Promises are NOT meant to be broken

"It's my grandson's number. Quick, granddaughter! Call your husband and let him know I found you!"

Gigi's smile twitched slightly as she nodded at the enthusiastic old lady.

"Bubbles, look after Grandma for now, alright?" she said, earning a nod from Bubbles before she excused herself to make a call. She wouldn't just call the old lady's grandson and say he was married.

Gigi didn't want to start a misunderstanding, especially if her grandson was married as well. Dialing the number from the piece of paper, Gigi glanced back at their table. Bubbles and the old lady seemed to get along well.

Clack.

Her brows snapped up, and her mouth parted when the phone connected. But before she could say a word, a deep, velvety voice with a hint of detachment came from the other end of the line.

"Hello?"

Gigi cleared her throat, touching her nape as she recomposed herself to explain what was happening. "Uh, yes, hello. Uhm… I found an elderly person on the street. She said this is her grandson's number."

"..." There was no sound from the other end of the line, making Gigi check if the line was still connected. It was.

"Hello?" she spoke again. "Are you still there?"

"Where are you?" asked the same voice from the other end of the line. This time, his voice exuded a hint of concern.

"We're currently in a restaurant, but I'll drop her off at the nearest police station," she said. "I'll send you the address."

"Okay."

"And—"

Clack.

Gigi's mouth stayed agape as she slowly drew her phone away in disbelief. Did he just hang up on her? Never mind not thanking her, but seriously?

"This is probably why his grandma is leaving their home," she mumbled, not dwelling on it as she walked back to the table.

When Gigi sat down, she flashed the old lady a smile. "Grandma, I called your grandson. He'll come pick you up."

"No!" the old lady harrumphed, moving closer to Gigi. "My granddaughter, I'm not going back to that brat's house again! I'd like to stay with my granddaughter!"

"Grandma…" Gigi let out a defeated sigh, thinking about how to help this old lady without hurting her feelings. After all, she couldn't just take an old lady home.

"Grandma, my young miss has just gotten discharged from the hospital. She's still recovering." Much to Gigi's surprise, Bubbles chimed in with a bubbly smile. "If you don't go home for now, my young miss will have to take care of you as well. How is she supposed to recover fully if she can't focus on herself?"

"Then, I'll take care of her!" the old lady declared. "I will heal my granddaughter!"

"But then, she's going to be worried that you are forced to take care of her at your age," Bubbles returned in a knowing tone, impressing Gigi.

'Wow,' Gigi thought, 'Didn't expect this from her at all.'

"Ahem!" Gigi cleared her throat, sporting a soft smile for the old lady. "Grandma, Bubbles is right. I'd only get worried if I have to burden you."

The old lady was tempted to argue, but seeing the look on Gigi's face, she frowned. "Granddaughter, are you going to leave me again?"

"Of course not, Grandma," Gigi shook her head. "I'll only let your grandson take care of you for the time being. But once I recover, I will pick you up so you can live with me."

"Really?!"

"Really." Gigi's smile stretched as she nodded at the old lady reassuringly. "It's a promise, Grandma."

* * *

Moments later…

Bubbles turned to the driver's seat, looking at her young miss curiously. They had just dropped the old lady off at the police station after a long discussion and reassurance.

"Young Miss," she finally called. "Why would you make a promise to that old lady? Are you planning to let her live in your home?"

Gigi smirked as she cast her a brief, sidelong glance. "No."

"Then why would you make that promise if you don't plan on fulfilling it?"

"Bubbles, being kind is free. Sure, I lied, but I doubt she'd even remember this encounter in a few hours or tomorrow," Gigi explained, convinced the old lady had an unfortunate condition. The old lady's behavior was already a giveaway.

"I'd rather not break her heart while she's aware," she added, unable to stop herself from remembering her grandparents who had raised her.

Her grandparents lived to old age, with her grandfather having dementia. So, when her grandmother passed and her grandfather would look for her, Gigi would just tell him her grandmother went to the market or the church, as she couldn't stomach watching her grandfather get heartbroken every single time with the truth.

It was the same in this situation.

"Oh… I see." Bubbles' mouth formed into an o-shape, nodding in understanding. Her face slowly brightened, looking at Gigi with admiration. "Young Miss, you are a godsend! Not only are you smart and beautiful, but you also have a heart of gold! My young miss is perfection!"

Hearing all of this, Gigi's face twitched. But Bubbles was not done yet, having more vocabulary to praise her. Surely, Bubbles was made to admire Gigi.

*****

Meanwhile, in the police station…

Several cars pulled up in front of the station, and some men in suits jogged to one of the cars. One of them opened the door, and the rest lined up on standby.

Walking out of the car was a man in a tailored suit, Lucian Marcelis — CEO of Nova International, a chain of hotels and resorts. His dark hair was brushed back neatly, his shoulders broad, with a towering height of more than six feet.

His jet-black eyes swirled with a mix of emotions, the air around him thick. One could tell he wasn't pleased as his lips curved down slightly. Walking into the station, he quickly spotted an elderly woman seated on one of the benches.

"Grandma," he whispered, rushing to her.

The old lady turned her head and frowned deeply. The second he stepped into her vicinity, a loud slap quickly landed on his shoulder.

"You brat! What took you so long to arrive?! You just missed my granddaughter-in-law!" she fumed. "This is why she runs away from you! You're always so late!"

Lucian let out a shallow breath. "Grandma…" You don't have a granddaughter.

"I didn't want to come with you, but she's hurt, and she needed to rest!" she added, frowning pitifully at the thought of Gigi. But after a second, her eyes burned again with determination and glared at his grandson. "My granddaughter promised that once she's healed, she'll pick me up, and I get to live with her forever! Don't come looking for me, then."

The old lady, the Old Madam of the Marcelis clan, crossed her arms and looked away. A mischievous smirk crept up on her face, and she nodded to herself.

"My granddaughter should recover quickly," she said. "Maybe she'll feel better tomorrow."

Had Gigi known what would come in the following days, she wouldn't have made a reckless promise.