He stepped on the gas and headed straight for their destination.
The cemetery staff were already waiting at the entrance. Juniper reached for the wheelchair, but Nelson beat her to it.
When Beatrice was buried, the staff had carried Brooks up the hill, but this plot was located much lower down, with a paved path leading directly to it.
Nelson pushed the chair as the staff walked alongside them, quietly explaining the burial process.
Juniper lowered her eyelashes. She requested they skip the formalities and proceed directly with the burial.
The small group stood in dead silence by the open grave.
The headstone had been rushed overnight. There was nothing much to write on it, just a few simple lines.
Juniper stood at the edge of the grave, bowing her head in profound grief, while Brooks sat in his chair, quietly wiping his tears.
Three hours later, the burial was complete.
The staff departed, leaving Juniper to arrange the floral tributes around the headstone. Her phone rang—it was Alistair.
Alistair had been swamped lately, as his classified project had officially launched, requiring constant trips to the research facility.
He was already in Oakley and just needed the exact address.
Minutes later, Alistair arrived with a massive, fresh bouquet of flowers. He knelt beside Juniper, helping her arrange them beautifully against the stone.
Nelson instantly saw red. He had lived in Oakley before; he knew paying respects at a family grave was reserved for close relatives and loved ones. Who the hell did Alistair think he was?
What exact position did he think he held in Juniper's life?
Nelson aggressively lunged forward, grabbed a massive bundle of flowers he had brought, and violently hurled them directly over Alistair's neat arrangement.
Juniper froze, looking up at him in absolute disbelief.
Nelson lowered his gaze. He knew she was about to tell him to get the hell out, and he didn't want to hear it. He just kept angrily shoving more flowers onto the pile.
Once the flowers were arranged, Juniper stood up and pushed Brooks back toward the road.
Brooks's eyes were heavily swollen, and he looked completely drained.
Alistair trailed behind them, offering them a ride in his car.
Nelson was a second too slow. By the time he reached the road, the three of them were already gone.
He viciously kicked the tire of his own car before jumping in and tearing after them.


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