Chapter 5 She Wants to Take Back Everything That Belongs to Her

Sienna got back to her rented apartment at ten o'clock.

The apartment was tiny - compared to the Baker family villa she used to live in, it was practically like a storage closet.

But she felt relaxed living here. At least every inch of air in this place was her own.

Sienna took a shower, changed into a loose T-shirt, and sat on the edge of the bed drying her hair.

Her phone screen lit up with a WhatsApp message.

[Alexander: Sienna, I've sent the electronic version of the divorce agreement to your email. Take a look and see if there's anything that needs to be changed. Also, Theodore hasn't responded yet, so we'll need to wait a bit longer.]

Sienna replied with a "thanks," then opened her email and quickly scanned through the agreement.

Alexander was very thorough - every clause was airtight.

Regarding property division, she only wanted the assets that were in her name before marriage. She didn't ask for a single thing from the Baker family.

She had never been after Theodore's money anyway.

She married him back then because of love.

She was leaving now because she couldn't afford to love anymore.

Sienna closed her email and was about to put down her phone when another call came in.

The screen showed one word: Mom.

She hesitated for a few seconds, then pressed the answer button.

"Sienna, what on earth is going on with you?" Her mother Grace Nelson's voice came through the receiver, filled with suppressed anger. "I heard from Ruth that you moved out? And left a divorce agreement?"

Sienna wasn't the least bit surprised by how well-informed her mother was.

Over the years, whenever there was any movement at the Baker family, her mother would always be the first to know, then call to scold her.

"Do you know what you're doing? Who are the Bakers? Who is Theodore? If you ruin this marriage, who's going to want you after this?"

"Mom." Sienna spoke up. "Chloe is pregnant, and the baby is Theodore's."

Silence on the other end of the line.

After a long pause, Grace said dismissively, "Sienna, don't talk nonsense. I've watched Chloe grow up since she was little - she's not that kind of person."

"She told me herself."

"Chloe said that? Then it's even more impossible!" Grace said with certainty. "If Chloe really had something going on with Theodore, why would she tell you herself? Wouldn't that just be asking for trouble?"

"Sienna, aren't you being too sensitive? Theodore is busy with work and doesn't have time for you, so you start imagining things..."

"Mom!" Sienna cut her off. "She's pregnant with Theodore's child, and you're calling that my imagination?"

"Keep your voice down!" Grace raised her volume. "Sienna, Mom knows you're upset, but you can't throw dirt on other people just because you're suspicious. How good has Chloe been to you all these years - have you forgotten? When you got in trouble as a kid, who took the blame for you every time?"

Sienna opened her mouth. The words of rebuttal reached her lips, then she swallowed them back down.

An expected reaction.

She shouldn't have hoped that Grace would take her side.

She remembered what Chloe said that day at the coffee shop.

'The Nelsons all know.'

So it was true.

Mom and Dad had known all along that Chloe and Theodore were together, but chose to hide it from her. Even now, they were still speaking up for Chloe.

"Sienna, listen to Mom," Grace pleaded earnestly. "Move back right away, apologize to Theodore properly, take back that divorce agreement, and we'll pretend this never happened."

"Apologize?" Sienna laughed. "What did I do wrong? Why should I apologize? Did I make him cheat, or did I make Chloe get pregnant?"

"You..." Grace choked. "Making such a scene - where does that leave the Bakers' reputation? If Theodore really gets angry and divorces you, what will you do? A divorced woman, coming back to the Nelsons..."

"I'm not coming back to the Nelsons." Sienna's voice turned cold. "From today on, my business is none of the Nelsons' concern."

With that, she hung up directly and tossed the phone aside.

She lay back on the bed, staring at the thin crack on the ceiling. Her eyes stung, but no tears fell.

She had cried enough.

From sixteen to twenty-three, she had shed too many tears for Theodore.

From now on, she would only live for herself.

Having made up her mind, Sienna sat up, opened her laptop, and logged into an email account she hadn't used in a long time.

The inbox held hundreds of unread emails. She scrolled to the top and clicked on the first one.

The sender was: Vivienne Westwood.

[Dear Ann, in the three years you've been gone, the fashion world has lost its brightest star. Next Thursday I'm hosting the fall-winter fashion week in Paris. If you see this email, I hope you can come. Your place on the runway will always be waiting for you. —V]

Vivienne Westwood, a top global fashion designer, was Sienna's mentor when she studied at Parsons School of Design.

And Ann was the name Sienna used in the fashion world.

At nineteen, she released her first independent collection under the name Ann, and overnight became the sensation of New York Fashion Week.

Vivienne Westwood personally called her, saying she was 'the most talented designer in the past decade.'

Back then, everyone thought a new star was rising.

But then she married Theodore, gave up all her opportunities, and devoted herself to being his wife.

And that new star faded away.

Sienna stared at the email for a long time, then picked up her phone and dialed a number she hadn't called in three years.

It was answered after one ring.

An elderly but vigorous voice came through, filled with disbelieving joy. "Ann, is it really you?!"

"Teacher."

Sienna's nose tingled, tears almost falling.

"I've been waiting for this call for three years."

Sienna choked up. "I'm sorry!"

"Next week's Paris Fashion Week..."

"Teacher, I'll be there!"

She was going to take back everything that belonged to her.

And she was going to leave Chloe with nothing, completely disgraced.

"Good." Vivienne laughed. "But let me say this upfront - you haven't touched design in three years, so don't blame me if I scold you for being rusty."

Sienna laughed through her tears. "Don't worry, Teacher. This time, I definitely won't disappoint you again."

"I'll be waiting."

After the call, Sienna felt lighter. She quickly got ready and went out.

She went to a hair salon, cut off the long hair she'd kept for three years, and cut away all her timidity with it.

Just as she left the salon, her phone rang with an unknown number.

She answered casually. "Hello?"

"Sienna."

It was Theodore.

"Tomorrow afternoon at three, come to my office. There are some clauses in the divorce agreement I need to discuss with you in person."

Sienna stopped in her tracks. "Fine. I'll bring my lawyer with me."