"I apologize. My three-year relationship got in the way of your one-month true love."
With that, I pulled up over a dozen slides.
Every one of them showed moments from my years with Drew, along with security footage from the tea shop.
The comments shifted instantly.
"That woman kicked an old lady? Is she even human?"
"Wait, was the other woman the real homewrecker all along?"
Right then, the doors to the emergency room swung open.
I didn't care about anything else. I rushed over, only to find the doctor wearing a pained expression.
"Someone from higher up called. They said you have unpaid bills and you're disrupting hospital operations. You need to leave immediately."
Ice flooded my veins. While I was still reeling, Drew's number lit up my phone again.
His voice was tired, threaded with disappointment.
"Ina, you went too far this time."
"Do you have any idea that because of your little livestream, Karen is so upset she wants to kill herself?"
"I told you. If you bully someone weaker than you, I will stand up for her."
"Until you realize what you've done wrong, no hospital in this city will treat your grandmother."
The line went dead. Moments later, I was physically dragged out of the hospital.
Grandma lay on the gurney, her face white as paper, her breathing faint.
I held her frail body and sobbed until I shook.
I carried her on my back from hospital to hospital, begging at every door. My legs were giving out, but I didn't dare stop.
If I stopped, I would lose the last family I had.
"Grandma, the next hospital will take us. I know it."
I pressed forward, one agonizing step at a time. But Grandma started talking about nothing in particular.
"Sweetheart, the new insoles I sewed for you are in the wardrobe."
"If the city hospitals won't take us, we'll go back to the country. They'll help us there."
"I pickled a fresh batch of vegetables for you. They'll be ready next month."
"Just hold on a little longer, Grandma. We're almost there!"
"There are rolls in the pot, still warm. If you don't finish them, put the rest in the freez—"
My feet stopped.
Behind me, there was no sound at all.
"Grandma... let's go home."
Back at the old house, I laid her on the bed and looked at her colorless face. A knife twisted slowly through my chest.
The tears I'd been fighting finally broke free. In this entire world, I didn't have a single person left.
But I had underestimated how vicious Karen could be.
A thick, acrid smell of smoke choked the air from my lungs. By the time I realized what was happening, the entire house was engulfed in flames.
Outside the window, a handful of thugs laughed as they ran off.
I tried to open the windows. Every door, every window was locked from the outside.
My phone buzzed. A text from Karen.
"You made my life hell. Now I'm taking yours."
My arm dropped to my side. Instinctively, I pulled Grandma close.
"That's okay. I get to be with you again."
Meanwhile, Drew's phone lit up with a news alert.
"Fire engulfs suburban residence; casualties confirmed."
