Chapter 19 The People Visiting The Cemetery
“I’m not trying to delay this needlessly, Hadley protestad
Eric interjected, “We’re not wasting any more time
He was dearly not interested in exces. “We’re doing this today. I can’t keep setting aide offer commitments for this. My time is valuable.”
And with that, he ended the call abruptly
A wry smile appeared on Hadley’s face as she held her phone lightly
How could she make it more dear to him that she was not hanging on? Those days were long gone.
She exhaled deeply, resigning herself to the inevitable. “So it has to be today, she murmored
The task would not be simple, especially not today
She felt a sharp pain in her lower abdomen, worse than usual.
Heading towards Kingsbridge Cemetery on the city’s west side, where her grandmother lay resting, Hadley braced herself against the discomfort.
The sky was a mix of clouds and weak sunshine.
The cemetery was located atop a hill. Despite the persistent pain, Hadley ascended slowly, duter ng a bouquet she had picked up on her way.
She finally reached her destination.
Hadley was drenched in sweat from the climb, wiping it off as she knelt before her grandmother’s grave.
Placing the bouquet gently in front of the engraved headstone, she managed a tender smile towards the image of her grandmother carved in the stone.
“Grandma, I’ve come to visit,” she murmured softly.
As she spoke, her voice broke slightly, and tears began to stream down her cheeks.
“I’m so sorry it took so long, Grandma. I haven’t been here in four years. The flights back were just too costly
for me.”
She had been doing somewhat better financially since meeting Colleen.
Still, it had been just enough to scrape by, and returning to Srixby had seemed impossible until the Flynn family intervened financially.
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Drawing a deep breath, Hadley continued, “Grandma, I’m staying for good this time. No one’s going to foros me out again. I’m here to stay in my city, and I’ll visit you more often. That’s a promise
Through her tears, she smiled, pulling out her wallet to reveal a photo in it.
“Grandma, you’ve not yet met my little one. Here’s how adorable Joy is
Hadley held up a photo. “You would’ve liked her. I know you would. Soon, I’ll make sure you both meet”
Gently, she wiped the headstone with a towel.
“Grandma, I wish I could bring more, but these flowers are all I have right now. When things get better, bring you something truly special.”
Once the stone was clean, she knelt once more, whispering a silent prayer.
“Grandma, please watch over us, help me to secure a good income, and keep joy healthy,” Hadley murmured, her voice choked with emotion.
“Everything will be okay,” she whispered reassuringly, both to her grandmother and herself “You know I’m strong. There’s no need to worry about me.”
Opening her eyes, which were rimmed red but no longer teary, she murmured a goodbye.
“I’ll visit again soon, Grandma,” Hadley said, giving one last look at her grandmother’s photo before she turned
and walked away.
As Hadley descended the hill, she noticed a group ascending
Instantly, her heart skipped a beat. She quickly pulled out a mask from her bag and put it on.
The group moved past her, not giving her a second glance, yet her heart continued to race. It was them
Her fists clenched tightly at her sides.
Turning, she sent a fierce glare toward their departing figures. The audacity of their presence in
Were they here to disrupt the peace of this place?
Hadley imagined her grandmother’s fury if she were aware.
d her.
Hadley clenched her fists. She wasn’t in the mood for a fight, especially not when they outnumbered her and she was already feeling off today.
Instead, she decided to wait them out and let them leave on their own.
After about half an hour, the group finally began their descent.
Maintaining her disguise, Hadley resumed her ascent, brushing past them once more.
One of the men, middle–aged and thoughtful, paused and looked back at Hadley as she moved away.
“What are you staring at?” one of his companions asked, curious.
“Nothing,” the man answered, quickly dismissing his lapse with a forced chuckle. “Let’s just go.”
Hadley increased her pace, eager to return to her grandmother’s resting place.
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Next to the simple bouquet Hadley had placed was a new one, larger and far more elaborses
Hadley exhaled softly, her eyes narrowing at the lavish bouquet. She grasped it and whispered, “Gembong, the is from them, but don’t worry. We don’t want their offerings. I’ll remove it to keep your space soy”
She contemplated just throwing it aside but decided against it, not wanting to show Osterfect to the pres
nearby.
Resigned, Hadley took the bouquet from the cemetery and disposed of it in a bin
A sense of relief surged through her as she walked away from the trash can
Checking her watch as she headed toward the bus stop, it read eleven o’clock. She had ample time to get back
before meeting Eric.
The cemetery lay in a secluded area, with the nearest bus stop a ten–minute walk away. As she walked, Hadley looked up, noticing the sky darkening quickly as heavy clouds gathered. “Looks like rain might be on the way,” Hadley thought, quickening her pace.
Rain started to fall as Hadley neared the bus stop.
“Great,” she muttered, pulling her backpack over her head to shield herself from the sudden downpour. She hadn’t thought to bring an umbrella, and the idea of soaking her clothes through filled her with dread.
Picking up her pace, she dashed towards the shelter of the bus stop.
Luckily, the stop offered some cover from the heavy downpour.
“Maybe it’ll let up by the time I board the bus,” she murmured.
As the bus arrived, Hadley hurried aboard. Finding a seat, she settled in for the long ride from the cemetery in Kingsbridge back to the heart of the city.
The dull pain in her stomach persisted, so she leaned her head against the cool glass of the wife trying to ease the discomfort.
The early morning wake–up had taken its toll, and despite the discomfort, fatigue soon overtook her, and she
fell asleep.
A loud commotion suddenly startled Hadley awake.
The bus was in chaos, with passengers standing and trying to see what was causing a delay outside. The driver had left his seat, adding to the confusion.
“What’s going on?” Hadley asked, looking out to see a traffic jam clogging the streets.
She turned to the passenger behind her, seeking an explanation. “Do you know what’s happening?”
“Oh my gosh! There’s been an accident!”
“A piece of the overpass up ahead just collapsed!”
“The scene looks devastating. The injuries must be severe,” another added.
An uneasy feeling washed over Hadley. Could this delay her critical appointment at the court?
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She leaned forward. “Any idea how long we’ll be stuck here?”
“Hard to say. They need to clear the wreckage first,” responded a nearby passenger, eyeing the chaos ahead.
Her worry deepened.
The bus driver soon reassumed his position and announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, please remain patient. Emergency services are at work. This may take a while.”
Murmurs of discontent filled the air,
“This is unbelievable. How long will we be waiting here?”
“People have places to be.”
“It’s out of our hands. We just have to wait,” someone said.
Hadley shared their anxiety but knew her situation was particularly pressing. She crossed her fingers, silently pleading for a swift resolution.
Despite her hopes, the situation did not improve.
As time slowly passed, Hadley’s anxiety escalated. By one–thirty, the reality hit her.
She had only ninety minutes left and had to act immediately.
Feeling trapped, she reached for her phone with a trembling hand, inhaled deeply to calm herself, and called
Eric,
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< Too Late, Mr. Billionaire: You
