Chapter 193: Caught Off Guard

Sierra instinctively apologized, but seeing who she'd bumped into, she instantly grew alert. Shane looked at her with a pleased expression. "What's the matter? You look like you're about to cry!" He lingered on her slightly reddened eyes. "Or perhaps, you've already cried!"

At that moment, Shane was the last person Sierra wanted to see. She turned to leave, but Shane grabbed her arm. "Running away?"

Sierra was about to respond when someone interrupted, "Let her go!"

Jonathan strode over, placing his hand firmly on Shane's wrist. He applied pressure, and Shane slightly furrowed his brow, giving Jonathan a cold stare. The two men locked eyes, neither backing down. Seeing that Shane wasn't letting go, Jonathan's grip tightened, and Sierra even heard the sound of bones breaking. Finally, Shane let go, and Sierra noticed his left hand hanging at an odd angle, likely broken. Jonathan had actually broken Shane's hand, which must have been incredibly painful. Yet, Shane, the madman, didn't make a sound. Instead, his eyes sparkled with pleasure. He kept his gaze on Jonathan, his eyes bright. Sierra knew all too well what that look meant; the madman had found a new target. And now, Jonathan was his prey!

Sierra had seen Shane's tactics before and shivered inwardly, instinctively stepping in front of Jonathan, only to be firmly pulled behind him by Jonathan himself. Watching their actions, Shane said with a laugh, "Such love! It's enviable! I won't disturb you further; see you around!" With a parting wave, Shane turned and walked away.

Jonathan watched his retreating figure coldly. Once Shane was out of sight, he turned to Sierra. "Are you okay?"

Sierra's face was pale. "Jonathan, we need to leave!" Jonathan thought she was scared of Shane and quickly reassured her, "It's fine, he's gone."

"No, you need to leave, get out of Maviston, now!"

Jonathan's expression shifted slightly as Sierra urgently continued, "You just broke his hand; that lunatic won't let this go, he will seek revenge. Please, hurry!"

Sierra was frantic, her condition deteriorating. First, she had heard that Lily had at most a month to live, and now Jonathan was tangled up with Shane. Her two most important people were both in potential danger. The thought of Jonathan being tormented by Shane threw her into disarray. She kept urging him, her demeanor desperate. Jonathan called her name several times, but she couldn't calm down, leaving him no choice but to embrace her tightly and gently pat her back, whispering soothingly, "It's okay, it's okay, everything's fine. Don't be afraid, he can't do much to me, remember, I used to be a mercenary; I'm not afraid of him, and you shouldn't be either."

Jonathan's steady voice gradually calmed Sierra down, and her thoughts began to clear. Yes, Jonathan had been a mercenary; he wasn't easy to handle.

Once Sierra was completely calm, Jonathan said, "Let's go home, Grandma is waiting for us."

Holding Sierra's hand, he began walking toward the exit. After a few steps, he looked back at the second floor and spotted Shane standing by a pillar, as if he had known he would be there. Even from a distance, Shane could feel Jonathan's cold gaze.

"Heh!" Shane's lips curled into a smile, and he bent to reach for a cigarette. As he moved, pain shot through his wrist, reminding him of the recent loss. His expression turned even stranger as he lifted his hand to examine his swollen wrist. "Professor?" A murderous intent flashed in his eyes. He turned and headed upstairs, eager to see how his "toy" had been crying so heartbreakingly; it nearly broke his heart.

Jonathan and Sierra didn't mention the encounter with Shane again. On the way home, Sierra talked with Lily about their plans after returning home, and Lily nodded in agreement repeatedly. Once home, Dickson busied himself preparing Grandma's room, while Jonathan headed to the kitchen to make dinner. Watching everything, Lily's eyes flashed with relief. She took Sierra's hand and said, "I thought with his good family background, he might be hard to approach, but seeing how well he treats you, I'm relieved."