Chapter 4

Sienna closed her eyes, not wanting to look at Lance anymore. She didn't even feel like speaking to him. Lance sensed her unusual silence and was about to explain again when his phone rang. It was Ashley calling him. The moment he answered, her tearful voice came through the line. "What should I do, Lance? I'm stranded near Sienna's villa. I can't get a cab home. It's so dark here. I'm so scared…" Lance immediately stood up, and his tone softened without him knowing. "Don't be afraid. Stay right where you are. I'll come and take you home right away." He hung up and said to Sienna, "Enna, Ashley can't get a cab outside. I'll take her home first. You rest well. I'll come back to you as soon as I drop her off." Sienna did not open her eyes or respond. Lance hesitated for a moment before leaving in a hurry. That night, Lance never came back. Instead, Sienna's phone screen lit up as a notification popped up. It was a private post from Ashley's Instagram feed. The photo showed two hands tightly intertwined, and the background was the dim interior of a car. Her post read, "My skin hunger flared up again. It hurts so much I could die… Thank you, Lance, for saving me late at night." That post was visible only to Sienna. Looking at the photo, Sienna felt as if a knife had pierced through her heart. The pain was so intense that it numbed her senses. She silently turned off her phone and buried herself in the darkness. … The next day, Lance came back. "I'm sorry, Enna. I meant to come back right away last night, but the car broke down halfway, and it took forever to deal with… Don't be mad." Listening to his flimsy lie, Sienna felt a deep chill inside. She did not expose him and merely ate her breakfast in silence. To make amends, Lance offered to take her out to relax. "Didn't you say you wanted to check out Nocturne Club after the SAT? I never took you there. We'll go there tonight, okay?" Without giving her a chance to refuse, he pulled her out the door again. Once they were at Nocturne Club, he led her into a luxurious private room. The setting was indeed upscale, and the music was soft. "I know you prefer a quiet and low-key setting, so I didn't invite anyone else. It's just the two of us," Lance said as he guided her to sit down. He ordered some fruit wine and drinks with low alcohol content. Soon, someone knocked on the door to the private room. A familiar figure in a server's uniform entered, carrying drinks. Lance instantly frowned hard. "Ashley? Why are you here?" Ashley set down the drinks. A trace of embarrassment and obstinacy showed on her face as she muttered, "I'm not like you rich kids. I have to work during summer break to save for my college tuition." Lance replied, "My family holds shares at Southton College. I can talk to the administration and get your tuition waived easily." Ashley refused at once. "No! I have to work for it myself. Otherwise, when the three of us end up at the same college, you'll look down on me!" With that, she put down the tray and turned to leave. Just then, her phone rang, and she answered the call. Barely a few seconds later, tears started streaming down her face. Lance immediately stood up. "What's wrong?" Ashley sobbed pitifully. "M-My dad… He was in a car accident, but the hospital says there are no available beds…" "Don't panic! I'll take you to the hospital right away. I'll handle the bed situation!" Lance quickly pulled out his phone to make a call. But Ashley grabbed his arm and cried even harder. "No, I've taken too many days off this month. If I leave again, the manager will definitely dock all my wages…" "I'll pay double your wages," Lance replied. Ashley shook her head. "No, I just said I have to be self-reliant…" As she spoke, her gaze suddenly landed on the silent Sienna. Her expression lit up, as if she had come up with some brilliant idea.