"Aren't you moving out? What are you still doing here?" John met Sierra's gaze head-on.

"I don't need you to tell me that," Sierra replied, grabbing her suitcase. "I can't stay one more second in a place full of garbage like this."

With that, she walked out without a moment's hesitation.

Seeing how decisive she was, John's eyes darkened. "Wait."

Sierra stopped.

Before she could speak, John glanced at her suitcase and ordered the bodyguard at the door, "Take Ms. Bell's suitcase out and check. See if there's anything inside that doesn't belong to her."

"What do you mean by that?" Sierra instinctively held onto her suitcase.

"Since you just tried to steal jewelry, it's hard for me to believe you haven't hidden anything else," John said, his words sharp and heartless as he knew how to corner someone completely. "The search is for everyone's peace of mind."

"That's really what you think of me?" Sierra's eyes were full of disappointment and anger.

For just a moment, John hesitated.

But as he remembered how determined she had been to leave, his expression turned cold again. "Yes."

Sierra's chest throbbed with pain.

She could accept John not loving her, even the distance he put between them, and his aloofness.

But she couldn't accept him humiliating her in front of Pamela. This wasn't just questioning her character… It was a slap in the face.

"I do not consent to this invasion of my privacy," Sierra said, gripping her suitcase handle tighter than ever. "If you insist, call the police and let them do it, or just cut my hands off from the suitcase."

She stared at him, defiant as ever.

John came over and, meeting her stubborn gaze, pried her fingers off the suitcase one by one. She used all her strength to hold on, but John easily broke her grip.

He then handed the suitcase to the bodyguard, handling it like any other business matter.

"Check it thoroughly. Don't miss a single spot."

The bodyguard answered without hesitation. "Yes, sir."

"John Henderson!" Sierra's eyes turned red as she snatched the suitcase back. She had never been so humiliated in her life.

John's face was cold, completely devoid of the warmth he used to show her.

"Will you only be satisfied when you've completely trampled on my dignity?" For the first time, all of Sierra's pride crumbled. All she had left was how humiliated she felt. "You know full well I'd never take anything from you!"

Of course, John knew. He understood Sierra's character better than anyone. He knew she would never take what didn't belong to her.

But he wanted her to see what happened when she made the wrong choices.

"Maybe just let it go," Pamela spoke up, seeing that John was starting to waver. She stepped in, giving him a way out. "You and Sierra were married, after all. Even if she did take something, it would be understandable."

"Can you just not talk for a second?" Sierra snapped, her dislike for Pamela showing as always.

John thought Sierra was being stupid. With such a temper, she would never survive on her own. Why couldn't she just stay by his side?

"Just go. I'll let it slip this time, for Pamela's sake," he said at last, though his words only made Sierra feel more stifled.

Sierra grabbed her suitcase. Just as she was about to fire back at the two of them, Alfred hurried up. "Sir, Ms. Bell. Mr. Tommy is back."

Everyone froze.

Before they could react, Tommy walked in, looking sweet and well-behaved in his overalls, right behind the butler.

Tommy glanced around the room, and his gaze finally landed on the suitcase in Sierra's hand. In his soft but earnest voice, he asked, "Mommy, why do you have a suitcase?"

Sierra opened her mouth, but couldn't come up with a reasonable answer.

"It's for me," John cut in, crouching down so he was eye-level with Tommy. "Daddy has to go on a business trip for a few days. While I'm gone, you have to be a good boy and listen to Mommy, alright?"

Tommy nodded. "Okay."

John ruffled his hair. "Good boy."

Tommy looked over at Pamela. "Who's her?"

"She's Daddy's secretary," John lied without a hint of hesitation. "She's coming with me on the trip."

Sierra's hand unconsciously tightened on the suitcase handle, but she didn't let any emotion show on her face.

John stood up and walked over, naturally taking the suitcase from her hands. Then, just like always, he pressed a kiss to her lips, his tone gentle and soft. "I'm leaving now. If you miss me, just call, okay?"

Sierra forced herself not to react, answering stiffly, "Sure."

"Good." John pulled a loose strand of hair behind Sierra's ear, his fingertips coming down, and lingered a little too long at her earlobe as he rubbed it between his thumb and finger. "Wait for me to come back."

"You should go, or you'll miss your flight," Sierra said, doing her best to get him out the door. Being near him for even a second longer made her sick. She just wanted him to leave as soon as possible.

John noticed her rejection. Just before leaving, he deliberately leaned down and kissed her again, not giving her a chance to refuse. By the time she looked up at him, eyes full of anger, he was already gone, carrying her suitcase with Pamela close behind.

"Mommy," Tommy spoke up once they were gone.

Sierra pushed down her emotions and gave him her best smile. "What is it?"

Tommy opened his mouth, hesitated, and then changed what he was about to say. "It's lunchtime. Let's go eat."

"Alright," Sierra agreed.

During lunch, Sierra's mind was still haunted by what had happened. John had lied to Tommy's face without flinching. Was he really not worried she would tell Tommy the truth about his cheating? And those two kisses… He already had someone else. Why did he still act that way?

Suddenly, she remembered her suitcase. John had taken it with him, and it held all her important documents, including her ID and passport.

She picked up her phone and texted him, "When will you give my suitcase back?"

John saw the message, but didn't reply. Nearly an hour later, he got another message.

He thought it was Sierra urging him, but it was not from her. It was a message from Tommy.

"Dad, that lady today wasn't really your secretary, was she?"

John froze.

He hadn't expected Tommy to ask that. He almost replied, but then remembered he had told Tommy he was on a business trip. At this time, Tommy would think his dad was still on the plane and hadn't received his message yet.

Tommy waited in his room. If his dad replied, it meant he wasn't traveling and had lied to him.

But John was his dad, after all. He wasn't about to make such a rookie mistake.

As for Sierra, after waiting for hours and getting no reply, she finally called him.

He answered, but before she could say anything, Pamela's voice rang out through the phone, "John, I just finished my shower."