“Eason, you bastard!”

Even over the phone, I could picture Rosalie’s face, her eyes narrowed in anger, and her voice trembling with rage.

“You swore you’d love me forever! And now, just a few years into our marriage, you’re cheating on me?”

“How could you do this to me, to my family?”

The irony of her indignation wasn’t lost on me. She was the one who had strayed, yet she spoke as if she were the wronged party.

I didn’t respond, just listened quietly as she unleashed her anger.

When she was done, she finally said, with venom in her voice, “So, you really want a divorce, Eason?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Fine. If your heart’s not with me anymore, then there’s no point in holding on. I’ll agree to the divorce. Go ahead, pursue your so-called true love.”

“But I have one condition. Let’s wait until after my grandmother’s birthday next week.”

“She’s old, and her heart isn’t strong.”

“You wouldn’t want to upset her with this news and risk her health, would you?”

I agreed.

It was an easy choice. Rosalie’s grandmother had always been good to me.

Since we got married, I made it a habit to visit Rosalie’s grandma twice a week. We’d chat, play cards, and I’d keep her company.

Rain or shine, I never missed a visit, more often than Rosalie herself.

Grandma was always touched by my dedication. She even mentioned leaving me the old family house in her will, a property worth quite a bit.

Whenever she brought it up, I’d just smile and brush it off.

After confronting Rosalie about everything, I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

That evening, I picked up some fruit and milk and headed over to see Grandma.

As always, she was thrilled to see me. The moment I walked in, she grabbed my hand and started asking how I’d been.

“Eason, I’ve missed you these past few days. Have you been busy?”

I nodded, saying things had been hectic but were finally calming down.

“And Rosalie? She told me she’d come with you today. Why isn’t she here?”

“Grandma, Rosalie’s on a business trip. She won’t be back until tomorrow.”

Grandma wasn’t easily fooled. She’d seen enough in her life to know when something was off.

“Eason, tell me the truth. Did you and Rosalie fight?”

I quickly denied it.

“Don’t try to hide it from me. I can see it on your face.”

She sighed and spoke softly, her voice full of the wisdom that only comes with age. “Eason, life is unpredictable. You have to cherish the people you love.”

“It wasn’t easy for you and Rosalie to get to this point.”

“Rosalie... She’s always been a bit stubborn and spoiled, but she’s got a good heart. She’s a good wife.”

“So, be patient with her. And if you ever need to talk, I’m here for you.”

I forced a smile and assured her I would.

She seemed relieved. “I know you’re a good, sensible boy. Now, how about we play some cards? I’ve been looking forward to it.”

I was just about to agree when suddenly, Grandma clutched her chest, her face going pale.

Panic hit me hard. I rushed to her side, asking what was wrong.

She started trembling, unable to speak, with drool at the corner of her mouth.

I didn’t waste a second. I grabbed my phone and called for an ambulance immediately.

At the hospital, they rushed Grandma straight into the emergency room.

The doctor didn’t hold back. Her condition was critical. Given her age, there was less than a fifty percent chance she’d make it.

After confirming I was family, he urged me to contact her closest relatives immediately.

I tried Rosalie’s parents first, but both their phones were off.

With no other choice, I called Rosalie.

When someone answered, it wasn’t her voice I heard. It was Blake’s.

“Hello? Who’s this?” he asked, sounding annoyed.

“Where’s Rosalie?” I shot back, ignoring his question.

“Mrs. Lane’s busy tonight. Call back tomorrow,” he replied, ready to brush me off.

Just as Blake was about to hang up, I heard Rosalie’s voice in the background, muffled but unmistakable.

“Blake, I’m done with my shower. Who’s on the phone?”

“Doesn’t matter. Let’s not get distracted…”

The call cut off, leaving me with nothing but a cold dial tone.

Given the time of night and the way she spoke, it didn’t take a genius to figure out what they were up to.

My anger flared, but I forced it down and dialed again.

Blake answered, his tone now laced with impatience. “What the hell is wrong with you? I told you that Mrs. Lane is busy. Whatever it is, it can wait until tomorrow.”

I kept my voice steady. “This is Eason.”

There was a brief pause before Blake responded, his tone shifting immediately.

“Oh, Mr. Lane... didn’t realize it was you. What’s going on? Something important?”

“I know she’s with you,” I said, my voice cold. “Put her on the phone.”

“Mr. Lane, she’s still in a meeting. Maybe you should…”

“Give her the damn phone,” I cut him off, my patience wearing thin.

Blake reluctantly passed the phone to Rosalie.

“Mrs. Lane, it’s your husband.”

There was a long pause before Rosalie finally spoke, her voice cold and distant.

“Eason, what do you want?”

“Your grandmother’s in the hospital. The doctors say it’s serious. I couldn’t reach your parents, so you need to…”

“Are you serious right now?”

Rosalie’s voice spiked with irritation.

“You’re using my grandmother as an excuse to call me in the middle of the night?”

“I’m not joking. She’s really in the hospital, and it’s bad. You need to get back here.”

“I’m in Phuket, Eason. It’s not like I can just hop over like I’m in the next town.”

“Stop lying. I know you’re back in San Diego.”

There was a brief silence, then she asked, “How do you know that?”

I didn’t bother telling her I’d seen Blake’s social media posts.

He’d probably set them to hide from her.

“It doesn’t matter how I know. If you want to see your grandmother one last time, you better…”

Rosalie cut me off, her voice a mix of anger and uncertainty. “Eason, I’m asking you, how do you know I’m in San Diego?”

“Are you having me followed? Investigating me?”

Her tone was sharp, but there was a hint of anxiety beneath it.

“I don’t have the time or money to hire someone to spy on you, Rosalie,” I said.

“When you guys landed, Blake posted pictures of you both on social media.”

Rosalie went silent for nearly half a minute before speaking again, her tone cold. “So, you’re asking for a divorce because you think something’s going on between me and Blake, right?”

“Eason, how many times do I have to tell you? Blake and I grew up together. We’re like siblings.”

“I’ve always seen him as a brother, and he sees me as a sister.”

“If there was anything between us, I’d have married him already. You wouldn’t even be in the picture.”

“You used to be reasonable. When did you become so insecure and paranoid?”

“Yeah, I lied to you. I went to Phuket with Blake for work.”

“But that was to spare your feelings, to keep you from overthinking. It was just a white lie.”

“We’ve already signed the client contract. If you don’t believe me, I’ll show it to you when I get back.”

“Eason, I’m really disappointed in you.”

“Don’t be disappointed or upset,” I replied.

“I’m not interested in what’s going on between you and Blake, and I don’t care about your contracts. But your grandma being in the hospital is real. You should come to the hospital.”

Then I heard Blake whisper in the background, “Rosalie, the meds are working. Let’s get on with it.”

Rosalie’s voice turned even colder. “Eason, I’m in the middle of a meeting right now. I don’t have time for your nonsense.”

“I know my grandma’s condition better than you do.”

“I talked to her this afternoon. She told me she was fine.”

“If you’re trying to trick me into coming back, it’s not going to work.”

“We’re both adults, so stop playing these childish games.”

“I’m not coming back tonight, and don’t expect to see me for the next few days either.”

“Grow up!”

She hung up the phone.

When I tried calling her back, the phone was already off.

As I put my phone down quietly, the lights in the emergency room dimmed.

The doctor came out, his face somber.

I hurried over to him, and he said that my grandmother likely wouldn’t survive the night.

“Family should come to say their final goodbyes,” he said.

I felt a deep sense of bitterness.

In her last moments, my grandmother gripped my hand tightly, tears streaming from her eyes.

After all this time, with neither her son, daughter-in-law, nor granddaughter around, she had figured out what was happening.

To make sure she didn’t die with regrets, I tried calling Rosalie’s parents again in front of her, but their phones were still off.

It suddenly occurred to me that they had mentioned a round-the-world trip recently and wouldn’t be back for at least a month.

I dialed Rosalie’s number several more times, but there was still no answer.

When I finally gave up and put my phone away, the last glimmer of hope in my grandmother’s eyes slowly faded.