For over a decade, I had been so busy that I never had the chance to go out and see the world.
Now that I was retired, I finally had a chance to relax, but I never expected to be caught up in such frustrating matters.
When Hassan wanted to marry Riley back then, I was initially against it.
It wasn't that I disliked Riley; it was her complicated family background that concerned me.
Her parents were notorious troublemakers in the local area, and her brother had been a delinquent since childhood, running with a bad crowd and achieving nothing in life.
And didn't even get me started on Riley's mother. Just thinking about her made my blood boil.
In the past couple of years, who knew what had gotten into her? She had been making all sorts of suggestions, subtly and openly, about introducing me to potential couples.
Every time, I refused firmly, leaving no room for negotiation.
Seeing my unyielding stance, she had no choice but to drop the subject.
The land from the demolition had been left to me by my father.
When I was younger and just starting to work, I didn't have much money, so I built a small house on the land and fenced in the yard.
A few years later, after saving up some money, my husband and I bought a commercial apartment and moved out.
The property sat abandoned for many years, and back then, I never thought it would turn out to be so valuable.
The day before I was supposed to leave for my trip, I got a call from my daughter Gracie Payne.
On the phone, she told me she was pregnant.
This news brought a bit of sunshine to my otherwise gloomy mood.
But I also knew right away that my travel plans were ruined.
Gracie said she could not stomach her mother-in-law's cooking. In the early stages of her pregnancy, she had been dealing with constant nausea and cravings. She insisted I come over to take care of her for a while.
So, I had to cancel my plans with my best friend, pack my things, and head over to Gracie's place to take care of her.
By the time I got to her house, I felt much better in my mood.
My health was still relatively good, and all I had to do at her place was some cooking and grocery shopping.
I could manage that just fine.
After meals, I would accompany her on walks, and we would chat about life. Gradually, my spirits lifted.
Deep down, I felt grateful that Gracie was still so considerate.
But after a while, things started to feel a bit off.