Chapter 218: Can You Trust Me?
Sienna had complete faith in Zachary. If anyone could uncover the truth, it was him.
"Yes," Sienna murmured quietly. "I should ask him. He’ll know how to find whoever is behind this, even the mastermind—"
She had barely finished the thought when the office door behind her opened.
The sound made her turn around immediately.
Zachary stepped into the room, bare-chested, wearing only a white T-shirt and black pajama pants. His hair was still slightly damp from his shower, and without his usual business attire, he looked far more relaxed than he had all day.
The moment their eyes met, the tension inside Sienna eased just a little.
Simply seeing him gave her a sense of safety she hadn’t realized she needed. That feeling, however, lasted only a few seconds.
As Zachary walked closer, his expression gradually changed.
The calm smile disappeared from his face, replaced by quiet concern as he took in her pale complexion and troubled eyes.
Stopping directly in front of her, Zachary leaned in slightly to study her face more carefully. His hand gently lifted to her chin, letting her look at him rather than avoid his gaze.
"What’s wrong?" he asked softly. "Why do you look like you’ve just seen a ghost?"
Despite everything weighing on her mind, Sienna couldn’t help smiling faintly at his choice of words.
However, her smile faded almost as quickly as it came when she remembered the articles. She turned toward her desk, picked up her phone, reopened the link, and placed it in his hand.
When she looked back at him, her eyes were filled with trust.
"Zach, I need your help," she said helplessly.
Although Zachary was confused and concerned by Sienna’s expression, he remained calm as he took the phone from her hand.
He lowered his gaze to the screen, taking a moment to understand what she wanted him to read.
The article wasn’t long. It only took him a minute to grasp what it was about.
As he continued reading, the warmth on his face gradually disappeared. His expression darkened, and his eyes turned cold. By the time he reached the end of the article, he finally understood why Sienna had looked so shaken when he walked into the room.
He slowly lifted his head and met her anxious eyes.
"When did you find out about this?" he asked quietly.
"Just now." Sienna tried to keep her voice steady, but the slight tremble in her words betrayed how unsettled she really was. "The article was actually published two days ago, but it only started spreading today."
Zachary nodded thoughtfully before placing her phone on the desk beside them.
Without saying anything else, he stepped closer and rested both hands gently on her shoulders.
His touch was warm and steady, grounding her racing thoughts.
He held her gaze and spoke in the same calm voice that had always made her feel safe.
"Sienna," he said softly, "this isn’t something you need to worry about." His thumbs gave her shoulders a reassuring squeeze. "I’ll have someone deal with these articles."
Sienna looked into his eyes.
"Hmm... thank you." Sienna managed a small smile, but it was obvious she was forcing herself to appear calmer than she actually felt.
Zachary noticed immediately. Her smile never reached her eyes. Fear and worry were still quietly hiding there.
He lifted his hands to her face, gently brushing her cheeks with his thumbs.
"Don’t thank me." His voice was warm, patient, and full of certainty. "I’m your husband... taking care of you is my responsibility. I’ll do everything I can to protect you."
For a brief moment, Sienna felt herself relax. Knowing he was on her side eased much of the panic she had been carrying since reading the articles.
Even so, one thought continued to trouble her.
Zachary could tell. He had learned to read her expressions long before she ever spoke.
"What are you still thinking about?" he asked gently. "Why do you still look so worried?"
She hesitated before answering. "I read the comments..." Her voice became quieter. "A lot of people have already started trying to figure out who I am."
Sienna lowered her gaze.
"I’m afraid that if they discover my identity..." She paused, then looked back at him. "Zach, what if they drag you into this too?"
Before she realized it, Zachary had already pulled her into his arms.
His embrace was gentle but firm, leaving no room for doubt.
Sienna naturally rested her head against his sturdy chest, listening to the calm, steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
One of his hands slowly stroked her back while the other rested protectively around her waist.
"My wife," he said softly above her head, "can you trust me this time?"
She closed her eyes. His familiar scent and the warmth of his embrace gradually eased the tension that had been tightening inside her.
He added, "I will take care of everything. You don’t need to fight those people on the internet." He took a quiet breath, then continued, "Promise me you will stop reading the comments. Many of them are only trying to upset you."
Sienna briefly nodded; she agreed with him. There was nothing she could accomplish by reading strangers’ opinions over and over again. All it did was make her more afraid.
Finally, she gave a small nod.
"I trust you." She lifted her face to look at him. "And... I will not think about it anymore. I mean, I’ll try my best. Wish me luck."
A gentle smile returned to Zachary’s face. He lightly brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face before taking her hand.
"That’s the spirit I need to hear from you, my dear..." He intertwined his fingers with hers and led her toward their bedroom. "Alright, you should clean up, get fresh, and then get some rest."
"What about you?" she asked.
"I need to make a few phone calls." He glanced toward the door leading to his home office. "I’ll handle this tonight."
Sienna nodded obediently.