Chapter 57:

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 without giving her a second glance, but 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 infuriated her. Were they here to disrupt the peace of this place?

Hadley imagined her grandmother’s fury if she were aware. She 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 replied, 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.

Next to the simple bouquet Hadley had placed was a new one, larger and far more elaborate.

Hadley exhaled softly, her eyes narrowing at the lavish bouquet. She grasped it and whispered, “Grandma, this is from them, but don’t worry. We don’t want their offerings. I’ll remove it to keep your space tidy.”

She contemplated just throwing it aside but decided against it, not wanting to show disrespect to the graves 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.

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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 toward 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 window, 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.

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