Chapter 204: A World She Had Never Seen

Hearing Sierra’s praise, Johnathan instantly felt like the entire trip had been worthwhile. Spending half an hour wrestling with that fish was nothing compared to seeing her this happy.

As the sky darkened, Johnathan steered the boat toward a prime snorkeling spot. He had Sierra and Dickson change into their gear, then had someone guide Dickson into the water while he reached out his hand toward Sierra.

“Come. I’ll take you.”

Sierra couldn’t swim, let alone snorkel, but without hesitation, she placed her hand in Johnathan’s. It was an entirely different world; a world Sierra had never seen before. She had spent over twenty years surrounded mostly by darkness, with only brief glimpses of light. But now, she realized there were places in the world this beautiful.

The vibrant coral, the colorful fish darting around, the slow, graceful movement of sea turtles—this image burned itself into Sierra’s mind. She was completely lost in it, only snapping back to reality when Johnathan gently lifted her to the surface.

“It’s beautiful, Johnathan!”

Her eyes sparkled. At this moment, she truly looked like a girl in her twenties. If she hadn’t gone through all that pain, if she had been born into an ordinary family… maybe she would have always been this carefree.

Johnathan couldn’t help himself—he leaned in and pressed his forehead against hers.

“Sierra, you’ll see even more beautiful places in the future.”

So, smile more. Because Sierra liked it so much, Johnathan took her down a few more times, only stopping when she was too exhausted to continue. Dickson was just as excited as Sierra. He had also grown up struggling and had never seen anything like this before.

On the way back, both of them fell asleep. Johnathan reached out, gently brushing Sierra’s cheek. His gaze, usually unreadable, was now filled with something else—something softer. Sierra’s grandmother saw it all. And for the first time, she felt at ease. Eyes never lied. Johnathan was always polite to others, but there was always a distance, a coldness in his stare. But when he looked at Sierra, she was all he saw. His emotions—all of them—were for her alone.

“Johnathan, I want to ask you for a favor.”

Hearing Sierra’s grandmother’s voice, Johnathan immediately looked over. “Of course. Just say the word.”

“When I die, have Sierra scatter my ashes in the sea.”

She couldn’t say this to Sierra directly—she didn’t want to make her sad.

Johnathan nodded solemnly. “I promise.” After a pause, he asked, “Ma’am, if you had the chance to live longer, but there was a price, what would you choose?”

“What kind of price?” she asked.

“Someone else would have to die.” Johnathan’s voice was calm, almost detached.

“If that’s the case, then even if I lived, I wouldn’t have peace of mind,” the old lady said firmly. “A person needs a conscience. If you throw away basic morality, then you’re no better than an animal.”

Johnathan wasn’t surprised by her answer. Only someone like her could have raised someone as remarkable as Sierra. Unfortunately, she didn’t have much time left.

By the time they reached shore, Sierra was still asleep. Johnathan carried her all the way to her room, gently setting her down on the bed. Just as he was about to leave, he felt a tug on his fingers. He turned back—Sierra was awake, looking at him.

“How long have you been up!”

“Since you were talking to my grandma.”

Her voice, already naturally husky, was even raspier than usual—probably from holding back so many emotions.

“Johnathan… thank you.”

She smiled, her voice soft. “I’ve never seen Grandma and Dickson this happy before. And me… I’m really happy too.”

She didn’t talk about goodbyes. She only spoke about happiness. Sierra understood what her grandmother wanted. Her grandmother had worked hard her whole life. These past few days had been the happiest she had ever been. If she wanted to return to the sea after death, Sierra would respect her wishes.

Johnathan pressed his lips together, his chest tightening. For the first time, he felt an ache deep in his heart. His desire to protect Sierra had reached its peak.

That night, they ate the fish they had caught, along with fresh seafood prepared by the island’s chefs. Laughter filled the air. Sierra hadn’t expected what would happen next.

Out of nowhere, a deafening boom echoed through the night. A silver-white column of light shot into the sky, splitting the darkness. Golden sparks cascaded like shattered diamonds, turning into flames that burned briefly before fading. Before they could disappear, another burst of light followed—a brilliant golden explosion, merging with a dazzling display of colors, spreading across the night sky like a peacock’s tail. One after another, the fireworks illuminated the island. Sierra was completely entranced. Beside her, Dickson gasped in excitement.

“Fireworks! Fireworks! So beautiful!”