Regret Came Too Late

Grace parted her lips to speak but found herself at a loss for words.

Recalling Anthony's advice, she suddenly proposed, "Why don't you move into my building? If you prefer not to see me too often, I can get you the unit above mine. I'm concerned about you living by yourself in that dark place."

Anthony had been right-given his condition, isolation wasn't a good idea.

On the other end, Ed fell silent, as though weighed down by hesitation.

Grace knew she couldn't simply force anyone into anything.

She drew in a deep breath and said, "Forget it. I won't force you if you don't want to. I'll visit more often when I can. But you must promise me—if you're not feeling well, you must take your medication. No more enduring it on your own."

Another long minute of silence followed.

Just when she thought he would end the call, he said quietly, "But I like it when you worry about me."

He enjoyed seeing her helpless, bound by concern for him. The very thought of it seemed enough to make his heart burst.

couldn't comprehend what sort of twisted tendency this was. Hence, she let out

even lower, "Very much. I like

down on her lip, too frustrated

he developed such

I'll come feed you your medicine. Happy now? I've already compromised enough. Don't

his voice seemed to grow lighter, soaring with barely contained joy as he

onto the bed. Yet not even an hour had

it was a call from the gatekeeper. "Ms. Lambert, we've taken Andrea to the hospital. As for Mr. Liam... he's still sitting in his room.

to see Andrea, but in the end, his fear of Grace's anger kept him rooted to the edge of the

throbbing settled behind Grace's

"Confused, dazed, lifeless."

deeply for her. When the entire Lambert family had turned their back against her, he alone had stayed close, even if he

with something she simply couldn't resolve

in silence for several minutes before saying, "Let him be for now. I

she ended the call, Grace found herself unable to sleep that night. She got out of bed and went to the