Chapter 33

Caitlin’s Pov :

The apartment felt too quiet without Sienna.

I was curled up on the couch, the soft fabric of my Iowa hoodie pulled over my knees, mindlessly scrolling through Instagram. The television was on, some rerun of a WNBA game humming in the background, but I wasn’t really watching. My phone buzzed with likes and tags-edits of me from last night’s game, fan videos set to Taylor Swift or Olivia Rodrigo songs-but none of them could distract me from how much I missed her.

Sienna was in Boston, covering the Indiana Pacers vs. Boston Celtics game. Her boss had insisted she be there in person to do a live segment. It was just two days. Forty-eight hours. I had spent longer stretches apart from her before… but this felt different.

Maybe it was the way she kissed me before she left-slow and sweet, like she didn’t want to leave either.

But that didn’t stop me from wanting to beg her not to go.

Flashback – Yesterday

I stood in the middle of my apartment, arms around Sienna’s waist, chin hooked over her shoulder like a child refusing to let go of their favorite toy. My voice came out soft and stubborn.

“I don’t want you to go.”

Sienna turned around in my arms, cupping my cheeks gently like she always did when she was trying to calm me down. Her emerald green eyes sparkled with warmth and mischief, but they were also laced with something deeper-love, maybe. Or something close.

“Baby,” she said softly, “I’ll be gone for two days. That’s it. I’ll be back before you know it. My boss wants this story covered, and it’s live television. I can’t say no to that.”

I groaned and leaned my head against her shoulder, letting out the most dramatic sigh I could muster. “I hate your job now.”

Sienna laughed, the sound soft and golden in my ears. She tilted my face up, and our eyes locked-hazel and emerald. She looked at me like I hung the stars. My breath caught.

“No, you don’t, Clark. You love when I write about you or interview you live. Don’t lie to me.”

I rolled my eyes, though a smile tugged at my lips. “Okay, yeah, maybe. But I don’t like sharing you with other people. Especially when it comes to interviewing the men’s teams. Why can’t you just stick to the women’s league? Cover our team. Cover me. What if someone says something inappropriate and I’m not there to protect you?”

She stared at me for a long second, her smile fading into something gentler. More intimate. Her thumb brushed across my cheek as she leaned forward, kissing me softly, sweetly-one of those kisses that felt like home.

“I’ll be fine, baby,” she whispered against my lips. “And I can’t help it. Being a sports journalist means I have to cover all sides-men’s and women’s. It’s my job.”

I didn’t reply at first. I just pressed my lips to her forehead and whispered against her skin, “Be safe. If anything happens, call me. I’ll book a flight immediately. I don’t care if I have a game or not.”

Her lips curved into a tiny smile. “You’re dramatic.”

“I’m in love,” I corrected, pulling her in for one more hug.

Her only response was another kiss on the cheek and a promise whispered against my skin: “I’ll be back before you even miss me.”

Spoiler alert: I already missed her.

She didn’t let me drive her to the airport-she said it was too risky if people saw us, and I had early practice anyway. I respected her boundaries, but watching her leave through my apartment door had felt like watching the sun set too early.

I hadn’t stopped thinking about her since.

Now, alone in the apartment, I looked down at my phone and smiled softly at her most recent text.

Sunshine ☀️💞 : Have a good day, I’ll be home soon.

Clark ⛹️‍♀️: Be safe. Go kill it out there, Sunshine. You got this.

I was about to scroll past another dramatic fan edit of me crossing someone up in slow motion, when a notification banner slid across the top of my screen.

New Email: Selena Hopkins

I blinked, the name catching my attention. I exited out of Instagram and opened my inbox. Most emails I ignored-interview requests, brand pitches, university updates-but this one… this one was from my agent.

—

From: Selena Hopkins
Subject: Clarity and Co
Meeting Today

> Caitlin,
Remember the sponsorship deal I told you about three months ago? The one with Clarity and Co? The CEO is finally back and would love to meet with you today. I know it’s been three months, but he’s serious about this. Please go to the meeting and see if the terms work for you.

Your Agent,
Selena Hopkins

—

I frowned, reading the email twice.

Clarity and Co.

I remembered the name now, but just vaguely. It had been a passing conversation three months ago-Selena had said they were a wellness brand, something about nutrition, sleep, and athlete recovery programs. I’d nodded, told her to handle it, and honestly forgotten about it.

But now… now I remembered something else.

That building.

The sleek glass one on Salzman Street-the same building where I found Sienna crying outside months ago, after she caught her boyfriend cheating. My stomach twisted, a dull ache growing behind my ribs.

I hadn’t thought much about it at the time, too focused on wrapping her up in my arms and getting her somewhere safe. But now? Now I wished I’d done my research.

Sighing, I stood and headed to the shower. The warm water helped clear my head, but the uneasiness stuck with me like steam on the bathroom mirror.

An hour later, I was dressed in my go-to outfit for moments I needed to feel steady-black cargo pants, a white Nike t-shirt that read “Be Legendary,” and my Nike Dunk Low sneakers. I slipped my phone into my back pocket, grabbed my keys, and locked up behind me.

The drive to Salzman Street was quiet, only the soft sounds of Taylor Swift’s 1989 playing on the radio. I didn’t sing along. Not today.

The moment I turned the corner and saw the glass-paneled building, my chest tightened. It was exactly how I remembered-sleek, cold, sterile. Like the place didn’t know what heartbreak felt like, even though I’d seen it unfold right there on the sidewalk.

I parked the car, turned off the engine, and sat still for a moment, taking a deep breath. Then I stepped out, locking the door behind me with a soft beep.

The air-conditioned lobby hit me like a wall-chilled and sharp. Everything inside was white marble and spotless glass, like something out of a futuristic movie.

At the front desk was a woman with bright lipstick and a nameplate that read Darla.

She looked up and practically squealed. “Oh my god! You’re Caitlin Clark! What can I do for you, Miss Clark?”

I offered her a polite smile. “Hi. I’m here for a meeting with the CEO. Is he in today?”

Her grin widened. “Oh yes, Mr. Mendes is expecting you. He told me to send you straight up to the ninth floor. His assistant, Rudy, will be waiting.”

“Thank you, Darla.”

I turned toward the elevators, pressing the button with a practiced calm, but my stomach was doing somersaults. The ride up felt long, the elevator humming softly as it climbed floor after floor.

Ding.

The doors slid open with a gentle chime. I stepped out into a quiet hallway lined with framed black-and-white photographs and plush navy carpet. At the end of the corridor sat a man with blond hair typing furiously behind a desk.

Rudy Davis, the nameplate read.

“What is up with these people and their nameplates,” I muttered under my breath.

He glanced up, and when he saw me, his eyes widened. He stood quickly, flustered.

“Oh! Miss Clark! You’re here. Mr. Mendes is expecting you. Let me just inform him.”

I nodded, pretending to admire the interior design as he picked up the phone.

He whispered quickly into the receiver before placing it back down.

A few seconds later, he smiled. “You may enter, Miss Clark. He’s ready for you.”

I gave him a small nod and walked toward the large double doors. My heart was thudding now, and I couldn’t figure out why.

I turned the handle and stepped inside.

The office was stunning-dark wood, navy and black accents, floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the city. A man was seated behind a large mahogany desk, signing something with a silver pen.

He looked up when I entered.

And my entire body froze.

Those eyes-baby blue. That smirk. That boyish charm I used to see on Sienna’s phone screen months ago.

It was him.

Joseph.

Sienna’s ex-boyfriend. The man who cheated on her. The man who made her cry until she couldn’t breathe outside this very building.

“Uh, Caitlin Clark,” he said smoothly, that same arrogant smirk on his face. “Welcome to Clarity and Co. Don’t be a stranger-it’s not like we haven’t met before… when I was with Sienna.”

The way he said her name made something in me snap. Like he still had the right to say it. Like he hadn’t crushed her.

I clenched my jaw but forced a fake smile. “Joseph. Nice to see you again.”

A lie.

“Please, have a seat,” he offered, gesturing to the chair across from him.

I sat, folding my hands tightly in my lap. My body was rigid, my mind spiraling. Before I could say anything, a knock interrupted the room.

“Come in,” Joseph called.

Rudy entered, balancing a tray of snacks and steaming drinks. He looked flustered again, cheeks a little pink.

But it wasn’t Rudy I was watching.

It was Joseph. The way his eyes lingered on Rudy’s figure, the way his tongue swiped across his bottom lip and he subtly bit it. Rudy blushed deeper and quickly set the tray down.

And suddenly, it all made sense.

Sienna’s words from that morning after Joseph’s betrayal three months ago came flooding back-He cheated on me with his male assistant.
The look on Rudy’s face. The way he avoided my eyes. The heat in Joseph’s stare.

I connected the dots.

Joseph had cheated on Sienna-with him.
With Rudy.

My blood boiled.

I clenched my fists under the desk, nails biting into my palms.

But my face remained stoic.

I wouldn’t let this man see me flinch.

He already broke Sienna once-he wasn’t going to get any satisfaction from me.

This meeting just got a whole lot more complicated.

Authors Note :

Hey y’all, this is just a filler chapter I didn’t know what to write, I’m just trying to fill the gaps. Anyways I have nothing to rant about, until next time y’all, this is not proofread so yeah just deal with it.

XoXo V 💜💜💜