don't understand how hard it was to decide, Riley. To get married to someone I don't love while still loving you," Sienna's voice echoed faintly through the door. "You don't know how much I had to choose between you and my family... and this time, I chose them."
Liar, Riley thought, knowing Sienna's words weren't entirely the truth.
Just then, she heard a familiar voice.
"So... how's that wall holding up? Looks like it's cracking," Zoey smirked, leaning against the hallway wall, watching Riley closely.