Chapter 94: A Calculated Move

They could recall every detail of Denise’s diet, down to what she ate each day. But when it came to Sierra—no one had any idea when or how she had taught herself biochemistry.

“She couldn’t have learned it at home,” Franklin said, deep in thought. “Which means she must have picked it up in prison. Look into who she was close to during those three years.”

“Dad, you mean…?” Bradley was starting to understand what his father was getting at.

Franklin’s tone was decisive. Evan couldn’t help but ask, “And what about Sierra? Are we just going to ignore her?”

“She holds too much resentment towards us. That won’t change overnight,” Franklin said, his expression dark.

Over the past few days, Franklin had received several probing phone calls, all with the same backhanded compliment—“Like father, like daughter. Your daughter turned out to be impressive.” He wasn’t fooled. He knew they were just enjoying the show.

In high society, there were no real secrets. Sierra’s name had never once come up among the elite. Most people didn’t even know he had another daughter—proof of just how distant their relationship was. Saying he had no regrets would be a lie. He had never imagined the daughter he ignored for years would turn out to be this extraordinary.

“Reach out to the Colemans,” Franklin said. “Find a chance for both families to have dinner. The mix-up at birth may have been a mistake, but it still ties us together.”

Sierra might not care much for their family, but she clearly valued the Colemans. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so invested in Lily.

Bradley frowned. “I don’t think Sierra is particularly close to them.”

Franklin shot his eldest son a look. “As long as Sierra cares about Madam Lily, that’s enough. After all, Denise was their biological daughter. There’s no way Madam Lily wouldn’t care about her.”

“Your father’s right,” Eleanor added. “We should try to reconnect with the Coleman family. They are Denise’s biological family, after all. It doesn’t make sense that we’ve had no contact with them all these years. Franklin, you should handle it.”

“Got it,” Bradley nodded. “I’ll make arrangements once Denise is out of the hospital.”

Sierra had no idea the Xander family was setting up another mess for her. Over the past couple of days, she had settled back into her usual routine—attending classes during the day and spending her evenings in the lab.

By now, she had become a full-blown campus celebrity. Especially in her department, where every time she walked by, she drew one hundred percent of the attention. In her class, the shift was even more obvious. Those who had once sneered at her now looked ashamed of themselves. A few had even tried to talk to her—but she ignored them. She didn’t need friends like that!

Kason had been unusually quiet these past few days. Not just him—Shane, too, had gone completely silent. Ever since their last encounter, Shane hadn’t contacted her at all. It was as if he had disappeared. But Sierra wasn’t about to let her guard down. Shane was like a venomous snake—silent, lurking, and ready to strike at any moment.

Lately, she had been spending more time at the lab. After learning that the research institute had ties to the Richardson family, she had stopped keeping to herself. Instead, she had started interacting more with others. Because of Kason, several researchers were eager to befriend her. Through them, she learned that the lab mainly focused on developing pre-market pharmaceuticals. She also made sure to drop subtle hints about the experiments she was working on, knowing full well the information would eventually reach Kason.

Sure enough, that afternoon, she received a call from him, asking to meet the next day. She agreed without hesitation.

As she walked back to her apartment complex, already strategizing how to handle Kason, she spotted Bradley waiting. Her brows furrowed slightly, but she kept her gaze straight ahead, acting as if she hadn’t seen him.

“Sierra!” Bradley called out, stopping her. “I need to talk to you.”

She stared at him in silence. Sensing her reluctance, he quickly said, “Denise is getting discharged tomorrow. Let’s have dinner together. As if expecting her to refuse, he immediately added, “It won’t just be our family. Your adoptive parents and Madam Lily will be there too—I’ve already spoken to them. After all, our families have never had a meal together before. No matter what’s happened, we’re still tied to each other in some way.”

Sierra gave him a strange look. “You’re inviting them? Does Denise know?”

Bradley shook his head. “Not yet. But if you come, she’ll be thrilled.”

It didn’t take long for Sierra to figure out what the Xander family was up to. She suddenly smiled. “Where’s the dinner? I’ll be there tomorrow.”