Chapter 72: You Are More Than Welcome

“I might just drop by often to borrow your books in the future, Mr. Yeager. Don’t find me annoying, okay?” Sierra joked.

What a coincidence. The house next to Jonathan’s had always been empty, so he never considered buying it. He wasn’t planning to stay in Maviston for long anyway. But to his surprise, it turned out to belong to Bradley.

As for Sierra being his neighbor, he didn’t mind. Snapping back to reality, Jonathan glanced at Sierra and said, “You’re more than welcome.”

The next day, Sierra returned to school. She had taken a few days off, and the moment she reappeared, she became an instant celebrity. Thanks to Sean’s post, everyone knew who she was and that she had been to prison. When she entered the classroom, the entire class stared at her, but she ignored them and sat in the front row.

She never talked to anyone, and within just two days, she had gained a reputation for being cold and aloof. On top of that, rumors started spreading. No one knew when or where they began, but they claimed Sierra was ruthless and had forced the campus belle to switch majors.

Everyone knew Denise had originally studied literature in undergrad but later transferred to biochemical sciences, where she successfully got into grad school. With her family background and striking looks, she had a loyal fan base on campus. Everything she did attracted attention, so when news broke that she was switching back to literature, it caused an uproar.

Someone once asked her why she changed majors. It was said that she merely smiled, pale-faced, and said nothing. That only made people more convinced that Sierra had forced her.

From an outsider’s perspective, Sierra was the true daughter of the Xander family, and there was no way the Xanders would let her suffer. Besides, she had been in prison. She had to be ruthless. A delicate girl like Denise was no match for a devil like Sierra.

Before long, a bunch of self-righteous students actually formed a “Protect Denise” group and even started some ridiculous petition, demanding that the school expel Sierra. They claimed they wouldn’t tolerate such an evil in their school.

Sierra had no clue about any of this. She had just received a message from an unknown number—just a time and an address, telling her to come. She didn’t need to guess who sent it. It was Kason!

She put away her phone, finished her class, and took a cab to the restaurant Kason mentioned. The place was private. As soon as she gave the room number, someone led her inside.

When she entered, Kason was already there, on a call. He gave her a nod as a greeting, then continued his conversation. Sierra turned on the recorder she had brought, took a sip of her bottled water, and studied Kason.

He still looked polished and presentable, handsome, even. But his eyes carried a certain gloominess that made people uneasy. Other than that, he didn’t look like the semi-bag he was.

Kason’s call didn’t last long. When he hung up, he smiled at Sierra and said, “Let me introduce myself. I’m Kason Richardson. Nice to meet you, Sierra!”

Leaning back in her chair, Sierra nodded. “Hello.” Her indifference didn’t seem to bother Kason. Ever since he saw her at that birthday party, he hadn’t been able to forget her. He liked the fire in her. He could already imagine how enticing she would be in bed. The thought excited him.

But Sierra wasn’t like the others. His father had specifically warned him not to take things too far. After all, she was the Xander family’s real daughter. Besides, if something happened to her, his own reputation would take a hit. Then, the Richardson family would have no chance at securing an advantageous marriage.

He knew his limits. A prize like her was worth taking his time. A good hunt required patience. With that in mind, he said slowly, “I’m sure you know what our families have in mind. But marriage is a lifelong commitment. I think we should take things slow, get to know each other. What do you think?”

His words surprised Sierra a little. She nodded. “Sure. Let’s get to know each other.” Then, she smiled faintly, “You already know I’ve been to prison, so I might be different from the people you’re used to.”

Kason raised an eyebrow. “I know about that. It was just an accident, and you didn’t mean to hurt anyone. It’s nothing serious. But what do you mean by ‘different’?”

Sierra hid the disgust in her eyes and smirked. “For example, I prefer watching gory films. So if we ever go on a date, don’t bother picking romance movies?”