The Lost Heiress: Never Forgiven (Sierra Xander) novel Chapter 16

When the Flame of Love Fades

Chapter 16 Punishment

Being here meant following Shane’s rules.

Anyone who disobeyed faced something much worse.

Sierra had no idea what that lunatic had planned this time.

She quietly found a spot to sit, pressing her back against the wall, trying to make herself as invisible as possible.

When sight was taken away, other senses sharpened.

She thought she heard something–movement, maybe.

But when she strained to listen, there was nothing.

The unknown was always the most terrifying.

Was this his punishment for today?

Sierra wasn’t sure. She curled in on herself, but every muscle in her body remained tightly wound.

Silence.

No sounds.

Had she imagined the earlier noises?

Time passed, but she had no way of knowing how long she had been in there.

Her clothes were already soaked in cold sweat, yet she barely noticed.

This kind of torment could drive anyone mad.

She bit her lip, forcing herself to focus on something else–her grandmother, her research.

Anything to stop her mind from spiraling.

Then, a sudden click.

At first, she thought she was hallucinating again.

But the next second, the pitch–black room was flooded with light.

Footsteps echoed.

Steady. Unhurried.

Stopping right in front of her.

She looked up and saw Shane.

He gazed down at her, unimpressed.

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Chapter 16 Punishment

He almost sounded disappointed.

She was still holding it together.

“Get up.”

As his words fell, the rest of the lights turned on, glaringly bright.

Sierra knew this meant it was over.

For now.

She turned to leave.

But before she reached the door, Shane’s voice rang out again.

Finished

“Your brothers love you so much. Why don’t you tell them about what happens when you’re with me?”

Sierra didn’t stop walking.

Love her?

She wasn’t that naive anymore.

She knew exactly what Bradley and the others felt–maybe some guilt.

But love?

No. Tell them?And then what?

They’d get angry. Retaliate. But in the end, she would be the one suffering for it.

She wasn’t stupid.

Shane was too powerful.

Officially, he was just a prison warden.

But who knew what his real identity was?

His influence was everywhere.

No one dared to cross him.

And the Xanders?

They wouldn’t risk going against someone like him for her.

As soon as she stepped outside, the blinding sunlight hit her.

She hadn’t realized until now–she had been locked in there all night.

That lunatic.

She inhaled deeply, her body finally registering the stiffness in her muscles.

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Chapter 16 Punishment

She was exhausted, aching all over.

She needed to go to the hospital.

To see her grandmother.

Pulling out her phone, she saw that it had shut off at some point.

She had started recording before she entered the house, but in the end, it had been useless.

Shane was even more cautious than she had thought.

A car passed by.

Then reversed, stopping beside her.

Sierra tensed, thinking it was Shane again.

But the window rolled down.

Jonathan’s voice was as calm as ever.

“Sierra? Need a ride?”

His eyes flickered over her face, his brows knitting together slightly.