Chapter 14

Imperial Hotel.

“Hi, Zach… It’s me, Sienna. I finish work at five. Can we meet today and dine near my hotel? Or you can pick any restaurant you want p>

Sienna stared at the message on her phone screen as if it were a final exam she wasn’t fully prepared for.

Her thumb hovered just above the send button.

Unmoving.

Her brows slowly furrowed as she read the message again. And again, just to make sure she misses nothing.

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

“Or does it sound like I’m trying too hard p>

She tilted her head, reading it from a different angle, as if that might somehow reveal hidden flaws.

“Too polite?” she whispered. “Too eager? Or… Too available p>

A small sigh escaped her lips.

“Damn girl! This is just a thank-you meal. Not a confession,” she reminded herself, though her tone lacked confidence.

Still, her finger didn’t move.

Her mind, on the other hand, was working overtime, with so many questions dancing in there.

’What if he thinks I’m bothering him p>

’What if he’s busy p>

’What if he reads this and thinks…Wow, this woman is desperate p>

She froze in fear.

Sienna straightened slightly in her seat, suddenly feeling judged by her own phone.

“No. No, I don’t,” she corrected herself quickly and didn’t notice that her voice was loud enough to draw a glance from the others. “I sound… normal. Friendly. Grateful p>

She paused.

Another sigh.

This time, long and deeper.

“Gosh! Why is this harder than writing a work report?” she mumbled.

After a few more seconds of silent debate—and a quiet internal argument that went absolutely nowhere—Sienna finally took a deep breath.

“Girl, just send it,” she whispered. “Before you start rewriting your personality along with the message p>

She pressed the send button.

Instantly, the message disappeared from the draft box.

Sienna immediately placed her phone down on the table as if it had suddenly become dangerous.

“Okay,” she said softly. “That’s it. No regrets p>

She picked up her pen and forced herself to return to work, her eyes focusing on the documents in front of her.

Or at least that was the plan.

Because only a few seconds later, her gaze flickered toward her phone.

Then back to her work.

Then back to her phone again.

She tried to concentrate. But her mind kept drifting back to that single message floating somewhere in the digital world.

“He might be busy and hasn’t had time to read your message… Be patient p>

However, minutes passed, then an hour, then another, and still nothing happened. No vibrations, no notifications, no responses.

After several hours had passed, Sienna finally leaned back in her chair, her lips pressing into a thin line.

Reluctantly, she reached for it and checked the signal. She saw it in full bars.

Perfect connection.

Her gaze dropped to the message she had sent.

Still marked as delivered.

Sienna tapped her fingers lightly against the edge of her desk.

“Okay… maybe he’s really busy,” she reasoned. “People have lives, Sienna. Not everyone is staring at their phone like you p>

She paused.

Then she immediately looked at it again.

She sighed and placed the phone down once more.

But a few seconds passed. Suddenly, her fingers tightened around the phone again as a horrifying thought struck her.

“Oh, no!” Her eyes widened. “God… please don’t tell me p>

She sat up straight, staring at the screen as if it might reveal the truth on its own.

The possibility hit her harder than she expected.

Her expression slowly shifted from confusion to disbelief.

“No way,” she whispered. “That would be… that would be too embarrassing p>

She imagined Zachary in the lobby this morning, typing a random number. And she happily accepts it.

And she was foolish enough to believe it and sent a message into the void.

She sighs softly.

“Imagine explaining this to someone,” she continued, muttering softly. “Yes, I met a kind stranger who helped me… and then he disappeared like a magician because I dialed the wrong number p>

She paused.

Her shoulders slumped slightly.

“But he didn’t seem like that kind of person she murmured.

Sienna stared at her phone again, her expression softening just a little.

The question lingered quietly in her mind.

“Sienna, why are you scolding your cell phone?” Mia’s voice suddenly cut through Sienna’s thoughts like a needle popping a balloon.

She turned her head, only to find Mia already standing beside her desk, a bag slung casually over her shoulder, clearly ready to leave for the day.

For a second, Sienna just stared at her.

Then reality hit.

’Right… I’m still in the office p>

She let out a quiet sigh, feeling slightly embarrassed.

“Are you going home?” Sienna asked, deliberately ignoring Mia’s earlier question.

“Yes,” Mia replied, pointing toward the wall clock.

Sienna followed her gesture. Her eyes widened slightly as she glanced at the clock, five minutes past five.

The whole day, she was too distracted or preoccupied to notice the time. Now, the silence from her phone felt heavier than ever.

’He’s definitely not replying,’ Sienna thought. ’Maybe he really did give me the wrong number p>

“Let’s go,” Mia said, gesturing toward the exit.

Sienna nodded and reached for her bag.

But just as her fingers touched the strap, her phone vibrated.

She stares at her cell phone, completely ignoring Mia’s now very obvious curiosity.

Her heart raced as she unlocked the screen and found a message from him.

“Hi, sorry for the delayed response. I’m at your hotel in the east parking lot. Give me a call when you’re ready.” From: Zach