Chapter 103: Trapped

Sierra drew a deep breath, startled by Jonathan’s words. She hadn’t expected this to tie back to Kason again. Dickson’s sister, Daphne, had died because of Kason. And now, his friend had brutalized Dickson. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t escape Kason’s hold.

“When did you find out?” Sierra asked, her voice tense.

“This afternoon,” Jonathan said casually. The truth was, he had known since last night. But he hadn’t thought much of it—Dickson wasn’t someone he particularly cared about. Today, however, he learned the truth about Kason. He had always heard that Kason was a scumbag, but since it had nothing to do with him, he never paid much attention. That changed when he had someone look into Sierra. His investigation led him straight to Kason and showed just how vile he truly was.

What irritated him even more was how close Sierra had gotten to Kason. Even though he knew she had her own reasons, it still made him furious.

“Cut ties with Kason,” Jonathan’s voice was firm, leaving no room for argument. His usual demeanor was calm and easygoing, but this sudden display of dominance caught Sierra off guard. She stared at him for a moment before asking, “Mr. Jonathan, what right do you have to tell me what to do?”

Dickson woke up to the sight of Sierra lost in thought. He hadn’t expected to see her there. The moment he remembered everything that had happened, his chest tightened.

“Sierra.” His voice was barely above a whisper, uncertain, almost afraid.

Sierra snapped out of her daze and quickly turned to him. “You’re awake? Have you calmed down now?”

Dickson couldn’t bring himself to meet her gaze. He hadn’t wanted to drag Sierra into his mess. He hadn’t wanted her to worry. When he left the house that night, he had been fully prepared to die. But now, sitting here in front of her, he didn’t even have the courage to meet her eyes.

Sierra didn’t scold him. Instead, she simply said, “You may have dropped out of school for a few years, but you haven’t forgotten what you learned. From the questions you ask me and the notes you take, it’s clear you’re incredibly smart. I know that if you try, you’ll get into a great school next year.” Her voice was steady, unwavering. “You have a future ahead of you, Dickson. You’ll find a career you love, meet someone who makes you happy, and build a life of your own. And today, you nearly threw all of that away.”

Dickson clenched his jaw, staring down at the blanket covering his lap. Sierra had painted a picture of a future he had never let himself believe in—a future he secretly wished for. But… was that even possible for him?

As if reading his thoughts, Sierra spoke. “You were willing to ruin your entire life for that scumbag—do you really think he’s worth it? What you did wasn’t revenge, Dickson. It was suicide.” If he had truly wanted revenge on Brendan, he wouldn’t have gone straight to Dynasty Club. A place like that, crawling with security, was a death trap. Walking in there with a knife? That wasn’t a plan—it was a death wish.

At those words, something inside Dickson finally snapped. “I don’t know how to keep going, Sierra. Living just feels so damn hard.” And with that, the emotions he had buried for so long erupted into a raw, broken cry. He thought going through something like that once was more than enough—but he never expected it to happen again. And this time, he hadn’t done anything wrong. All he wanted was the wages he rightfully earned. So why did he have to suffer like this?

Sierra didn’t stop Dickson from crying. She let him get it all out, waiting until he finally calmed down before speaking.

“I used to think the same way you do.” As she spoke, she reached out her left hand and untied the red string wrapped around her wrist, revealing an ugly scar beneath it.

“Sierra!” Dickson’s eyes widened in shock. To him, Sierra had always been strong—not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. The kind of strength that made her seem unshakable. And yet, even she had…

Sierra ran her fingers over the scar and said calmly, “Back then, not long after I was sent in, people constantly picked on me. I had never experienced anything like it. I kept wondering—why? I hadn’t done anything wrong, so why did they treat me that way?” She looked him straight in the eye, her voice steady but firm. “Dickson, don’t make the same mistake. Don’t do something that will get you locked up. That place… it’s worse than anything you can imagine.”

Her dark eyes grew even deeper, as if clouded by the weight of the past. “I couldn’t take it anymore, so I tried to end it.” Her voice was quiet, matter-of-fact. “But I didn’t die. I woke up in a hospital instead. And that’s when I realized—I didn’t actually want to die.” Her lips curled into something resembling a bitter smile. “Why should I be the one to die because of them? My death wouldn’t punish them. If anything, it would probably amuse them. So I got better. I went back. And I realized they weren’t as terrifying as I once thought. In the end, they were nothing more than pathetic cowards themselves.”