Chapter 217: Stay With Me

“Dickson,” Sierra said softly. “You did well.”

She could barely remember what had happened in the past few hours. She had been lost. But Dickson had taken care of everything.

Sierra didn’t want to leave Grandma alone. She hated the idea of her being in that cold, sterile place. But she had no choice. She turned to leave with Dickson.

Then Jonathan’s voice stopped her. “Wait. The funeral staff will be here soon.”

Dickson’s eyes widened. “How?” He had already tried to contact them before. They had told him the earliest they could come was tomorrow. It was New Year’s; there simply weren’t enough people available. That was why they had no choice but to leave Grandma in the morgue for the night. Sierra knew immediately it was Jonathan. He had arranged it for her, so she wouldn’t have to leave Grandma alone.

She looked at him, her voice soft. “Thank you.” She wasn’t sure if he even realized how much this meant to her.

Jonathan simply said, “She was my Grandma too.”

The funeral staff arrived quickly. Jonathan went with Sierra and Dickson to escort Grandma to the funeral home. Everything had already been prepared. Sierra knew Jonathan must have gone through a lot of trouble to make this happen. This wasn’t something a simple “thank you” could cover.

“Drink this,” Jonathan handed her a cup of hot water. Her hands were freezing; she took it without thinking. Then she noticed something. Grabbing Jonathan’s hand, she turned it over. She brushed her fingers over it, and when she pulled back, her fingertips were stained red. Blood. A fresh wound.

Jonathan was wearing a black coat; the blood blended in. If she hadn’t noticed the slight difference in color, she wouldn’t have seen it at all. Jonathan pulled his hand away. “It’s nothing. Just a scratch,” he said, making it sound casual. But Sierra wasn’t stupid. Winter clothes were thick. How could a simple scratch go that deep? And why was it still bleeding?

“Hospital. Now,” Sierra said, standing up immediately.

“It’s really nothing serious,” Jonathan insisted. He didn’t want to go; if they went, she’d know the truth.

“Jonathan,” her voice was low, firm. “Grandma is already gone. Don’t make me worry about you too. Please.”

Jonathan paused, then sighed. “Alright.”

At the hospital, Sierra refused to leave his side. As soon as the coat was removed and his sleeve was rolled up, she finally saw the full extent of the injury. Her stomach twisted. The blood hadn’t fully stopped, and it was clearly a gunshot wound. She sucked in a breath. The only fortunate thing was that the bullet had passed through; no surgery was needed. Still, she sat there, watching as the doctor cleaned and bandaged his arm. Her expression was unreadable.

Jonathan stole a glance at her. For the first time in his life, he felt guilty. He cleared his throat. “It’s really just a small wound.” He had taken far worse before. But the moment his eyes met hers, he shut his mouth. Sierra’s gaze was cold, sharp.

“Was it Shane?” Her voice was tight. She had always known Shane wouldn’t let Jonathan off easily.

Jonathan shook his head. “No.” He didn’t know who was responsible; he hadn’t had time to investigate. The moment he heard about Grandma, nothing else had mattered. But even if it was Shane, he wouldn’t tell her.

“Things are complicated with my family,” he said instead. “There are plenty of people who don’t want me around.” It wasn’t a lie; there were indeed people who wanted him dead. They just hadn’t dared to act before.

Sierra looked at him, her mind racing. Then she exhaled slowly. “You never talk about your family.”

Jonathan chuckled. “My family is complicated. I’ll tell you about it one day.” Then he stood up. “Come on. Let’s go back to Grandma.”

Sierra hesitated, then nodded. That night, none of them slept. They kept vigil for Grandma.

The next morning, Sierra held a small, private farewell ceremony. Then she prepared for the cremation.

Jonathan looked at her. “You don’t have to rush this.”

Sierra shook her head. “This was her wish.”

Afterward, she carried Grandma’s ashes home. She, Jonathan, and Dickson sat down together. They made a decision: they would wait until after the festival. That way, Grandma could spend a whole New Year with them. Then she would finally be set free.