I should have listened

I messed up. Bad. I don't know if anyone will even read this, but I need to say it somewhere. It's eating me alive.

My grandma, she was always giving advice. Drove me crazy. 'Don't trust anyone who smiles too much.' 'Always look both ways, even on a one-way street.' 'Never lend money you can't afford to lose.' Stupid stuff like that. I'd roll my eyes, yeah, yeah, Grandma.

Then this guy, Mark, came along. He was everything I thought I wanted. Funny, charming, always complimenting me. He smiled all the time. Grandma didn't like him. She never said anything directly, just gave me this… look. Like she knew something I didn't.

He needed money. Business deal, he said. Short-term loan. Big return. Sounded amazing. I had some savings, not a ton, but enough. Grandma told me, 'Don't do it, honey. He's trouble.' I ignored her. I was in love, or thought I was.

Of course, the money's gone. So is Mark. Vanished. And Grandma… she's not around anymore to say 'I told you so.' Which is probably a good thing, because I don't know if I could face her.

It's not just the money, though that hurts. It's knowing she was right. I was so blinded by what I wanted that I ignored the one person who actually cared about me. I should have listened. God, I should have listened. Now I have nothing but regret and the echo of her voice in my head.