From Exile To Queen Of Everything - Chapter 56: Chapter 56

Amber couldn't understand why, but so many things now seemed different from what she'd always believed.
Amber thought, 'Mia is the only one at school who's willing to be friends with me. So why would she use my name to write those love notes?'
Claire's words echoed in her mind. 'Was Mia really just using her?' Amber wondered.
Jocelyn was still scheming how to keep Amber under her control when Sienna's icy voice suddenly cut through her thoughts. "Elisa, Mrs. Lambert, and Miss Turner seem rather tired. Please escort them downstairs to rest."
Elisa stepped forward authoritatively. "Yes, Miss Sienna. Mrs. Lambert, Miss Turner, this way."
With great strength belying her fifty years, Elisa grabbed both Linda and Jocelyn by the arms and dragged them away like a raging bull.
Linda struggled and shouted, "Let go of me. How dare you treat me like this? I'm the mistress of the Hart family. Just wait until my husband comes back. You'll pay dearly for this."
Linda was grumbling and cursing, but in the end, she and Jocelyn were still locked in the dark room. Jocelyn couldn't believe Elisa actually dared to lock them up here. This was always the place Amber and Vivian were usually sent to.
"Jocelyn, what are we going to do? Are we just going to let them bully us like this?" Linda clung to Jocelyn and burst into tears.
This wasn't her first time being locked in here. Last time, she'd only gotten out by faking a faint.
Jocelyn screamed Amber's name, then Sienna's at the top of her lungs. Elbert walked over with a practiced smirk and slid open the small viewing window.
"Miss Turner, Mrs. Lambert, how considerate of Miss Sienna. She's noticed how active you've been all day and insists you get some well-deserved rest. Do make yourselves comfortable," he said.
With that, he shut the small window, cutting off the last source of light and leaving them in darkness as he walked away without another word.
Jocelyn screamed, "Ah, how dare Sienna treat us like this? I'm calling the police. I swear, I'm calling the cops right now."
Linda quickly grabbed Jocelyn's arm to stop her. "Don't call the police. Jocelyn, calm down, please. If we involve the cops, it won't do us any good. This is Sienna's house. If your father finds out you called the police, he'll be furious."
Aiden really cared about his reputation. Besides, if Linda made any trouble, he might just cut her off.
Jocelyn thought of an idea and pressed, "Mom, do you get what I'm saying? You must bring Dad back."
Linda's eyes burned with determination as she gritted out, "Fine. I'll make it happen."
Amber noticed that Linda and Jocelyn were gone. She stepped forward, looked at Sienna, and asked, "Aren't you eating?"
Sienna stood up. "I will," she said.
Amber mumbled softly while eating, "Honestly, I only sleep in class because it's boring. I get everything at a glance, and it's all right there in the textbook. I really don't get why they keep droning on about it.
"I'm not explaining anything to you, and I definitely haven't forgiven you. I remember perfectly well. Last time, you hit me because of Vivian."
'And you used to spend every night with her,' she wondered. The words lingered on her tongue, and she didn't dare say them out loud. Instead, she sulkily poked at the fish on her plate with her fork.
These words, neither too loud nor too soft, drifted perfectly into Sienna's ears. Of course, she could tell Amber was saying them for her benefit.
"Tomorrow's the weekend. I did promise I'd take you to the amusement park, remember?" Sienna said.
Amber's cowlick instantly stood straight up. Her pretty eyes, usually downcast, suddenly sparkled with excitement, while an irrepressible smile tugged at her lips, impossible to suppress no matter how hard she tried.
Amber thought, 'She never forgot. She still remembered the promise she'd made. Hmph, at least she knows better.'
"If you don't want to go, I—" Before Sienna could finish speaking, Amber abruptly pushed her chair back with a loud scrape and jumped to her feet, sending her fork clattering to the floor.
Amber blurted out, "Who says I don't want to go?."
Amber immediately regretted her outburst. Trying to regain her composure, she huffed and said, "I'm just giving you a chance to make amends. It's not like I actually want to go.
"What's so fun about amusement parks anyway? I'm not a little kid. It's childish. But since you brought it up, I'll do you a favor and go with you. Hmph."
Sienna chuckled helplessly. "Alright then, you can keep me company."
Amber pouted and muttered, "I'm full," then dashed upstairs at lightning speed. She nonchalantly closed the door behind her, threw herself onto the bed, and started rolling around in excitement, bursting into laughter.
"Amusement park, yeah," Amber chanted, her voice bubbling with joy. "She's actually coming with me."
Once she had calmed down, Amber sensed something was off. 'Why do I feel like someone's watching me?' she wondered. Slowly moving the pillow away, she saw three maids cleaning the room, all staring at her.
The maids stood frozen in shock, staring dumbfounded at her, their cleaning tools still raised mid-swipe.
Amber thought desperately, 'Don't stop me. I want to die of embarrassment right now.'
The well-trained maids, clearly used to such scenes, bowed their heads respectfully and slowly backed away, cleaning supplies still in hand.
"Miss Amber, our deepest apologies. We were simply cleaning too slowly. Please rest assured. We saw absolutely nothing at all," they said.
Seizing the moment when no one was watching, Jocelyn crept up to the second floor and furtively slipped into Amber's room.
After Sienna had Elisa slap Jocelyn, she ordered the maids to thoroughly clean the room while also checking for any dangerous objects.
The maids never expected Amber to burst in so suddenly, and she was so focused that she didn't even notice them at first.
Amber buried her head under the pillow and let out a muffled cry. The maids, charmed by how adorable Amber was, exchanged amused smiles before quickly leaving the room.
Vivian had just wrapped up a business deal when she unexpectedly ran into her classmates having a reunion. Before she could protest, they practically dragged her along to Charmvale, a trendy bar.
Marcy and Bella weren't about to let such a golden opportunity pass. Last time, a woman had suddenly appeared and put them in their place. Now, at the class reunion, they were determined to teach Vivian a lesson she wouldn't forget.
Everyone heard Hart Corporation was crushing the competition in Vallaris, quickly becoming the latest dark horse and rising star. It was said they had even partnered with SIE Corporation.
But they didn't think it had anything to do with Vivian. Everyone here knew Vivian was already kicked out of the Hart family and had nothing to do with them anymore.
If Vivian were really the esteemed heiress of the Hart family, she wouldn't have needed to work three jobs during college, even desperately keeping after Mason.
And now Vivian was working at some random company no one had ever heard of. Seriously, it was quite funny.
"Vivian, long time no see. Too good to have a drink with us now? Heard you and Mason are tying the knot?" The speaker said this deliberately to mock her.
They all knew the Junior Quinn Group had already gone bankrupt.
Back in college, Vivian was painfully shy and kept to herself most of the time, which only made her an easy target for bullies and mockery. Haunted by past trauma, Vivian never fought back.
She had always been the one getting picked on. She thought that once she left those people behind and stepped into society, all the emotional scars they left would just fade away.
But Vivian overestimated herself. Wishful thinking had made her paint too rosy a picture of reality. Scars might fade, but the pain stayed with her. Even healed wounds couldn't erase the past.
Vivian let out a cold laugh, her gaze brimming with biting sarcasm as it fixed on the female classmate. "Don't you have a phone? Or have you been living under a rock? How could you not know the Quinn family went bankrupt?"
The woman thought she could take the chance to humiliate Vivian, but to her shock, she ended up being the one humiliated instead.
"Alright. We're all classmates here, so let's not dwell on that. How about we catch up? What has everyone been up to these past few years?" someone suggested.
When it came to Vivian, Bella raised her voice and said, "Vivian? I know all about her. She works at some no-name company, barely making four to a few hundred dollars a month.
"It's so embarrassing. And those clothes? Please, they're obviously knockoffs just to keep up appearances."
Vivian didn't bat an eye. She just shrugged and said with a faint smile, "Yeah, that's right. So honestly, there's no need for you to be jealous of me."
Bella snapped, "Vivian, as if I'd ever be jealous of you."
'Can't she tell she's being mocked? Didn't she catch that?' Bella wondered.
"Seriously, Bella, why else would you dig so deep into my life and blurt it all out? Isn't it just because you're green with envy seeing me doing well, pulling in a few hundred dollars a month?" Vivian mocked.
Bella sputtered, stunned, and wondered, 'When did Vivian get so sharp-tongued?'
"Vivian, is that you?" The bartender came over with drinks and, spotting Vivian, greeted her warmly.
Before Vivian could respond, the waitress continued, "Vivian, I haven't seen you at work lately. The manager said you quit. Did you really leave? The hourly rate's gone up now. Want to come back and work with us again?"
Hearing this, the whole group shot Vivian disdainful looks. 'So this's the kind of place she used to work,' they wondered.
Marcy smirked triumphantly. She'd already spotted Vivian working here last time, and just now, while in the restroom, she'd casually dropped a hint to the waitress. 'The girl picked up on it right away—guess that tip is well spent,' she wondered.
Vivian ignored the way everyone was looking at her, though deep down, she still felt a twinge and the urge to escape reality.
During this time, working alongside Anya and with Sienna's guidance, Vivian had grown in both mind and experience. She was no longer the timid, people-pleasing girl she once was.
Vivian smiled faintly, "Really? That's great. But my day job keeps me pretty busy now, so I don't have time for side gigs in the evenings anymore. Thanks for remembering me. Keep working hard. I hope you can go hometown soon."
The waitress's pupils dilated sharply as her guilt deepened. She and Vivian had been quite close when they worked together. Vivian was always kind to everyone.
She was an out-of-towner who came here just to make money, hoping to one day settle down back in her hometown. Over the years, by pinching every penny and juggling multiple jobs, she had managed to save over 60 thousand dollars.
She dreamed of saving up 100 thousand dollars before returning to her hometown to live with her grandparents. She didn't expect that Vivian still remembered it.
But for a mere seventy-dollar tip, she'd gone along with their little scheme.
She couldn't bear to stay any longer, yet she knew she couldn't mention the tip. As just an ordinary worker, a single complaint from a customer could cost her this job.
She respectfully set a glass of strawberry apple juice in front of Vivian, offering a grateful smile. "I'll do my best, just as you said. Thank you."
Vivian's eyes held only serene confidence, showing nothing else. Her poise made those who had sneered earlier feel ashamed, their gazes dropping.
With quiet satisfaction, Sienna observed the scene from upstairs.
"Miss Enna, Miss Sinclair is right over there," Lana approached and reported.
Sienna nodded, then turned and headed that way. "Have someone keep a close eye on Vivian," she instructed. "Don't let anything happen to her."
At the bar, a woman in a sleek black dress was leaning over the counter.
Her elegantly coiled hair gave her the timeless grace of a classic beauty from another era, her features dignified and naturally graceful, with an air of quiet strength in her expression.
A few eager men nearby were about to approach, but Sienna, dressed in a black overcoat and exuding such an intimidating aura, made them all instinctively keep their distance.
Recognizing Sienna's intimidating presence, the men thought better of it. Swallowing their bravado, they exchanged a few awkward jokes and quickly dispersed.
"Nora?" Sienna's voice was gentle, tinged with nostalgia, as she reached out to softly brush a stray lock of hair from Nora's face.
It was as if Nora heard a familiar voice. Still half-drunk and dazed, she slowly opened her eyes and saw Sienna standing before her. No, this was Sienna, all grown up.
Thinking she must be dreaming, Nora let out a bitter chuckle and reached out to caress Enna's face. "Enna, all these years, you never once visited my dreams. Now that I've fallen so low, you finally decide to show up? Is that it?"
Sienna opened her mouth, but words failed her.
"Enna, you know what? I've missed you so much. If I could go back to when we were eighteen, I'd never have said those words to you," Nora said.
"It's alright," Sienna said, unconcerned. Nora only said for Sienna's good.
A single tear escaped from Nora's eye, her lashes already rimmed with red from prolonged crying.
"Enna, do you forgive me?" Nora drained her glass in one gulp, then let out a bitter laugh. "Enna, guess what? Ethan cheated on me."
Surprise flickered in Sienna's eyes before she composed herself. "When's the divorce?"
Nora let out a bitter laugh, her eyes brimming with sorrow. "Enna, you always cut straight to the heart of things, so decisive. Divorce? Yes, that's what I should do. But what if I just can't let go?"
Sienna fell silent. Nora went on, her voice thick with emotion, "Sienna, I'm twenty-nine now. I've loved him for fifteen years. We've been together for fifteen years. Childhood sweethearts, inseparable since we were kids, you know?
"We even have a lovely little boy. He's five now. I just want to give him the best. Ethan says that girl reminds him of how I used to be, and now he calls me crazy. Can you believe that? Sienna, I regret not listening to you.
"I gave too much, and look at me now. Am I pathetic? Sienna, you're so beautiful, stunning yet aloof, just as I imagined. But you never smile. Your eyes hold frost, and no matter how hard I tried, I could never melt that coldness away."
Sienna reached out and gently cradled Nora's head against her chest. "You're the best," she said softly.
Nora sobbed softly in Sienna's arms until her cries gradually subsided. Sienna gently brushed aside Nora's hair, revealing the tear-streaked cheeks of her face.
Sienna took out a handkerchief, wiped away the tears, then gathered Nora in her arms and quietly led her out of the bar.
"Miss Enna, shall we go to the Sinclair residence or the Preston residence?" Lana asked.
Sienna replied, "The Preston residence."
"Understood." Lana turned the car around and drove to the Preston residence.
By the time they arrived, it was already nine o'clock, and the mansion was ablaze with lights. Lana pressed the doorbell. A voice came from the intercom, "Who is it?"
The butler looked at Sienna, then noticed the person in her arms. "Mrs. Preston?"
Sienna replied, "I'm her friend. She's had too much to drink."
The butler extended his hands respectfully. "Please allow me to assist Mrs. Preston," he said.
Sienna's face was stony, the darkness of night making her seem even more forbidding. "Tell Ethan to come out," she demanded.