Chapter 5 Sienna's Defiance

Sienna knew she was breaking the rules. **His** rules. But for once, she didn't care.

The sun pounded down on them, hot through the leafy green of the Pierce estate's private gardens. A soft breeze bore the sweet smell of fresh roses and jasmine, rustling the leaves as Sienna led Lily along the stone path. The little girl's small fingers wrapped around Sienna's hand; her grip tentative but strong.

Lily had spoken very little in the past few days, but Sienna had noticed how her eyes lingered on the window, wistfully staring out at the vast world just beyond the chill, glass walls.

Grayson had been **extremely** rigid with Lily's schedule. That her routine was carefully planned so that she could be stable. That there had to be no disruptions.

But Lily wasn't thriving under that rigid schedule-she was dying.

Sienna dropped to her knees beside Lily as they made their way to a small pond, where koi drifted serenely beneath the surface of the water. "That one?" she said, reaching with a finger toward a bright orange fish with white spots running down its back. "He's the king. Just watch him preen.".

Lily followed the fish with her gaze, and for the very first time, there was **something other than nothingness** in her eyes. Wonder. Curiosity.

Sienna smiled. "I bet if we sit really still, they'll swim up to say hello."

Lily did not speak but sat down slowly onto the stone edge of the pond, little legs hanging an inch or two. Sienna sat next to her, letting the moment hang between them. It was peaceful, unencumbered by choking pressures.

She pulled out a small cracker from her pocket and broke it up into pieces. "Watch this," she whispered, pouring the bits into the water. The koi fish darted in immediately, mouths open and closing as they devoured the small morsels.

Lily blinked, her small fingers shaking. Then, cautiously, she touched her hand to Sienna's, taking a crumb and sending it splashing into the water herself.

Sienna hid her smile, pretending not to notice the fleeting glimpse of humor on his face. **One step at a time.**

And then peace was shattered.

"Whatever the fuck does you think you're doing?"

Sienna flinched at the outraged voice, raw and laced with fury. She slowly shifted her head, already bracing herself for the punch.

Grayson stood at the garden's entrance, his powerful frame rigid with tension, his steel-gray eyes blazing with unrestrained anger. His presence was overwhelming, a force of nature that demanded submission.

But Sienna had never been good at submitting.

She rose to her feet, standing protectively in front of Lily. "We're outside," she said, as if it weren't obvious. "Getting some fresh air."

Grayson moved toward him, his anger hovering just short of being visible. "I told you-"

"No, you **ordered** me," Sienna interrupted, her voice calm but resolute. "And I exercised judgment. Lily needed this."

His jaw was locked so tight she could have sworn it would shatter. "You don't get to choose what my daughter needs."

Sienna moved closer, refusing to back down. "So why did you employ me? To be a glorified babysitter? Or to actually help her?"

His nostrils flared. "Assisting doesn't mean ignoring my authority."

"Authority?" Sienna let out a sharp laugh. "You act like you're running a boardroom, Grayson. But this isn't about business, this is about **your daughter.** She's not one of your employees. She's a little girl who has been locked away for so long she's afraid to speak."

Something flickered in his eyes-an emotion so raw it was gone before she could fully grasp it.

You have no idea what you're saying," he ground out. "Lily has a schedule for a **reason."**

Sienna crossed her arms. "Then tell me."

There was silence.

Grayson's fists were at his sides, his breathing even, but Sienna could feel how hard he was struggling to hold himself in place. "I don't owe you an explanation.".

Sienna shook her head. "You know what? You're right. You don't owe **me** an explanation. But you owe one to **her.**" She glanced over at Lily, who sat transfixed by the pond, clinging to her dress. "She's your daughter, Grayson. Not a project. Not a mistake to be managed. A **child** who needs more than fences and calendars.".

The tension between them snapped like a live electrical wire. For a moment, Sienna dreaded that he would fire her outright, that she had crossed a line.

But then-

Lily moved.

Her small hand reached out across the pond, gently tracing the water's surface. The koi fish scattered and then regrouped, their fins moving just beneath the surface.

Sienna was silent in shock as Lily let out the merest sound-a faint, almost unhearable gigggle, but genuine all the same.

Grayson's frame stiffened. His eyes darted to his daughter, and for the first time, his anger faltered.

Sienna didn't utter a word. She merely let him **see.**

Lily's laugh, as weak as it was, was proof. Proof that she needed more than what he was offering. Proof that he had been wrong.

And maybe, maybe, he knew it as well.

Grayson let out a rough breath, running his hand through his hair. He looked at Sienna, something unreadable in his eyes. "Fifty minutes," he growled. "Not a second longer."

Sienna smiled. "Noted."

She spun around to face Lily, once more sitting beside her. And this time, Grayson didn't step in. He just stood there, watching, as his daughter smiled-**actually smiled**-for the first time in what felt like forever.