Chapter 297: Cold Beneath the Heat

The lead attorney finished speaking and left with his team, giving Jonathan no time to think—Sierra was already being brought out.

“Sierra!” Jonathan rushed forward and pulled her into his arms. He’d wanted to do this the moment he saw her, and now he finally could. Sierra buried herself in his embrace, clinging to him tightly. It wasn’t until a long while later that she felt alive again.

When they got home, Sierra locked herself in the bathroom and didn’t come out for over half an hour. Eventually, Jonathan couldn’t help but knock on the door.

“You done, Sierra?”

“…Yeah.”

A moment later, Sierra stepped out. Jonathan’s expression immediately changed as he touched her arm.

“You’re burning up.” He turned to grab the thermometer, but Sierra stopped him.

“I’m not running a fever. The water was just a little hot.”

Jonathan frowned but didn’t say anything more. It was the height of summer, and yet Sierra needed to bathe in scalding water. He didn’t even need to ask why. His chest tightened. He hadn’t realized Sierra was in such bad shape. If he’d known, he would’ve gotten her out of there earlier—even if it meant compromising with his grandfather.

“I’m sorry.” Regret filled Jonathan as he held Sierra in his arms. “I should’ve gone to Grandpa for help sooner.” If he had, maybe she wouldn’t have been so scared. What made it worse was that, even today, he hadn’t chosen her first. Now, he was terrified she’d find out.

“This is already more than enough.” Sierra gave him a smile. “Mr. Yeager, can we eat now? I’m starving.”

Jonathan looked at her for a moment, then turned and headed into the kitchen. As soon as his back was turned, the smile faded from Sierra’s face. She looked down at the red marks left by the hot water. Even after using such heat, the cold inside her wouldn’t go away.

Neither of them mentioned the leaked lab data. That night, Sierra—so unlike herself—clung to Jonathan, over and over again, as if only that could drive the chill from her body. Eventually, she passed out from exhaustion. But even in her sleep, she kept a tight grip on Jonathan’s arm.

Chapter 297: Cold Beneath the Heat

“This might not have been aimed at you. It could’ve been meant for me. I’m the one who dragged you into this.”

Sierra glanced at him. “Mr. Yeager, are we really still drawing lines like that between us?”

That only made Jonathan feel even more wretched.

“If I’d gone to Grandpa from the start, you wouldn’t have had to suffer like this.” He paused, then went on. “And I didn’t even go to him. He called me yesterday.”

“He offered to let you go, on the condition that I forgive Jose and the others. Sierra, I turned him down.”

In front of Sierra, Jonathan felt utterly worthless. For the first time in his life, he felt like he didn’t deserve her. Sierra had always given him everything, holding nothing back. And he had been weighing and judging. Maybe to Sierra, he had given a lot—but in truth, it had never cost him much. What she gave far outweighed what he ever did.

He wasn’t sure why he was saying any of this today. It wasn’t like him. But with Sierra, things were different. He never liked lying to her.

Sierra hadn’t expected him to say all that. She blinked, then smiled.

“So, Mr. Yeager… you feel guilty?”

Guilty? Maybe he did. Especially after seeing her scald herself with hot water yesterday. The regret, the frustration—they had reached their peak.

“It’s okay, Mr. Yeager.” Sierra said gently, “If you’d compromised for me, neither of us would be happy.” She wanted a relationship where they saved each other, supported each other—not where they became each other’s burden or weakness. She knew how deeply Jonathan hated his father and brother. What she wanted was for him to one day let go—for himself. Not because of her.

“Sierra…” Jonathan wanted to say more, but at that moment, words felt so empty. Nothing could capture what he was feeling.

Sierra changed the subject at just the right time.

“Any news from Mateo?”