I Stopped Loving Him When He Let Me Bleed Out novel Chapter 292

She put heavy emphasis on the word 'arrangement.'

Sienna didn't take the bait.

Clara took a sip of her coffee, her eyes evaluating Sienna over the rim of the cup as if she were a puzzle she had half-solved.

"I helped out at the VIP physical examination center this morning," Clara said, her tone suddenly casual. "Director Hayes's aunt came in for a checkup, and I happened to be the one attending to her. Guess what she told me?"

Sienna looked up.

"She said the Hayes family hired a very famous astrologer in Hong Kong to read your birth chart. They said you're destined to bring immense luck and prosperity to your husband's family. A perfect match for Silas. Apparently, the next twenty years of the Hayes Group's fortune all depend on your chart."

Sienna's fingers froze over her keyboard.

"You're quite lucky, Dr. Sterling." Clara's voice was a soft, venomous whisper meant only for the two of them. "A beautiful face and a perfect birth chart. You've got the timing, the location, and the people all aligned in your favor. No wonder Director Hayes is so invested."

Sienna stared at her.

Clara stared back, that smug smile still on her lips, waiting for a reaction.

"Dr. Rhodes," Sienna said, her voice perfectly flat. "Patient information at the examination center is bound by strict confidentiality agreements. Discussing a patient's private conversations with me is entirely inappropriate."

Clara's smile faltered for a fraction of a second before she recovered her composure.

"I'm just happy for you. After all, it's not every day someone gets handpicked by a master astrologer. Your future here at Mercy International is going to be absolutely limitless."

Sienna lowered her eyes, refusing to engage further.

She didn't believe in birth charts.

But she did believe in one thing: Silas Hayes calculated every single move he made.

If the rumor about the astrologer was true, then how much of his favor was genuinely for her, and how much of it was just to secure his 'fortune'?

Once the thought took root, it felt like a tiny needle slipping under her skin—not exactly painful, but deeply uncomfortable.

Seeing that Sienna had gone quiet, Clara straightened up, looking satisfied, and walked away with her coffee.

Her goal was achieved.

All she had wanted was to see that split-second hesitation in Sienna's eyes.

That afternoon, Silas had Caspar Young deliver a document to her.

It was an invitation to submit an article to the *Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery*.

Professor Cross had recommended her, and the editor-in-chief had read her abstract and was highly interested.

"Thank you, Director Hayes."

"You don't need to thank me every time." Silas looked right at her. "You got this project because of your own capabilities. I merely opened the door."

Sienna lifted her chin, meeting his gaze.

Clara's words floated back to the surface of her mind.

She wanted to ask, *Director Hayes, do you believe in birth charts?*

But the words died on her lips.

"Sienna," Silas said, using her first name.

"You've been at Mercy International for a while now. My attitude toward you should be quite clear."

Sienna's heart skipped a beat.

"I don't like dragging things out. I know a bit about your history with Finn Fletcher. I don't care about your past; I care about the present."

Silas leaned forward slightly, his gaze locking onto hers.

"Have you thought about it? We could make our relationship official."