Chapter 140: Aftermath and Plans
So, once again, Sean's disgraced image spread across the internet, quickly topping trending searches. Back at the Karrier residence, Sean, though he had showered, shaved, and changed clothes, no longer carried his usual arrogance in his words and demeanor.
Seeing his son like this, Franklin said coldly, “I truly raised a curse. I should never have let her come back.” Eleanor also looked displeased. Bradley and Evan remained silent, though their eyes conveyed pity for Sean.
It was Sean, who had been quiet since his return, who spoke up, “Dad, don’t blame him! It’s our fault?”
“What did you say?” Franklin looked at Sean, shocked, thinking his stint in jail had scrambled his brain.
“Dad. I nearly went mad these past ten days. Every day was endless interrogations, poor food, sleepless nights, nothing but a dark, small room.” Sean spoke, almost gasping for air, his sense of time lost, his despair unlike anything he had ever experienced. Jail was unbearable; he couldn’t imagine how Sierra had survived three years.
Experiencing something firsthand was completely different from hearing about it. He had felt pity for Sierra when he heard she suffered and was bullied, but only when he endured it himself did he understand the real tragedy. And yet, he was treated relatively well due to his status, not subjected to the harsh treatment others faced. If it’s this hard for me, how is Sierra, just a bit over 18 at the time, managing to endure?
Sean’s words silenced the Xander family.
After a while, Franklin spoke, “The past is the past; let’s not bring up those things again. Right now, the Xander family faces unprecedented challenges. If we don’t overcome this, not only will we fail to rise higher, but we’ll also lose our footing in Maviston.”
Thinking of this, he looked at Evan, “Evan, are you sure your research can make a splash?”
Suddenly singled out, Evan snapped back to reality and nodded, “Yes! My professor has seen it; he said it will definitely cause a stir in the academic world.”
“That’s good! Success or failure hinges on this; be careful, and make sure there are no mistakes,” Franklin instructed.
“Don’t worry, Dad, there won’t be any problems,” Evan replied. Despite his assurances, he felt a vague unease, recalling the words Sierra had spoken to him. It should be alright, right?
It was Kason who told Sierra about Sean’s release. Kason had initially wanted to surprise Sierra, but she had been too preoccupied with Sean’s situation to pay him any attention. Now that Kason had brought the news, Sierra took the initiative to ask about it.
Seeing her interest, Kason perked up. “There’s a gathering this Saturday night. If you’re interested, shall I pick you up?”
“Sure.”
Sierra looked up at Kason, “Don’t disappoint me.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t,” Kason said, smiling smugly. “By the way, I accidentally came across something about a car accident from three years ago. Interested?”
Sierra instantly knew what Kason meant. She had been investigating that very accident, but Bradley had covered his tracks too well, leaving her without evidence so far. Unexpectedly, Kason had evidence. Of course, she didn’t fully trust his word. Even though she was anxious, she kept her composure and simply said, “You manage to get your hands on everything.”
Seeing her maintain her cool, Kason’s respect for her grew. “Of course! Since it involves you, I had to take it seriously.”
Kason leaned in close and whispered in Sierra’s ear, “I’ll give you the documents Saturday night. How you use them is up to you.” Kason’s breath made Sierra’s skin crawl, and she resisted the urge to push him away as she agreed.
Once he left, Sierra couldn’t help but take out a disinfectant spray and spritz herself, disgusted by his lingering scent. After finishing, she turned to leave but stopped short when she saw Jonathan standing nearby, unsure how long he had been there.