Chapter 433 The Promise Before the Storm

“You’re being foolish!”

Wayne shot Chase a hard glare. “I know this is hard on you, but we don’t have a choice. We have to think about the bigger picture.”

“Don’t talk to me about the bigger picture, Dad. I hate those words the most,” Chase snapped. “If it weren’t for the so-called ‘greater good’ back then, Wendy wouldn’t have… I’ve already failed her once. I won’t make any more compromises.”

With that, Chase turned and walked away, leaving Wayne slumped with exhaustion.

He knew his son had never truly let go of the past. All these years, Chase had carried the weight of guilt. He had no idea how to face Johnathan.

On one hand, he wanted to treat Johnathan well. But every time the past came up, the pain hit him all over again.

Wayne understood. What had happened back then was wrong. But there was no undoing it now. What was left to do but carry on?

After a moment, Wayne let out a long breath. “Call Jose.”

“Yes, sir.”

The butler bowed and left.

Inside, Sierra woke up after just a few hours of rest. The moment she moved, Johnathan stirred awake too.

“Why not sleep a little longer?” he asked.

“That was plenty.”

Sierra glanced out the window—it was already dark. “I’m going to cook something.”

She hadn’t stepped into a kitchen in a long time.

Johnathan didn’t stop her. In fact, he smiled. “I’ll help wash the vegetables.”

There wasn’t much else he could do right now anyway. And even if he could, Sierra would never let him.

She called the butler and asked him to send over fresh ingredients. Before long, a simple meal was ready.

Sierra took a bite. “It’s been so long since I cooked. I’m out of practice—kind of bland.”

“I think it’s perfect.”

Johnathan ate heartily. The two of them didn’t mention the drug, the lab, or anything grim. They just sat together like an ordinary couple, eating dinner and cuddling up to watch a movie.

But as time passed, Johnathan’s hands began to stray.

Sierra gave him a helpless look. “Mr. Yaeger, did you forget you’re not supposed to be moving around too much?”

“I won’t move. You move. How’s that?”

He whispered in her ear, coaxing her gently.

In the end, Sierra gave in.

As they shed their layers, they saw clearly in each other’s eyes the pain they had tried so hard to hide. Both had lost weight. Both were silently heartbroken for the other.

But they kept their tenderness hidden, showing only passion.

Sierra had never responded to him like this before—like a phantom of the night, graceful and wild.

Johnathan couldn’t tear his eyes away. His breathing turned ragged.

And then, in the quietest moment before release, he whispered, “Sierra… if I make it through tomorrow, marry me.”

Even Johnathan was shocked by the words as they left his lips.

He’d always loved Sierra, but he had never seriously considered marriage.

To him, marriage was something distant. Maybe even dangerous. He worried that what he had with Sierra could end up like his parents‘ toxic relationship.

He once believed his feelings for her would fade with time.

But they didn’t.

If anything, they only grew stronger. He wanted to hold her close, fuse her into his bones and blood.

For the first time in his life, someone meant so much to him that he would trade his life without hesitation.

He was tired of running. If he survived this… he wanted a home. A real home—with Sierra.

Maybe even a child. A child of their own. And if that happened, he swore he’d be the best father he could possibly be. Nothing like Chase.

This wasn’t a perfect proposal—no flowers, no ring, no friends. No fancy setting.

And still, Sierra’s heart raced as she found herself saying, “Okay.”

That night, they lost themselves in each other, tangled and breathless, wild as beasts.

The next morning, sunlight streamed in—but the space beside Sierra was already empty.

“Mr. Yaeger?”

She called out, but there was no answer.

A sense of dread hit her all at once.

Sierra bolted out of bed, dressed at lightning speed, and ran downstairs—only to find Wayne sitting alone.

“Where is he?” she demanded.

“He went to the lab early this morning,” Wayne replied without looking up.

Panic surged through her. Sierra rushed toward the lab, only to be stopped at the door.

“Sorry, Mr. Simon gave orders. No one’s allowed inside.”

“Move!”

Her eyes reddened.

How could he?

They had promised to face this together. How could he go in alone?

But the guards were from the Wynn family. They wouldn’t budge, no matter what she said. Wayne approached and looked at her. “You know why he did this. Let’s wait here together.”