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

Chapter 1003:

She met him downstairs and got in his car.

“This isn’t the place to talk,” Eric said gently. “Let’s grab a table somewhere quiet.”

Hadley remained silent, avoiding his eyes.

They ended up at a small diner. Eric led her to a corner booth.

“You haven’t eaten yet, have you?” he asked. “You like the pancakes here.”

But Hadley didn’t soften. She folded her arms, her voice flat. “Now that we’re here, just say what you need to about Joy.”

It was as if even one more second in his company was unbearable.

Eric was silent for a moment, then reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small velvet box and held it in his hand.

Slowly, he stood and knelt down on one knee in front of her.

on earth was Eric

was so stunned she nearly leapt from her

pushed her back down. “Just

and disbelief clouding her

the red

cradling it carefully, and looked up at her with quiet hope in

me.

like a wave. She froze,

meanwhile, offered a shy, almost

proposal. But things didn’t go as expected, and… this is the best I could do right now. But I promise—no matter how simple this moment is, the wedding will be exactly

?????

her hand,

are you doing?” Hadley jerked her hand away as though burned, her voice sharp. Her eyes widened with disbelief.

slowly lowered his hand, his dark gaze

laugh escaping her as she shook her head. His proposal was utterly baffling. “You’ve known for years I don’t love you. I haven’t for a long time. If it

“And even if we didn’t have history—after you chose Linda over me in a life-or-death moment, I could never

looked