Chapter 320: Unspoken Shadows

Quinn was so agitated that she woke Dora up. The little girl looked frightened and couldn't stop crying. Sierra quickly tried to comfort Dora while also attempting to calm Quinn down.

“Quinn, take it easy—you’re scaring Dora,” Sierra said, reaching out to soothe Quinn. But Quinn flinched away, clinging tightly to Johnathan like he was her only lifeline. Something was clearly wrong with her. Fortunately, the doctor arrived in time and gave her a sedative. Only then did she start to settle, while Dora, who had been crying so hard, was now hiccuping—yet making no sound.

Three-year-olds were supposed to be carefree, but Dora didn't even dare cry out loud. Sierra couldn't begin to imagine what kind of environment she had been living in before. And Quinn… there was something very wrong with her, too. What was she so afraid of?

“I’ll have someone look into it,” Johnathan said. He realized things were even worse than he’d thought. There was no way he could just leave Quinn like this. Originally, he had planned to send Dora to a full-time daycare, but now, considering her condition, that was out of the question.

“Let’s bring her home for now,” Sierra said. She couldn’t bear to send such a small child away, especially one with such obvious physical and emotional issues. She had a few days off from school, so she could help take care of Dora while they figured out a long-term solution.

Johnathan thought for a moment and nodded. “Thank you for taking her back. I’ll stay a bit longer.” Quinn was asleep from the sedative, and Johnathan didn’t want to leave until she woke up.

“…Alright.” Sierra understood there wasn’t much else they could do. She also knew Quinn’s case was complicated. Still, when she saw Quinn clinging to Johnathan like that, something stirred inside her—something she didn’t want to admit. She hated that she felt that way, so she didn’t say anything and left with Dora.

Maybe it was everything that had happened that day, but Dora was even quieter than yesterday. No matter how much Sierra tried to talk to her, she wouldn’t say a word. Sierra realized just how serious things were. Maybe she should take Dora to see a therapist tomorrow.

She’d expected Johnathan to be back soon, but it was almost midnight by the time he finally returned. He walked in quietly and softened at the sight of Sierra still waiting for him. “You’re still up?”

Sierra shook her head to say she wasn’t sleepy, then asked how Quinn was doing. Johnathan’s expression darkened at her name.

“She woke up later, but her mood was still all over the place.” She either said nothing at all or burst into tears. Johnathan had wanted to leave more than once, but he couldn’t bring himself to. He only left after she’d calmed down a little.

“Let’s wait for the results,” she added.

“Yeah.” Johnathan nodded and pulled her into a hug, apologizing. “Sorry for dragging you into this.”

“Johnathan.” Sierra’s tone went cold as she called his name, and he instantly realized he’d said something wrong.

“I didn’t mean it that way. I just… I hate that you have to deal with this, too.” He truly felt bad for her. She’d finally gotten a few days to rest, and now she was caught up in all this mess.

“Johnathan, your family is my family too. You didn’t think twice about helping with my grandma—how could I see your family as a burden?”

Johnathan’s chest warmed as he hugged Sierra tightly. After a long moment, he finally said, “Quinn means a lot to me. I can honestly say that without her, I wouldn’t be who I am today.” He buried his face in the crook of her neck, swallowing back the words he didn’t want to say aloud. He never told Sierra that if it hadn’t been for Quinn, his hands would’ve been stained with blood—even though he’d just been a teenager at the time. That was when his grandfather finally realized how serious things were with him. He didn’t want to revisit those memories, but Sierra could sense just how important Quinn was to him.

“Don’t worry,” she said softly. “From now on, she’s my sister too.” She understood what that kind of bond meant—just like the one she had with Dickson. Fate had made them siblings, too.

For the next two days, Johnathan was nowhere to be seen. Between work and checking in on Quinn, he barely had time for anything else.