Begging for a Second Chance (Sienna Sloan and Jarred Sterling) novel Chapter 183

"We've narrowed down the area. Declan and the team are pinpointing the exact coordinates right now. The second we lock onto his location, we move in.

I've deployed a twenty-man rescue team, including two combat medics. Everyone is on standby. Sienna, I won't let anything happen to Owen."

Sienna didn't say a word. She just stared quietly into his eyes for several long seconds.

Only when she was entirely sure he wasn't lying did the rigid tension in her spine begin to ease.

Just then, the grating sound of laughter drifted in through the window.

Sienna looked out. Down below, Celeste was lounging comfortably on a patio chair.

Swirling a glass of red wine, she looked the picture of relaxation, chatting animatedly on the phone with a friend without a single trace of worry on her face.

Resting on the empty seat beside her was Helena's limited edition custom platinum handbag—a glaring, nauseating sight.

An icy fury instantly hardened in Sienna's eyes. She whipped her head toward Jarred. "Why are they here?"

Jarred's lips pressed into a thin line. "They're worried about Owen too. They came to see if there was anything they could do to help."

"Help?" Sienna scoffed, rolling the word around her mouth like poison.

She had known Helena for almost eight years, and the woman didn't even know what Owen looked like.

Helena had never once asked about Owen's illness, and now she was suddenly worried?

Outside the window, Celeste hung up her phone and held her wine glass up to the sunlight.

The ruby-red liquid sparkled beautifully. She lowered her head to take a delicate sniff, a look of pure satisfaction washing over her features.

She looked like a woman on a luxury vacation, not someone consumed by worry.

Jarred caught the intense sarcasm on Sienna's face, and his expression instantly cooled. "How can you be so sure they can't help?

No one knows what's going to happen next.

When you're completely overwhelmed trying to manage Owen's care, you'll realize how important it is to have extra people around to share the burden."

Watching him instinctively defend them drained the last bit of warmth from Sienna's face.

Her expression turned entirely detached. "Forget it. There's no point in arguing. I don't care why your mother and Celeste tagged along.

But she quickly masked it, regaining her composure.

She abruptly hung up the phone and began rolling her wheelchair away.

"Hold on!" Sienna grabbed the armrest. "Who were you just talking to? What do you mean by 'transfer'?"

Helena's face paled.

Then, flush with defensive rage, she violently swatted Sienna's hand away and shrieked, "You have absolutely no manners! Eavesdropping on my phone calls? Let go of me!"

Without looking back, she aggressively wheeled herself away.

Sienna stood rooted to the spot, watching Helena disappear, a terrible sense of dread sinking heavily into her chest.

She was about to chase after her when her phone buzzed.

It was a text from an unknown international number.

Sienna opened it immediately. The moment she read the words on the screen, her blood ran cold.