Chapter 252
Mrs. Higgins, the personal caretaker who had raised Maloney since childhood.
Maloney was always calm and reserved. In his thirty-something years, he had never been involved in any scandals, nor did he have any particularly close friends or bitter enemies.
He hid his emotions far too well.
But no one lived without a past.
Mrs. Higgins had watched him grow up. She had to know something.
Sienna immediately took time off from Jonathan Coleman and booked the next flight to Germany.
Outwardly, she claimed she was going to visit her brother and oversee his medical care.
She didn’t reveal her true motive to anyone, not even Luna.
Right before boarding, Sienna received a text from Luna: “The photo analysis is going to take some time, and I’m still asking around about the cufflink. Go see Owen, and I’ll update you the second I have anything p>
Sienna sent a quick acknowledgement and boarded the plane.
It was early morning when the flight landed.
Dragging her suitcase out of the airport, Sienna didn’t even bother fighting her jet lag and took a cab straight to the hospital.
Owen hadn’t fully regained consciousness yet.
The secondary surgery had completely depleted his already fragile body, leaving him gaunt and hollowed out.
When Sienna walked into the room, she saw him deep in sleep, an oxygen tube resting in his nose.
Mrs. Higgins had just finished wiping him down. Seeing Sienna enter, she immediately fussed over her.
Mrs. Higgins mentioned that Owen was extremely sluggish. He was hypersensitive to sound and light, instinctively wincing and shutting his eyes at bright flashes.
Even a slightly raised voice would trigger agonizing headaches.
Sometimes, he would forget things that were just said to him seconds ago.
Out of a twenty-four-hour day, he spent twenty-three of them asleep.
But the doctors assured them this was the best-case scenario. Some people didn’t even make it off the operating table.
Sienna sat by the edge of the bed, gently stroking Owen’s head, whispering that everything was fine, that just being alive was the greatest victory.
She stayed with him for a while. Once Mrs. Higgins finished her chores, Sienna walked out into the corridor and sat down on the bench next to her.
“Mrs. Higgins, you’ve probably heard about Jarred and me getting a divorce,” Sienna said bluntly.
Mrs. Higgins kept her head down and didn’t reply. Decades in service had taught her the value of discretion.
No matter how close she was with Maloney, she never pried into her employers’ private affairs unless they brought it up first.
Sienna continued, “From now on, I’m walking my own path, and the Sterlings have theirs. We won’t have any more ties. If you want to return to Maloney, I won’t stop you p>
Mrs. Higgins looked up at her in surprise.
She caught the implication perfectly: staying to help Sienna meant severing ties with the Sterlings.
Though she had no idea why things had deteriorated so drastically, she answered honestly.
“Ms. Sloan, since I’ve come here, I’m fully committed to staying. When Maloney sent me, he made it clear 1 was to look after Owen until he was discharged. Besides, they’ve already hired a replacement for my position back home I go back now, I’d just be getting someone fired. Things are good here. Owen and I have a bond, and he’s a very good boy p>
Sienna hadn’t expected Mrs. Higgins to be so agreeable. A soft smile touched her lips. “Alright. Since you’re willing to stay, tu bump up your salary by another twenty percent moving forward p>
“Oh, there’s no need for that. You already pay me more than enough, Ms. Sloan,” Mrs. Higgins replied politely.
Sienna smoothly shifted the subject. “Mrs. Higgins, has Owen been a handful? You’re so used to looking: after Maloney all by yourself, I wasnt sure if taking care of someone out here would be too exhausting for you.” –
“Maloney might be on his own, but he hosts so many banquets. He works even harder than the old master ever did. This workload is nothing compared to that p>
Mrs. Higgins’s tone was laced with maternal affection, sounding like a genuine elder.