I Stopped Loving Him When He Let Me Bleed Out novel Chapter 348

That was the exact moment Sienna stepped into the room.

She didn't make a sound. She simply stood at the threshold where the hallway met the living room, the morning sun streaming through the windows behind her, casting a long, steady shadow across the floor.

When Maya saw her, it was as if someone had hit the pause button.

The little girl stared at Sienna for two agonizing seconds before dropping the bloody porcelain shard and launching herself across the room.

"Auntie Sienna!"

She crashed into Sienna's waist, wrapping her tiny arms around her in a death grip. Maya buried her face into Sienna's stomach, trembling violently, no longer screaming, just letting out muffled, rhythmic sobs.

Sienna crouched down, gently smoothing out the messy, lopsided bun on the girl's head.

She carefully brushed the damp strands of hair away from Maya's flushed cheeks. Her skin was wet and cold.

"You're finally here," Maya mumbled into her shirt, her words thick with tears. "You haven't visited me in days. I thought you didn't like me anymore."

Sienna lowered herself until they were at eye level.

Maya's eyes were puffy and red, tears clinging heavily to her eyelashes. Her nose was bright pink, and a faint indent marked her lower lip where she had been biting it.

"Who told you I didn't like you?" Sienna asked, her voice incredibly soft.

"Then why didn't you come?" Maya's lip wobbled, ready to break down again.

Looking at her, Sienna remembered her own childhood.

She remembered sitting by the front door, waiting for her mother to come home, only to be met with, "I'm busy, don't bother me."

She remembered sprinting home with a first-place certificate, only for her mother to glance at it and say, "Your brother has a parent-teacher meeting. I don't have time for your school stuff."

She remembered running a 102-degree fever and being told to just grab a glass of water and stop being dramatic, while her brother would get a sneeze and the whole house would go into lockdown.

Sienna knew exactly what it felt like to be a child who felt completely invisible.

Because of that, she knew exactly what Maya needed.

Sienna gently took Maya's small hands, sandwiching them between her own warm palms.

"You were incredibly angry just now, weren't you?"

Fresh tears welled up in Maya's eyes, but she nodded eagerly, pressing her cheek into Sienna's warm palm, finally finding her safe harbor.

The living room was completely silent.

The nanny had discreetly retreated to the kitchen, and Geoffrey stood in the corner, the deep worry lines finally fading from his face.

Silas stood a few feet away, watching Sienna kneel on the shattered floor, cradling Maya's hands as the little girl buried her face in her palms.

He stood frozen, his eyes locked on the serene profile of Sienna's face for a very long time.

Sienna scooped Maya up into her arms. The little girl wrapped her legs around Sienna's waist and her arms around her neck, burying her face into her shoulder, refusing to let go.

Sienna patted her back in a soothing, rhythmic motion as she walked over to the sofa and sat down.

Maya nestled into her chest, closing her eyes. With tears still clinging to her lashes, her breathing gradually deepened into a peaceful sleep.

Silas sat down on the opposite sofa, staring at her in absolute awe.

"You're better at this than her actual mother ever was," he murmured.