Chapter 604

Chapter 604:

If he wanted to be her driver so badly, so be it.

Hadley gave a small nod, slid into the passenger seat, and casually rattled off an address. “Dracnesse Town.”

Eric raised an eyebrow but nodded, inputting the destination into the GPS. “Dracnesse Town?” He repeated, glancing at her. “Alright.”

As the engine rumbled to life, he stole another glance her way. “What are you planning to do there?”

Hadley didn’t bother answering. Instead, she leaned back against the seat, shutting her eyes. “Just drive. Why the interrogation?”

Eric blinked, slightly taken aback. Was it really that wrong to ask?

Noticing the car hadn’t moved, Hadley cracked one eye open, irritation creeping into her voice. “Are you driving or not? Because if you’re not, I’ll get out—”

“Chill out!”

Eric reached out instinctively, placing a firm but gentle hand on her arm. His lips curled into a mix of amusement and exasperation.

“Alright, alright, I’ll drive. You really have a short fuse, you know that?” Even the smallest setback, and she wouldn’t hesitate to throw a tantrum.

The car rolled forward, the city slowly fading behind them as they drove toward Dracnesse Town.

Hadley’s mind drifted with the passing scenery. Dracnesse Town… her grandmother Clare’s hometown.

After her parents’ divorce, her mother had brought her here, trying to rebuild a life in the quiet town. But in the end, it became the place where her mother was laid to rest—behind her grandmother’s old house.

More 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝓲𝓷 gⲁ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀⧽ⅽ𝗈𝗺

Hadley had rarely returned, even after moving back to Srixby. The memories here weren’t easy to confront. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to visit her mother. She just… couldn’t face her.

As the drive neared its end, the sun still lingered in the sky, casting golden streaks over the horizon.

“Stop here.”

Hadley directed him to a small clearing at the foot of a hill.

“Okay.” Eric obeyed without question, stepping out and retrieving the flowers from the trunk. He took in the quiet, solemn landscape and then glanced at Hadley. “Are you here to visit someone?” he asked, his voice softer now, more thoughtful.

“Yes.” Hadley nodded, her tone barely above a whisper. “My mother.”

Eric was caught off guard. Hadley had never brought up her mother around him before, at least not that he could recall.

Pausing for a moment, he asked, “Is your mother buried here?”

“Yes.”

Her gaze was locked on the distant mountain, her expression filled with melancholy.

Without a word, Eric reached out and took her hand, noting her pallor. “Is it a special day for her, like a birthday or an anniversary?”

Hadley shook her head, letting out a long sigh. “I just really miss her today. I felt drawn here.”

Tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke, shimmering with sadness.

Feeling her sorrow, Eric squeezed her hand tighter. “Let’s keep going.”

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