Chapter 232: The Trap is Set

Jonathan didn't let her down. He stared at the charred remains of the observation journal in the sink, his face grim. All he had to do was open it, and he would know exactly what Sierra had been through during those three years. He was used to being in control, ensuring that nothing escaped his grasp. But this time, after weighing the consequences, he had chosen to let go. If Sierra didn't want him to know, then he would pretend he never did. If there ever came a day when she wanted to tell him, he would listen. If she never did, then those three years would remain buried forever.

He let out a self-mocking chuckle. At some point, Sierra had become more important to him than anything else. When it came to her, he was no longer himself. He was compromising for her.

By the next morning, there was no trace of last night's tension. Neither of them mentioned the notebook again. Mateo broke the silence first. "We should send copies of these videos to the police. No point in letting them go to waste." Sierra nodded. "Yes. Those victims deserve justice." As soon as she finished speaking, Dickson chimed in, "I already made copies."

Last night, he had watched most of the footage alone. And in it, he had seen his sister. Finally, he understood why Ms. Sierra had never told him the full truth. He hadn't expected his sister's death to be so cruel. If he had known back then, he wouldn't have been able to handle it. He probably would have done something reckless. But after everything that had happened, he had matured. Acting impulsively wouldn't bring justice—only trouble for the people trying to help him. He wasn't afraid of dying, but he wouldn't be a burden to Ms. Sierra and the others. Sierra patted his shoulder.

"It's over now," she said. "The truth always comes to light. We'll get justice for your sister—and for everyone else who suffered." Then, she shifted the conversation. "I think I finally know where Kason is keeping the text subjects."

Evelyn and Mateo immediately perked up. "Where?" they asked in unison. Especially Mateo—he had been trying to track down Kason's other hideouts but had found nothing so far. Jonathan, however, already had an idea. "It's underground, isn't it?" "Exactly," Sierra nodded. "I kept wondering where he was hiding them. But last night, Shane's gift gave me a clue."

Jonathan noticed that when she mentioned Shane, her voice was steady—no longer laced with fear. He didn't comment on it. Instead, he asked, "What did you realize?"

"There's a hidden floor between the animal testing area and the lowest level," she explained. "I had been too tense before to notice, but now I remembered—something had felt off. The elevator ride took longer than it should have, given the number of floors. I had been misled by the buttons, assuming the floors were exactly as they appeared. But if I was right, there had to be a hidden staircase leading to the most secretive level." She explained her reasoning, and Jonathan nodded. "That's highly likely."

"I'll contact Stone," Mateo said, immediately making the call. "We'll find out soon enough."

Jonathan lifted the USB drive. But instead of sending the evidence to the police immediately, he had another plan. They would send some of it—just enough to shake Kason—a few carefully chosen photos. If Kason panicked and tried to relocate everything, that would be their perfect opportunity to strike. Kason had been feeling good these past few days. The company was stabilizing, and he was figuring out how to get Sierra into his bed.

Chapter 232: The Trap is Set

Of course, there was still one problem: Jonathan. If only Jonathan would disappear, just as Shane was about to. Sierra wasn't the type to hold onto people. Once Jonathan was gone, she would toss him aside.

Just as he was thinking this, his secretary walked in. "Mr. Kason, a package just arrived for you. It was sent by a Mr. Goodman."

"Shane?" Kason frowned. What was that lunatic up to now? He tore open the envelope—and his face instantly changed. "Get out!" he barked at his secretary, then grabbed his phone. He tried calling Shane. No answer. He tried again. Still nothing. He switched to another number. Same result. Kason's expression darkened. Shane had deactivated that number. What the hell was going on?

He sat down and carefully examined the photos. Some of them were taken outside, but some were from inside his private office at the lab. That place had top-tier security. And yes, there were photos of things that should never have been seen. Did Shane leak them? Or was someone else behind this? For the first time in a long time, Kason felt a chill run down his spine.