A glimmer of hope lit up her eyes.

"Could we really go back?" she whispered.

“Absolutely. Even though Brent sold it, it's still vacant. I've rented it, and I plan to buy it back as soon as I can afford to,"

Raegan assured her.

Raegan's grandmother grasped Raegan's hands joyfully and said, “Good, that's wonderful."

She hesitated before adding, "Raegan, I'm not sure I'll live to see that day. I dreamt of your father last night. It felt like he was eager to see me in heaven. I suspect my time is running out."

Tears escaped Raegan's eyes despite her efforts to hold them back.

Raegan's grandmother handed her a red paper bag containing a padlock -shaped amulet.

"You used to have it when you were a child. Keep it with you. Let it bless you for the rest of your life."

Her words struck Raegan like a farewell, causing Raegan to hug her grandmother tightly, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Grandma, I've actually been married for some time. It's a complicated situation, so I didn't bring it up."

Her grandmother looked stunned.

"When did this happen?”

Raegan laid out the entire story, deliberately leaving out the contractual nature of her marriage.

Concluding, Raegan said, “Anyway, he's someone I've cared about for a long time. He'll come to visit you after he gets back from his business trip."

Night had fallen by the time she left the nursing house.

Raegan headed back to Serenity Villas.

Reflecting on her conversation with her grandmother, she texted Mitchel to ask if he had reached his destination.

Raegan had verified his flight schedule before texting him.

After a long period of waiting, sleep finally claimed her.