Chapter 296: No More Conditions

Johnathan glanced sideways at Mateo and said, “Check all of them. Call logs, transaction records, who they met, everything.”

Mateo gave him a hand gesture, signaling him to relax. He’d take care of it. It wasn’t hard work for Mateo, but it would take time to sift through the data. After a quick round of updates, the group split up.

Johnathan was on his way home when his phone rang. It was Mr. Wynn. Without hesitation, he changed direction and drove up to the family estate. Mr. Wynn was waiting for him. The first thing he said was, “Do you want me to help?”

Johnathan simply asked, “And what’s the price?” He’d learned a long time ago: nothing in this family ever came free.

Mr. Wynn looked mildly hurt. “Can’t I just want to help my grandson?”

Johnathan didn’t answer. He just stared back with a half-smile. Mr. Wynn gave up the act. No use lying to someone who knew him this well.

“I can get her out. Today. But the condition is that you make peace with your father and your brother.”

Of course. Johnathan wasn’t surprised. In fact, he would’ve been more surprised if his grandfather didn’t use this as leverage. This was the Wynn family, after all. Even the one who loved him the most still made deals.

He remembered what Mr. Wynn had told him the day he was brought to the estate after his mother died: “I’ll protect you for now, but I can’t protect you forever. You need to grow up fast. One day, this family will be yours.”

Back then, he’d rebelled. He didn’t want anything to do with the Wynn family. His grandfather had agreed—on one condition: he had to return to Capital City by the time he turned thirty. Every concession, every act of support, had always come with strings attached. He’d gotten used to it—until Sierra.

She was the first person who’d ever made him realize that real love didn’t come with terms. That family, when it was real, didn’t negotiate affection.

Mr. Wynn seemed to notice the sarcasm on Johnathan’s face and frowned. “You don’t want to see her suffer in there, do you? I make the call, and she walks out today.”

Yes, it was messy. But it wasn’t impossible. Not for someone like Mr. Wynn.

Johnathan looked up slowly. “No thanks, Grandpa. I’ll handle it myself. If that’s all, I’ll be going.”

He turned to leave. But then Mr. Wynn’s voice called after him. “So she’s not that important to you after all, is she?”

“At least not more than your grudge. She’s in there waiting for you. And you’re letting your pride get in the way. Honestly, I feel sorry for her.”

“I’d rather never come back here again.”

Mr. Wynn froze. He tried to speak, but Johnathan was already gone. He let out a heavy sigh. He’d thought this was the perfect opportunity to force his grandson to make peace with the family. But maybe he’d pushed too hard. That look in Johnathan’s eyes just now—it stuck with him.

After a moment of silence, he thought about Sierra. His expression softened. He called the butler over. “Make the call. Tell them to let her out.”

“Yes, sir.”

Meanwhile, Johnathan sat in his car at the base of the mountain, not starting the engine right away. He’d always believed the Wynn family didn’t matter to him. But right now, he wanted nothing more than to hold that entire empire in his hands. Sierra’s situation had shown him just how powerless he still was. He wasn’t enough—not yet. If he wanted to protect her, really protect her, then he had to go even further. Stand even taller. Hold even more.

He glanced up at the mountain, its gates guarded tight. Then he lit a cigarette, finished it in silence, and finally drove off.

Halfway through the drive, his phone rang again. He turned the wheel and headed straight for the classified bureau. By the time he got there, Sierra’s release papers had just been signed. The legal team that handled it? Wynn family attorneys.

“Mr. Simon,” one of them said. “Everything’s ready. You’re cleared to take Ms. Sierra home.”

“Though,” he added, “she’ll still need to check in daily for questioning.”

This case had blown up far beyond expectations. Multiple agencies were involved, and under normal circumstances, someone in Sierra’s position wouldn’t have been released so easily. Today’s outcome had everything to do with Mr. Wynn pulling strings.

Johnathan narrowed his eyes. “Any message from my grandfather?”

The attorney gave a polite smile. “No, sir. Nothing at all.”