Leaving You Bereft (Willow and Julian) novel Chapter 193

Chapter 193

Back when Willow was a little girl, she looked forward to the New Year. Grace would let the baked goods cool off in the evening and stash them in the basement, where she kept the cabbages.

Now, that place was basically Grace’s treasure trove. She was traumatized by poverty. So, she would always buy some cabbages at dirt–cheap prices during winter if she could afford it.

Every day, she would buy some meat and pair it with spaghetti. That would be a meal for her. She had always picked and cleaned the meat meticulously so that Willow would get the nutrition she needed.

Grace spent wisely and saved up whenever she could, and that was how she raised Willow and sent the latter to school. She had never married anyone in her life, but she said that she didn’t have any regrets.

After dinner, their maid went back home to spend time with her familly. Grace packed the baked goods away in a white cloth and tied it up before she moved them to the basement, where the cabbages were stored.

Initially, none of the houses in the southern suburbs had basements. She was the one who hired someone to secretly dig one out for her.

It wasn’t spacious. After she put away the cabbages and baked goods, there was only enough room for a single person.

Grace turned around and continued her work meticulously. She even forbade Willow from moving the food and only allowed her to quietly watch from the ssidelines

Willow loved watching Grace as the latter worked. She loved the baked goods, and the cabbages smelled wonderful as well.

Grace smiled, her eyes narrowing. “You look like you’re about to wolf all of them down. I’ll make you a couple of pulled pork sandwiches tomorrow morning.”

Willow grinned in response. She couldn’t hear anything, and she had no idea that a ferocious fire was roaring into the sky behind her. The flames were very close to where she stood, and they threatened to set her ablaze.

Grace was startled and immediately grabbed a burlap sack, intending to bring Willow with her and charge out of the fire.

However, the flames were unusually intense.

It quickly extended its fiery clutches toward them. The red, orange flames resembled the evening sun hanging high in the sky.

Willow gripped Grace’s arm tightly. She recalled that there was a door at the side of the basement that led to the backyard. They

would be safe if she could find it.

She couldn’t hear anything at all, and she relied purely on her memories as she felt around and eventually found the doorknob, all while keeping Grace close to her.

The doorknob was searing hot, and it almost scalded her hand. However, she needed to save herself and Grace. So, she threw caution to the wind and did everything she could to turn it.

However, she just couldn’t open it. Someone had locked it from the outside.

The flames spread so menacingly that it looked like it was about to consume them and burn them to a crisp.

Tears welled up in Grace’s eyes. The fire was everywhere, and it was inching closer like a terrible beast trying to gobble Willow up. She couldn’t stand the thought of her precious granddaughter dying a fiery death.

Willow was not even 30 years old, and she had an adorable baby in her belly. Grace was set to be a great–grandmother in another

six months or so too.

Grace was trembling when she took Willow’s hand and led her back to the basement without much trouble. God must have been looking out for them. Then, she hid her in the basement the same way she did when the latter was young.

“Stay here with the cabbages, Willow. That way, you’ll grow as tall as they are soon.

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“After you finish these cabbages, you’ll have become older by another year.

“Woah. Are you already going to primary school next year, Willow?

“Willow, I’ve saved up this money for your tuition fee. Here’s 820 dollars, and there’s some extra for you to buy some milk. I’ll give you another 120 dollars each month for it. I’ll give you everything the other kids have too.

“There’s an angel watching over you as you grow, Willow.”

Willow went to the basement first. Extending her arm, she gripped Grace’s hand and intended to pull the latter inside as well. However, a thick cloud of smoke was rushing at them, threatening to overwhelm them.

Grace looked at Willow one last time with her weary eyes. She decided that she wouldn’t go into the basement.

The thick black cloud was going to consume them at any given moment. There was simply no time. If she went into the basement as well, she would only end up costing Willow and Landon’s lives as well.

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