Chapter 216: Holding On

Jade was surprised to see Shane approach him, but more than that, he was pleased. “Fish!” he greeted, calling Shane by his childhood nickname. But when he saw Shane’s expression, he quickly tempered his excitement. “It’s late. What’s wrong?”

“Is there a Yaeger family member in Albanos?” Shane asked bluntly. He knew most of the powerful second-generation elites, but he still wanted to confirm.

Jade thought for a moment. Albanos had a handful of elite families, but none of them bore that name. He shook his head confidently. “No. There’s no such family.”

Shane narrowed his eyes. “Then which families had to attend an event today?”

Johnathan had flown into Albanos at dawn—that meant there was something he had to be there for. And he had booked a return flight for the same day. That meant he had no reason to stay any longer than necessary. It had to be a family obligation.

Jade didn’t know where this was going. He thought for a moment before answering. “There are a few. The bigger the family, the stricter the traditions. I can think of several who had gatherings today. But none of them are part of the Yaeger family.”

“What about in-laws?” Johnathan didn’t seem like someone from an ordinary background. Maybe his surname wasn’t even real. Maybe he was using his mother’s name.

Jade frowned. “That, I don’t know. I’d have to look into it.” Then, as if sensing something, he added, “Or you could just tell me who you’re investigating.”

Shane smirked. “That would ruin the fun.”

Jade’s expression darkened. “You better not kill anyone.”

Shane gave a half-smile. “Relax. I won’t kill him.”

Jade rubbed his temples, frustrated. “Shane, you can’t keep living like this. You’re not a kid anymore. If you settled down, I’ll bring you back.”

“No need. I like Maviston just fine.”

And with that, Shane turned and walked away, looking completely at ease. Jade, however, wasn’t. Even after all these years, Shane hadn’t changed. His madness—his illness—was incurable. Jade sighed and pulled out his phone. “Send me a report on everything Shane’s done in Maviston these past few years.” If he wouldn’t change, then at the very least, Jade wanted to know exactly what kind of chaos he was stirring up.

While Shane was digging into Johnathan’s past, Johnathan had already arrived at the hospital. The first thing he saw was Sierra. She sat motionless in the waiting area, staring at nothing. Johnathan steadied his breathing, then walked toward her. Crouching down in front of her, he gently pulled her into his arms. “I’m back, Sierra. You’re not alone.”

Sierra wasn’t completely unresponsive. She heard Dickson talking to the doctors. She understood everything; she just refused to accept it. Johnathan’s warmth broke something inside her. She clutched at his shirt like a lifeline. Her tears soaked through the fabric, but she didn’t sob. She cried quietly, silently, her whole body trembling. Johnathan’s chest ached. “You can cry out loud,” he murmured. “It’s okay.” But Sierra didn’t… she just kept crying, tears streaming down her face.

After a long while, she pulled away from him. Aside from her swollen eyes, there was no trace of emotion on her face.

Johnathan hesitated, about to speak, but Sierra spoke first. “The doctor said Grandma passed peacefully. She wasn’t in pain.” Her voice was calm. “She wouldn’t want me to be sad.” She stood up. He wasn’t sure if she was reassuring him or herself. “I’m fine. Really. Dr. Zahn said she had maybe two weeks left, but she made it eighteen days. She was strong. And she got to see the ocean. She stayed up with us for New Year’s Eve. I’m grateful.”

Johnathan’s heart clenched. He didn’t know what to say. No words could comfort her, because she had already comforted herself. “Let’s go find Dickson,” Sierra said. Her grandma’s body had been temporarily moved to the morgue; Dickson had followed the staff there.

Johnathan didn’t say anything. He simply walked with her. He knew that right now, she didn’t need someone to talk to; she needed someone to listen. When they arrived, Dickson was crouched outside the morgue. His eyes were even redder than Sierra’s. The moment he saw them, his tears fell again.