Passersby were casting their gazes at me. They probably thought I was a madwoman for dressing in such thin clothing in the middle of winter. The biting cold was unbearable, so I quickly hailed a taxi. The taxi driver was a man of my father's age. He regarded me with disapproval and scolded me for wearing an inappropriate outfit for the weather. Usually, I disliked chatting with taxi drivers. However, after being hurt to the core, the care and kindness from a stranger somehow made me feel better. After paying the taxi fare, I tipped him so that he could grab himself a cup of hot coffee in the winter. Instead of going back to Dominic's grand residence, I went back to the small apartment that I retained without his knowledge.Luckily, I kept all my keys in my purse, which I did not forget to bring along with me after changing my clothes in the hotel. As soon as I entered the apartment, I was greeted by a musty smell. It had been a long time since I last came back, though I continued paying the bills. Without even bothering to clean up the house, I grabbed my clothes, took a quick shower before throwing myself onto the bed. Let me run away from reality for tonight. Within a few moments, I fell asleep and slept until daybreak. Perhaps due to my exposure to the cold weather yesterday and the thin blanket I used, I woke up with a headache and a groggy mind. Just as I wanted to check the time with my phone, only did I realize I had forgotten to charge it again. It took me some time, but I eventually found a charger, surprisingly. After connecting my phone to the charger, I went to take a shower.It was only ten when I came out of the bathroom. My phone was already powered on. Sitting on the couch, I started scrolling through it. Instantly, tons of missed calls, texts, and WhatsApp messages popped up on the screen. About a dozen of the missed calls were from Dominic. My parents and Shannon had also called me more than ten times each. There were even a few from Nicholas. Were they calling to console me because they've found out about Dominic's engagement? Ignoring the texts and WhatsApp messages, I decided to call my mother back first. If my parents had really found out about Dominic's engagement, they must be worried sick. As I waited for the call to go through, I was thinking about the worst that could happen. My family might be sad and angry about what happened between Dominic and me, but they would always be there for me. Never would I have thought that someone would leave me because of this matter. However, the moment I heard Mom's quavering voice over the phone, I was struck dumb. “Oh, Lili, you finally called back! Come home this instance! Your grandpa has passed away.” At that instant, the phone slipped out of my hand and fell onto the floor. I couldn't believe my ears. Grandpa is gone? How could this happen... We just ate together yesterday! He was still looking healthy and hale then. I can still remember him smiling when he bade us goodbye. How could something like this happen overnight? I barely managed to collect myself. My mother was still on the line when I picked my phone up from the floor with my trembling hand. “Mom, what are you talking about? This isn't funny... Grandpa is fine, isn't he? Please, tell me this is just a prank...” Helen burst into tears and could barely speak. A few moments later, she sobbed out, “Just come home now. We'll talk about it when you're back.” After she hung up, I stood rooted to my spot for a while before finally rushing out of the house. My mind was in a mess on my way back. Grandpa has always been in good health. This can't be true... When I arrived home, my family were all sitting in the living room, waiting for me. They all held grim expressions, and their eyes were red and puffy. “Mom...” I called out in my hoarse voice, hesitant to say or ask anything. Before my mother could give me any response, Aunt Gianna came up to me and slapped my face. The next moment, she snarled, “Dad died because of that boyfriend of yours!” Instantly, my mother rushed over to shield me from Aunt Gianna while the others pulled the latter away.My mind was buzzing. What is Aunt Gianna talking about? What happened to Grandpa? What does this have to do with Dominic? In my daze, my mother took me into the bedroom. Both of us sat on the bed, facing each other, but none of us spoke. Eventually, I broke the silence as I asked, “Mom, what did Aunt Gianna mean? How did Grandpa pass away? What happened?” Helen gazed at me sorrowfully. After a while, she let out a deep sigh. “Your grandpa's health has been deteriorating ever since the weather got colder and colder. It's just that your dad and I decided not to tell all of you. When we were having dinner last night, we saw the news of Dominic's engagement with another woman. Your grandpa got too emotional that he had a stroke. We rushed him to the hospital right away, but they failed to save him.” After a short pause, she asked, “Lili, I want you to tell me the truth. What's going on between you and Dom? Why did he suddenly get engaged to another woman? The two of you were still happily together the other day. How come...” I was at a loss for words. Did Grandpa die because of Dominic and me? He must have been so worried about me after learning about Dominic's engagement. What should I do now? How could I ever redeem myself? It's all my fault... At that moment, I felt so guilty that I wished I could kill Dominic and myself. “Lily, call Dominic and ask him to come over. Your dad and I need to talk to him.” Instead of doing as she said, I asked, “Where's Grandpa? I want to see him.” Once again, Helen's bloodshot eyes became teary. “He's still at the hospital. Your Dad and Lou went there earlier to go through the procedures. They'll be back later- Where are you going?” Before she could finish her words, I sprang from the bed. “I'm going to the hospital. I need to go and see Grandpa.” With that, I rushed out of the room.At the hospital, I saw Louis. He had the same grim expression and red eyes. Upon seeing me, he turned and entered the hospital without saying anything. I quickly followed suit. At the morgue, I saw my grandfather's lifeless body. For several times, I reached out my hand to touch him, but I couldn't find the courage. When my hand finally touched his face, I could no longer hold back my tears. His face was cold to the touch. At that moment, I knew I had lost my beloved grandfather forever. “Grandpa... It's me, Lili... Grandpa...”