Grandma's voice, as sharp as her beloved knitting needles, cut through the air, her unannounced presence causing a familiar feeling of irritation to rise within me.

"And what do you think you're doing here?" she said, her tone dripping with a passive-aggressive disapproval. "I thought you had sworn off any ‘family outings’ for the time being, hmm?"

As her gaze shifted towards Rafayel, her expression hardened further, implying a disdain for both of us.

I met Grandma's critical gaze with a hint of defiance.

"What I'm doing here isn't any of your business again," I retorted, my voice firm but weary. "Just because we're family doesn't mean you have a...