Chapter 322: Things Left Unsaid

Thinking back on Quinn’s statement—that Dora had only recently returned to her side a few months ago—combined with Dora’s unintentional mention of Quinn’s unavailability, Sierra felt a little heavy-hearted. She excused herself, saying she needed to make a phone call, and stepped out of the hospital room. Not long after, Johnathan followed.

“You mad?” Johnathan asked, watching her carefully.

Sierra shook her head. “Not really. I know what Mateo’s like.” She didn’t want to dwell on it, so she changed the subject. “I actually brought Dora here to talk with Quinn about what we should do with her. I’m going back to school tomorrow—I can’t watch her all day anymore. What’s the plan for Dora?”

Johnathan had been considering this for the past couple of days. He’d considered hiring a nanny, but he didn’t like strangers in his space. More importantly, given Dora’s current state, he wasn’t comfortable leaving her completely in someone else’s care. After a moment, he said, “I’ll take her with me for now. I’ll bring her to the office.”

Sierra looked surprised. She hadn’t expected that. “You sure?”

After all this time, she’d come to know Johnathan pretty well. To people who didn’t know him, he might seem easygoing. But in reality, he was picky and hated dealing with hassle. Yet here he was, volunteering to take care of Dora. Then she suddenly remembered something Quinn had said and couldn’t help but ask, “Do you like kids?”

Johnathan clearly froze for a moment before answering, “No.” He let out a sigh, looking exasperated. “I don’t really have a choice right now. Don’t worry—there are plenty of people at the company. They can help keep an eye on her. And Mateo’s not doing much. I’ll have him come help too.”

Sierra smiled. “As long as you’ve got it covered.”

She had originally planned to step out briefly before returning to check on Quinn and take Dora home. But standing there with Johnathan, she suddenly didn’t feel like going back inside.

“Dickson’s got school today, and he’s got exams coming up. I should head back and check in on him. You can bring Dora back with you later,” she said.

Johnathan frowned. “I’ll take you.”

“No need!”

“I’ll just call a car,” Sierra said, waving him off and turning to leave. Johnathan watched her walk away, his brows furrowing slightly. He could tell she wasn’t in a great mood. Was it because of what Mateo said? He went over every word they’d exchanged and realized it probably wasn’t that. It seemed like Sierra’s mood had shifted right after he said he didn’t like kids. So… does she want children? The thought hit him like a jolt. His breath caught in his throat.

Chapter 322: Things Left Unsaid

Sierra hadn’t exactly lied. Dickson really did have to go back to school today. The SATs were coming up fast, and the school was cracking down—only one day off per week. He’d come home last night, but with everything going on with Dora, Sierra hadn’t really had a chance to talk to him. Now was the perfect time to check in and see how he was doing.

Dickson looked genuinely happy to see her.

“Ms. Sierra! What are you doing back?”

She’d told him earlier she might not make it back in time, and he’d already been thinking about heading back to school.

“Time’s tight, but I made it. Wanted to see how you’re holding up. Just two more weeks—how are you feeling?” Sierra asked.

She’d always taken a supportive approach to the SATs, never putting pressure on him. She didn’t want him wound too tight.

“I’m good!” Dickson sounded confident. “I think I’ve got a solid shot at getting into your and Mr. Yaeger’s college.”

“You’re aiming for North Salem University?”

Sierra was surprised. North Salem was well-known, but when it came to computer science, it was only second-best.

“Yeah. You and Mr. Johnathan both went there—I want to go there too,” Dickson said with a grin.

“Alright, then keep at it. Just remember, don’t stress yourself out too much.”

“Don’t worry. Oh, and who was that kid yesterday?” He’d seen Dora when he got back last night. She’d told him she was Mr. Yaeger’s niece, but he was pretty sure Johnathan didn’t have a sister.

“She’s his sister’s daughter. It’s kind of like what we’ve got going on,” Sierra explained.

Dickson was a little surprised but didn’t press the issue. After watching her for a moment, he asked, “Ms. Sierra, are you upset about something?”

Sierra didn’t confirm or deny it. The truth was, she hadn’t felt quite right since leaving the hospital. She’d asked Johnathan if he liked kids, and he’d said no—but he’d been more patient with Dora than she ever expected. If anyone else had said they’d take a kid to work, she wouldn’t have blinked an eye. But this was Johnathan.