22 Longing
‘Theo Montgomery, husband of Sienna Donovan, was photographed kissing a woman believed to be pregnant with his child. The woman is rumored to be his former secretary, Rosie.’
“It’s being said that Theo only married Sienna to secure his position as CEO of Montgomery Corporation. With the Donovans and Montgomerys becoming in-laws, their businesses merged into one of the biggest car empires in the industry. Rumors claim he planned it all—marriage, merger, and now manipulating the stock market with the board to seize control of the entire business under his name.”
“Theo Montgomery, , known for showering his wife Sienna with extravagant gifts, including a sixty-million-dollar vacation island, has now been exposed as a cheater! Was all that generosity just guilt? Or was it a convenient distraction so he could bring his mistress home during Sienna’s absence?”
The news channels didn’t hold back, dragging Theo’s name through the mud with mocking commentary and invasive photos. Intimate images of him and Rosie, holding hands, kissing, embracing in public, were broadcast nationwide.
The evidence of their affair was undeniable.
At Montgomery Corporation, Theo stood in the center of the meeting room. His jaw was tight, suit impeccable, surrounded by furious shareholders and top executives breathing fire down his neck.
“What the hell have you done, Theo? The stocks are in freefall! How the hell are we supposed to contain this?” one of them shouted.
Another cut in, voice full of disgust. “Have you seen the news? They’re saying the company is led by a man who played the perfect husband in public but turned out to be a fraud!”
“And if you had a mistress, couldn’t you at least be smart about it?” a third snapped. “You’re out kissing her in broad daylight. Rule number one—if you’re going to cheat, keep her hidden!”
“You have one option. Resign by tonight!” Another demanded, face red with anger. “If you don’t, we’ll make you pay every dime we’re about to lose.”
Theo’s hands slammed the table, the sound loud and sharp. Fury lit up his dark eyes as he gritted out, “Nothing is going to happen to this company. I built this business, and I’ll be the one to fix it. So calm the fuck down and let me do my job.”
“Fix it?” a voice laughed bitterly. “You’ve already cost us half our value! If this continues, we’re all going down with you.”
“You either resign or pay us penalties when this company tanks.”
Theo didn’t say another word. His expression was stone cold. He turned on his heel and stormed out of the building.
He drove home in silence, gripping the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. But as he reached the mansion, he saw Pamela standing outside with Sienna by her side.
The moment Theo stepped out of the car, Pamela marched straight to him and slapped him hard across the face.
“How dare you betray Sienna like this?” she hissed, her voice trembling with fury. “No wonder you never had children with her. You were busy having one with your mistress! You promised me you’d love her wholeheartedly. And this is how you repay her? With another woman and a child out of wedlock?!”
She turned to her daughter, seething. “Sienna, get a divorce. You don’t have to stay in a marriage like this. We’ll support you. You don’t need him.”
A car was parked a few feet away.
Inside it, Adrian sat watching, his sharp jaw clenched, broad chest rising with every breath. The moment Pamela mentioned divorce, something flared in his dark eyes. He leaned forward, excitement flickering across his face. His fingers moved to unbuckle his seatbelt, eyes locked on Sienna.
Sienna shook her head. “Mom, I’m not getting a divorce.”
Pamela’s face turned red with disbelief, she was beyond furious. “You’re still defending him? After everything he’s done?!”
Sienna shook her head. “He’s been good to me throughout our marriage. This was just... a mistake. A small one. We’ll get through it together.”
She turned to Theo, looking him straight in the eyes. “You won’t repeat this again, right? It’s one mistake. We’ll recover from it.”
Pamela lost it. “Are you seriously letting him off with a promise? That’s it?!”
“Yes, Mom,” Sienna said gently. “Trust me. I know Theo. He won’t do it again.”
“You’ve lost your damn mind!” Pamela shouted. “He’s already been fired from his CEO position! Staying with him will only drag you down further. Even his own parents have disowned him after learning he’s with the same woman they once refused to accept! If I had known he was in love with someone else, I’d have never let you marry him!”
“I know, Mom,” Sienna whispered. “But I also know this is temporary. He’s their only son. They’ll come around. Everything will settle.”
Inside the car, Adrian’s patience snapped. Every word from her mouth only added fuel to the fire burning inside him.
He slammed his fist against the steering wheel, jaw tight with rage. His voice was low and dangerous. “She’s still standing by him? After everything?”
His chest rose and fell sharply as jealousy burned through him. “Why the hell does he get your loyalty and not me? I made one fucking mistake, and you walked away. But him? He cheated and you’re still staying?”
His knuckles cracked as he gripped the wheel tighter. “Fine,” he growled. “If you won’t leave him, then I’ll destroy everything he has. His business. His name. His future. He won’t even be able to stand next to you when I’m done with that fucking bastard!”
***
For the next week, every major news outlet ran the same footage: Theo’s affair, the images of him and Rosie, the scandal, again and again. Photos. Headlines. Harsh words. He was humiliated, dragged through the mud, and nothing could undo the damage.
“You have no position left in Montgomery Corporation. Get the hell out!”
The voice boomed through the building as Theo was thrown out of the company’s headquarters. He stumbled back, catching himself just before hitting the ground. Security didn’t even look back.
Mocking laughter echoed around him as employees walked past, sneering. The same people who once bowed before him now treated him like trash.
"Serves him right."
"A cheater who betrayed his own wife."
“He looked so decent, always pretending to be the perfect gentleman. But this is who he really is.”
The mighty CEO was now just a disgraced man with nothing left.
The whispers echoed through the building, each word sharper than the last. The employees didn’t even bother hiding their mockery anymore.
"The Montgomerys already disowned him," someone scoffed. "He’s neither our boss nor their son now. Just a disgraced nobody."
Theo’s eyes blazed with fury as he glared at them. But the man who had been speaking just smirked and laughed.
“What are you looking at? You’re not in charge anymore. Hell, you’re below all of us now. We’re your bosses now. But if you’re short on cash, let me know. I might toss a few pennies your way just to make you feel important again.”
The group of men chuckled, but it died instantly the moment Sienna appeared, her eyes pure fire. She walked straight to Theo and slid her arm through his. They all fell silent, stunned.
Everyone looked at her in shock. Then at each other.
Her message was loud and clear—she hadn’t abandoned him.
"Theo might’ve lost everything," she said clearly, locking her gaze on the man who insulted him, “but he’s still a Montgomery. You think they’ll actually disown their only son?”
Her voice was sharp as steel.
She glanced around, her tone turning colder. “Let me make something clear. Even if he’s lost everything, he still has me. And my shares. I’m not going anywhere. And I don't take it lightly when someone mocks my husband."
The words sliced through the room. The men paled, their smirks gone. Their jobs didn’t feel so secure anymore. The men looked at one another in panic, realizing Theo could come back into power at any moment, and if he did, they’d be screwed.
"Do you think he knows our names?" one of them whispered as they hurried away.
"Shut up. You’re the one who started this mess over a damn salary raise as if Mr. Montgomery was the one blocking it.”
The three of them scrambled inside the building.
Outside, Sienna turned to Theo.
He gently pulled his arm away. His voice was calm but firm. "Sienna, I told you, I'm not accepting your help anymore. You don't need to give up your shares for me. No more sacrifices. Not for me. I don’t want you to pay the price for my mistakes.”
"Theo—" she started, but he stopped her, reaching out to lightly rub her arm.
"I was greedy," he interrupted, rubbing her arm gently. “I was too greedy from the start. I wanted the CEO position and I wanted Rosie, even when my family made it clear they’d never accept her. I thought I could have both.”
He let out a short, bitter laugh. It was the kind of laugh that carried years of stress and disappointment.
"Now I don’t care. I’ve made my choice."
"Rosie’s pregnant."
His voice softened with the weight of that truth.
"I’ll take care of her, no matter what I lose. If I have to choose between the company and my family, then I’ll protect the one I created. My child. My wife. I’m done trying to please everyone. It’s time I stood by my decisions.”
Sienna looked at him, worry deepening in her eyes.
They’d known each other since they were teens. Theo was the only child of the Montgomerys, their everything. And now? Now they had turned their backs on him.
‘This will break him,’ she thought, heart twisting. ‘He loves his parents. They love him too. Walking away from them will destroy him.’ She sighed. ‘It was never supposed to fall apart like this. And now with his parents furious and the company gone, how is he going to survive all this alone?’
"It’s okay," she said softly. "We’re partners, remember? Bestfriends. We’re supposed to share the pain too, not just happiness. You’re not alone in this.”
Theo smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes.
“Exactly why we need to end this deception, Sienna. We’re not going to keep pretending. This isn’t the life we were meant to live. This fake marriage, this act... It ends now."
***
Later that night, the tenth drink burned down Sienna’s throat, and her vision blurred. She blinked hard, trying to focus on the counter, but everything was hazy.
Her thoughts wouldn’t leave Theo.
“Theo’s probably suffering alone. And there’s nothing I can do without making things worse.”
Tears welled in her eyes, panic and helplessness gripping her chest.
Across the bar, Larry, surrounded by his friends, paused mid-laugh as his eyes landed on her. The smile on his face dropped. “Holy shit,” he muttered under his breath.
Without missing a beat, he pulled out his phone and sent a message.
‘Your woman is drunk off her ass at the Blue Orchid bar.’
There was no reply.
But fifteen minutes later, the bar door slammed open. Adrian stormed in, his presence electric, eyes scanning with cold intensity. His tall frame, sharp suit, and barely restrained fury made the music feel like background noise.
Larry, lounging on a couch with his friends and a drink in hand, raised an eyebrow, then casually pointed toward the counter.
Adrian’s eyes followed the gesture, locked on Sienna, and immediately strode over.
Sienna, barely upright, reached with trembling fingers for another glass. Before it touched her lips, Adrian snatched it from her hand and slammed it down onto the counter.
Glass clinked.
She flinched, blinking slowly as she turned to look up.
“Send the bill to my office,” he told the bartender without glancing at him.
Then he picked her up in his arms.
"Hey!" she protested, smacking his back and squirming, trying to wriggle out of his grip. "Put me down!"
But Adrian’s hold only tightened. He adjusted her easily, securing her against his chest like she weighed nothing, and strode out of the bar.
He struggled a little to get her into the passenger seat, but once she was buckled in, he sped off toward his place.
By the time they arrived, Sienna had already passed out. Adrian carried her inside effortlessly.
In the bedroom, she stirred. Her eyes blinked open just as he sat on the edge of the bed, holding her in his lap. Her head rested on his shoulder, her arms loosely wrapped around his neck, legs curled across the sheets.
"Why did you drink so much?" he muttered, his fingers cupping her cheek firmly, tilting her face toward his.
His voice was deep, rough, laced with irritation and concern.
Sienna blinked up at him slowly, then slapped his hand away weakly with a pout.
But Adrian didn’t let her go.
His grip on her waist stayed firm as his voice dipped low. “Is it because of Theo? His business?”
“Yeah.” Sienna mumbled, glaring up at him through hazy eyes. “I’m going to help him. No matter what happens, I’ll stand by him.”
“No, you won’t.” His voice darkened, and his hold on her tightened. His gaze sharpened like a blade, cutting right through her. “Your family already cut ties with the Montgomerys. They’re not backing his business anymore. And your share? It’s tied to the Donovans business. You won’t be able to give him a cent.”
Sienna’s eyes widened in disbelief. The haze faded from her drunken stare as she jerked away from him. Panic flickered across her face as she scrambled off his lap, her bare feet fumbling on the hardwood floor.
“I… I’ll talk to my parents,” she stammered, staggering toward the door, her steps unsteady.
Adrian stood up immediately, his voice loud and commanding. “It’s no use. Your family has to protect themselves. They can’t afford to go down with the Montgomerys.”
Sienna froze mid-step. Her fists clenched tightly by her sides as her chest rose and fell rapidly. Her voice cracked as she whispered, “How did things fall apart this fast? Everything’s collapsing in just a few days…”
Adrian walked up to her, his towering frame casting a shadow over her. His sharp eyes didn’t leave her face for a second.
“You were born into luxury, Sienna. You’ve never known what it feels like to be broke. Theo has nothing now. And still, he wants you to stay. Do you really think he still deserves you? There’s no balance between what you’re giving up and what he can offer you.”
She stormed back to him and slammed her hands against his chest, shoving him roughly. Her voice was fierce. “Yeah, I’ll still stay with him. He’s a good man. I won’t turn my back on him!”
Her voice dropped, frustration leaking through. “But I don’t understand who keeps attacking the Montgomerys? Even after Theo stepped down, someone’s still sabotaging their every deal. Why?”
Adrian’s gaze flickered, the mask slipping. He looked away from her, his eyes lowering to the floor, then drifting to the window, jaw tight.
“Go to bed,” he muttered. “You don’t look well.”
Sienna groaned softly, leaning into him, resting her forehead against his chest. His scent wrapped around her and soothed her, if only slightly.
Adrian’s arm wrapped around her immediately. All the jealousy and anger he felt vanished in an instant. His hand reached up, brushing her hair gently off her face, his fingers surprisingly tender for a man so cold.
He tilted her chin up, leaning down to her lips.
“Adrian,” she whispered, “my head hurts.”
He stopped, his fingers loosening around her chin. He pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “I’ll take care of it,” he said quietly. “Let me rub it for you.”
He bent down and lifted her in his arms, carrying her to the bed.
He laid her down gently, then pulled off his shirt. Her eyes widened, blinking up at him. His muscles rippled under the soft light, each movement full of silent strength.
She sat up, and her fingers reached behind her dress, tugging the zipper down slowly. The dress slipped off her body, followed by her undergarments. She looked at him with soft, inviting eyes, her hands reaching out.
“Adrian,” she whispered, her voice full of longing.