Chapter 253
Sienna nodded. After a few seconds of silence, she frowned slightly. “Maloney is just too lonely. If he had someone by his side, he wouldn’t be burying himself in work day and night. In all the years you’ve taken care of him, Mrs. Higgins, have you ever seen him get particularly close to anyone p>
Mrs. Higgins immediately answered, “Maloney does have a girlfriend. They just never got married p>
“Excuse me?” Sienna was genuinely shocked.
In her seven years with the Sterlings, she had never heard a single whisper about Maloney having a girlfriend.
Maybe it was because she spent so little time at the manor, or perhaps Helena and the old lady intentionally kept it from her.
“Maloney had someone he really cared for. It was arranged during your second year married to Jarred. They were a perfect match and dated for quite a long time. The elders were thrilled. The wedding date, the dress, the venue—everything was finalized. They were just waiting to make the official announcement p>
Sienna’s brow furrowed deeper. “Then how come I never heard about it, or even met her p>
Mrs. Higgins was a simple woman. She appreciated Sienna’s respectful demeanor and, remembering how Maloney had always looked out for Sienna, spoke without an ounce of suspicion.
Mrs. Higgins sighed. “The night before the engagement party, the bride-to-be suddenly called it off. Maloney refused. But she was adamant. Neither set of parents could change her mind, and Mrs. Sterling had no choice but to agree. This was just a few months ago. When the old master woke up and heard about it, he even scolded Mrs. Sterling over the whole mess p>
Sienna’s heart skipped a beat. “Why did she want to cancel the engagement p>
“That, I couldn’t tell you,” Mrs. Higgins said, shaking her head. “I only heard rumors about clashing personalities. But last month, for her birthday, Maloney dropped a billion-dollar project just to fly out to Aspen to be with her. Her studio, her house, her car—Maloney arranged all of it. He’s been trying so hard to win her back p>
Sienna fell deep into thought.
If that was the case, why was the woman so insistent on breaking it off to begin with?
“Mrs. Higgins, which family does this woman belong to p>
“She’s the only daughter of the Soke family down in Charleston,” Mrs. Higgins replied, then suddenly remembered something else. “Oh, she’s also Agnes Zeller’s granddaughter up here in the Capital p>
That sparked a memory.
When Sienna was treating Maxwell Zeller, she had definitely seen a woman around her age at the Zeller estate.
Mrs. Higgins looked at Sienna’s beautiful face, then at the sleeping Owen, and a pang of sympathy hit her.
She sighed softly. “Ms. Sloan, it’s such a shame things between you and Jarred ended up like this p>
Sienna offered a faint smile. “If a relationship works, you walk the path together. If it doesn’t, you part ways. There’s nothing to pity p>
“Forgive me for speaking out of turn,” Mrs. Higgins murmured. “But back then, everyone thought you two were a match made in heaven Even Maloney felt terrible about it. The moment he heard about your divorce, he rushed straight back p>
Sienna’s eyes shifted thoughtfully before she casually asked, “Speaking of the past, Mrs. Higgins, at my eighteenth birthday party, you were the only one helping out the entire night. You must remember the guests who showed up, right p>
Mrs. Higgins paused, weighing her words before nodding. “Anyone who stepped into that hall, I’d definitely remember. Why do you ask? Did something happen p>
Sienna gave a light laugh. “It’s just that I suddenly remembered finding a Diamond Cufflink at the manor that night. Judging by the design and craftsmanship, it looked incredibly expensive, but I never found the owner was wondering if you might recall anything. Based on the cufflink’s color, the owner would have likely been wearing a white. suit p>
Mrs. Higgins thought for a couple of seconds. “Now that you mention it, I do remember something p>