Chapter 59: Things Left Unnoticed

Denise was still her grandmother’s biological granddaughter. Of course, she would hesitate. That was just how it was. Sierra had just come to terms with this when her grandmother suddenly spoke.

“You don’t have to worry. I won’t do anything to her. I just want to ask her a few things. You said it yourself—she’s my granddaughter, too. What could I possibly do to her? After all, I’m not like you. I could never be so heartless as to abandon my own flesh and blood.”

Her words left the Xander brothers speechless. Bradley and Evan exchanged glances before Evan stepped outside to make a call, leaving Bradley behind to set some ground rules.

“Denise isn’t in good health. She can’t handle too much emotional stress. Please be mindful of that. And she’s very sensitive. Some things are better left unsaid. Also, she prefers the temperature at exactly 25 degrees. I’ll adjust it before she comes in. The smell in this room should be taken care of as well. And another thing—”

Before he could finish, Sierra’s grandmother cut him off.

“You remember all of that so clearly. Do you remember what your real sister likes to eat?”

Bradley froze. His eyes flicked toward Sierra. What did Sierra like to eat? His mind replayed the rare occasions she had eaten at the same table as them. The dishes on the table had always been what Denise liked. He could name at least seven or eight of Denise’s favorite foods.

But for Sierra: nothing came to mind. He racked his brain for an answer, then awkwardly said, “She’s not picky. She eats anything.”

The moment he said it, even he felt how wrong it sounded. Even the least picky eater had preferences. But he couldn’t name a single one. As far as he could remember, Sierra had never said what she liked or disliked.

Feeling guilty, he raised his voice slightly. “Alright, I get it. You’re trying to say we never paid attention to her. But that’s not our fault. She never told us. How were we supposed to know?”

Yes. It was Sierra’s fault. She didn’t say anything. So how could they have known? They weren’t mind readers, were they? Maybe he knew he was in the wrong because Bradley didn’t even dare look at Sierra while saying it.

After spitting those words out, he found an excuse to leave the room, making a call just like Evan had. Now, only Sierra and her grandmother remained. Her grandmother held her hand tightly, silent for a long moment. With just a short conversation, she had already pieced together what Sierra’s life had been like in the Xander family.

Even a mother who barely cared would still know at least one or two things their child liked. Yet the Xander family—her own flesh and blood—knew absolutely nothing. Her heart clenched in pain.

Seeing the look in her grandmother’s eyes, Sierra felt warm inside. She squeezed her hand and smiled slightly.

“It doesn’t matter, Grandma. I stopped caring a long time ago. As long as I have you, I’m fine. Once everything is settled, I’ll buy a house, and we’ll live together. Just the two of us. How about that?”

“That sounds wonderful,” her grandmother said, nodding quickly. But deep inside, she felt heavy. She knew her own body. Even with the best treatments, she wouldn’t last much longer. If it weren’t for wanting to spend more time with Sierra, she would have already let go.

She had been relieved when the Xander family took Sierra in. She had thought—at least now, Sierra would have people to rely on. But seeing what had actually happened, she couldn’t bear to think about what would happen once she was gone. She wouldn’t let that happen.

Meanwhile, Denise had arrived at the hospital.

“Bradley, Evan, why did you call me over so urgently?” she asked curiously.

“Sierra’s grandmother is inside,” Evan said.

At the mention of Sierra’s grandmother, Denise’s expression changed. She hesitated, visibly uncomfortable. Evan saw it and immediately regretted this decision.

“Maybe we should just drop it,” he said quickly.

“What? What’s going on?” Denise looked at them suspiciously.

“Sierra’s grandmother wants to see you,” Bradley explained. “You’ve been wanting Sierra to come back, haven’t you? If you can convince her grandmother, she’ll come home. And then everything can go back to the way it was. That’s why we called you here. But if you don’t want to, that’s fine. Nothing is more important than you.”

He patted her head affectionately, the same way he always did.