Chapter 5

Sienna POV

After the launch event scandal, Ethan's revenge became absolutely insane.

I was completely cut off from the outside world, locked in the western suburb villa like a real prisoner.

Every day, aside from being forced to write, I endured Ethan's furious punishment at night.

Ethan used his actions to show me exactly what happened when I defied him.

But I didn't care about any of it anymore. The only thing I still worried about was Oliver.

However, the thing I feared most still happened.

Late one night, the villa's landline suddenly rang.

The servant watching over me wasn't there, so I picked up the phone.

"Is this the family member of Oliver Hayes? This is the care facility. The patient's condition is critical. Please come immediately!"

The doctor's voice was extremely urgent.

My mind went completely blank.

I bolted out of the villa without thinking.

Rain poured down. I had no umbrella, no money, didn't even have my shoes on properly. I ran barefoot through the storm for what felt like forever before finally flagging down a taxi.

When I reached the facility, Oliver had already been rushed into the emergency room.

"What happened? What's wrong with Oliver?"

I grabbed the nurse's hand, trembling uncontrollably.

The nurse sighed.

"This afternoon, a Miss Reed came to visit him. We don't know what she showed him, but the patient suddenly lost complete emotional control, triggered severe stress-induced heart failure, and... and mutilated both his hands."

I felt like I'd been struck by lightning.

Yolanda! It was Yolanda again!

I rushed into the hospital room and saw the floor covered with twisted, bloody drawings Oliver had made. Every single one screamed silently.

I collapsed in the pool of blood, my heart so broken I couldn't even cry.

I pulled out my phone with shaking hands and dialed Ethan's number.

Once, twice, three times... no answer.

Oliver needed to be transferred. He needed the top specialists for consultation. All of this required Ethan's approval, required the Pierce family's resources.

I had one last option. I called Ethan's special assistant.

"Miss Hayes, Mr. Pierce is currently on a yacht celebrating Miss Reed's birthday. He's given strict orders not to be disturbed by anyone."

The assistant's voice was ice-cold.

"Please, just let me speak to him for one second! Oliver is dying. He needs to be transferred to another hospital. Please!"

I stood outside the emergency room, desperately pleading into the phone.

After a moment of silence, Ethan's impatient voice finally came through.

"Sienna, what game are you playing now?"

Hearing his voice, I grasped at that sliver of light.

"Ethan, Oliver is dying! Yolanda went to provoke him. He went into heart failure and destroyed his hands! Please help me. Send a helicopter to get him to the best hospital. I'm begging you!"

I could hear Yolanda's sweet laughter in the background, probably cutting cake.

Ethan's voice instantly turned arctic.

"Sienna, there's a limit to how much you can lie. Yolanda has been with me all day. How could she possibly have gone to the facility? Are you so desperate to ruin her birthday that you'd even curse your own brother's life?"

"I'm not lying! Check the surveillance footage! Ethan, this is a human life!"

I screamed hoarsely, my throat filled with the taste of blood.

"Enough!"

Ethan cut me off brutally.

"Oliver going crazy is his own problem. Since he destroyed his own hands, he's just a useless wreck now anyway. I don't have time to deal with your mess."

The call ended mercilessly.

I stared blankly as my phone screen went dark.

Useless wreck.

My brother was a genius who had been driven to this, step by step, by them!

Just then, the emergency room light went out.

The doctor emerged, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry, Miss Hayes. We did everything we could. The patient... didn't make it."

I didn't cry.

I slowly stood up and watched as they wheeled out Oliver's body, covered with a white sheet.

I pulled back the sheet and looked at his pale face and his hands, which he had bitten until they were mangled beyond recognition.

"Oliver, don't be afraid. I'm taking you home."

I gently stroked his ice-cold cheek.

My heart, in that moment, died completely.

Not even ashes remained.