Too Late, Mr. Billionaire: You Can't Afford Me by Thedora Birnir

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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Chapter 19 The People Visiting The Cemetery

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.

little one. Here’s how

I know you would. Soon,

she wiped the

but these flowers are all I have right

she knelt

watch over us, help me to secure a good income, and keep joy healthy,” Hadley murmured, her

she whispered reassuringly, both to her grandmother and herself “You know I’m strong. There’s no need to worry

which were rimmed red but no longer teary,

again soon, Grandma,” Hadley said, giving one last look at her grandmother’s photo

and walked away.

the hill, she noticed a

a beat. She quickly pulled out a mask from

a second glance, yet her heart continued to

tightly at

toward their departing figures.

disrupt the peace

grandmother’s fury

d her.

in the mood for a fight, especially not

decided to wait them out and let them

an hour, the

Hadley resumed her ascent, brushing past them once

men, middle–aged and thoughtful, paused and looked back at Hadley as she

you staring at?” one of

dismissing his lapse with a forced

eager to return to

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The People

the simple bouquet Hadley had placed was a new one,

softly, her eyes narrowing at the lavish bouquet. She grasped it and whispered, “Gembong, the is from

aside but decided against it, not wanting to

nearby.

cemetery and disposed of it in a

relief surged through her as she

as she headed toward the bus stop, it read eleven o’clock.

before meeting Eric.

stop a ten–minute walk away. As she walked, Hadley looked up, noticing the sky

fall as

her head to shield herself from the sudden downpour. She hadn’t thought to bring an umbrella, and the

her pace, she dashed towards the shelter of the bus

the stop offered some cover from the

up by the time I board the bus,” she

Finding a seat, she settled in for the long ride from the cemetery in Kingsbridge back to the heart of the

dull pain in her stomach persisted, so she leaned her head against the cool glass of the wife trying to ease

had taken its toll, and despite

fell asleep.

suddenly

bus was in chaos, with passengers standing and trying to see what was causing a delay outside. The driver had left