Half-Hearted: Mr. Sinclair, Stop the Act!-Chapter 3: Witnessing It with Her Own Eyes

Sienna Monroe left the hotel with heavy steps.

Once inside the elevator, it felt like all her strength had been drained.

So, did Caleb Sinclair really cheat?

She didn’t want to believe it, but the facts forced her to doubt.

How could it be such a coincidence?

Caleb canceled on her last minute, and Vivian Nash conveniently mentioned being on the 14th floor of The Crestview Hotel in her text, coincidentally meeting her so-called boyfriend in room 1408.

If it’s true, then when did it all start?

And how did it begin?

She didn’t wait outside the hotel, knowing that if Vivian saw her, she would definitely inform Caleb not to come.

On the way home, a gentle drizzle began to fall.

The early autumn weather had already started to cool down.

When she got home, Caleb called, and she didn’t answer, parking the car and heading inside.

Caleb heard the noise and hurried over, "Why are you so late from overtime?"

Before she could respond, he embraced her and apologized, "I’m sorry, honey, I broke my promise today."

Sienna felt a bit numb.

A thought flashed through her mind—did he hold Vivian like this to soothe her too?

But that scene was something she couldn’t dare imagine.

It would hurt her heart.

Caleb looked down at her, squeezed her palm gently, and softly said, "We can reschedule the restaurant and go eat tomorrow, okay? I’ll also get new movie tickets."

Sienna looked at him admitting his mistake, with his brows drooping low, so humble, sincere, and earnest.

That’s how he usually was, always quick to apologize and comfort her whenever there was even a slight disagreement, regardless of who was right or wrong.

Six years of consistency.

Now, she wasn’t really angry, but her mind and heart were filled with confusion and struggle.

"It’s okay, food tastes the same wherever we eat, and your cooking is no worse than a restaurant’s. The movie was just released yesterday, we can watch it anytime."

Caleb smiled warmly, his voice full of affection and helplessness, "You really should get mad at me sometimes, you’re always so considerate, it makes me feel even more guilty. Have you eaten tonight? Should I make you something?"

He was handsome, gentle, and considerate, yet Sienna couldn’t fully reconcile his loving and betraying images.

It all felt so unreal.

In an instant, memories of their shared past flashed through her mind.

She remembered their first year together, he set off fireworks for half an hour, declaring loudly on the hour, "Sienna Monroe, I will make you the happiest woman in the world."

Every New Year’s Eve, he would give her a different surprise.

Once, when she was sick in winter, feverish and groggy, their car got stuck in the snow halfway, and he carried her for nearly two kilometers, ending up falling sick himself and staying in the hospital for over a week.

Though allergic to cat fur, he bought her an odd-eyed Ragdoll cat for her 25th birthday because she loved cats. During the time the cat stayed at home, he sneezed and suffered from rhinitis until Sienna couldn’t bear it anymore and sent the cat to be with Vivian.

Unfortunately, the cat didn’t survive even a year due to FIP despite treatment for over half a month.

All these efforts replayed in her mind like a slideshow.

Sienna had always firmly believed he loved her deeply.

Because of him, love had always been a beautiful and pure existence in her heart.

She never imagined the sorrow and absurdity of love being tainted one day.

Nor had she thought about how she would face it when it happened.

Caleb saw her lost in thought, tightened his arms around her waist slightly, and asked softly, "What’s wrong, honey?"

"I ate earlier, not hungry." She snapped back to reality, suppressing the bitterness rising in her heart, cautiously parting her lips to steady her voice, "I was just thinking about something."

"Hmm?"

"I was late coming back because I went by The Crestview Hotel." She took a note from her bag, "This number called me, saying they saw you with a woman entering the hotel, so I stopped by."

On the way back, her rationality gradually returned.

But once the seed of doubt is planted, it quickly grows into a towering tree, its lush leaves blocking out the light, leaving only shadows in the heart.

Her heart, her emotions, still couldn’t help but hold hope for Caleb.

Hoping it was all a misunderstanding.

Even hoping he could voluntarily confess and explain to her.

The number on the note was the one that had sent her the text message.

She checked it a couple of days ago, and the number didn’t exist.

She didn’t know why she couldn’t find it, but it could still serve as a tool to test Caleb.

If, if they all truly betrayed her...

Caleb frowned, took the note, glanced at it, "Do you know this person?"

"No, I don’t."

"Was it a man or a woman?"

This, Sienna wasn’t sure either, since she only received a text.

She pursed her lips and fabricated, "A man, sounding like someone from Imperial City, not very old, around thirty."

Caleb’s expression grew serious as he put away the note, saying, "Leave this to me, I’ll get to the bottom of it."

With that, he looked down at Sienna again, holding her close and asking softly, "Honey, do you trust me?"

Whether his acting skills were just that perfected, or he had nothing to hide, Sienna couldn’t detect any abnormality on his face.

He seemed so calm and natural, his surprise barely noticeable as it flitted by.

Sienna lifted her hand to his chest, assuming a serious stance, though her voice was slightly unsteady, "Would you betray me?"

She looked at him intently, not wanting to miss any emotion in his eyes.

Caleb hesitated briefly, then a smile touched his eyes, gently capturing her fingers towards his head, "Do you know what this is?"

"What?"

"People say I’m Sienna-minded." Caleb chuckled softly, kissing the back of her hand reverently, his voice low and slightly hoarse, "I’ve thought about it, and it’s true. Sienna, this life, I love only you, I’m unable to spare love for anyone else."

The more tender and affectionate he spoke, the more conflicted Sienna’s heart felt.

Over the years, she hadn’t lacked hearing his sweet words. They used to seem so blissful, so sweet; but now, why did they feel hollow and insincere?

Would he really not share his love with others?

Had he never said these things to Vivian Nash?

"Yes, you treat me so well, love me so much, of course, I believe you."

Sienna’s voice and heart felt momentarily empty, her upturned gaze filled with joyous happiness, yet appearing somewhat ethereal and elusive, "Do you remember the vow we made the year we married at The Serenity Temple?"

Caleb paused momentarily, then replied softly, "Of course, I remember."

"Hmm, you said that those who betray true love would swallow ten thousand silver needles. So I won’t believe those alarming words."

That was two days before their wedding when they went to The Serenity Temple to fulfill a vow, Caleb Sinclair held her hand and spoke those words to the statue of Buddha.

"Hmm."

Caleb gently pulled her into his embrace, quickly masking the unworthiness about to overflow from his eyes. His tender voice was filled with profound emotion, as if trying to hypnotize both himself and Sienna Monroe.

"Sienna, I love you, how could I bear to let you down? We’ll grow old together."

Sienna didn’t respond, allowing him to hold her.

Yes, he loved her, how could he bear to let her down and see her sad?

The vows and love they once had seemed almost like yesterday, yet now a fine mist covered them, making them unreachable.

Could they really grow old together?

Her previous certainty had inevitably wavered.

The familiar scent of pine wood faintly surrounded her nose.

Yet suddenly a feeling of unprecedented repulsion surged in her heart, and when she calmed the tumult inside, she pulled away from his embrace with a smile, "Alright, we’re like an old married couple, no need for declarations. I need to go upstairs for a shower."

Caleb’s eyes smiled as he lightly pinched her nose, "How are we an old married couple? We’ve only been married for three years, and not just three years. Even thirty, forty years later, I’ll still say I love you."

Sienna laughed softly, patting his arm and giving him a playful glance, "So improper. I still have work to do; you sleep first, no need to wait for me."

"Finish it tomorrow, we haven’t..."

Caleb grabbed her hand, his usually gentle and deep eyes now glossed with a thin layer of desire.

This was the signal of a beginning.

Sienna knew what he wanted to do, the barrier in her heart urged her to refuse.

She pretended to sigh, "There’s more to do tomorrow."

Caleb knew the art gallery was currently preparing for a famous young female artist’s solo exhibition next month, and as the curator, she had been working overtime for quite a while.

With no choice but to let go, "Alright, then don’t stay up too late, take care of yourself."

Sienna uttered a sound of acknowledgment and turned directly to the study. Just as she shut the door, not having yet released the tension from her body, her phone chimed with a text message.

She paused, quickly retrieving her phone from her bag.

It was the same familiar number.

[Rippling Crest Estates, Villa 11, was given by Caleb Sinclair to Vivian Nash using the marital joint assets, valued at 27 million.]

Sienna’s breath immediately stopped, her eyes froze.

Rippling Crest Estates was a high-end villa community that had opened for sales just this May.

Famous for its excellent location and unique design, it had almost been fully booked halfway through the construction.

If it was true, could it be that the two of them started last year...

Sienna bit her lip, her mind already in turmoil with anxiety and unrest, utterly unable to concentrate on work.

She successfully suffered from insomnia.

Only until dawn broke slightly did she gradually fall asleep, waking up at half-past eight.

When going downstairs, Caleb had already finished breakfast and was waiting for her.

She was surprised, "Why haven’t you gone to the company?"

"Seeing you asleep so late, I was a bit worried, did you work late again last night?" Caleb approached, eyes filled with concern, "Why does your complexion look so poor?"

"No, maybe my quality of sleep has been a bit off recently."

"Why don’t you have breakfast and then go back to sleep, head to the gallery in the afternoon."

"Alright." Sienna smiled and glanced at her watch, "It’s almost nine o’clock, you should hurry to the company."

Before Caleb left, he kept reminding her, "You must rest well, understand?"

Sienna watched him leave, leisurely finishing her breakfast, she didn’t hurry to the art gallery but instead drove to Rippling Crest Estates.

Originally wanting to confirm whether that house was under Vivian Nash’s name.

But before her car came to a complete stop, from over ten meters away, she caught sight of a familiar black Cayenne from afar.

Identical to the one Caleb had driven out from home just minutes ago.

Beside the car stood two figures locked in a passionate embrace.

Sienna’s pupils shrank violently, her mind went blank in an instant.

Despite the distance making it hard to clearly see the faces amidst the passionate kiss, Caleb Sinclair’s blue coat was something she could never forget.

Because it was the gift she had given him on his birthday last year.

If those few text messages had only caused suspicion and unease, then this scene was like a death sentence, pushing her harshly into an abyss.

Like a blade of slow death by a thousand cuts, cutting her flesh and blood, striking deep into her soul.

After a good while, seeing the two still not breaking apart, she released her tightly clenched fists, sniffed, took out her phone, opened the camera, zoomed in, two familiar profiles came into view, the disappointment in her eyes fell in icy tears.

It was Caleb Sinclair and Vivian Nash.

The person who a few minutes ago was at home caring and worrying about her, at this moment, was here wearing the clothes she gifted him, embracing another woman in a passionate kiss.

As if her chest was filled with a heavy cocoon, her breathing felt trapped like bugs in a narrow space, bringing nothing but endless suffocation and pressure.

Sienna gave a wry tug of her lips, trembling hands, mindlessly pressing the shutter a few times, she didn’t even check the album, at that moment, she only wanted to flee this place swiftly.

What does it feel like to be betrayed by the two closest people?

Sienna couldn’t say, nor did she dare think, only that there was a sore, swollen place in her heart at this moment, with fine pain swarming in, so painful it was almost impossible to breathe.

Turns out, only she was like a fool, kept in the dark, thinking they genuinely loved and cared for her.

How could she be so stupid not to notice any signs?

She recalled, three years ago, when Caleb proposed, it was also a day with good weather like today.

The hot air balloon slowly ascended, and halfway up, she looked down to see words formed with 1,314,520 roses: Sienna Monroe, will you marry me?

She was momentarily stunned, and Caleb, on the hot air balloon, knelt on one knee, a two-carat diamond ring lay in the box, along with his tender, gentle eyes.

He said, "Sienna, marry me. I will love you well for this life, will never let you shed a tear."

Indeed, three years of courtship, and three years of marriage, he cared for her meticulously.

Except for the unexpected death of her mother last year, she had never cried.

To her, these six years were happiness, sweetness, endless joy, and enjoyment.

Whoever knew them said they were a loving couple, harmonious and affectionate.

But what did it all mean now?

She gave a self-deprecating smile, tears falling harder, blurring her vision almost entirely, unable to see the road ahead, she was forced to pull the car over to the roadside.

Ding!

The phone in her bag rang once more.

Sienna’s heart seemed to be clenched by something, her heart tightened abruptly, she took out her phone: [Go to Aethel Law Firm to find Sebastian Prescott, he can help you.]