Chapter 45

Sean POV

When I walked back into the hospital room, I was surprised to hear Grandma laughing-really laughing.

Angela had clearly told her some joke. But instead of feeling relieved, a tight knot formed in my chest.

The more Angela and Grandma bonded, the more unsettled I felt. It was as if the closer they grew, the harder it would be to tell Grandma about the divorce.

What if she took it badly?

What if it made her so upset that she collapsed again, like before?

The thought made me wince.

As I stood there in the doorway, lost in my worries, Grandma noticed me. Her face brightened when she saw me. "Ah, there you are," she said, her voice soft with affection.

"How are you feeling, Grandma?" I asked, walking over to her bedside. "Are you hungry?"

Grandma waved me off with a smile. "Angela already made sure I'm taken care of. She's having mushroom soup sent up." She patted Angela's hand, clearly proud of her.

"As long as I can see you both, I'm fine."

Not long after, the nurse brought in the soup. Angela immediately took charge, gently feeding Grandma herself.

There was something about the way Angela cared for Grandma that made her seem like she was already a part of the family.

Once Grandma finished her soup, she sat back against her pillows, her gaze softening. "You two should head back to the office now," she said, sounding almost guilty. "I've wasted your whole day."

"Grandma, how could spending time with you be a waste?" I said. My frustration with the situation was starting to show.

Angela smiled at me, her tone calm. "We're happy to be here with you, not just because it's our responsibility. You need to get better so you can be ready for the surgery."

Grandma shook her head. "I'm getting old, dear. Whether I have the surgery or not it doesn't really matter. I don't want to be a burden to you."

"Grandma, don't say that," I said quickly.

The doctor had warned me that if she didn't have the surgery, she might not make it another two years.

"We need to talk about this. You don't have much time."

Angela, sensing my anxiety, spoke to Grandma gently."What if we bring you home to stay with us? It'll be better than here. You'll be more comfortable, and we'll be able to take care of you."

"No, your house isn't like a nursing home. There's no one there to look after me the way they do here."Grandma hesitated.

With a soft sigh, she lay back down, clearly exhausted.

I didn't want to pressure her anymore. She needed rest, and I wasn't about to disturb that. I motioned for Angela to follow me out of the room.

But as soon as we stepped into the hallway, Angela's frustration poured out.

"How can we leave her here alone like this? Can't you see how much stress she's under about the surgery?"

"But she doesn't want to come back with us, Angela. She needs rest. We can't push her."I rubbed my temples, trying to stay calm.

"We shouldn't have left her at the nursing home yesterday. And we shouldn't have gone to handle the divorce paperwork this morning. We should've been here earlier. This is all my fault."

Angela's voice cracked with guilt.

I realized then that Angela wasn't angry with me-she was blaming herself. Her guilt was weighing her down.

"I understand," I said softly. "I'll talk to her. I'll convince her to come home with us tonight."

I arranged for Grandma's things to be packed up and for the housemaid to prepare her room. I even bought a bouquet of her favorite tulips. An hour later, Angela and I returned to Grandma's room, where she looked up, clearly surprised to see us again.

"What are you two doing here?" she asked, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"I had the driver bring your things home," I said. "You're coming with us tonight. No arguments."

"You didn't ask for my permission!" Grandma grumbled, though her eyes were full of amusement.

"Just listen to Sean. You won't be staying here tonight anyway." Angela added.

Grandma hesitated but allowed us to help her out of bed. She grumbled a bit more, but the smile on her face said it all-she was happy we were there. As much as she pretended to resist, I could see that she was relieved to have us by her side.

Angela had been right all along. Grandma may have seemed independent, but deep down, she was scared of the surgery and longed to be with family.

On the drive home, the mood lightened. Angela and Grandma chatted and laughed, their conversation easy and full of warmth. For the first time all day, I felt a sense of relief.

During the drive, my phone rang. It was my mother.

She asked about Grandma's surgery. Grandma answered the phone with a calm, reassuring tone, telling my mother that the surgery would be delayed and that she shouldn't worry about rushing back to see her.

"With Sean and Angela here, I'm in good hands," Grandma said, her voice steady.

"Then we'll come tomorrow and have dinner with you," my mother said on the other end, her tone relieved.

Hearing that made me feel lighter. We hadn't had a family gathering in so long, and knowing that one was coming made Grandma even happier.

"Don't forget the doctor's orders-no alcohol," Angela teased Grandma.

Grandma shot her a playful look. "You little thing, you're even more nagging than Sean!"

I couldn't help but laugh. It felt good to finally relax, to let go of the tension I'd been carrying all day.

As we pulled into the driveway, though, I noticed something that made my heart skip a beat. A familiar figure stood near the entrance, speaking to the building security.

She was dressed in a white dress, and as the security guard gestured toward us, she turned and looked in our direction.

The headlights of the car illuminated her face.

It was Christina.

I froze for a second, my heart tightening. Why was she here?

"Who's that woman?" Grandma asked, her voice curious. "She looks... familiar."

I didn't know what to say. All I could do was watch as Christina stood there, looking right at us.