Chapter 243
When he opened the door, he found Sienna leaning against the frame, her cheeks flushed crimson, her eyes hazy.
Her slender figure was graceful, her beauty breathtaking and ethereal.
From the very first moment he laid eyes on her, he had fallen hopelessly in love.
The silhouette that had haunted his every waking thought, day and night, was suddenly standing right at his door.
He was completely stunned.
Desire and obsession instantly pulverized his rationality. Disregarding everything else, he dragged her into his room.
Over the years, he had desperately reined in his playboy tendencies, fighting tooth and nail to become stronger.
He worked relentlessly to catch up to Maloney, executing everything to sheer perfection.
He stubbornly believed that his looks, family background, and capabilities were second to none. He thought that as long as he was exceptional enough, he could eventually warm Sienna’s heart.
But in the end, it was all for nothing.
She still demanded a divorce, severing every tie she had to him.
It wasn’t until Declan Ward reported back today.
He finally learned that Sienna had already sublet the old house her grandfather had left her as a keepsake.
Aside from meeting Declan once to sign the asset transfer documents.
She had now completely vanished from his radar.
He had leveraged every connection he had, turning the Capital upside down, yet couldn’t catch a single trace of her.
What she wanted was never just to be far away; she wanted to act as if they were dead to each other.
Jarred’s eyes turned red, his entire being radiating defeat.
For a fleeting second, he felt like he might as well just die.
He looked up at Maloney’s calm, elegant features, letting out a heavy, cynical laugh. “I can’t find her now. In this entire city, you’re the only one capable of wiping her tracks this flawlessly, aren’t you p>
“She’s still in the Capital,” Maloney said, his face impassive.
“She’s worked on joint task forces with SWAT. She’s fully versed in anti-reconnaissance tactics. Combine that with Luna Lennox, who holds a position in the police force just like you, and evading your search would be effortless for her p>
Jarred’s eyes narrowed sharply, his gaze piercing. “You really don’t know where she is p>
Maloney didn’t answer directly, sidestepping the core of the question. “If she had married me back then, her life wouldn’t necessarily have been any better than it is now p>
That single sentence completely shattered Jarred’s preconceived notions.
Everyone used to say that Sienna was head over heels for Maloney. Even he had been drowning in that jealousy and suspicion for years.
But right now, Maloney’s attitude was perfectly tranquil. There was zero affection in his voice, making it glaringly obvious that he had never possessed any romantic feelings for her.
Jarred frowned deeply, his voice hoarse. “So… you weren’t the one who drugged her p>
Maloney’s eyes flickered just a fraction of an inch.
Though the movement was microscopic, Jarred still caught it.
Jarred curled his lips into a cold smile, his eyes entirely analytical. “She and I had a hidden marriage back then. When our grandfather publicly announced it that night, there weren’t many people invited.
Aside from some extended family members, there were only a handful of outsiders p>
He lifted his chin, staring directly into Maloney’s eyes. “It really wouldn’t be that hard for me to dig up the truth about this p>
Maloney stood there like a statue entirely devoid of warmth.
After a long silence, he spoke softly. “A sense of boundaries is a man’s bottom line. Even I understand that, yet you don’t p>
He took a step forward, closing the distance between them until Jarred could see the thin veil of anger masking his eyes.
“So what if you find the person who drugged her? If it weren’t for them, you wouldn’t have even been able to touch the hem of her clothes.
You constantly miss the point, and you completely fail to respect boundaries. No wonder your wife doesn’t want you p>
They were just a few words, but every single syllable stabbed straight into Jarred’s chest.
Saying nothing more, Maloney turned and walked out.
The study door clicked shut, severing the last slice of light.
Staring at that cold, retreating silhouette, Jarred’s brow knitted tightly together as the boundless darkness and suffocating regret completely swallowed him whole.