Chapter 289
Jarred didn’t budge.
He stood perfectly still, towering over her by a full head.
He looked down at her, his deep, brooding eyes swirling with a chaotic storm of emotions.
It looked like anger, it looked like heartache, and beneath it all, it looked like the desperate vulnerability of a man pushed completely to the edge.
“Sienna, can you please stop treating me like the enemy?” His voice was so ragged it hardly sounded like his own.
“You misunderstood me today. I came all the way out here tonight specifically to explain things to you p>
Sienna stared at his intense, almost reverent expression and let out a cold, sharp laugh.
“Explain?” She arched an eyebrow. “What possible misunderstanding could warrant Mr. Sterling showing up at my door?
Let me guess, you’re here to tell me again that I’m the one you truly love, and that you’ve never had feelings for Celeste p>
A flash of profound pain crossed Jarred’s eyes.
Sienna didn’t miss it, and the cynical curve of her lips deepened. “Jarred, I don’t care if you aren’t tired of reading from that script, because I am absolutely sick of hearing it p>
Jarred stared at the raw, unfiltered mockery and disappointment in her eyes. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he let out a heavy, defeated breath.
Stripping away his usual arrogance, he forced himself to be patient, keeping his voice incredibly soft.
“I’m talking about the Performance-Based Equity Agreement p>
The mocking smile vanished from Sienna’s face.
Jarred held her gaze, his eyes burning with an almost stubborn level of sincerity.
“I did know about it. The ones who pushed for that agreement were the Clan Elders who opposed you taking over the shares.
They rallied the key shareholders and went behind the scenes to pressure Grandpa p>
Sienna’s expression grew colder by the second, a silent, bone-chilling frost settling over her features.
Catching the intense scrutiny in her eyes, Jarred spoke faster, his tone growing increasingly desperate.
“But my investment had absolutely nothing to do with them. It has zero ties to the family or the Sterling Group.
I just wanted to fund your career. The money I make is meant for you to use anyway p>
He paused, swallowing hard before pressing on. “Grandpa never actually agreed to their ridiculous terms.
When he transferred those shares to you, he never had any intention of taking them back, and he sure as hell wasnt going to use some twisted evaluation to sabotage you. II
He took a slow step closer, his dark eyes locking onto hers as if trying to bare his very soul to her.
It was a raw, naked display of how deeply he cared—something he had hidden for years and rarely ever showed.
“You don’t have to worry. Even if Grandpa doesn’t wake up, I am still here. I will never let anyone bully you.
I won’t let them enforce that agreement, and I will never let anyone treat your life’s work like a game p>
Sienna listened to him, utterly silent.
She just stood there, the heavy sarcasm in her eyes carved so deep that nothing he said could erase it.
By now, any lingering trust she had for this man had been entirely obliterated by his endless hesitations, his blatant bias toward Celeste, and his constant bling spots.
His promises always sounded so beautiful.
But every single time, without fail, they turned into the most vicious knife in her back when she was most vulnerable.
She gave a hollow, dismissive smirk, her tone dripping with absolute apathy: “Are you done? If you’re done get the hell out. You’re polluting the air
Staring into Sienna’s dead, emotionless eyes, the last thread of Jarred’s composure finally snapped.
His voice rose in desperation. “I’m telling you the truth! Every cent of that investment came straight from my personal accounts.
I already had my assistant release a public statement cutting all ties between the funding, the family, and the Group p>
But Sienna didn’t even blink.