Chapter 13

Sienna cracked the wardrobe door open slightly and saw Natalie storm out of the room, her face full of irritation. Inside, the man followed her, speaking in a flirtatious tone. "Natalie, I was your first man. Have you climbed so high with William that you've already forgotten me?" "What do you want now?" Natalie snapped. "When I was still part of the elite, you never treated me this way. But now that I'm broke, can't you spare a little for me since you're now Fortuna's new general manager?" Annoyed, she threw a check at him. "Don't come looking for me again!" "Don't be in such a rush," he teased, pulling her into an embrace. "One last kiss before you go. You're looking prettier by the day." "Get off me!" Natalie struggled and ran toward the door. Inside the wardrobe, Sienna carefully took out her phone, snapping a few photos of the room layout and the pair's actions. Considering how innocent Natalie appeared in front of William, Sienna figured he probably had no idea about her colorful private life. A cold smile curved on Sienna's lips. When the two finally left, Sienna tucked her phone away, but something felt off. She quickly turned and realized that L's tall, solid frame was pressed almost entirely against her back. It hit her then how cramped the wardrobe was. When she had entered, he must've been holding her by the waist. And when she had leaned forward slightly to take the photos, her back had inevitably pressed against his waist... Sienna suddenly became hyper-aware of his warmth. The distinctly male scent surrounded her, and his steady, powerful breaths brushed the top of her head. "M-Mr. L?" she stammered, turning her head slightly to speak. Her soft breath inadvertently caressed the base of his throat. L's Adam's apple moved slightly, and his jaw tightened with a stern expression. "Don't move." "Huh?" Sienna asked, her face flushed as his voice came out hoarse. When she glanced down, her cheeks burned even brighter. She tried to awkwardly retreat, but in her haste, she stumbled out of the wardrobe with a loud thud. Glancing at the door, she breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily, no one seemed to be around. It took a while before L stepped out, and his sharp brows were furrowed. He was dressed casually in a leather jacket, which made him look younger, edgier, and a bit roguish compared to his usual suited appearance. Sienna's gaze darted around nervously as L walked up to her. His dark eyes glinted mischievously as he looked at her flushed face, completely unbothered. "It's normal," he said with a smirk. "Otherwise, how do you think children are made?" Sienna didn't understand why he insisted on bringing that up. Pretending not to hear, she fled the room. At the sight of her flustered retreat, L's thin lips curled slightly into a smile. Sienna stood in the hallway, trying to cool herself down. Suddenly, her stomach growled loudly. L walked out and heard the sound, and his expression darkened. "Have you not eaten all day? "Is this how you're treating my baby?" he said sternly, his sharp eyes fixed on her stomach. Embarrassed, Sienna finally checked the time—it was already 4:00 pm. She lowered her head and mumbled, "Sorry, I forgot..." He frowned and ordered, "Go eat first." Not daring to disobey, she followed him to the dining area of the Posh Club. The space was elegant, with pavilions and flowing water, exuding luxury. L, tall and commanding as ever, personally instructed the staff to serve a full set of meals for a pregnant woman. The manager respectfully presented every dish to him for approval. Sienna watched his striking profile in a daze. It was too bad that the mask obscured his face, making it impossible to fully appreciate his features. "Are you eating with me, Mr. L?" she asked hesitantly. "I don't eat meals meant for pregnant women," L replied flatly. But before he could finish, a suspicious growl echoed. Sienna instinctively touched her stomach but quickly realized the sound hadn't come from her. She then looked up sharply at L. His handsome face stiffened slightly. She burst into laughter, her rosy lips curling into an amused smile. "Don't tell me you haven't eaten either?" L shot her a sharp look, clearly annoyed by her teasing. Sienna quickly quieted down and obediently sat at the table, even sliding an extra plate in his direction. In the end, he sat down across from her with an air of effortless dignity. As the dishes arrived, Sienna, still unfamiliar with him, only dared to sneak glances at his refined and graceful eating habits. Out of nowhere, some green leafy vegetables, brussels sprouts, and corn landed on her plate. Sienna frowned. "Mr. L, I don't like these." "I don't care," he said with a straight face. "The baby does." Sienna's lips twitched in disbelief. A less-than-month-old embryo craving vegetables? Fine. She was just a tool, after all. While sulking and eating reluctantly, a woman suddenly approached their table, snapping a photo with an audible click. The woman sneered. "Why, Sienna Rhodes, you've still got the nerve to eat here?" Sienna looked up coldly and recognized Lily Claude, Natalie's best friend, and an equally insufferable person. Lily glared at Sienna with a hatred that stemmed from their college days. They had been classmates, but Sienna was always exceptional—winning scholarships, top socialite, and even stealing the heart of the wealthy young man Lily had secretly admired. When Lily confessed, she was publicly humiliated and resented Sienna ever since. Now, seeing Sienna in her current state was a moment of triumph. Dropping into a chair uninvited, Lily smirked. "I heard you were assaulted by some abductors and even ended up keeping one as your boy toy. Is this him?" She glanced at L and immediately froze. His commanding presence was overwhelming. But then her eyes flicked to his leather jacket. In such a high-end place as Posh Club, who would dare dress so casually? Clearly, this man was a thug. "You're even wearing a mask, huh? Must be horribly ugly underneath." Sienna nearly spat out her water. She glanced nervously at L, who had paused mid-meal with the fork still in hand. Afraid of provoking him, Sienna glared at Lily and said coldly, "You can leave now, Lily." "No, you should be the one leaving," Lily retorted. "A broke woman with her thug boyfriend mooching a free meal? Should I livestream this?" She sneered as she fiddled with her phone. Moments later, Sienna's phone chimed with notifications. Opening it, she saw Lily had posted the photo in their college group chat. It was captioned, "Check out the former campus belle with her thug boyfriend! They're now mooching a free meal at Posh Club. Stay tuned for a live broadcast of the manager throwing them out." The group chat exploded. Once the acknowledged belle of their class and the crush of many wealthy heirs, Sienne was now nothing more than a laughingstock. "How did she end up like this? With a thug, to boot?" "I almost felt bad for her when I read about the abduction. Turns out, she's just a gold digger." "Damn, forget the thug. Just come and be with me for a night instead!" "Lily, ask her how much she charges!" "She's pregnant, isn't she? What's she even worth now? I wouldn't pay more than ten grand!" In no time, Sienna had become a public joke in the group chat. Her expression remained cold, which only irritated Lily further. Grabbing Sienna's face, Lily taunted, "What's with the act? The group is now auctioning you off like some nightclub escort!" Across the table, L frowned, and the atmosphere around them grew oppressive. Lily mistook his gaze as directed at her, and her sense of superiority swelled. She sauntered over, her eyes flirtatious as she asked, "Hey, Mr. Thug, do you even know how much this meal costs? Sienna's broke and can't afford you!" Then, with audacity, she pinched L's jaw. "Nice build, though. I'll cover your meal today. Just come with me. A washed-up Sienna doesn't deserve even a thug like you." Lily's intention was clear—she wanted to take Sienna's so-called boyfriend and humiliate her further. After all, dominating the college group chat was her goal. "Oh, you're covering my meal?" L finally spoke. His voice was icy and low, like a chilling winter wind. Even Sienna felt uneasy. She didn't know much about L's background, but he definitely wasn't poor. Assuming she had him hooked, Lily produced a black card with a smug smile, directing a mocking look at Sienna. "This is Natalie's black card, the one William got her for Posh Club. Sienna, didn't you use to frequent this place for business? Funny how William never got you one." Sienna's almond-shaped eyes flickered with a trace of bitterness as she stared at the card. Not only had William never given her such a card, but he had often made her skip meals to save money while going out of his way to impress clients. Meanwhile, he had long since provided Natalie with every luxury. L's dark eyes narrowed as he observed the cold expression on Sienna's face. A faint smirk appeared as he asked Lily, "Using a black card to treat me to a meal?" Sienna snapped out of her thoughts, confused about what game L was playing.