Chapter 262: The Birthday He Never Celebrates
After some thought, Jade picked up the phone and called his assistant. "Look into that girl, Sierra." Maybe she'd be the breakthrough he needed.
As the days passed, Sierra realized Jonathan's birthday was approaching, but he hadn't mentioned it. Remembering Mateo's words, and still unsure of their significance, she decided to ask him directly over lunch.
"Ma'am! What a surprise," Mateo smiled brightly upon seeing her. Sierra didn't waste time. "That day you told me to pay attention to Jonathan's birthday—what exactly did you mean?" She wondered if it was a warning or something symbolic; either way, it had been on her mind for days.
Mateo looked conflicted, unsure where to begin. "Is it something you can't talk about?" she asked.
He shook his head. "It's not that. I just don't know how to explain it. It used to be fine, but ever since his mother passed, he doesn't celebrate his birthday anymore. His mood always seems off around then, even though he hides it well. We're not exactly sure what happened, but… from what we know, his mom died in a car accident. On his birthday."
Even within their close circle, uncertainties remained. Most guessed Jonathan's mother had been rushing to celebrate with him, leading to the accident. Since then, each birthday had become a quiet, painful day.
Sierra's expression fell. This would be her first birthday with Jonathan. She'd initially planned a surprise, but now realized there was nothing to celebrate. Jonathan clearly cared deeply for his mother; he'd mentioned her before, but never his father.
"Ma'am," Mateo added hesitantly, "you might want to keep a close eye on him this year." He paused. "It might be worse than usual."
They'd recently learned that Mr. Wynn was planning a birthday gathering for Jonathan, inviting several high-profile guests, including Jonathan's father. Mateo had only just learned this himself and frankly, worried the whole thing might spiral out of control.
After their conversation, Sierra didn't bring up birthdays with Jonathan. She watched him closely, but he seemed unchanged. On his birthday, he didn't mention it, only saying he couldn't pick her up and might be late. She worried but didn't show it. He always presented himself as calm and composed, especially in front of her. Jonathan had once said she kept everything bottled up, but in truth, he was no different. He only ever showed people the best parts of himself. The pain, the wounds, the grief—those he handled alone. And maybe that's what hurts the most.
Sierra felt helpless but chose to respect his silence. Everyone has their own corners of darkness they don't want to share. No matter how close two people get, that right to privacy remains.
Because her mind kept returning to him, Sierra spent most of the day distracted—and unfortunately, Professor Martin was around. She'd already seen the professor's sharp temper, but this was her first firsthand experience. Now she understood why everyone else looked terrified when he got angry.
Still, Martin went easier on her than most. There was something about Sierra—an innate energy, a spark—that the professor appreciated too much to break.
"Don't waste your talent," Martin said, not unkindly.
"I'm sorry, Professor. I wasn't in the right headspace today," Sierra admitted immediately.
Martin waved her off. "Go home and get yourself together. You're just wasting your time here like this."
"Thank you, Professor."
She accepted his advice. She couldn't focus anyway. Just as she left the lab, planning to call Mateo or someone else, someone blocked her path. Sierra looked up and saw a vaguely familiar guy. She'd seen him a few times before; he always came to her with questions. She recognized his face. She assumed he had another problem, but instead, he looked hesitant, as if wanting to say something but unsure how.