I picked up my phone and confirmed the divorce agreement.
The next day, I left the Sinclair Family villa and went to my grandmother's house. Grandma lived in a remote mountain village. After I was in prison, I lost contact with her.
As I looked at the dilapidated doorway, I heard Grandma's voice—she was laughing and chatting with a young woman. And that woman was none other than Leslie.
Alarms went off in me. “Leslie, stay away from my grandma!”
Grandma, who was unaware of what had happened between us, asked, "Did you two have a fight?”
Seeing me, she became emotional. "Child, you've finally returned to the country."
“In the ten years you were overseas, it was Leslie who came to visit me regularly. She is such a good girl.”
It seemed Leslie had concealed my whereabouts from Grandma all these years. Well, at least she has some conscience.
Ignoring me, she handed Grandma an orange. “Grandma, I have a friend who actually killed someone close to her. She's been in prison for ten years.”
Grandma’s expression instantly hardened. “There’s such a demon in the world?”
She motioned for me to sit beside her. “Irene, you must stay far away from anyone with a criminal record.”
My heart tightened as I glanced at Leslie.
Grandma was already so old that she couldn’t take any more shock.
Her fingers gripped mine nervously. “Irene, you absolutely mustn't associate with shady characters—especially those who've done time! Once you go to jail, your life will be ruined!” "
My nose stung as I nodded.
Grandma, I'm sorry.
Ignoring my guarded look, Leslie continued, “There’s a popular game lately called “There's this popular game going around called ‘Heartbeat Choice.’”
“You pick the slightly better one between two options—it's fun and gets your dopamine flowing.”
She stood up and prepared a cup of milk for Grandma.
While preparing it, she said to me, “You must be careful in everything you do. What if you end up in prison?”
“But don't worry. Even if you serve ten years, I'll take care of Grandma for you.” She pulled out a packet of unidentified powder and added it to the milk.
I walked toward Leslie and took the cup of milk with the added substance from her. “I’ll learn to see the true color of my so-called friends.”
She whispered in my ear, “Make a choice—do you want Grandma to drink it, or do you want to drink it yourself?”
I looked her directly in the eye and was just about to pour the milk out.
"Grandma has two stents in her heart now. Once she finds out you weren't working abroad these past ten years, but became a murderer instead ... I don't need to remind you what might happen, do I?”
When she said that, a hint of amusement flickered in her eyes.
My hand suddenly stopped in mid-air and I darted my eyes toward Grandma. I raised the milk and said, "Grandma, if I can't visit you anymore, you must take good care of yourself.”
Then, I resolutely drowned the milk in one gulp.
After that, I turned the glass upside down and showed it to Leslie that there was not a single drop left.
Grandma gazed at me tenderly. “Good child, go ahead and do what you have to do.”
I sat behind my grandmother and combed her hair with tears in my eyes.
When a sharp pain gripped my stomach, in order not to scare her, I forced out a comforting smile with all my strength and said, "There is a sudden work that I have to do, so I'm leaving now."
The pain was getting worse. The moment I closed the door, I collapsed to the floor, unable to hold on any longer and everything went black.
Crawl. I have to crawl. I can't scare Grandma.
Suddenly, a pair of spotless leather shoes appeared before my eyes.
“Help... help me.” I lifted my head, only to plunge back into darkness.
