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.

yet met my little one. Here’s

held up a photo. “You would’ve liked her. I know

wiped the headstone with a

all I have right now. When things get better, bring you something truly

was clean, she knelt

secure a good income, and keep joy healthy,” Hadley murmured,

to her grandmother and herself

her eyes, which were rimmed red but no longer teary, she murmured

visit again soon, Grandma,” Hadley said, giving one last look at her

and walked away.

the hill, she noticed a

out a mask from her bag

group moved past her, not giving her a second glance,

clenched tightly

sent a fierce glare toward their departing figures. The audacity of their

to disrupt the peace of this

grandmother’s fury if she

d her.

the mood for a fight, especially not when they outnumbered her

to wait them out and let them

hour, the group

her

paused and looked back at

staring at?” one of his

dismissing his lapse with a forced chuckle. “Let’s just

eager to return to her

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The People Visiting The

placed was a new one,

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

throwing it aside but decided against it, not wanting to show Osterfect

nearby.

cemetery and disposed of it in a

surged through her as she walked away from the

toward the bus stop, it read eleven o’clock. She had ample time to get

before meeting Eric.

ten–minute walk away. As she walked, Hadley looked up, noticing the sky darkening quickly as heavy clouds gathered. “Looks

fall as Hadley neared the bus

She hadn’t thought to

her pace, she dashed towards the shelter of

offered some cover from

it’ll let up by the time I board the bus,”

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

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

early morning wake–up had taken its toll, and despite

fell asleep.

loud commotion suddenly startled

was in chaos, with passengers standing and trying to see what was causing a