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Chapter 112

Chapter 109 A Visit from Jonathan
After finalizing the appointment with Abigail, Sierra headed home.
As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she spotted Jonathan standing at her door.
“Mr. Jonathan?” Sierra looked at him in surprise. “What brings you here?”
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Jonathan adjusted his glassesandsaid, “I came across two new research papers that Ithinkcouldbe helpful for yourwork. I wanted to show them to you, but you weren’t home.”
Thank you, Mr.Jonathan!” Sierrasaidas she unlocked the door. “Why didn’t you come inside?”
Jonathan gave a smile. “I get the feeling that Dickson is a little afraid of me, so I figured it’d be better to wait until you got back
A warm feeling spread in Sierra’s chest–Jonathanwasalways so considerate.
Dickson hadalwaysbeen wary of Jonathan for some reason,andafter everythingthathad happened, that fear had probably “only grown stronger.
Just then, the door to Dickson’s room cracked open slightly,andhe peeked outside. He had planned to greet Sierra, but the moment he saw Jonathan, he quickly shut thedooragain.
Sierra sighed. Dickson’s condition was worse than she had thought.
Jonathan, ever understanding,said, “Go check onhim.I’ll wait here
Sierra smiled in appreciation before going into Dickson’s room…
Inside, Dickson was sitting with a book open in his lap. When he saw her, he forced a smile. “You’re back, Sierra. How’s Grandma‘
“She’s doing well.Sheaskedaboutyoutoday, and I told her you’restillgetting over a cold. She told me tomakesure you’re eating well and taking care of yourself.”
At her words, a flicker of emotion crossed Dickson’s eyes.
I missed Grandmatoo.For as long as I could remember, it had always been just me, Mom, and Daphne. I loved the way Grandma spoke to me–soft and gentle, as if I truly mattered.
But the thought of leaving the house, of stepping into the outside world–expecially going to a hospital–made his stomach twist. Just imagining it made him feel exposed, like standing in front of a crowd with nowhere to hide.
Seeing his hesitation. Sierra reassured him, “It’s okay. No rush. We’ll take things one step at a time. I’m going to talk to Mr.Jonathanabout our research forabit–want to joinus?”
Sierra hoped Dickson wouldgraduallystart opening upagain,and Jonathan seemedlikeagood person for him to start with.
But Dickson didn’t even think about it beforeshakinghis head vigorously,hisexpression filled with panic. “No, I don’t want
His reaction was so intensethatSierradidn’thave time toprocessit. Shequicklyreassured him, “Okay, we won’t. Youcanstay here. I’ll talk to Mr. Jonathan for a bit and then comeback.”
This time, Dickson didn’tsayanything.
As Sierra shut the door behind her, herheartgrew heavier.Hisreactionwasworsethanshehad expected–just hearing Jonathan’s name had sent him into a panic.
Shecouldonly guess it had something to do with the nightJonathanknockedhim unconscious. Maybe that had only reinforced his fear and distrust.
Chapter 109 A Visit from Jonathan
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Jonathan, however, just smiled. “I get it. I must have that strict school principal look.”
His lightheartedcommentmade Sierra laugh.
She studied him for a moment before teasing, “If my school principal looked likeyou, I probably wouldn’t have talked back to him that day.”
Jonathan chuckled, and for a moment, the tension in theaireased.
He handed her the printedresearchpapers. Take a look at these. I think they align closely with your research. I’ll be around at home for the next few days if you need anything.”
After Jonathan left. Sierra sat down and carefully read through the papers.
He was right the topics closely aligned with her research,andmany of the ideas mirrored her own.
She glanced at the author’s name–it was from a well–respected professor.
Still, two papers weren’t enough to draw any conclusions, so she set the thought aside for now.
The next day, Abigail came over. As planned, Sierra introduced her simply as a friend.
Dickson wasn’t as guarded around women, and hearing that Abigail was Sierra’s friend, he even poured her a glass of water.
“Ms. Abigail is a top student,” Sierra said casually. “Shealsotutors sometimes. Dickson, if you ever have trouble with anything, you can ask her for help. My schedule is packed, and honestly, I’ve forgotten a lot of high school material. If you run into any problems, you can always message Ms. Abigail on WhatsApp.
This was all part of the plan–tohaveAbigail gradually build a connection with Dickson, gain his trust, and then gently introduce psychological support.
As expected, Dickson didn’t suspect anything. Abigail had a gentle presence and didn’t seem threatening, which eased his guarded expression considerably.
As Sierra prepared dinner, she glanced over and saw the two of them chatting comfortably, Only then did she begin to relax. By the time Abigail was leaving, Dickson even walked her to the door–a small but promisingstep.
Sierra used the excuse of escorting Abigail downstairs so they could talk privately.
Once inside the elevator, Abigail finally spoke. “He’s definitely less guarded around women. That’s likely because the ones who hurt him before were all men. Another reason could be that he’s always been surrounded by women in his family, which gives him a sense of security.”
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