Begging for a Second Chance (Sienna Sloan and Jarred Sterling) novel Chapter 248

Jarred stared at him, his gaze like a blade. "I've kept my mouth shut about this for years.

First, because taking advantage of someone isn't exactly honorable, and second, because I genuinely thought you were the one who orchestrated it.

But now that I know you didn't, it's highly likely that both Sienna and I were played."

He leaned forward, dropping his voice even lower. "I can handle it. But Sienna has spent all these years branded a gold-digger, mocked by the entire city, and alienated by our own family.

You watched it happen with your own eyes, Maloney. Don't you want to give her the justice she deserves?"

Maloney frowned, letting out a heavy breath, his tone adopting an unyielding edge.

"It's in the past. Digging this up will only rip open her old wounds. It's better for everyone if we just leave it alone."

"Leave it alone?"

Jarred looked as though he had just heard the most absurd joke on earth. His laugh was frigid, his eyes devoid of any warmth.

"I already broke her once, and you don't care about my side of it at all.

Now I'm seriously wondering—do you genuinely want to stop my divorce, or... are you hiding something else?"

Maloney's brow knit together tightly.

The standoff between the two men grew increasingly volatile, the air so thick with hostility it was practically combustible.

Maloney said nothing more. Jarred's gaze remained welded to his face, neither willing to yield an inch.

Just then, a knock broke the silence at the study door.

Mrs. Bridges hurried in, glancing anxiously between Jarred and Maloney, her face painted with hesitation.

"Jarred, Madam is back. She said she left some files behind and went into the bedroom study to retrieve them."

The moment the words left her mouth, Jarred's face drained of color.

Inside the bedroom study, all the files from his recent investigation—including the chemical analysis of the fruit wine—were scattered wide open across the desk.

If Sienna saw them...

He didn't dare hesitate. He shot out of his chair and sprinted toward the bedroom study.

Masking his own emotions, Maloney quickly followed right behind him.

Inside the study, Sienna stood frozen by the desk, as if her feet had been nailed to the floor.

She remembered the condescending sneers from the Sterling family over the years.

Every time a new vicious rumor circulated, her heart had been sliced open, yet she could only endure it in silence, swallowing her grievances with no one to confide in.

No, wait.

Sienna snapped back to reality. The difference between being drunk and being drugged was glaringly obvious. There was no way Jarred couldn't tell.

Why didn't he say anything back then?

Or worse... did he spike the drink himself?

Her heart seized violently in her chest.

She forced herself to breathe, her eyes dropping to the scattered papers on the edge of the desk.

CCTV screenshots, guest background checks...

She snatched up the stack of papers, rapidly scanning the pages.

One specific notation burned into her vision: Suspect identified, isolated exclusively to Maloney's private guest list.