Chapter 104: Selective Concern

The so-called “bullies” in that place were nothing more than pawns—puppets controlled by Shane.

Inside the hospital room, the silence was heavy. Dickson sat there, his mouth slightly open, staring at Sierra. He didn’t dare ask what she had been through back then, nor did he have the courage to ask if Daphne had suffered the same way.

Outside the room, Jonathan stood still, his hand resting on the doorknob, but he didn’t open it. He had heard every word. A flicker of something dark flashed through his eyes—something even he hadn’t noticed before: cold, restrained fury.

After a while, the conversation inside shifted. Only then did Jonathan knock and enter.

“Is Dickson awake? Perfect timing—I brought food.” Jonathan walked over and set down the takeout containers. “The doctor said his wounds are inflamed, so he should stick to light meals.” He handed Sierra a set of utensils. “You should eat something, too.”

“Thank you, Mr. Jonathan,” Sierra said politely, taking the utensils.

Jonathan glanced at her briefly, his lips pressing together in a faint line.

After they ate, Jonathan had other matters to attend to, so he left first. As soon as he was gone, Dickson hesitated before asking, “Sierra… did you and Mr. Jonathan have a fight?” Something about them seemed different. The way they spoke to each other felt distant—nothing like before.

“Of course not,” Sierra said with a forced smile. “Mr. Jonathan is such a kind person. Why would I ever fight with him?” Even as she said it, her mind drifted back to Jonathan’s earlier words. She had caught him off guard when she asked that question. He had paused before adjusting his glasses and saying, “Obviously, as your teacher. Have you forgotten? You’re my student.”

At that moment, Sierra didn’t know whether to feel relieved or disappointed. Jonathan had done so much for her—far more than a teacher normally would. It was clear that he treated her differently, and no matter how much she told herself not to overthink it, she couldn’t help but wonder. But from now on, she wouldn’t think about it anymore. To Jonathan, she was just a student. Nothing more. Maybe he simply had more patience with her because she was academically gifted. All she had to do was make sure she didn’t disappoint him—to repay the kindness he had shown her as a mentor.

Dickson didn’t want to stay in the hospital. The moment he was awake, he insisted on going home. But the doctor refused to discharge him. The more they tried to stop him, the more agitated he became, growing restless and anxious.

After talking it over with the doctor, Sierra finally convinced him to discharge Dickson. He prescribed a long list of oral and topical medications for his recovery. Before they left, the doctor pulled Sierra aside.

“It would be best if you took him to see a therapist,” he advised. “He’s showing clear signs of psychological trauma.”

Sierra took the doctor’s words seriously.

She had noticed the changes in Dickson. He had become extremely sensitive—flinching at the smallest noises, constantly on edge. Whenever he saw a stranger, his eyes filled with unease, as if he was bracing himself for the worst. But for now, taking him home was the priority.

As Sierra was handling the discharge paperwork, she unexpectedly saw Bradley striding through the hospital corridor. When he spotted her, his expression mirrored her surprise.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

This wasn’t the hospital where Lily usually went. Bradley looked her over, his brows knitting together. “Are you sick?”

“I’m perfectly fine, but thank you for your concern, Mr. Xander,” Sierra said, her tone polite yet distant. But as she met his eyes, something clicked. “Ms. Denise is sick again, isn’t she?”

The way Sierra said “again” was deliberate. Ever since she joined the Xander family, Denise had been constantly falling ill. Every time Sierra achieved something—whether it was placing first in her exams or giving gifts to the Xander family—Denise conveniently fell ill. It was as if she was always sick or on the verge of it.

Bradley stiffened slightly. He picked up on the sarcasm in her words. In the past, he would have snapped at her, accusing her of being heartless towards Denise. But after what Sierra had said to them earlier that day, he couldn’t bring himself to say a word. The second Denny showed any sign of feeling unwell, her entire family rushed to take care of her. But Sierra? She had been beaten to the point of needing medical attention, yet she wasn’t even allowed to go to the hospital. There were things they had chosen to ignore before. But now, as Bradley replayed the past in his mind, he couldn’t shake the realization. Denise’s illnesses had always been suspiciously well-timed. Though this time, she was actually sick.

“Denny is having heart surgery.”

Heart surgery? Sierra raised an eyebrow, a little surprised, but she didn’t care enough to ask. Bradley, however, spoke up. “A lot happened after you left.”

“I don’t need to know. It’s none of my business.”

With that, Sierra turned and walked away. Whatever had happened didn’t matter—she already knew how it would end. Even if the Xander family found out Denise had lied to them, they still wouldn’t blame her. Instead, they’d just keep making excuses for her, like they always did.