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

Chapter 248 I Just Want To

Hold You

Ernest rose from his seat and left the lounge.

Eric’s surgery was almost done. It was time for him to wait outside the OR.

Without a word, Hadley followed.

“Ernest,” Linda called softly, standing up from the bench and taking Ernest’s arm. “Sit down. You should not strain your leg.”

“Alright.”

A few steps away, Hadley observed them in silence, a strange sense of disbelief washing over her.

Linda, this selfish and calculating woman before her, had once risked everything to save the Flynn brothers… Ernest had said that Eric’s feelings for Linda stemmed from gratitude.

Hadley suddenly found herself wondering–what about Ernest? Was his affection for Linda rooted in love or obligation?

Or perhaps, was it a love shaped by gratitude?

The morning light brightened.

Eric’s brow furrowed slightly as his eyes fluttered open.

His arm felt oddly weighted. Looking down, he saw Hadley asleep beside him, her fingers curled loosely around

his arm.

Her long hair spilled over her shoulder, smooth and shining like silk.

Eric swallowed hard, an unfamiliar warmth stirring in his chest.

Hadley, ever the light sleeper, sensed the shift and stirred, propping herself up on her elbow. Her drowsy gaze met his.

“Did I wake you?” Eric’s lips curved into a teasing smile. “You drooled. Are you not going to wipe it?”

Hadley froze, her cheeks burning as she quickly raised her hand to her mouth.

Then she paused. There was nothing there.

Her brows furrowed as she glared at him. “You think that is funny?”

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“Pfft… I did not expect you to be so gullible,” Eric chuckled.

Annoyed, Hadley moved to pull her hand away, but Eric held on. “I am sorry! I am really sorry! Do not go, Hadley… Stay with me!”

What could she do? When this man decided to be unreasonable, he was capable of sending himself straight

back to the operating room.

“I am not going anywhere.” She pointed to the IV bottle. “It is almost empty. I will call the nurse to remove it.”

air could slip into the line. That

“Oh, okay.”

Eric let her go.

returned with a nurse and a

placed a tray of food on

up a bowl and stirred its contents with a spoon. “I made some chicken

shredded the meat into strips–easier for you to swallow… And drink some soup

a spoonful, she blew on it gently before bringing it to

too hot anymore. Open

took a sip, his smile warm. “Delicious.”

the chicken as

fed him a small piece, and Eric accepted it without hesitation, his

I am

woke up, she had not kept him

I had known that going into surgery would make you stop being angry, I would have done it

murmured.

a fraction of a second, but then simply continued feeding

“Alright.”

by her, Eric felt nothing

to admit she liked him? It was clear as day that she

would be nothing more than a

with his meal, Hadley left for the hospital cafeteria to eat her

By the time she

did you eat

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“Yes,”

Just Want To Hold You

nodded and made her way to the sofa.

she really

was about to protest, Hadley returned with her pillow

indoor slippers, she took light steps to the bedside, placed the

down beside him.

up at him. “Did

snapped back to reality, his voice firm.

“That’s good.”

for the remote on the bedside table. A TV was mounted on the wall opposite the bed, and with nothing else to do, watching TV seemed like the

each other in silence would

watching together, Hadley figured she should at least ask

“Anything’s fine.”

Eric would go along with whatever Hadley wanted, and now, especially when he was in such a good

I’ll

“Okay.”

and finally settled on a lively variety

“Let’s watch this.”

and she couldn’t focus on anything

agreed, carefully shifting his position until, finally, he pulled Hadley into his

careful not to tear

be careful.” Eric held her tightly. “I just want to hold you.”

hint of grievance. “I haven’t

be. She had already expected this would happen when

him the courage

unsatisfying, he

“If you keep acting up, I’ll get off.” “Don’t!” Eric tightened his hold, his tone bordering on pitiful. “I’m not acting