"It's just someone you helped before. Someone with the same name as me. Right?"
"You've known all along, haven't you?"
My gaze was steady.
"Why keep lying to yourself?"
He stood silent for a long moment. Then his lips twisted into something that tried to be a smile but failed.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" His voice cracked. "The person who saved me—it was you."
He reached for my arm, desperation flickering back to life in his eyes. "I'll go to the hospital with you right now. We can see your grandfather together—"
"My grandfather is gone."
The words fell like stones.
"And we're getting divorced."
He froze. Completely still.
I didn't look back. I walked straight to the hospital.
My grandfather was still there.
I was bringing him home.
Following his final wishes, the funeral was held at the family home.
Fallen leaves return to their roots.
Inside the funeral hall, I knelt before him one last time.
After this, I would never see him again.
Charles hovered behind me, regret and self-reproach written plainly across his face.
But none of it mattered anymore.
Then the uninvited guests arrived.
Freya led the way, flanked by his usual crew.