Too Late, Mr. Billionaire: You Can't Afford Me by Thedora Birnir

Chapter 12 His Priority
Eric’s voice tightened with irritation, and his brow creased “Could her phone be dead?”
Frustrated, he jammed the phone into his pocke. Never mind She’ll be fine”
Hadley was capable of looking after herself Surely, if she grew tired of waiting, she’d find her way home
wouldn’t she?
The day had worn on him, and fatigue was setting in. What he yearned for now was a soothing shower and some downtime.
Just as Eric was about to put away his phone for good, he paused
“This is more trouble than it’s worth,” he muttered under his breath
He then decided to make one last call to Silver Villas.
The line rang unanswered until it eventually cut off
“What now?”
Eric’s scowl intensified. Had Hadley not yet returned home? It was late–impossible she was still at the same place, right?
Surely, she wasn’t that overly optimistic, was she?
In a fit of frustration, he threw his phone onto the couch. He was done trying to sort this out.
He made his way upstairs, longing for the comfort of a hot shower.
As the warm water cascaded over him, his thoughts invariably drifted back to Hadley.
The hour was late, and she was alone.
Despite his reservations about her, he acknowledged his failure to fulfill his promise.
“What a nuisance!”
Grumbling to himself, Eric shut off the shower, quickly toweled off, and got dressed.

He threw on some clothes, snatched his car keys, and hurried down the stairs.
While driving, he made a call to the sanatorium.
“Could you please check if a young woman named Hadley is still there?” He spoke to the nurse
cared for Nyla.
“Certainly, Mr. Flynn.”
There was a short pause as the nurse left to check.
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Chapter 12 His Priority
“Mr. Flynn, I’m afraid we don’t have anyone here by that name. It’s just our medical team and caregivers now
She wasn’t there? Had Hadley managed to leave already?
“Alright, thank you.”
After hanging up, Eric didn’t hesitate and drove directly to Silver Villas.
Upon arrival, he called out, “Hadley!”

Eric swung the front door open only to be greeted by darkness, with no trace of Hadley anywhere
Could she have already gone to bed?
He made his way toward the corner of the ground floor, where the servants‘ quarters were located.
“Hold on, which room does she use?”
However, before he got there, a light flickering from the bathroom caught his eye.
Was that Hadley inside?
Peering through the slightly open bathroom door, he saw a glimpse of the scene within
There sat Hadley on a stool, her socks removed, examining her feet attentively.
“Thank goodness.” She breathed a sigh of relief. “No blisters.”

The challenges she had faced had hardened her resilience, forming an invisible armor around her.
A two–hour walk was trivial for her.
She then gently soaked her feet in a basin filled with water. “Ouch! Hot, hot, hot!”
From the doorway, Eric watched, his expression a mix of concern and curiosity.
Yet, Hadley didn’t withdraw her feet; instead, she sighed in satisfaction. “This is really soothing, Perfect.”
“Hadley!” Eric called out from the door.
Eric’s shout echoed sharply, causing Hadley to stiffen.
As he advanced toward her with clear irritation, Eric’s frustration was evident.
He jabbed a finger in her direction. “Where have you been? Didn’t I say to stay put?”
What?
Caught off guard, Hadley’s initial irritation quickly morphed into amusement.

She burst into laughter, unable to contain herself.
Eric halted, his eyes widening as his anger intensified. “What’s so funny? If you had stayed pit w had to scour the city for you?
And why is your phone off?”
have
“Right.” Hadley’s laughter faded into a serious expression as she nodded.
“Indeed, it’s my mistake. I shouldn’t have walked home myself. I really should have just sat there and waited
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a couple of hours for you. My apologies. Truly, I’m sorry.”
Her tone was thick with sarcasm.
“Are you suggesting this is my fault?” Eric examined her intently, his demeanor cold yet mocking. “Do you consider yourself more
significant than Linda?”
Linda, his sister–in–law, was cherished by Ernest.
For Eric, his life had always revolved around his brother and the Flynn legacy.
Protecting Linda for his brother’s sake would always remain his priority.
Eric’s tone hardened. “You are the one who should be unquestioningly supporting Linda. Remember, you owed
her...”
He was on the verge of bringing up Linda’s miscarriage from four years ago.
Hadley had reached her limit with the discussion. “I’m not accusing you, really. How do you turn this into a complaint from me
when I’m just stating facts?”
She stopped, her fists tightening in silence.

“I apologize for taking your time. It’s late, and you probably need some rest.”
Before Eric could reply, Hadley stood up to get some more hot water to continue her foot soak.
She paid no attention to him.
Eric released a dismissive snort. Arguing seemed pointless; she was home unharmed, after all. Yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling
that he’d been played.
As he was about to exit, a realization stopped him.
Did she just mention that she walked back?
He spun around sharply, his finger directed at her feet.
“Just stop with the act.”
Confused, Hadley looked down at the basin and then at him, puzzled by his accusation.
Eric’s gaze intensified, dripping with scorn. “You’re telling me you walked all the way back here? And you think soaking your feet
will make me buy that story? You believe this little display proves anything?”
She walked back?
It’d take hours to walk from the sanatorium to Silver Villas.
Wasn’t it possible for her to hail a taxi if she was too impatient to wait for him? Surely, she could have managed that. And now
she said she walked all the way back?
His skepticism was clear. Did she actually expect him to fall for that?
She was clearly pointing for his pity with this exaggerated tale–a crude strategy. She hadn’t yet given up on manipulating him.
“Do you really think this sad story will sway me?” Eric scoffed, dismissing her attempt. “That’s not going to

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With that, he pivoted and strode away, not sparing a glance behind.
Left in his wake, Hadley was momentarily speechless, and then a surge of anger wished over her the pages for air, incredulous
at his audacity.
The following day brought a call from Lennon, who requested her presence at Calart
She was informed that her costumes were prepared and awaited her fitting
At the venue, Lennon guided her to the stage.
“Get to know the stage well and prepare thoroughly for your performance. This is significent, and I expec nothing less than your
best.”
“Understood, Mr. Lewis.”
Hadley approached her preparations with diligence, meticulously checking the choreography and confirming the musical
arrangements for the performance.
Over the coming days, she knew rigorous practice was crucial to ensure a flawless execution
As the rehearsal concluded, evening had already begun to fall.
Instead of returning to Silver Villas, Hadley was on another mission–Nyla had requested she visit Ernest. Witts a full schedule
the following day, tonight was her only opportunity.
She purchased a bouquet of yellow calla lilies, chosen for their representation of respect.
Visiting Ernest was something she wanted to do, despite her previous reservations about the Flynn family’s reception of her- they
still viewed her as the murderer of Ernest and Linda’s child.

Reflecting on her initial encounters with the Flynn family, Hadley recalled Ernest had been in good health, a stark contrast to the
present.
Ernest’s demeanor had always been more refined than Eric’s, reminiscent of the noble characters from her
favorite novels.
Being a few years older, Ernest had always seemed like a loving brother to Hadley. His kindness had made her feel as though
she truly belonged, offering a sibling’s affection she had never known.
Upon arriving at the hospital, Hadley navigated to the ward she recalled.
However, Ernest was no longer there.
Left with no other option, she dialed Nyla’s number.
“Nyla, has Ernest been moved from this hospital? I can’t seem to find him.”
“What?” Nyla sounded surprised. “Are you there by yourself? Where’s Eric?”
“Well...”
Mindful of Nyla’s upcoming surgery, Hadley upheld her commitment. “Eric’s tied up, but I’m fine on my own.
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Hyla let out a weary sigh.

“Fine, here’s what you need to know. Ernest is still at the hospital. They’ve added a new wing and he’s currently there. Head
towards the rear of the building.”
It turned out Ernest had been relocated to the new VIP section.
“Got it, I’m on my way there now.”
After ending the call, Hadley headed toward the new wing
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Upon entering the hospital room, the sharp scent of disinfectant hung heavily in the air.
Approaching the bed, Hadley
observed the resting man and quickly felt a lump form in her throat. She tenderly grasped his hand, tears starting to stream down
her cheeks.
“Ernest, it’s Hadley, I’m here to visit you.”
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