Chapter 44 It was still her grandmother who had stayed by her side in the hospital , tending to her day and night ... Scene after scene from the past played through her mind , especially when she thought about Theodore proposing to her . Her parents had been over the moon . Their daughter , with her limp , had somehow managed to land a perfect husband - like a golden ticket falling from the sky . All they cared about was calculating how much they could get out of the wedding ; anything beyond that never crossed their minds . Only her grandmother had taken her hand and said softly , " Emmie , no matter what happens , remember to love yourself first and love yourself the most ..." Had she already seen it then ? Known this wasn't a good match , but simply couldn't stop her ? Staring out the window , Emma felt her eyes sting . Grandma , I'm sorry . I really haven't loved myself the way you wanted me to ... By the time the car pulled up to her grandmother's house , night had completely fallen . Warm yellow light glowed from the windows , as if someone had lit a lantern right inside her chest . She couldn't help it - her eyes welled up again . Emma got out , walked into the yard , and knocked on the door . " Who is it ? " Her grandmother's voice called out from inside , footsteps shuffling closer . When the door swung open and her grandmother saw her standing outside , her eyes lit up with pure delight . " Emmie ! What are you doing here ? " Emma's eyes burned again ; she was terrified she'd start crying and scare her grandmother . She threw her arms around her , nuzzling close . " Grandma , I saw the grapes you sent me and started missing you ... " " You silly girl ... " Her grandmother was all smiles , glancing behind her to see if Theodore had come . " You're here by yourself tonight ? " " Yeah ! Theodore's busy , but I can come on my own . " Emma took her grandmother's hand and led her inside . " Grandma , I'm starving . Do you have anything to eat ? " 1/3 11:54 Chapter 44 Her grandmother gave her a playful scold . " What do you want ? " " I just want your homemade chicken noodle soup ." Funny , but in all her twenty - some years , Emma realized she could only ever speak so freely and shamelessly in front of her grandmother . " Wait right here ! " her grandmother said , practically humming as she bustled off to the kitchen . Emma wandered into the living room and looked over the photos on the TV stand - four in total . One was a family portrait : her grandparents , her parents , and herself . One was a childhood photo of her , beaming with a dance trophy in her hands . Another was of her aunt , now gone . And the last one - a snapshot of her , Theodore , and her grandmother together . That photo was taken four years ago . The village head had called , telling her that her grandmother had taken a fall . She'd panicked , grabbed her bank card and whatever cash she could find , and rushed home . It was Theodore who had gone with her , all the way back to the village , who'd helped get her grandmother to the hospital . When had she decided , no matter how distant Theodore became , she'd stick by him for the rest of her life ? It was right then . Later , she learned the village head had called her father first , but he'd been busy playing cards and told them to just take her grandmother to the local clinic - no help , no concern . Theodore , on the other hand , could have easily sent an assistant or just wired over money for the hospital bills . But he didn't . He went with her , helped carry her grandmother , stayed the whole time . After her grandmother was discharged , the three of them took that photo together . Emma had snapped it on her phone and sent it to her grandmother , who'd printed it out and put it in a frame . " Dinner's ready ! Chicken noodle soup , just like you asked ! " Her grandmother called , beaming as she brought out a steaming bowl . She teased , " You're all grown up now , but some things never change - you always want my chicken noodle soup . " 2/3 11:54 Chapter 44 Emma grinned , inhaling the savory aroma , and dug in . She really was starving . She'd barely eaten a thing at her parents ' house earlier . In no time , she'd finished every last drop of soup , not a trace left in the bowl . Only after she set her bowl down did her grandmother finally ask , " Did you two have a fight ? "