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

Chapter 53 Where Is He

Inside the private lounge, Hadley sat opposite the man, who had been watching her in silence from the

moment she arrived. His gaze never wavered, fixated on her as if searching for something.

“Hadley, this is already our third time crossing paths. That day at Kingsbridge–you were there to see your grandmother too, weren’t you? You had a mask on back then…”

Hadley didn’t let him finish. “That’s not why I came.” She kept her tone even but direct. “Let’s not waste time. You said you’d bring the money. Do you have it?”

The man gave a measured nod. “I do.”

His fingers tapped lightly against the table, but he made no effort to reach for it. “I’ll give it to you, but… it’s been years. You disappeared without a word, left the country, cut everyone off. How have you been? And you

and Eric-”

“Don’t.”

Her voice remained controlled, but there was no mistaking the edge behind it.

She met his eyes without hesitation. “Do you really think you should be asking me that?”

“I…” He faltered for a moment before regaining his voice. “Why not? Hadley, I still care about you. You and Eric

”

“Care?”

Hadley let out a short, bitter laugh. “Now you do? After all this time?”

There had been a point in her life when she needed help the most. Where was he then? Words of concern that only surfaced long after the damage had been done were meaningless.

The man sat in silence, his expression tense with something close to regret. “I won’t deny I let you down. But at least tell me this–why do you need that much money? What happened? Is Eric giving you trouble?”

He had seen them together not long ago. Eric had seemed protective, unwilling to let her go.

They hadn’t looked like a couple falling apart, but the fact remained–Hadley had been sent overseas and kept away for four years.

“Hadley, just tell me-”

She had no patience for this.

Hadley took a slow breath, steadying herself. “If I don’t explain, does that mean I’m not getting the money?”

“That’s not what I-”

A sudden, forceful pounding shook the door.

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Bang bang bang

Bang bang, bang

The forceful banging left no doubt that if they refused to open the door, whoever was outside was more than

willing to smash their way in.

“Open up!”

“Open the door!”

know you’re in there!”

What’s happening?

had the police shown

her. His face had drained of color,

wrong, getting caught up in a police matter could easily spiral into something far worse. A simple questioning could

a scandal.

than anything, he couldn’t afford for his family to find out about this

through him. “How ridiculous!”

words about caring for her, but now that things were about

“Hadley…”

“What’s the problem?”

brow, her voice sharp with

we? We could just open the door and

hesitation said it

breaking a sweat.” Her amusement faded as she turned toward the

there.”

“Hadley-”

Because I’m about to open the door. Once they

froze, but then spun on his heel and bolted toward the balcony without

He ran

out a quiet

never needed him anyway.

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53 Where Is

breath, she walked toward the door

“Hadley!”

was happening before she

in his eyes sent

a man who had just caught his wife

the mess you’ve

his hand in a sharp motion. The officers behind

of

“No one’s here?”

“Just her?”

make

darkened, his entire body tense with disbelief. He didn’t trust a single word

stormed in and checked for

wheeled around to face Hadley. “The man you were here with–where

brow, her tone laced with amusement. “What man? Mr. Flynn, you really shouldn’t be tossing

accusations like

“Hadley!”

her waist

“Ah!”

balance, stumbling backward onto the sofa. Eric didn’t let

and his towering figure

were you here

breath hitched. Her face lost color, and her lashes quivered

intensity that sent a chill down her

you been with another

a second, she thought

back, “And what if I have? What does that have to

the one asking