Chapter 110: Suspicion and Tension (48 Pearls)

Sierra agreed with Abigail’s analysis. In the past, Dickson had his mother, Evelyn, and his sister, Daphne. Now, he had her and Lily.

“I think he trusts you a lot—maybe even depends on you,” Abigail observed. “While you were in the kitchen earlier, he kept looking over—five times, to be exact. Every time he saw you, he seemed to relax. If possible, try to spend as much time with him as you can.”

Abigail’s words left Sierra feeling conflicted. Between her classes, taking care of Lily, and working in the lab, she barely had any extra time. Still, she came up with a solution. The next day, heading to the lab, she invited Dickson to join her. Anticipating his hesitation, she had already devised an excuse.

“I’m overwhelmed with work. Cleaning equipment alone takes forever. Dr. Zahn said Grandma’s condition is stable for now, but that’s only temporary—it’s not a cure.”

Dickson knew Sierra’s research was for developing medicine for Lily. Even though he didn’t want to leave the house, he wanted to help Sierra and Lily. In the end, he agreed to go with her to the lab. Sierra told him to bring a book so he could read whenever he wasn’t helping. Occasionally, she let him assist with small tasks and even explained parts of her research to him. Even though Dickson didn’t fully understand, he still felt included.

But that afternoon, Sierra received an unexpected call from Jonathan.

“Did you read the two research papers I sent you?”

“Yeah, I did. Why?”

“I just sent you an email. Take a look.”

Jonathan hung up, and Sierra immediately checked her inbox. As soon as she opened the forwarded report, her expression turned serious. If the two papers Jonathan had sent earlier contained research that resembled her work, this report was completely different—it was identical. Similar ideas were one thing, but the equations in the report were exactly the same as the ones she was using. That wasn’t a coincidence.

Before she could fully process it, Jonathan called again.

“Is your lab secure?”

Sierra glanced around before answering carefully. “Someone helped me find this space. I later found out it belongs to the Richardson family. But I’ve checked—there aren’t any cameras.”

“Are the materials you use provided by them?” Jonathan asked.

Sierra pressed her lips together before replying, “Most of them are.”

In that moment, she realized what had happened. Her research had been stolen. This wasn’t the place to discuss it. Jonathan told her to go home immediately.

Dickson noticed her change in expression but didn’t ask any questions. By the time they arrived home, Jonathan was already waiting for them.

“Head back first. I need to talk to Mr. Jonathan,” Sierra said to Dickson.

Dickson nodded and left. Once he was gone, Sierra made her way to Jonathan’s place. The moment she stepped inside, she got straight to the point. “His equations are exactly the same as mine.”

Even the order hadn’t changed—it was impossible for that to be a coincidence.

Jonathan had already felt something was off when he first saw those two research papers, which was why he sent them to Sierra. But he hadn’t expected things to escalate so quickly. He pulled up the email again, reviewing the report carefully before asking, “I recognize this equation. You showed it to me before. Aside from me, who else has seen it?”

Sierra thought for a moment, then shook her head. “I haven’t given it to anyone else.”

Jonathan’s gaze darkened. “What about Dickson?”

Sierra froze, staring at him in disbelief. “Are you seriously suspecting Dickson?”

She hadn’t expected Jonathan to have that kind of suspicion towards him.

“I’m not accusing him,” Jonathan clarified. “But he’s been staying at your place. Maybe he overheard something or mentioned it to someone without realizing…”

“No,” Sierra said firmly. “Dickson would never do that.” Her brows furrowed slightly, displeased that Jonathan would even suggest it.

Sierra’s unwavering defense of Dickson sparked an unexpected irritation in Jonathan. His voice grew colder. “Don’t forget, you’ve only known him for less than a month. Are you sure you know what kind of person he is?”

The way Jonathan spoke felt unfamiliar to Sierra. She instinctively took a small step back, the trust in her eyes replaced by a hint of wariness. Jonathan caught her reaction, and his lips pressed into a thin line. He had let his frustration get the best of him. Jonathan had always been cautious, never fully trusting anyone. The moment Sierra’s research was leaked, the first person that came to mind was Dickson. What he hadn’t expected was Sierra’s unwavering defense. He had only pointed out a possibility, yet she shut it down without a second thought.