While the Reeves family was still tearing the Hotel apart looking for Sienna, inside the Cullinan Sienna was grinning like it was the best night of her life.
This was the first time she'd successfully slipped away from under her parents' noses — the thrill was intoxicating. (Sienna: Affection +2.)
They pulled up at the night food market. The air hit them: smoky grills, sweet sauces, steam rising from vendors' carts, and a thousand little smells that made Sienna's eyes go wide. She practically dragged Jason toward the stalls. Her mother had lectured her a hundred times about street food being "junk." Tonight, none of that mattered.
Jason's phone buzzed in his pocket. Unknown number. He thumbed it open and answered.
On the line was Mr Reeves. His earlier fury had vanished like fog in sunlight; now her voice was polite, almost careful. "Mr. Carter — is my daughter with you?"
Jason nodded without lying, and pointed at Sienna, who was pretending to check her nails and looked perfectly innocent. Sienna rolled her eyes, then whispered when Jason mouthed the words to her: "You told me to be rebellious, so I'm being rebellious — that's why I didn't pick up."
Jason flicked her a look that mixed exasperation and amusement. Rebellious was one thing — but completely unreachable? That was asking for a heart attack. The reason he'd taken her off-grid without leaving a note was simple: she'd vanish for a bit, someone would notice, and a phone call would follow. In this era of constant contact, there was no need to send a breadcrumb trail. He hadn't counted on Sienna's full commitment to being "rebellious."
Fortunately, the Reeves had found his number. If they'd called the police first, the evening would've been a different kind of spectacle.
"Yes, Mrs. Reeves," Jason said. "Sienna is with me. Don't worry — I'll take good care of her."
Amanda's tone shifted into the mode of a mother who was equal parts terrified and relieved. "She rarely goes out on her own," she said. "Please keep an eye on her, and don't stay out too late."
Hearing that, Sienna's jaw dropped. When she'd slipped out with female classmates before, she'd gotten a lecture that could last a week. Now she was with a guy — and her mother sounded calm? The little thrill of victory made her grin at Jason. How did he do that? (Sienna: Affection +3.)
Jason kept his voice steady and courteous. "Of course, Mrs. Reeves. I'll make sure she's home safely. I'll have my assistant, Olivia, add you so we can keep you updated."
Politeness, when earned, deserved politeness in return. Jason handed the phone to Sienna.
Sienna took it, suddenly feeling a small prickle of guilt and an even bigger rush of freedom. "Mom…" she began, expecting a scolding.
But Amanda only gave her a mild chide. "Have fun — but be back before midnight." The final line carried a warning, but also trust.
Sienna blinked, then mouthed a quiet "Thanks," the thrill of the night glowing in her chest. Jason watched her, expression softening a fraction, as the two of them melted into the crowd of the food market — the lights, the noise, the anonymity — and for the first time that night, Sienna felt like the world was (briefly) hers.
After Amanda hung up, Sienna still had to pinch herself. Since when had her mother turned into the mellow type? But any lingering surprise vanished the moment the food stalls hit her senses.
"This is amazing — so much good stuff! I'm buying — you have to try everything!" Sienna squealed, tugging Jason toward the nearest vendor.
Jason found himself smiling. Her excitement was contagious. If Sienna wanted to treat, he didn't argue — for a girl from a comfortably wealthy family, this sort of splurge was pocket change anyway. He let her lead him down the row of carts, the two of them blending into the bustle.
Back at the Hotel, the birthday banquet carried on, but Amanda and Mr. Reeves couldn't focus on dessert. Worry tugged at them until Olivia, Jason's assistant, began sending steady updates.
The first one was a photo taken at the night market: Sienna mid-bite of a skewer, a little oil at the corner of her mouth, grinning from ear to ear. Amanda softened at the sight — her daughter hadn't looked this genuinely happy in a long time.
(Sienna: Affection +2.)
The next update was a short, ridiculous video. Sienna took a bite of some smoky, theatrically-flavored ice cream and promptly blew a comical puff of air — much to her own surprise — leaving her cheeks puffed and muffled as she tried to speak. Jason doubled over laughing; even through the phone, that sound melted a little of Amanda's anxiety.
Then came a string of snapshots from an escape-room game: Sienna jumping in mock fright, frowning in concentration, then clapping triumphantly. Another set showed them at an amusement park, grinning in a bumper car as Sienna deliberately collided with Jason's — like a kid again.
(Sienna: Affection +3.)
Slowly, worry turned into warmth on Amanda's face. Watching her daughter act like a child again—the sort of reckless, unselfconscious joy she hadn't seen in years—was oddly comforting. As for the tab? Mr. Reeves and Amanda didn't care. If Sienna wanted to pay for her own fun, let her. And if Jason was covering anything, so be it — it was trivial for him anyway.
Then Amanda's brow knit with a new concern. "Wait — that park? I thought Queen Park closed at ten. It's almost eleven. How are they still there?"
Her control instinct kicked in. If something didn't add up, she'd get to the bottom of it. She asked a staffer to verify the park's status. This time, the staffer came back with news that made everyone pause.
"Ma'am," the secretary said, face a little strange, "you know Queen Park? Mr. Carter just acquired Queen Park outright."
Amanda blinked. "Surely you mean the bumper car section or something small? They wouldn't sell the whole park for a comic stunt."
"No, ma'am," the secretary replied. "The whole park. Queen Park — Ferris wheel, roller coaster, carousel, water attractions, even the small zoo. It's roughly eighty-seven acres. The internal estimate I'm seeing puts the deal at no less than three hundred million dollars."
Amanda and Mr. Reeve exchanged stunned looks. He'd bought an entire amusement park — for what, a late-night play date?
They tried the math and failed to reconcile it with their idea of reason. Even if Jason was sentimental or indulgent, spending three hundred million so their daughter could play bumper cars? It felt unreal.
Nearby, Chase and Liam had been eavesdropping. Earlier they'd watched Amanda and Mr. Reeves soften over the photos and felt a sour little twinge of envy. Now, hearing the price tag attached to Jason's latest purchase, the envy curdled into disbelief — then utter defeat. The kid who'd walked into the banquet had apparently just dropped the kind of money that made their own boasts sound small.
For Amanda, it was a strange mix of relief and unease. Her daughter was safe and laughing — but at what cost? For Jason, though, the math was simple: Sienna's joy that night was worth the price of admission to him, and whatever else it took to make that happen.
As the updates kept coming — silly videos, glowing photos, breathless little captions from Olivia — the Reeves watched and waited. The phone, for now, had all the answers they needed.
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