Chapter 209: The Fall of the Xander Family

“I agree,” Yulia said, making her decision.

Johnathan’s test was two days before New Year’s Eve. He had delayed it long enough—any longer, and it would be hard to justify.

“If anything happens, call me.”

“You’ve said that a dozen times already,” Sierra sighed, feeling both amused and helpless.

Once Johnathan was gone, she sat for a moment before heading out to run errands. Sierra’s grandmother seemed to be in good spirits, so Sierra invited her and Dickson along to the supermarket. Sierra’s grandmother loved lively places, and this would be her last New Year. If possible, Sierra wanted every moment of it to be filled with joy.

The supermarket was packed, bustling with people preparing for the holiday. Sierra pushed her grandmother’s wheelchair while Dickson walked beside them, the three of them chatting and laughing.

But to some people, this scene was an eyesore. Evan watched Sierra from a distance, instinctively ducking behind a shelf. He didn’t want her to see him like this. Once, they had housekeepers, assistants—none of them ever had to worry about something as mundane as grocery shopping. But now, everything had changed. Xander Group was gone. Not only that, but the family had suffered immense financial losses. All their fixed assets had been seized. Sean’s properties and cars were all sold off. After being blacklisted online, he lost every endorsement deal, forced to pay huge penalty fees. Now, they lived in a tiny apartment—the same one Evan had earned as an academic prize during his university years. It had once been a symbol of achievement. He never imagined he would one day be forced to live in it. Life was hard. Bradley and their father were suffering in prison. The last time Evan visited, he was horrified. In less than a month, they had aged more than ten years. Bradley’s face was bruised, covered in injuries. Evan had been furious, demanding to know what had happened. But Bradley refused to speak. Neither of them had the arrogance they once carried. They were hollowed out, broken. Evan didn’t even remember how he had managed to walk out of the prison that day.

He wanted to tell them about the situation at home, but what was the point? For years, Bradley and their father had been the pillars of the Xander family. Now, they had collapsed. The burden had fallen onto Evan’s shoulders.

In the end, all he could do was shove every bit of money he had left into the guards’ hands, begging them to take care of his father and brother. But the suffering didn’t end there. His mother, unable to handle the drastic fall, had succumbed to severe depression. Sean—once arrogant, always looking down on others—was now a wreck. Overnight, he had fallen from a top celebrity to the internet’s biggest joke. He didn’t even dare step outside anymore, drowning himself in alcohol day after day. There was no trace of the once-glorious Xander family left. Evan could hardly breathe under the weight of it all. But he couldn’t fall. He was the last one holding everything together. Without him, his mother and Sean had no one. They had no income. He needed a job.

He thought, with his academic background, finding work wouldn’t be difficult. But he was as wrong as could be. Everywhere he went, he was rejected. Some employers called him in just to humiliate him, to watch him suffer. They wanted to see the once-proud Evan Xander grovel. At first, he was furious. Then, he became numb. And worst of all—no one would give him a decent job. Because he was a thief. When someone called him that, Evan nearly lost control. He could take insults. He could endure humiliation. But he was not a thief. Yet no matter how much he wanted to argue, the accusation remained. They said he stole from his own sister, that he was a thief.

Today, he had come to buy a few things—some food for his mother and Sean, and some supplies to take to the prison for his father and Bradley. He never expected to run into Sierra. The Xander family had fallen. And yet, she was thriving. The academic world was singing her praises. How ironic. How cruel.

Sierra’s instincts, sharpened from years in prison, quickly picked up on the sensation of being watched. She turned her head abruptly, scanning the crowd.

“Ms. Sierra?” Dickson had noticed her shift in mood.

“It’s nothing. I might just be overthinking it.” Sierra shook her head. They had bought everything they needed. She didn’t linger. She called a car and left immediately.