Chapter 20: Who?

Jonathan raised an eyebrow. “That’s a pretty big leap.”

“What made you suddenly get interested in this? You don’t seem like someone starting from scratch.”

Far from it; she was ahead of most people. Take that idiot from earlier, for example. He couldn’t even compare to Sierra. Were geniuses really this common?

He couldn’t help but ask, “Have you ever been on that forum before?”

Sierra knew exactly what he was referring to. Lowering her gaze to avoid his eyes, she shook her head. “No. I got interested in chemical biology when I was in prison. I came across it by chance, found it intriguing, and happened to meet someone who knew about it, so I picked up a few things.”

“To be honest, this is my first time actually trying to see if my theories can work.”

She didn’t want Jonathan to know she was Tano. It wasn’t a matter of trust—it was embarrassment. Back then, she had confidently told him she would make a name for herself, win the Youth Academic grand prize, and develop a drug that could completely stop the spread of cancer cells. But instead of making a name for herself, she ended up in prison. Misty had been her only friend. She didn’t want to see disappointment in his eyes. She didn’t want Jonathan to know that she was Tano.

Hearing her response, the look in Jonathan’s eyes shifted slightly, as if he were weighing the truth of her words. After a moment, he said, “You have a real talent. Keep at it.”

Then, as if switching topics, he suddenly asked, “Can you tell me who taught you?”

Sierra hesitated. One lie always leads to another. She was already regretting saying she had learned from someone. Suddenly, a name popped into her head, and she quickly answered, “Sure. I learned from the prison warden.”

She had a feeling Shane knew a thing or two about pharmaceuticals. After all, she had first realized something was off in prison when she noticed certain inmates behaving strangely. And when she had asked for a lab, Shane had arranged one for her almost instantly. She hadn’t even heard of the research institute he had set her up with.

“Thanks,” Jonathan said with a small smile.

Jonathan glanced at her before nodding. “Yes. I met her on a forum. She was only eighteen at the time, a very bright kid.”

“The last time we spoke, she told me she was working on a drug to cure cancer. Then she disappeared. I was worried something happened to her, so I came to Linton City.”

Sierra felt warmth spread through her chest. They had never even met in person, yet Misty had been searching for her for three years, worried about her. For a brief moment, she wanted to tell him the truth. But in the end, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She didn’t want to see regret in his eyes.

Instead, she said softly, “She must have had her reasons for disappearing. Maybe one day, she’ll just show up again.”

“Professor Yeager, I won’t take up any more of your time. I’ll head out now.”

As soon as Sierra left, he pulled out his phone and made a call. “Look into the warden of Linton Prison.”

It didn’t take long for him to get an answer. His expression darkened slightly, a hint of disappointment in his eyes. Not the person he was looking for. Still, he didn’t doubt Sierra’s words. But the fact that she was connected to the Xander family… He frowned slightly.

Meanwhile, Sierra took a cab straight to the research institute. The staff barely spared her a glance before returning to their work. Sierra ignored them and headed straight to her designated lab. Everything she needed was there—equipment, common reagents, all ready for use. Changing into her lab coat, she immediately got to work.

Time passed quickly, and before she knew it, it was already night. Sierra was so absorbed in her work that she didn’t even realize how late it was.

“It’s still not right.” She exhaled and set her tools down again. She had run countless experiments, adjusted the ratios multiple times, yet the results were still far from what she wanted. Where was she going wrong?

She rubbed her temples, feeling a dull ache in her head. Pulling out her phone, she saw a long list of missed calls—all from the Xander family. A glance at the time made her realize it was already eleven at night. Just then, her phone buzzed again. Bradley. After a moment’s thought, she finally picked up.

To her surprise, Bradley wasn’t furious. Maybe he was getting used to her ignoring his calls. Instead, he asked, “Where the hell are you? Do you not remember you’re still on probation and have to come home every night?”

Sierra lowered her gaze, hiding the cold glint in her eyes. “I’m on my way back.”

With that, she hung up, changed out of her lab coat, and headed out. But as she stepped out of the lab, she spotted Shane sitting in a chair, phone in hand, playing a game. Her footsteps came to an abrupt halt.

“Took you long enough,” Shane said without looking up. “I’ve been waiting for two hours.”

Sierra didn’t feel even a shred of surprise. Instead, every nerve in her body tensed. “Do you need something?”

When his game ended, Shane finally looked up at her. “I heard you were in the hospital today. You should be more careful.”

Sierra stayed silent. She knew what he meant—her every move was under his watch. Shane didn’t seem to care about the implications of his words. Putting his phone away, he stood up. “Come on, I’ll drive you home. It’s hard to get a cab around here.”

Sierra wanted to refuse, but she knew Shane didn’t like being refused. And more importantly, she didn’t have the right to refuse. As she sat in the passenger seat, her headache only got worse. She didn’t know what Shane wanted or where he would take her. Her fingers tightened around her phone inside her bag, discreetly pressing the record button.

But to her surprise, Shane didn’t take her anywhere else—he actually dropped her off at the Xander family’s front gate. He hadn’t said a single word the entire drive.

“Thanks.” Sierra forced the word out as she reached for the door handle, only to find it locked. She barely had time to react before Shane’s hand reached over. Her breath caught for a second.

But instead of touching her, Shane went straight into her bag and effortlessly pulled out her phone. His smile was cold. “Still haven’t learned your lesson, huh?”

He flipped the phone over and frowned when he saw the screen was black. That didn’t make sense.

Sierra met his gaze and said, “Warden, I’ve learned my lesson. I won’t do stupid things anymore.”

Shane studied her for a moment before letting out a low chuckle. “Good.” With that, he handed her phone back and unlocked the car door.

Sierra got out and walked toward the Xander family’s estate. She didn’t need to turn around to know that Shane was still watching her. Her grip on her phone tightened slightly. A faint smirk tugged at her lips. Yes, she had learned her lesson. After everything she had been through, how could she still make such a stupid mistake? The moment Shane pulled up outside the house, she had already turned off the recording. She would take her time. She would make Shane let his guard down completely—then deliver the final blow.

By the time she stepped inside, it was already past midnight. She had assumed everyone would be asleep, but Bradley was sitting on the couch, watching her with a complicated expression.

“Who dropped you off? Who is he?”