Chapter 54 A ce to Escape

Finished

She and Daphne had never been the closest of friends, but when Sierra first arrived in prison, Daphne had taken care of her. She couldn’t just sit back and do nothing.

The thought of it weighed on her chest.

Johnathan nced at her and suddenly bsaid/b, “Want to go to theb?”

She looked up at him.

When I’m in ba /bbad mood. I go there,” he added casually.

Sierra thought for a moment, then nodded. “Okayb,/bb” /b

Just as they were about to leave, someone called out from behind them.

“Wait a minute.

was the female officer who had taken her statement earlier.

There’s something I forgot to mention,” the officer bsaid/b. That woman you called the police for this morning–she changed her mind at the hospital. She refused to get checked, insisted her injuries weren’t from abuse but from a fall.”

The officer sighed. They could see this all the time. People who don’t trust thew, who won’t protect themselves.

“If you can, try to convince her. Domestic violence doesn’t stop after the first time–it only happens again and again. She needs to trust that we can help.

Sierra bwasn’t /bsurprised.

That was exactly the kind of thing Yulia would do.

She was weak. That was why James bhad /bbeen able to control her for so long.

Sierra simply thanked the officer.

Thanksb, /bbbut /blet her be. If she won’t fight for herself, then nothing we do will matter.

The officer hesitated. She had assumed Sierra cared about the woman she had reported, but her indifference said otherwise.

bSierra /bdidn’t bother exining. She just got into the car.

She bhad /balready done more than benough/b.

On the way back, she called her grandmother and told her about Yulia.

Her grandmother was silent for a long time before finally sighing.

“If that’s the way she wants it, then let it be. I can’t spend my life bworrying /babout her. She’s made bher /bchoice. You’ve done enough, Sierra. Thank you.b” /b

b“/bbIt’s /bnothing. Grandma. How are byou /bfeeling today?”

With her grandmother, Sierra was always patient. She talked to her for a long time before hanging up.

Johnathan nced at her.

“Still some time before we get there. You should rest a little.”

She bhad /balmost forgotten she was still recovering.

bIf /bhe could help it, he wouldn’t bhave /btaken her to theb bat /ball tonight.

Her state of mind wasn’t good.

He didn’t know what was weighing on her, bbut /bit was obvious she bwas /bwound too tight.

“Okay”

Sierra closed her eyes, intending to just rest them for a bit.

bBut /bbefore she knew it, she had actually fallen asleep.

And, for once, she didn’t dream.

By the time she woke up, the car had stopped outside the university’sb building

The first thing she noticed was the faint scent of disinfectant and woodsy cologne from Johnathan’s coat.

It was oddly calming,

Are

Are you awake!”

His low, husky voice pulled her back to reality.

She turned her head and found herself looking at the sharp lines of his face.

Her heart skipped for a beat too long.

Johnathan waved ba /bbhand /bin front of her face.

“Awake?”

Sierra blinked, then nodded. “Yeah. For a second, I thought I was dreaming.”

“Good dream or bad one?” he asked absently.

…Good.”

Theb building was empty at night, quiet in a way that made it feel almost detached from the rest of the world.

Johnathan led her to his usual workspace, but along the way, they ran into two unexpected figures.

Evan and bYaron/b.

The two men dearly hadn’t expected to see her there either. Both froze bfor /ba moment.

Evan’s gaze swept over Sierra, then flicked to Johnathan beside her.

bHis /bbbrow /bfurrowed

After a brief nod to Johnathan, he turned to Sierra.

“Why haven’t you been answering your phone? I heard you were sick. Are you feeling better?”

For once, he almost sounded like a real brother.

But Sierra only found itughable.

This kind of concern, after everything?

She didn’t need it.

Move,” she said tly. “Thanks”

Eyan and Yaron’s expressions darkened at once.

Finished

des

219 PM d

Chapter 54 A ce to Escape

There were outsiders present, yet Sierra was humiliating him like this!

He opened his mouth bto /bsay something, but Johnathan spoke first.

We have a project to work on. Excuse us, Mr. Xander.”

Evan had been born a prodigy, both in status and ability.

He had never been dismissed so casually before, especially by someone he respected.

His face turned colder.

Finished

“Mr. Johnathan,” he said, bvoice /bcarefully controlled. “Sierra is my sister. It’s alreadyte–I don’t think it’s appropriate for her to be spending the night alone with another bman/b. Of course, I have no doubts about your character. But if people start talking. Sierra will be the one hurt by it.”