Chapter 249
John didn’t say anything to Lucy. He turned and went back inside the car.
He glanced at Sierra in the back seat and sent Robin a text. Then, he got into the driver’s seat and started the engine.
This place…was not somewhere they could talk.
“Aren’t we waiting for them?” Sierra asked.
“It’s fine,” John’s voice was still low and a little hoarse, his hand already on the wheel. “They’re heading back to the company. We’re not going the same way.”
Sierra nodded and didn’t ask for more answers.
There was only silence in the car again. John focused on driving the car while Sierra sat with her eyes cast down, caught in her own thoughts.
Outside, Lucy watched John pull away without a word. She clicked her tongue but didn’t stop him. Instead, she turned to Robin, who had just come out freshly changed.
“Your boss arranged a car for us, right?”
“He did,” Robin said.
“Tell him to bring my laptop to the office tomorrow,” Lucy said.
Robin gave her a suspicious look, suddenly serious as he asked, “Why don’t you tell him yourself?”
“Because it’s the job of a personal assistant like you to ruin their mood, don’t you think?” Lucy smiled, her brows lifting just enough to make her look almost dangerously handsome.
Robin simply stayed quiet.
Meanwhile, back in John’s car, there was still only silence. Other than the occasional horn from cars outside, there was only the terrifying silence. There wasn’t even a faint screech from the tires on the road.
John checked the rearview mirror. Sierra was still sitting with her head lowered, her expression unreadable.
“Campanile Estate or Maple Residences?” he asked.
“Maple Residences,” Sierra said.
“Alright,” John said.
They didn’t speak again until they reached Maple Residences. Neither uttered a word.
John walked her home.
This time, Sierra did not stop him from coming in. She glanced at his still–damp hair.
“You…”
“I’ll go back next door and shower,” John said. He was giving them both time to breathe. “You should take a shower, too. The pond water looked clean, but it really isn’t.”
“Alright,” Sierra said.
John nodded and went back to his place. Once he undressed and stepped into the bathroom, he turned on the tap and let cold water pound over his head. The scene of Sierra being pinned underwater, unable to break free, replayed in his mind repeatedly.
His chest tightened until it hurt.
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Chapter 249
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At that moment, he knew he was wrong.
He shouldn’t have quarreled with her. He shouldn’t have decided to show her how cruel the world could be. He should never have let his parents lay a finger on her.
The thought settled into a decision.
He didn’t want the divorce anymore.
He wouldn’t continue the fight anymore.
He couldn’t stand watching Sierra get hurt. He couldn’t stand watching outsiders harass her like that. Even if she didn’t want it, he would keep her tied to him. He would keep the legal right to stand in front of her when trouble came knocking so he could help her whenever she needed it.
The water was freezing as it ran over his handsome face, down his chest, and onto the tiles below.
It was so cool.
It was so bone–chillingly cold.
Still, he knew none of it would cut like her rejection later when Sierra said it out loud.
It was already half an hour later when they saw each other again, with clean clothes and dry hair.
Sierra had changed into a simpler and more comfortable outfit. She finally looked like her usual self again.
She poured John a glass of water and handed it to him on the couch. “Thank you for today.”
If it hadn’t been for him, she would have suffered much more. She knew what it took to face a literal phobia head–on. The gratitude in her voice was real.
“You don’t have to thank me. This started because of me. Fixing it was the least I could do.” John took the glass.
What he wanted had never been her gratitude.
For a moment, the politeness between them made them feel like strangers.
Sierra pressed her lips, then looked at him. “How are you feeling? I’ve heard that forcing yourself to face your fear like that can have consequences.”
P
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.

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