LOGINNathan let out a mocking laughter at John. "Mr. Henderson, you think too highly of yourself."John did not react at all. "If I'm with her, I can help her manage the shares she holds in the King and Lynch families and make everyone else give up on trying to get them.""That sounds so nice." Nathan was determined to go against him. "When the time comes, you'll be the first one trying to take them.""Aren't you and Mom still around?" John said calmly.Nathan paused."Let's take a step back and say I really am after Sierra's shares," John continued. "With you and Mom around, what could I possibly do? Would you really just stand there and watch me take them from her?"Nathan narrowed his eyes. "You'd never get the chance.""Exactly. So if Sierra is with me, I can only ever be her financial advisor. You and Mom would be the ones keeping watch," John said.Robin was completely lost. He could not understand why John had suddenly started making peace with Mr. Lynch. Just a moment ago, e
John's eyes first laid on Lance, whose face was full of guilt. Then, he looked at Nathan, who looked stern and slightly cold. "Mr. Lynch, did you need something from me?""What do you think?" Nathan stressed all four words."You can tell me." John stayed as polite as ever.Nathan glanced at Sierra as she stepped out from behind John. In the end, he swallowed the words back down his throat. He stepped forward and deliberately shoved John aside so he could stand in front of Sierra. "He didn't do anything to you, did he?"Sierra shook her head. "No.""You don't need to worry about who he is. Your father is here, so just say it." Nathan had his own agenda too. He was sure Sierra would not embarrass him in front of so many people. "No matter what it is, I'll stand up for you.""We just talked a little about Tommy." Sierra was not used to discussing relationship matters with other people. "Nothing else."Nathan did not believe her, of course. If they had really been talking about To
Anna patted Tommy's head after relaying the message Kenneth gave to him. "Alright."She was just about to tell Nathan when she realized he was already gone. At the same time, a message from him popped up on her phone. [I still think John is up to no good. I'm going to check.]Anna said nothing and she did not bother stopping him. If it really was not appropriate for him to interfere, John would deal with it himself.Nathan searched as he made calls. When neither Sierra's phone nor John's would go through, he added another strike on John's name in his book of grudges. Then he spotted Lance and Robin standing around like two palace guards, and that only made him more suspicious."Have you seen Sierra?" Nathan asked the two of them."No," Lance said."She's upstairs," Robin said.Lance stared at him in disbelief while Robin looked right back at him."Why would you tell him?" Lance knew they were in trouble now. Given Nathan's status, he could not exactly stop him too forcefully.
"But I can't trust that." Those five words cut into John. They cut into Sierra too, like some kind of double-edged sword. They had always trusted and understood each other, but at that moment, a crack formed in their close relationship."Before all this happened, I used to feel lucky all the time." Sierra meant every word. "You were guarded and calculating with everyone else, but you were truly good to me. I never thought all your schemes and careful planning would one day be used on me.""I did use them," John admitted."What?" Sierra blinked."From the first time I saw you again after we grew up, I was already using every method I could to bring you back home and marry you," John said."That was different." Sierra knew the difference. "I'm talking about the kind that hurt me.""There was that too," John said.Sierra looked at him, confused.When?"Back when we weren't together yet, several people wanted to pursue you. I couldn't stand them, so I had Robin give them a few
"Go straight ahead. Left, then left again, then right." Robin had memorized the layout, so he knew exactly where everything was."I'll go first. Wait over there for Boss." Lance ran off with a miserable expression on his face. After he found the fire escape, he hurried back up to the second floor and slipped the note from his pocket into the changing room.Afraid John might miss it, he even knocked twice.By the time John picked up the note, Lance was already gone.[Boss, Ms. Bell, don't worry. We'll explain everything to Tommy and make sure he doesn't worry.]"Sit down and get some rest," John said as he crumpled the note into a ball. "I'll figure out how to get the door open."If Sierra had not trusted him enough, then no matter how many excuses or witnesses there were, nothing they had done today would have cleared him of suspicion. The timing of the locked door, the lack of signal in the room, even this note...It all looked too much like something he would have arranged.
"Are you alright?" John walked over to Sierra in the changing room, the worry in his eyes impossible to hide.Sierra was picking out a coat she liked and looked confused. "What?""Kenneth said Cedric followed you in." John explained right away, not wanting her to get the wrong idea. "I was worried he might try something dangerous."Sierra blinked.Had Cedric not already left?Just as she was about to say that, the door outside suddenly slammed shut with a huge bang.John frowned and went to pull the handle."Lance closed the door." A figure flashed past outside, but Sierra still caught it.John paused, his hand still on the handle. When he looked back at her, there was something more in his eyes. He wanted to explain, but he did not know whether Sierra would believe him."I know it wasn't you." Sierra knew him well enough to know he would never do something that petty. "They were probably trying to get us back together, so they pulled a few tricks.""Are you willing to, then?
However…"There's something I've always been curious about," Kenneth said as he dropped into the chair beside John. "Solomon hides anyone he likes, so no one can use that person against him. You do the exact opposite. You act like you're worried that no one will ignore the fact that you love Sierra
Sierra finally gave her answer to John. "If I really end up in his hands, I'll deal with it." John was a pitfall. Solomon was a trap. Since she was going to be in danger either way, she might as well pick the side that got her some money. Nothing mattered more than money right now.John's dark
"I'm worried about Tommy, so I came to check on him." John's voice was very gentle. He stood as he spoke, the presence from his tall figure filling the room. His dark eyes glanced at Sierra's face before he added, "Close the doors and windows. I'll head over now.""Can you come back fast…?" A
"Take it." Solomon placed the card directly into Sierra's hand. "My brother behaved like an idiot. As the older one, I can't just stand by and do nothing."Sierra felt the blood in her veins freeze.She could not put it down, but she definitely could not keep it."Eden's lessons are every Saturda







