When the Flame of Love Fades (Sierra) novel Chapter 254

Chapter 254 The Dragon and His Treasure

Finished

Jonathan took a quick shower, told Mateo and the others that they’d be heading to the restaurant later, and then drove off to pick up Sierra.

By the time he arrived, Sierra was already waiting downstairs, having just finished her research. But she wasn’t alone–she was surrounded by a crowd, mostly men, their eyes practically glowing as they looked at her.

Sierra was answering questions for her juniors, something that had started just a couple of days ago.

It all began when she ran into two younger students at the cafeteria. They were discussing a chemistry reaction, but neither could figure it out. As she passed by, she overheard a bit of their conversation and casually shared her insight. That one moment turned into a habit.

Every day since, she’d run into students during meals or on her way in and out of campus, all asking for her help with unsolved problems. She never hesitated to share her thought process with them.

What she didn’t realize was that her popularity at North Salem University was skyrocketing–not just because of her past reputation, but also because of her approachable personality.

She never held back from sharing her knowledge. Even though she looked cold and distant, everyone who talked to her knew how kind she really was.

Jonathan’s lips pressed into a thin line as he watched her surrounded by people.

Even though he had always known she was a hidden gem, bound to be noticed sooner or later, seeing Sierra become so popular still set off alarm bells in Jonathan’s mind. Right now, he felt like a dragon sitting on a pile of gold, paranoid that someone was going to swoop in and steal his treasure.

That thought made him step out of the car and walk toward them.

“Excuse me,” Jonathan’s gentle voice rang out. The crowd froze for a second before barely suppressing their excitement and letting out quiet squeals.

Jonathan glanced at them, smiling as he said, “Can we save the questions for another time? My girlfriend and I have a date right now.”

With that, he reached out and took Sierra’s hand—his meaning was clear.

The group eagerly nodded, stammering, “O–of course, Mr. Yeager!”

Jonathan gave them a polite smile before leading Sierra to the car.

Sierra had been watching him the whole time. She noticed that his smile never reached his eyes—what they saw just now was nothing more than one of the many masks he often wore.

She gently pulled her hand away. Sensing her movement, Jonathan turned to say something, but Sierra spoke first.

“If you don’t feel like smiling, then don’t, Jonathan.”

Jonathan paused, then the corners of his lips lifted into a real smile. “Now I actually feel happy.” He chuckled. “Sierra, I feel so conflicted. On one hand, I’m glad that so many people like you–that you finally have friends. It makes me happy.”

Then, he added, “But at the same time, seeing so many people admire you, I don’t want them looking at you at all. What should I do?”

Sierra’s eyelashes fluttered slightly. She didn’t shy away from his gaze. Instead, she met his eyes and asked, “Deep down, which feeling is stronger?”