Chapter 102: A Debt of Gratitude

“Thank you, Mr. Jonathan. You saved him?” Serra looked at Jonathan, her eyes filled with gratitude. To her, it had been a small gesture, but it had changed Dickson’s entire future.

Jonathan shrugged. “As long as you don’t think I was meddling.”

He had noticed something earlier about Dickson, but instead of following him immediately, he’d stayed home for a bit, thinking things through. In the end, he decided to drive to Dynasty Club. It wasn’t an impulsive decision; he had weighed the risks. If Dickson got into trouble, Sierra would be devastated, and that would inevitably slow down the progress of her research. Jonathan didn’t like things slipping out of his control, so he stepped in before it was too late.

Of course, he wasn’t going to tell Sierra any of this. He found that he actually liked the way she trusted him completely and genuinely thanked him.

Just then, the hospital room door opened, and a doctor stepped out. Seeing them, he frowned. “What’s your relationship with the patient?”

Sierra quickly stepped forward. “He’s my younger brother. Doctor, how is he?”

The doctor studied her for a moment, assessing whether she was really Dickson’s sister. After a brief pause, he spoke. “He has a fever, likely caused by an infection from his wounds.” He paused, then added in a serious tone, “I strongly recommend you report this to the authorities. His injuries are extensive—signs of physical abuse, burns, even whip marks. The worst wounds are in sensitive areas. He’s extremely guarded. Even under sedation, he reacted with fear when we tried to examine him. If you really are his sister, I suggest you find out what happened to him.”

Sierra took a deep breath, but it still took her a long moment to find her voice. “Thank you, Doctor. I understand.” She had known Dickson had been hurt last night, but since he hadn’t shown much pain, she’d assumed it wasn’t too serious. She had no idea…

After the doctor left, darkness filled Sierra’s eyes. She bit her lower hip so hard it started to bleed, but she didn’t let go.

Jonathan, watching from the side, let out a quiet sigh. Without thinking, he reached out and did something even he didn’t expect—he brushed his thumb over her lip. “You’re bleeding. Let go.” His hand was warm, carrying that distinct pinewood scent that was uniquely his. The unexpected touch made Sierra instinctively loosen her grip, but she immediately stepped back, startled.

Jonathan had never crossed that line before. The most he had ever done was hold her hand to lead her somewhere. This was the first time he had touched her like this. She wasn’t sure how she felt about it.

Jonathan’s hand lingered in the air for a moment. He glanced down at his thumb, now stained with her blood, his brows furrowing slightly. Even he wasn’t sure why he had done that. He just knew that seeing her like this—so tense, so lost in her own emotions—was frustrating.

Without another word, he withdrew his hand and said, “Dickson’s already been through enough. The last thing he needs is to see you like this. Pull yourself together and go check on him.” Then, without waiting for a response, he pushed open the door and walked inside. This composure was unshaken, just as steady as ever.

10:51 AM

Compared to him, Sierra suddenly felt like she was overreacting.

Dickson was still unconscious when she sat down beside his bed. Just as the doctor had said, even in sleep, he was restless—his brows furrowed, his lips pressed into a tight line, as if trapped in some awful nightmare. Watching him like this, Sierra felt a growing impatience.

Suddenly, she got up and walked out of the room. Jonathan noticed and silently followed her.

Sierra walked over to the stairwell and dialed Kason’s number. The call connected quickly, and his voice came through, sounding pleasantly surprised.

“Sierra!” Kason was usually the one reaching out to Sierra—this was the first time she had ever called him first.

“Mr. Kason, I need a favor,” Sierra said. “Do you know anyone at Dynasty Club?”

On the other end of the line, Kason’s expression shifted slightly, but since they were on the phone, Sierra couldn’t see it. “Yeah, I do. Why?”

“I need your help with—” Before she could finish, her phone was suddenly snatched from her hand. Startled, she spun around, only to see Jonathan standing there. She hadn’t even noticed him approaching.

Jonathan glanced at the screen, then, without hesitation, ended the call.

“What the hell are you doing?” Sierra snapped, glaring at him.

Jonathan met her gaze coldly. “That’s what I should be asking you—what do you think you’re doing?” His usual composure was gone, replaced by something sharper, more intense. His jaw tightened, and for the first time, his lips were pressed into a firm line. “You were going to ask Kason for help? Do you even know who owns Dynasty Club? It’s Kason.” Jonathan continued, his voice sharp. “And let me tell you something else: do you know who attacked Dickson? It was Kason’s friend, that guy, Brendan. Why do you think the manager covered everything up last night?”