The lost heiress never forgiven

The Lost Heiress 286

Chapter 286 The Stranger I Thought I Knew

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Finished

The truth was, Jonathan wasn’t really like this–except when it came to anything involving Susie. That’s when something in him always shifted, became more rigid, more extreme.

An uncomfortable silence settled over the office. Maddox and Mateo looked uneasy, unsure whether to stay

or go.

Then Sierra spoke.

“Sorry, can I talk to him alone?”

Maddox and Matco exchanged a glance, then stood and left without a word. As they stepped out, Mateo gave her a quiet warning.

“Sierra, talk it through.”

Sierra nodded. Once the door shut behind them, Jonathan finally spoke.

“You heard what we said? Did it bother you?”

“It did.” Sierra looked up at him. He was still the Jonathan she knew, the one she cared about. But what he said earlier… that felt like someone else entirely.

“Sierra, business is war. We’re not a shelter. This fight with the Zach Group–it’s costing us too. We can’t afford to carry their people on our backs.”

He was trying to explain.

“I know that,” Sierra said. She did. She had never expected Jonathan to take responsibility for every employee the Zach Group had laid off.

“Then why are you upset?” he asked, frowning.

Why?

he felt

to find the right words before

what you said back there

only be for

understand what she was getting at. He

“Sierra, I’m a businessman.”

he looked at everything from

front of you right now isn’t the Jonathan who lectures on campus. He’s the CEO. This company was built by the few of us from the ground up. I own the majority, yes, but they have shares too. There are other stakeholders. I have to answer to

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Stranger Thought

Sierra knew those were

**Finished

Jonathan really cared about shareholders, he wouldn’t have come after the

couldn’t bring herself

she realized she didn’t really

the worst of the world. But she hadn’t truly

was good at playing every role he

he was refined, composed,

CEO, he was sharp, calculating,

she could imagine him as a mercenary too–efficient, detached, capable of killing without a

roles without

thought she

she wasn’t

in her

sat beside her, gentle and warm, was that real? Or was it just the role he was playing at the

She stayed silent.

those words left her mouth, something between them might break

Finally, she spoke again.

“Do you remember Autumn?”

She’s Professor Martin’s student too.