Begging for a Second Chance (Sienna Sloan and Jarred Sterling) novel Chapter 273

She scanned the room, instantly piecing it together.

Aside from her and a few distant relatives, no one else looked confused.

The rest of the family wore expressions of knowing complicity; they had clearly been aware of this all along.

Swallowing her shock, she fixed Helena with a calm, penetrating stare. "What Performance-Based Equity Agreement? Explain yourself."

Helena sneered, glaring at her with unvarnished contempt. "Cut the act.

When you and Jarred divorced, the old man gave you five percent of the company's founder shares as compensation.

But the company doesn't belong solely to him. Obviously, the rest of us refused to accept that.

So we came up with a compromise: we would fund your new project."

She paused, hammering every single word into Sienna's chest like a nail.

"If your project hits the expected trial results, you keep the five percent, and the company will even set up a special foundation in your name to help patients.

But if your trials fail, not only do you forfeit the shares, you also have to return every single cent and piece of property you've ever taken from the Sterlings and from Jarred!"

Every syllable slashed at Sienna like a blade.

Her pupils contracted violently, her entire body locking up.

So that was it.

Jarred hadn't relentlessly insisted on funding her life's work out of some sudden burst of generosity.

It was all because of this damn agreement!

An indescribable wave of pure fury crashed through her veins.

She had never cared about the five percent stake.

She hadn't even wanted the massive settlement Jarred offered during the divorce.

But she never imagined he would use her career—the very thing she poured her soul into—as a bargaining chip in a corporate gamble.

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