My husband's blind grandmother was pushed off a high-rise and is now in critical condition.

I tried calling him ten times before he finally picked up.

“What do you want now? Yareli is having an emergency, and I won’t be coming home tonight. Stop bugging me.”

My heart sank as I told him that Grandma was fighting for her life and asked him to send $50,000 for the surgery.

He exploded: “You’re never satisfied, are you? Why should I care about your grandma's condition? If she can’t be saved, then let her die. Leave me alone!”

Because I was delayed in raising the money, Grandma died on the operating table.

I took the culprit to court, only to see my CEO husband accompany his first love into the courtroom. He had erased all the evidence and hired the best defense attorney.

So, she was released due to lack of evidence, and my grandmother was slandered as a scammer.

I lost all hope and immediately filed for divorce.

To my surprise, my husband panicked: “It was my grandma who sponsored your college education. You swore you’d always be there for her. Divorcing me now is ungrateful; it would break her heart!”

I laughed coldly and threw the death certificate in his face.

“Take a closer look, genius, and see which grandma is actually gone.”

---

Just after picking up my child from preschool, I received a call from the hospital.

In that moment, my mind went blank.

They said Grandma was pushed off the top floor at the company and had been rushed to the ER.

Panicking, I raced to the hospital.

The driver wasn’t around, so I ran to the mansion's entrance to catch a cab.

Grandma was old and blind; she usually stayed on the ground floor and in the garden. How did she end up at the company?

Terrified and at a loss, I called my husband, Lennon Nichols.

Grandma had a major accident at his own company, so he had to be there!

But he was probably in a meeting, as the call wouldn’t go through. I dialed several more times with no success.

Frowning, I got out of the cab at the hospital and hurried to the ER.

Breathless, I grabbed a nurse and asked, “My grandma… Wasn't there an elderly woman brought in who fell? How is she?”

She sighed. “The patient is quite old and took a fall, landing on her head. You should sign this agreement.”

In disbelief, I saw it was a notice of critical condition!

Devastated, I nearly collapsed and called Lennon again.

After ten more attempts, he finally answered, his voice irritable: “What’s wrong with you, Colette? I’m busy, why are you calling so many times?”

Before he could finish, a soft, delicate voice chimed in: “Lennon, who are you talking to? I want you to stay with me.”

Lennon covered the mic and gently assured her, “Just the housekeeper, I’ll just say a few words and be right there. Don’t worry.”

His voice wasn’t loud, but I could hear every word.

My heart ached as I asked, “Who’s the housekeeper?”

Lennon’s breath grew heavy.

I knew it was a sign he was about to lose his temper.

Finally, he held back and said, “Yareli was followed by a stalker and is scared out of her wits. I came to check on her. She’s going through a rough time here alone, and I’m just helping out. Why are you making such a fuss?”

Making a fuss?

Even though we’re married, ever since she returned from abroad, Lennon's heart has been elsewhere.

He says Yareli is young and her parents aren’t here, so it’s only right for him to take care of her.

When Yareli lacked acting opportunities, he invested millions in a film for her. When she was scared on set, he stayed with her every day.

You’d think he wasn’t even married with a child!

The truth is, many people in and out of the industry believe Lennon is Yareli’s mysterious boyfriend.

The staff at Lennon’s company even treat her like the lady of the house, pampering her to no end.

Meanwhile, I devote myself to caring for the family and our child, seemingly invisible.

But I never imagined Lennon would actually label me as the help!

Swallowing my pain, I intended to tell him about Grandma’s condition, but the call had already been disconnected.

“Victoria Stephens’ family, we are about to operate. You need to sign and deposit $50,000 for the surgery,” the nurse urged beside me.

Dazed, I fumbled to call again.

This time, Yareli answered.

Her sickly sweet voice clashed with the coldness of her words.

“Do you not understand English? Lennon’s tired. Give him a break, will you?”

“Just a maid causing trouble. If you don’t know your place, I’ll have Lennon fire you.”

I was stunned, anger rising inside me.

“I’m Colette Nichols, his lawful wife, not some maid! Put him on the phone!”

At my words, Yareli paused, her voice dripping with amusement.

“Oh, it’s you, sis. I thought it was just some insignificant help.”

She called out to Lennon as though showing him something hilarious.

“Lennon, your wife’s calling. She sounds like she’s about to cry. You wanna take this?”

“Ridiculous! Hang up. What could she possibly want?”

Lennon had run out of patience entirely.

Desperate, I hurriedly explained the situation.

“Lennon, Grandma’s had an accident. You need to get to the city hospital.”

“We need $50,000 for the surgery. I don’t have that much. Could you transfer it to my account, please?”

Before she could respond, Yareli chimed in, all innocence.

“Your wife's grandma, huh? Why not ask her family for the money? Are they just too cheap, always trying to squeeze money out of you?”

Next moment, Lennon snatched the phone in anger.

“Colette, aren’t you ashamed of yourself? Your whole family always leeching! What does your grandma’s condition have to do with me? If she can’t be saved, let her die, and stop harassing me!”

After those words, he hung up on me yet again.

I never anticipated that because of Yareli Watkins’ interruption, Lennon would suspect it was my grandma who was in trouble.

Nor did I foresee that he would disgrace me over a fifty-thousand-dollar surgery fee.

Yes, my family has always had a modest lifestyle. My parents once had to request a thirty-thousand-dollar loan from Lennon when they couldn't afford to build a house.

Because of that, he deemed our family unworthy.

But right now, it's his grandmother who needs surgery!

Holding the bill in my hands, I was overwhelmed with urgency and anger, tears silently streaming down my face.

When I tried calling again, I found I'd been blocked.

Frantic, I searched for any possible way to contact him, but it was all in vain.

Probably tired of my "nagging," Lennon obliterated every means I had to reach him.

I was drenched in sweat from anxiety, but the priority was not squabbling with him.

Grandma's surgery was paramount—this was about life and death.

Running out of options, I began calling relatives, hoping to borrow money.

In the end, it was my parents back home who miraculously scraped together fifty thousand dollars to help me.

As soon as I got the money, I rushed to pay the hospital.

Then, I just stared blankly at the glowing red light above the operating room door.

Finally managing to pull together the surgery fee, my hands were still trembling with residual fear.

I clasped my hands together, seated on a bench outside the surgery room, and prayed fervently.

Please, whoever is listening, let Grandma make it through—she has always been kind-hearted and good.

Our family has always been humble. Grandma supported me throughout my education from high school to university.

"A girl needs her own capabilities. Wherever you study, I'll back you, Colette. Don’t worry."

Because of those words, I persevered and completed my master’s at a top-tier university.

After graduation, I got hired by Lennon's company through campus recruitment.

Grateful for Grandma's support, I promised to care for her in her old age, which led me to meet Lennon, who had just graduated.

Both his parents passed away early, and it was his formidable grandmother who raised him by herself.

Thanks to Grandma, Lennon and I grew closer and eventually got married.

Grandma was thrilled about it. She was a loving elder who never burdened me, especially after I had Kiara and was busy with her care.

The driver mentioned that Lennon called, asking Grandma to send over some files.

Thinking it was urgent, and with me not at home, my blind grandma took the files herself to his office—never imagining someone would cruelly push her down the stairs.

She was over seventy—how could she possibly endure the fall from twenty flights!

The nurses said when Grandma was brought in, she was drenched in blood, especially on the back of her head, where it was severely injured.

Wiping the cold sweat from my palms onto my clothes, I tried to suppress my anxiety.

Still, I couldn't help but feel the atmosphere outside the operating room growing thinner, suffocating me.

Every minute outside felt endless.

Finally, after an eternity of waiting, the operating room doors swung open.

The doctor took off his mask, sighing at me apologetically, “Her age was a significant hurdle, and the delay in payment didn't help. I'm sorry, we did everything we could…”

“The patient is still conscious. If you have anything to say, please do it quickly…”

His words were like a death knell for Grandma.

Paralyzed with shock, my legs buckled, and I stumbled into the hospital room.

Wires and tubes were tangled around her frail body, with a horrifying dent in her head.

Just yesterday, she was all smiles, talking about making ravioli for us. Now, there she lay, pale and motionless on the cold operating table, as if she might disappear any moment.

Tears poured forth, and I shakily reached to touch her slightly chilled face.

“Grandma?”

Since her blindness, this was our secret way of greeting.

Hearing my voice, her lifeless eyes sought my direction and softened.

“Is that you, Colette? Isn’t Lennon with you?”

I choked back a sob, “He... he’s working late, busy.”

Grandma didn’t reply, but the smile on her face dwindled considerably.

Gradually, she turned her gaze toward me, even reaching out with a trembling hand. I understood this was her final act of strength. My heart clenched, and I hurriedly leaned closer.

Grandma's eyes were red and swollen as she shakily wiped my tears away. "Colette, it was wrong of Grandma to have you marry into the Nichols family," she whispered.

"I know that scoundrel is seeing someone else. I wanted to stand up for you, but that arrogant woman pushed me down the stairs. It's Grandma's fault for being unable to protect you..."

"After I'm gone, leave that man... I've realized my mistake. All those years of supporting your education were never meant for you to stay in the Nichols family as their caretaker."

"You deserve your own happiness, Colette. Take care of yourself."

As her words faded, her frail hand dropped from my face, and the beeping of the monitor filled the room. I watched in anguish as a tear slipped from her eye and those eternally gentle eyes closed for the last time.

I gasped silently, collapsing onto the cold sheets and unable to hold back my sobs. "Grandma!"

After completing the paperwork, I returned to the Nichols house, clutching the documents Grandma left behind. It was already past midnight, and Lennon still hadn't come home.

Exhausted, I sank into the sofa and pulled out my phone, intending to confront Lennon. But as soon as I turned it on, a trending topic on Twitter caught my eye.

"Rising Star and Mystery Boyfriend's Sweet Getaway!"

There he was—Lennon Nichols—caught in a photo standing beside Yareli Watkins. The paparazzi had captured plenty of shots.

One showed him wearing sunglasses and carrying her shopping bags in his left hand, while his right arm curled around Yareli as they chatted intimately. Their relationship appeared undeniably close.

Feeling hollow, I clicked on Yareli's Twitter to see her response.

"Sorry to occupy public space," she wrote. "Since the photos are out, I won't hide it anymore. This is my childhood friend, and we're very happy. Please respect his privacy."

She tagged Lennon's profile at the end. Her surge in popularity had swiftly drawn protective fans around her.

"I know this guy—he's the brother-in-law, CEO of the Nichols Group! Who would've guessed they were childhood friends—so sweet," commented one user.

"They even wear matching rings. Looks like a wedding is on the horizon," speculated another.

"Our brother-in-law silently supporting without seeking credit—it must be tough. I'm rooting for you two. Sis, you deserve happiness."

Though Lennon remained silent publicly, Yareli pinned the post, cementing their relationship in the public's view. With each read, I felt an increasing chill. I glanced down at the diamond ring on my finger.

This was the ring Lennon bought when he proposed. Though we never had a formal ceremony, I treasured this connection, and hence, the ring, which I never removed after our wedding day.

I noticed Lennon had changed his ring.

When I questioned him about it, he lashed out angrily, "Can you stop being so paranoid? I can’t stand it when you’re like this! When you have a suspicious mind, everything looks suspicious!"

Convinced I’d misunderstood, I apologized profusely back then. Now, with hindsight, those words felt like a slap in the face.

Lennon had long since fallen out of love. His feelings for Yareli were anything but sibling affection or kindness. He was romantically involved with her.

While I was grieving at the hospital, while Grandma lay there never to wake again, Lennon had the nerve to be carefree with his 'beloved childhood friend.' Now, everyone online praised them as the perfect pair!

It was all so absurd. I couldn't help but sit there on the sofa, trembling with quiet laughter. Ultimately, I slipped the ring off my finger and tossed it into the trash.

The "clang" it made was jarring. I stared coldly at the now tarnished ring, reflecting the wreckage of my and Lennon's broken relationship.

If that was the case, then there was no reason to continue. Holding onto an unfaithful man was worthless.

The following morning, after dropping Kiara off at school, I immediately sought advice from a lawyer friend about filing for divorce. I also started collecting evidence to bring her murderer to justice in court.

What a perfect couple they were—one a killer, the other a cheating lover. Once the truth was out, I'd love to see if they could keep up those smug faces!