Chapter 294: Under Pressure

Stone and Maddox looked grim. They had just finished discreetly seeking information through indirect channels—but came up empty. At best, this was a data breach. At worst, it was treason. When it came to national security, the system was airtight. No matter how much political influence they possessed, access was locked down. Even the smallest move could put a target on their backs.

“The more we interfere, the messier this could get,” Maddox said quietly. Every powerful family had its enemies, all watching and waiting to pounce. A single misstep, and they’d be torn apart, even if it were all based on lies.

Johnathan knew that. But it didn’t stop the knot in his chest from tightening. He bit down on his cigarette filter. “Is there any way I can see her?”

He knew what Sierra feared most. That prison sentence had left deep scars, even if she never said it aloud. But he could feel it. Every day.

“I’ll try something,” Stone replied. The He family had always been spotless—clean reputation, patriotic background. That made Stone a better fit for approaching this quietly than Maddox.

“Thanks,” Johnathan said. A rare moment of civility. But no one cracked a joke. The room was too heavy for that.

“I’m worried this isn’t just about framing her,” Maddox muttered. This wasn’t just about Sierra anymore. Draven had been pulled into it too. And even though Draven technically stayed out of politics, everyone knew he was part of the Shen family.

Mateo chimed in. “Want me to see how far they’ve gotten?”

Maddox’s eyebrow twitched. “Can you not? I’d rather not have to bail you out too.” The Radeons had ties to the national cybersecurity division, but that didn’t mean their methods went unnoticed.

Johnathan didn’t say anything. He was still deep in thought. Right now, none of that mattered. Whoever was behind this could wait. First, he had to clear Sierra’s name and get her out.

At first, Sierra hadn’t realized just how bad things were. But as time passed, it became clear this wasn’t just a misunderstanding. Multiple agencies had gotten involved. The interrogations came one after another, each more exhausting than the last. Eventually, she couldn’t even focus anymore—just answered mechanically, her mind going blank. She didn’t know how long she’d been stuck there. She’d started out thinking she’d be released soon. Now, she was falling apart.

The overhead light snapped on again. Sierra’s expression was completely numb—until a voice rang out.

“Sierra!”

Her lips moved, trying to say his name, but nothing came out. Johnathan stepped forward, only for one of the agents to block his path.

“No physical contact. If you can’t follow the rules, we’ll have to escort you out.”

Johnathan clenched his fists, but held himself back. He looked at her, voice tight but steady. “Sierra, it’s okay. I’m here now. You’re not alone.”

Her empty gaze slowly came back into focus. When she realized he was real—that he was actually standing there—something inside her settled. She wanted him to hold her. To make the nightmare stop. But all she could manage was a fragile smile.

“You came?”

Johnathan didn’t answer. His eyes said enough. Stone had pulled every string he had to make this happen. It had taken three days. Johnathan knew it would be rough, but he hadn’t expected this. There were no bruises or marks on Sierra. They hadn’t used force—probably after verifying her background. But mental torture didn’t leave visible scars. He had no idea how many rounds of interrogation she’d endured, but seeing her like this—this version of Sierra, dulled and hollowed out—shook him to his core.

Now wasn’t the time to lose control. He forced himself to calm down and sat in the investigator’s chair. That had been the condition for allowing him inside. This whole thing had blown up. The top brass had been alerted and issued a directive to find the real source of the leak, no matter what. No one dared to take it lightly. And Sierra—being the one at the center of it—was under the most scrutiny of all.