Begging for a Second Chance (Sienna Sloan and Jarred Sterling) novel Chapter 356

Jarred answered the call immediately. "Director Holden."

The voice on the other end was brutally direct. "My office. Fifteen minutes."

Jarred frowned, disconnected the call, grabbed his jacket, and headed for the door.

Declan hurried after him. "Boss, should we keep digging into the source of the leaks?"

"No need." Jarred's expression was completely void of emotion. "I know exactly who it is."

He had been in this line of work long enough to navigate countless media storms.

But the angle of these attacks was far too calculated.

His marriage to Sienna was a closely guarded secret, known only by a select few.

No one in the right mind would dare offend The Sterlings by leaking the family's private matters.

Yet, this exposé surgically bypassed all irrelevant parties to attack the core ambiguity between him and Celeste.

In the entire Capital, there was only one person with the resources, the PR savvy, the intimate knowledge of his private life, and the motive to pull off a hit like this.

Declan froze for a split second before the realization hit him. He clamped his mouth shut and didn't ask another question.

Inside the Director's office.

Jarred knocked once and stepped inside.

"Sit," Director Holden ordered, getting straight to the point.

"Jarred, I've known you for over a decade. I know exactly what kind of man you are."

Holden stared at him intently. "But this is the internet age. The public doesn't care about protocols or red tape.

They see the words 'Captain' and 'Female Suspect' linked together, and they've already written a goddamn soap opera in their heads."

Jarred said nothing.

"The higher-ups are already breathing down my neck. This has become a massive liability."

Jarred's gaze turned impossibly dark.

"I'm giving you two options," Holden said. "One, you draft an official statement, revoke the medical bail, and throw her back in holding. I'll pass the files along, and we bury this right here. Two..."

Holden paused. "You make a public statement and squash the backlash yourself.

But remember, you're the Captain of a Special Ops Unit, not some internet celebrity.

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