Chapter 397: Buried Truths

Susie was moved by his words. She glanced at her son, and a flicker of relief passed through her eyes. At least her son hadn’t turned completely irredeemable.

Johnathan had already turned his wheelchair around. He didn’t pause at Jose’s words, and Jose could only watch as Sierra pushed him out of sight. What did that mean? Was he just toying with him?

“Jose, don’t think of him that way. Your brother is a good person. Even after all that hatred, he still saved your life. That alone proves the kind of man he is. Don’t blame him. Anyone who watched their mother die in front of them would be filled with hate.” Susie’s face was full of sorrow. “You were still young back then, and sick too. Your father had taken you to the hospital. He didn’t have his phone on him, so he didn’t know how bad things had gotten. Johnathan called him dozens of times, but your father never picked up.”

“By the time Johnathan got to the hospital, his mother had just fallen from the upper floor—right in front of him… And at that exact moment, your father was walking out, holding you in his arms.” As she recalled the past, pain overtook Susie’s face.

Jose opened his mouth, stunned. He had never known any of this. He always knew Johnathan didn’t like them—hated them, even. He thought it was because he and his mother had taken their father away. He never imagined Johnathan’s mother had lost her life because of it. “Why was I never told any of this?” Jose couldn’t help but ask.

“That year, the whole situation got out of control. Everyone who knew the truth was silenced. The public was only told she died of illness. No one knew the real story… So, Jose, don’t resent him. He was just a child himself—barely ten years old,” This time, Jose said nothing more. He clutched the blanket tightly, regret flickering in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Johnathan had returned to his hospital room. Sierra helped him back into bed and, worried about his condition, called the doctor to run a checkup. Fortunately, the results came back fine. “I told you, I know my limits.”

But Sierra wasn’t having it. Even sitting in a wheelchair, Johnathan kept his back perfectly straight, refusing to relax in the slightest—stubborn as ever. Remembering what she had just heard, Sierra asked quietly, “Are you hurt?” Johnathan had secretly saved Jose several times, only to be betrayed in the end.

“Hurt? For an idiot like that?” Johnathan scoffed.

Sierra couldn’t help but laugh. “You really are something…” But after the laugh, worry crept back into her expression. “Why do you think Quinn took Dora? What does she want?” She didn’t believe any of that nonsense about motherly love. If Quinn truly cared about Dora, the girl wouldn’t be so terrified of her. “My guess? She doesn’t want us uncovering what’s hidden in Dora.” Johnathan spoke evenly.

Sierra’s heart skipped a beat. “You mean… the experiment?” Johnathan nodded. “Quinn’s clever. She mixes truth with lies. The experiments on Dora are real. The only question is whether it was Quinn’s idea—or Timothy’s.” The most dangerous thing about people like Quinn was their ability to blur truth and fiction.

Sierra pressed her lips together. “So if Quinn took Dora, does that mean she’s still using her?” Johnathan didn’t reply. He simply patted her hand.

After a while, Sierra gathered herself. “I know there are so many like her in this world… but Dora is just a child. Pitiful, really. Quinn may have taken her, but I doubt she’s escaped yet. We still have a chance to get her back.” “Don’t worry. I’ve already told Stone and the others to keep a close watch.” “Let’s hope they find her.” Sierra sighed. This was all they could do now. She understood that there were plenty of people in the world who had it as bad—or worse—than Dora. They couldn’t save them all. But they could try.

“We have to find out who’s behind Quinn!” Sierra said firmly. Whoever was backing Quinn had to be terrifying. That organization of hers was utterly inhumane—they could even lay hands on newborn babies without flinching. “Alright.” Johnathan agreed without hesitation.

In the days that followed, Capital City launched a large-scale investigation. Quinn was too important. The authorities took the matter very seriously: Everyone wanted to capture her and dismantle the organization behind her in one sweep.

Inside a run-down house on the outskirts of town, Quinn picked up a call—her face darkening as she listened.