Admitting that she had been a terrible judge of character was one thing; she just needed to be smarter in the future.
But if Sienna still tried to justify her cousin's actions, or worse, magnanimously decided to forgive her?
If that happened, Karla would seriously consider dropping Sienna entirely.
She had zero interest in dragging along someone who couldn't think clearly, because eventually, that person would turn into another venomous snake and bite her, too.
If someone's moral compass was so broken that they could easily forgive an attempted murderer, they would likely believe their own transgressions deserved the same easy forgiveness.
"Karla, I swear to you, I will never forgive her."
"I am going to press charges and make sure every single one of them rots in a cell!" Sienna was forced to swallow a profoundly bitter pill.
If only she had listened to Karla from the start and hadn't let her sympathy get the better of her.
She knew she had played a massive part in bringing this catastrophe upon herself. Sienna hated herself for it, overwhelmed by a suffocating wave of helplessness.
"As long as you keep a clear head. Don't go forgiving Lillian the second Silas calls to beg for mercy or pull the family card."
"Honestly, if you forgive her, I'm washing my hands of you," Karla stated bluntly.
Sienna immediately swore that her resolve was absolute.
"Alright, you focus on resting for now. The doctor will be by later, and you have another scan scheduled for tomorrow. You sustained a severe spinal injury, so returning to set anytime soon is completely off the table."
"The only thing you can do right now is fight for maximum compensation."
"I'll handle the negotiations with the director."
The production clearly wasn't going to halt filming just to wait for Sienna.
Her recovery wasn't going to happen overnight.
The studio executives obviously knew this. The director had visited earlier, partly to check on Sienna, but mainly to initiate discussions with Karla about the inevitable recast.
He was hoping to reach a settlement that would satisfy everyone involved.
Karla hadn't agreed to anything yet, insisting that they wait until Sienna regained consciousness.
It wasn't a confirmed medical
certainty that Sienna was
permanently paralyzed and forced
into early retirement. What if she
wanted to return to the industry later on?
But the entertainment world was brutally unforgiving. If her rehabilitation took years,
who would even remember her name by the time she was done?
However, if she could secure a guaranteed lead role from this director as part of the settlement, it would serve as the perfect
launchpad for a spectacular comeback.
Karla was calculating every possible angle to protect Sienna's future.
Sienna nodded weakly. "Karla, whatever you arrange with the director is fine by me.
I don't have any specific demands."
She was going to pay an agonizing price for her own misplaced empathy, and she
was still struggling to process the sheer weight of it.
Karla recognized the despair in her eyes and decided not to push the issue.
"Understood. Just rest. I'm going to go make the call."
The production crew couldn't afford to bleed money every day they stayed shut down; replacing the lead actress was simply a matter of time.
Getting the unpleasant business out of the way now was better for both sides. Sienna nodded again, quietly whispering her thanks.
The moment Karla stepped out of the room, two streams of tears slipped down Sienna's face.
She was drowning in regret. Why had she invited a predator into her life?
What had she ever done to deserve this from Lillian?
She had always treated her assistants well, and because Lillian was family, she
made sure to give her double of whatever perks she received.
Whether it was high-end skincare endorsements, luxury cosmetics, or designer perfumes gifted by brands, Sienna had always ensured Eillian got her own share.
She had treated Lillian like her own flesh and blood.
And how did Lillian repay that generosity?
By nearly ending her life!
Karla had absolutely no intention of keeping Sienna's recovery a secret.
She deliberately uploaded a picture of Sienna awake to her social media accounts.