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

Chapter 167 Why Are You

Here

Eric frowned. Hadley had been in the restroom too long. A gnawing unease settled in his chest, pushing him to check on her.

Through the door, her voice was sharp, accusing him of something inappropriate with Linda. Then–without hesitation–she tossed the hair tie he’d given her straight into the trash.

He stood there, waiting, half–expecting her to say something. To acknowledge him.

But Hadley didn’t even spare him a glance. She stepped past him like nothing had happened.

As she moved past, he caught her wrist.

His voice was low, edged with tension. “Pick it up.”

“What?” Hadley let out a quiet laugh. “Why would I pick up something I threw away? It is disgusting.”

“Pick it up!” Eric’s voice cut through the air, sharper this time, his gaze locking onto hers with unyielding intensity. “I said, pick it up.”

“Ouch!”

Hadley flinched as his grip tightened around her wrist. She shot him a glare, yanking against his hold. “I won’t! You can’t make me!”

Her eyes burned–fierce, unwavering.

“Trash belongs where it belongs–in the trash!”

Trash?

Eric’s jaw tightened. Had she really just called the hair tie he gave her trash?

His free hand curled into fist at his side, frustration simmering beneath his skin. “That was a gift from me!”

“Ha.”

Hadley let out a sharp laugh, her sneer cutting. “You think it’s appropriate to give us both the same gift? Does Ernest know? That you gave his wife and me the exact same thing?”

She pointed at the trash can, mockery laced in every word. “I tossed it for your sake. Wouldn’t want Ernest catching on to your shady intentions and ruining his recovery, now would we?”

Eric’s fingers tightened around her wrist. Hard.

Hadley sucked in a sharp breath, her wince barely concealed. It felt like he was moments away from crushing

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the bone.

“Shady intentions?”

unsettling mix of fury and something even colder.

not about what I think. If you don’t want Ernest to

Linda couldn’t hold back any longer. She stormed forward, her voice sharp. “Shut up!” Without hesitation, she raised

let you talk about him like

last long. Her instincts took over -her hand shot up, striking Linda

back, clutching her cheek in shock. Her

you hit me, but I can’t return the favor?

not letting this slide!”

and seething, Linda

could land a blounged

might rip

tangled into her hair–yanking hard enough that it felt

Linda shrieked, tears brimming

forward, grabbing Hadley’s wrist. “Let

Ernest were still

didn’t let go. Didn’t even flinch.

no choice but to tighten his grip, prying Hadley’s fingers from Linda’s

a second, and then let out a low, bitter laugh. “You two really know how to put on

“Hadley!”

“What?”

tightened, his usually controlled expression clouded with frustration. His eyes burned with something unreadable–something dangerously close to

think I’m that

truth too much for you? Or are you just too

“Hadley!”

dropped, low and deliberate. He gripped her chin, tilting her face up until their eyes locked. His gaze was unreadable, but the weight behind it pressed into her like a silent

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why did you even say yes when I asked you to

go and turned away.

Linda scrambled after him, fingers fumbling to fix her disheveled hair.

frozen, the moment replaying in her

with a sharp exhale, she knocked her forehead with her palm.

purely on impulse.

have let the

was shattered, how was she

The usual flowers he sent to the studio?

of her mind–was this

much was clear. But she

couldn’t afford to let this

Eric wasn’t going to come to her, then she’d just have

it.

opened WhatsApp

Not that she

the first on

time she stepped out of