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

Chapter 26

Chapter 26 Was It Worth It

Linda was upset by Eric’s words. What did he mean she didn’t understand Hadley?

Or did he mean to say he did?

To the extent that he’d sacrificed his meal to find her?

However, once outside, Eric found no trace of Hadley.

Where could she have gone? With Nyla’s surgery still underway, it was unlikely she’d just leave.

Eric retrieved his phone and called Hadley’s number.

Hadley didn’t answer, but he already heard the ringtone. Suddenly, he realized the sound was close by.

Drawn by the ringtone, Eric headed toward the fire escape stairwell where he saw Hadley.

“Hello?” Hadley spoke into her phone, just as the call disconnected. “Huh? What’s happening?”

“What are you doing here?” Eric’s voice emerged unexpectedly from behind her.

Caught off guard, Hadley turned sharply, her eyes wide with surprise. “Eric, what brings you he

“It’s you I should be questioning,” Eric retorted, his expression tinged with irritation. “Why are you secluding yourself out here? Come and join me for lunch. Must I really persuade you like a child?”

“There‘

o need for that!”

“Not this again!”

Eric was growing tired of the repetition. “Hadley, is that all you can say to me? We have no idea when Grandma will be out of surgery. What if she needs you and you’ve passed out from not eating? I don’t want to deal with

that mess.”

“I don’t really need to…”

“Tell me the truth…”

Eric’s dark eyes intensified as they focused on Hadley’s face as he interrupting her. “Are you just avoiding Linda?”

What?

Hadley was taken aback. Was that his assumption?

Her silence led him to believe he was correct.

Eric’s voice, laced with a hint of sarcasm, carried through the air. “Thinking back, was it worth it? You know,

you get what you give.”

Hadley fixed her gaze on Eric, unblinking, and then abruptly questioned, “Did Linda say that?”

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told Eric that she was afraid to

by her question initially,

“Never mind…”

further. It felt pointless to even

had unconditionally sided with Linda. Was

trying to vindicate herself at this

shook her head. “It’s nothing,

anything. You all go ahead and have lunch. I

you

attention suddenly shifted

He noticed it.

seat was her black backpack with an open lunchbox perched

contents of the lunchbox

noodles accompanied by some greens.

to spot anything else, but that

“Hadley, is that what you’re eating

her face showing

would Hadley eat so

it plain was an understatement.

”

of diet harmful to her health?

with a monthly stipend. She had more than

wasn’t the issue here. There had

Hadley was likely trying to lose weight.

Eric’s frustration was evident as he looked Hadley over.

so thin, a gust of

silent, her expression

snapped, frustrated. “If you insist on starving yourself,

suffer,

dismissive gesture, Eric spun around and left abruptly.

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Was It

he was

a slow, steadying breath, managed a weak smile, sat down again, and resumed eating her now cold lunch, each bite a

stick in her throat, prompting her to grab her water

reappeared, his mood clearly

plate of food. “What happened to Hadley? Weren’t you able to find

mere thought of Hadley seemed to sour his

fads. Just leave

gave a knowing smile as she shook her head. “I warned you, but you wouldn’t listen. Now,

some more.”

two in the afternoon, and Nyla was

doctor briefed Eric thoroughly on

a family member should be present.

respond better

“I’ll stay!”

“I’ll stay!”

Eric and Hadley said at the same

“I mean, it’s really Mr. Flynn’s decision. If he stays,

enough.”

of you should consider staying. For one, Mr. Flynn, you might not

could offer in caring for

made, it’s prudent for Mr. Flynn to be present.”

observing both Eric and Hadley for

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