Chapter 58: A Grandmother’s Anguish

Sierra’s grandmother had lived long enough to connect the pieces. She looked at the Xander brothers, then at Sierra, her eyes filled with pain.

“How did it come to this? You always told me you were doing well in the Xander family. I never doubted it. I thought—they’re your real family, your birth parents, your real brothers. They treat Denise so well; why wouldn’t they treat you the same? I never knew you were suffering so much. I should have asked more questions. I should have checked on you more. But I was afraid—afraid they would think I was meddling, afraid that if I stayed too close, they would hold it against you… So I backed off. It’s my fault. I let you go through all the pain alone. Sierra…”

She reached out a trembling hand, and Sierra immediately stepped forward to hold it. Her throat tightened, and her eyes stung. Her grandmother’s words brought back too many memories.

When she had first come to the Xander family, she had felt like an outsider. She had called her grandmother just to hear a familiar voice, though she never admitted how miserable she was. She had only said she missed her.

And her grandmother had comforted her, saying, “They’re your real family. You should try to get along. No matter what, parents always love their children the most.” She had believed it. Even until the moment she was sent to prison, she had believed it. But eventually, she had learned the hard way that not all parents loved their children. Blood ties didn’t always mean warmth.

“Sierra, it’s my fault,” her grandmother’s voice trembled, and tears glistened in her aged eyes.

When the Xander family had taken Sierra back, she had breathed a sigh of relief. At least now, her granddaughter wouldn’t have to be dragged down by her mother. But now she saw the truth. She had escaped one hell only to fall into another. And all this time, she had been worried about Denise—worried that Sierra’s return would make things hard for Denise. When in reality, the one who had suffered was Sierra.

Seeing the self-blame on her grandmother’s face, Sierra squeezed her hand tightly.

“Grandma, you didn’t do anything wrong. Alright, enough tears. It’s over now. It’s just something I had to go through.”

In a way, she should thank her so-called family. If it weren’t for them, she might never have woken up.

Bradley and Evan stood there, silent. Their grandmother’s words echoed in their ears, leaving them unable to respond.

After a long pause, she finally looked at them and said, “Mr. Xander, I want to meet Denise.”

The brothers instantly became wary.

“What do you want with Denise?”

If she hadn’t learned the truth, she might have felt proud for her granddaughter, seeing how well they protected Denise. But now, knowing it came at Sierra’s expense, she couldn’t feel anything but bitter resentment.

“You took Sierra away all those years ago, and I haven’t seen my own granddaughter even once. Isn’t that a little unfair?”

Before they could argue, she added, “I know the Xander family is powerful. I’m just an old woman from a poor background—we’re not even in the same world. But people like me have nothing to lose. What am I supposed to be afraid of? You’re threatening us?”

Bradley’s eyes narrowed, his expression turning cold. He had been patient with Sierra, knowing they had wronged her. But this old woman—who did she think she was!

“Threatening you?”

Her voice was equally sharp. “Isn’t this still better than what you did to Sierra? You made her take the fall for a crime she didn’t commit. And now you think you have the right to be offended?”

Her anger had been building ever since she learned the truth. She was old. She had no power. But she could still stand up for Sierra.

Bradley’s expression darkened. He took a deep breath before saying, “Denise’s health has always been weak. Any emotional distress could put her life in danger. She’s still your granddaughter. As her grandmother, shouldn’t you care about her well-being too?”

Sierra glanced at her grandmother. Sure enough, her face wavered. Her heart clenched. Of course. This was who her grandmother was. To be honest, her reaction today had already been beyond what Sierra had expected. She knew her grandmother was speaking up for her. That was why she had remained silent until now.