You’ll Fall For Me, Today Or Tomorrow Chapter 226


    Everyone present understood Mimi’s implication.


    Catherine nced at her granddaughter. She knew deep down that Matthew had a hand in it, or they


    couldn’t have handled the hospitalization so quickly.


    However, rissa merely smiled and debunked Mimi’s ims, “This has nothing to do with Matthew.”


    Mimi chuckled sheepishly, befuddled. “Then it must have been my mistake.”


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    rissa did not borate further. Instead, she turned to speak to Gloria, who was currently bedridden,


    “Aunt Gloria, it shouldn’t be anything serious, but please have a good rest. Grandma, there’s no need


    to worry. Let’s go home for now.”


    Just then, Gloria grasped Catherine’s hand before the olderdy could respond.


    “Mom, please don’t leave. Stay with me.”


    Catherine regarded her daughter with affection. “ry, I’ll stay and apany your Aunt Gloria. Why


    don’t you head home first? I’ll go backter.”


    rissa nodded in understanding. “It’s fine; I’ll stay here with you,” she announced as she took a seat.


    She then said to Mimi, “I assume Uncle Jacob will pay me back for Aunt Gloria’s hospital bills. You


    should also buy some daily necessities, Mimi. Perhaps you can pack some of Aunt Gloria’s clothes and


    bring them here. This way, you can avoid unnecessary expenses and save some money. Also, you


    should remind Uncle Jacob to prepare the surgery fee for tomorrow.”


    Silence fell upon the room after rissa finished her piece. She appeared nonchnt as if what she


    had said was within the norm.


    While it was true that rrisa’s expectations were reasonable, Gloria’s family had wholly different


    notions.


    The moment Mimi heard that, she was livid. Words of ire danced on the tip of her tongue, but she


    gritted her teeth and suppressed her fury.


    Snapping out of her daze, Catherine immediately berated Jacob, “What are you waiting for? Hurry up


    and withdraw the amount you owe ry. You have no right to use her money. And don’t forget the


    surgery fee!”


    “Mom, we… don’t have money.”


    “Mom, you are well aware that we can’t afford it,” Gloriashed out, evidently displeased. “ry, can’t


    you have somepassion for me? It’s just a hospital bill and some additional charges – the fees are


    technically insignificant to someone as wealthy as you. Are you really so cold-hearted that you’d shun a


    rtive in need? Don’t you remember how I coddled you when you were young? Even beasts show


    more gratitude than you!”


    Despite that, rissa chuckled humorlessly. Gloria’s outraged shrieks had garnered the attention of


    other patients and their families.


    They observed themotion openly, intrigued but unsurprised. The hospital was a prime location to


    expose a person’s true colors, with people ranging from magnanimous phnthropists to merciless


    psychopaths.


    Even so, they never expected to witness a dispute up close. At that, they pricked their ears to


    eavesdrop on the conversation.


    rissa’sughter died down. Just as she was about to speak, Mimi interjected, “Mom, don’t say that.


    We might not have the money, but it’s our responsibility to bear the costs. re worked hard to get her


    money, and it belongs to her. Don’t worry about it, re. Dad, why don’t you withdraw some money to


    pay her? If we don’t have enough, I’ll borrow from others.”


    Mimi shot her father a look as she spoke. Gloria was indignant, but her daughter stopped her before


    she could protest.


    Mimi’s antics made her seem like the textbook example of a girl who refused to let poverty crush her


    dignity – mature and resilient.


    rissa scoffed internally. Mimi has only been in D City for a short while, but her acting skills have


    improved greatly. In addition to that, she has also be more maniptive and conniving.


    Catherine, too, could see through their ploy and quickly defended rissa, “What are you insinuating?


    Are you trying to guilt-trip ry into paying for you? How dare you have the audacity after doing all


    that-”


    “Grandma, you can stay here and keep mompany while I go with dad,” Mimi interrupted, tugging


    her father out of the ward.


    The room resumed its quiet state. Just then, an elderly patient decided to spark up a conversation with


    Catherine.


    “You are really fortunate to have such beautiful granddaughters!”


    Catherine’s stered a smile and made small talk with her. They chatted about where they were from,


    whether they were originally from D City, and other customary, albeit trivial, topics.


    Meanwhile, rissa was unbothered by others’ perceptions of her. She was on her phone, sitting


    quietly in a corner.


    Mimi and Jacob soon returned. They passed the money to rissa, and she breezily epted it.


    “She’s growing more stingy by the second,” Gloria muttered with a huff.


    rissa’s lips curled as her gaze swept over her aunt. Feeling ufortable, Gloria’s eyes darted


    around the room.


    “re, don’t take it to heart. My mom does not mean ill. It’s just that we’re short on moneytely. I hope


    that you understand our predicament.”


    rissa had just pocketed the money when her phone rang. Her expression softened as she picked up


    the call and left the ward.


    “Did everything go smoothly?” Matthew’s voice traveled through the receiver, sonorous and gentle.


    “Yes,” rissa answered, sounding dispirited. “I shouldn’t have interfered; sticking my nose in their


    business did me no good.”


    “What happened? Did they took advantage of you?”


    “No, I can stand my ground now. It’s just that they tried to put up an act before me. It was so pitiful that I


    didn’t have the heart to tear it down.”


    “Looks like someone has grown up a lot! Aren’t you a wily one?” Matthew teased.


    rissa giggled. “Enough of that. I’ve been smart from the very start; I just couldn’t be bothered


    enough to y along with them. At the end of the day, we are rted by blood. My grandma would be


    heartbroken if we actually broke ties, and I can’t do that to her. I can go against the whole world, but


    never Grandma.”


    Matthew knew her best.


    Hence, he replied with a simple “I’ll sort it outter.”


    “There’s no need for that. Don’te over,” rissa declined quickly.


    Pouting, she mumbled, “They’re not worth a visit from you, and if you do show up, it’ll just make things


    messier.”


    Matthewughed with amusement. “Alright, whatever you say. I’ll be waiting at the entrance to fetch


    you and Grandma home.”


    “Alright. Give me a call when you arrive, and we’ll head out. Just don’te in!” rissa reiterated.


    “Alright.”


    rissa hung up and returned to the ward. At the same time, Gloria was in the midst of a conversation


    with Catherine when she noticed rissa. She paused to ask, “ry, were you talking to your


    boyfriend? Matt is from D City, and yet he never came to visit even though I am hospitalized. How busy


    can he be? I heard that he has a huge business. Are we, your poor rtives, not worthy of his


    presence?”


    “Mom, what are you rambling on about? Matthew is the president of apany – he must be drowning


    in work!”


    Mimi figured that she had responded with tact, but rissa ignored herpletely. “Indeed, he’s quite


    busy. He has no time to visit, and he won’t visit.”


    “rissa, how dare you-”


    “Enough!” Catherine cut her off and brought a hand up to rub her temple. Both parties fell silent.


    “Grandma, let’s go.”


    rissa approached her grandmother to hold her, but Gloria clung to Catherine. “Mom, please don’t


    leave. Stay here and keep mepany.”


    “Aunt Gloria, Grandma is old, and she needs her rest. Furthermore, your husband and daughter are


    here. You’re not a child anymore, yet you’re still begging for Grandma to stay. Do you not worry about


    her health at all?”


    Try as she might, Gloria could not find the words to rebut rissa’s statement. She rolled her eyes at


    the youngerdy, her distaste written inly on her face.


    Mimi spoke on behalf of her mother. Each line was adorned with praises as if her pretty words could


    offset the tense atmosphere. Everything she said and did was a result of careful strategizing with the


    aim of painting a perfect image.


    rissa watched her performance indifferently, too disinterested to evenment.


    The moment she received Matthew’s text, she left the hospital with Catherine. Mimi insisted on seeing


    them off and trailed behind them.


    rissa knew all too well what intentions Mimi harbored.


    Nheless, rissa could do nothing to stop her cousin, so she let her do as she pleased.


    Matthew had parked right outside the hospital. When he caught sight of the two women, he


    immediately exited the car to help Catherine. rissa beamed when she met his eyes and prepared to


    get into the car.


    “Long time no see, Matthew,” Mimi piped up.


    They ignored Mimi’s enthusiastic greeting and acted like she did not exist.


    Realizing that they were about to leave, Mimi hastily grabbed the car handle and leaned toward the


    window. “Are you guys leaving so soon? Why don’t you stay for a bit? By the way, re, is Grandma


    living with you? Where are you staying? Please tell me. I’d love you visit you more often and of course,


    Grandma too. Grandma, would you like it if I went to see you more?”


    “No,” rissa rejected her bluntly. “Mimi, no one is watching us now, so you can drop the facade. Your


    acting skills have improved a lot, but the eyes are the windows to the soul, and yours remain insincere.


    Stop pretending, because I’m tired of watching your antics.”


    “re,” Mimi called out, her smile appearing forced. “What do you mean? I never, I-”


    “Move away. If you don’t, you can’t me us for running you over. Start the car.”


    The car started to move. Mimi ran alongside for a while before deciding that it was not worth risking her


    life.


    She then let go and red at the vehicle as it shrunk in the distance. A myriad of emotions brewed in


    Mimi’s dark eyes, but rissa had no concern for them.


    After all, it was no more than a reflection of the foolish and malicious thoughts buried in her heart.


    Upon arriving at Zen Hignds, Catherine prepared to retire to bed.


    She pulled her granddaughter aside to talk to her before leaving. “re,” she said with a sigh, “I know


    that you’ve been hurt. Gloria and her family are cunning, so I can’t judge any of your choices. However,


    you have to understand that your aunt is my daughter. After your father passed, Gloria became my only


    child. If she were safe and sound, I wouldn’t intervene in your matters. But now that she’s sick, I


    thought I would lose another-”


    The pain of a mother attending her son’s burial was too much to bear. Catherine was overwhelmed by


    the memories of that dreary day. Tears streamed down her weathered face, her heart bleeding for her


    lost son.


    rissa enveloped the agonized woman in her arms and consoled her, “Grandma, I understand what


    you mean, which is why I refrained fromshing out. I know that she’s sick, and I won’t hold it against


    her. As for the hospital bills, I’m willing to help them out if they really can’t afford it, but I have to let


    them know that I’m not a pushover and that they shouldn’t take me for granted. I wouldn’t leave Aunt


    Gloria to suffer.”


    “I know, I know.” Catherine returned the hug and murmured, “My dear ry, it must have been hard on


    you.”