Chapter 248: A Restless Heart

Jonathan didn't notice Sierra's change in mood. He was on the phone with Maddox, who had just returned and was calling to confirm their weekend plans. Maddox also asked him to inform Mateo and the others. Before hanging up, Maddox mentioned he had something to discuss in person. Jonathan already had an idea of what it was, so he simply responded with a brief acknowledgment, his mood noticeably lighter.

When he told Sierra about the weekend gathering, she agreed without hesitation. “Our group has a research project. I’ll talk to Finn and take a day off.”

Jonathan frowned. “You just got there, and they’re already overworking you?”

“I volunteered. I want to integrate quickly. I really enjoy it there,” Sierra said sincerely.

Jonathan might not have truly loved this field, but she did. She wanted to test her limits, see how far she could go. And she couldn’t let herself care too much. The one who loves more is the one who gets hurt first. She refused to become something that could be shelved and forgotten. She wanted to be herself.

“Alright, I support you.”

Jonathan admired her determination. But the next day, he regretted it. Sierra had thrown herself entirely into her work, staying in the lab for two days straight without coming home. Jonathan had also been busy, but returning to an empty house left his expression cold. He called Sierra, but no one picked up. He knew it was common to leave phones unattended during research, but that didn’t stop his irritation.

Just then, Mateo called, and Jonathan told him to gather everyone at their usual private lounge. The place belonged to Mateo’s family, and they had their own reserved room.

When Jonathan arrived, Mateo smirked. “Jonathan actually stepped out? What, not spending time with your lover?”

Jonathan’s expression darkened instantly. Mateo shrank back. “So, you guys had a fight?”

Jonathan shot him a warning look. “If you have nothing useful to say, don’t speak.”

Mateo made a zipping motion over his lips. Since it was rare for all of them to gather, they poured themselves drinks and settled in. Maddox took off his glasses, rubbing his temples.

“The situation in Maviston is mostly taken care of. The visible players have been arrested, and the necessary investigations have been made.” Maviston had undergone a massive purge. On the surface, things were settled. But everyone here knew better—it was all just for show.

An operation of that scale didn’t happen without powerful people pulling the strings, and some of the people who were punished were just scapegoats.

“I handled it the way you wanted. Kason won’t be executed immediately. He’ll suffer first.” Kason’s death sentence was inevitable, but Maddox had made sure he wouldn’t get a quick and easy end. Jonathan had requested it, and as a favor for his best friend, Maddox had taken care of it. Besides, even Maddox found Kason repulsive. And on top of that, Kason had dared to lay eyes on Sierra. Knowing Jonathan, the fact that he hadn’t personally taken action was already a miracle of self-restraint.

“Thanks,” Jonathan said, raising his glass.

Maddox nodded and took a sip of his drink before asking, “You didn’t tell Sierra about this, did you?”

“There’s no need for her to know,” Jonathan replied. If he told her, she wouldn’t approve. But if he didn’t, he wouldn’t feel at peace.

Stone, who had been silent until now, glanced at Jonathan. “You should be careful.” He hadn’t spent much time around Sierra, but he had seen enough to understand what kind of person she was. Even they found Jonathan’s methods ruthless sometimes. Sierra wouldn’t be able to accept them.

Jonathan’s gaze was unreadable as he said, “I’m already being careful with her.” With that, he set his glass down, stood up, and left. He wanted to see Sierra right now.

Jonathan had his driver take him to North Salem University. But instead of going inside, he waited in the car outside the lab.

Inside, Sierra finally took a break and grabbed her phone, only to see multiple missed calls from Jonathan—one of them from two hours ago. She immediately dialed him back while heading downstairs. The moment she stepped out of the building, she was pulled into a tight embrace. Instinctively, she was about to push away when a familiar voice whispered against her ear. “Don’t move. Let me hold you.”