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

Chapter 973:

Then he placed the lean piece onto her plate. “There. No fat. Now eat.”

Hadley stared at him, momentarily speechless—but her appetite had vanished.

They didn’t have much time left. After lunch, Eric drove her back to the set.

When they arrived, he leaned over and wrapped her in a hug, his hand gently resting against the back of her head. “I’m leaving soon. Once I get to Orkmont, I’ll call.”

He released her, unfastened her seatbelt, and looked at her with reluctant eyes. “Wait for me.”

Hadley stepped out and walked toward the set.

Even without turning back, she could feel Eric’s gaze digging into her back.

She didn’t look back. Instead, she picked up her pace and jogged the rest of the way inside.

The days that followed felt unchanged. Hadley moved between the film set and her apartment, her routine untouched.

way back, she stopped at the supermarket to pick up groceries from a list Melba had sent. Bags in hand, she stepped out of the supermarket and headed for the bus stop across

pulled up beside her. She recognized it

reveal his familiar, refined features and a

returned the smile. “Yeah, it

to Millland Road?” he asked, glancing at her grocery bags. “Let me

her head politely. “Thanks, but I’ll just take the

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no more than casual acquaintanceship at this

said, understanding her boundary. His smile turned a little wistful. “I’ll get going

“Okay.”

watching her in the rearview

But then—his eyes froze.

black van screeched to a stop in front of Hadley. The door slid open, and an arm shot out, yanking her inside

He tried to turn his

began to honk. “You can’t turn

it! Don’t

looked again—but the black van had already