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

Chapter 123 Not On The List Of Those She Sought...

Adonis noticed Hadley’s uncertainty and gave Elvin a quick order. “Elvin, fetch sadditional scripts for

Hadley-take your tto explore this role, Hadley. No need to rush; you've got plenty of tto prepare before

we start filming.”

Hadley found it difficult to decline such a generous proposition, so after a moment of hesitation, she consented

with a nod. “Alright, Mr. Faulkner.”

Ernest was set to return to Flynn Mansion from the hospital this week.

His recovery now demanded a period of rehabilitation best carried out in the more comforting surroundings of

his home.

Having his family around would likely help speed up his recovery.

Nyla took it upon herself to inform Hadley of this significant development.

“Hadley, make sure you're there. We're organizing a special meal to celebrate our family’s unity.”

“Got it, Nyla,” Hadley responded promptly, accepting the invitation without a second thought.

Upon her arrival, however, neither Ernest nor Nyla were in sight; instead, she found Eric alone, smoking on the

balcony.

The memory of Adonis‘ remarks made Hadley uneasy.

She wondered if Eric really had blacklisted Wayne simply because he harassed her that night.

Net.

Yet, before she could ponder further, Linda appeared, descending the stairs and heading directly towards the

balcony.

“Eric, what were you thinking?” Linda asked with a frown, her displeasure evident.

“What?” Eric responded, casually flicking ash from his cigarette, genuinely confused by her question.

“Wayne!” Linda cut straight to the point. “My public service announcement was in progress, and now the

producer is gone? You blacklisted Wayne, they told me.”

“Oh, that.” Eric acknowledged with a slight nod. “Yes, that did happen.”

Linda's frustration intensified with Eric's casual response. “Were you unaware that | was collaborating with ...?

He was financing the whole project!”

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Chapter 123 Not On The List Of Those She Sought To Thank

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With Wayne out of the picture, the campaign was effectively doomed,

“Linda.”

Eric drew on his cigarette with a frown. “Wayne is no decent man. Have you really forgotten his past actions

against you?”

“What?” Linda paused, recalling a specific incident. “You mean when he was overly familiar at the event, arm

around my waist?”

Eric neither confirmed nor denied. “Back then, | warned you not to get involved with people like that.”

“You...” Struggling for words, Linda said, “Sure, his behavior was out of line, but he never actually harmed me.”

It was true; Wayne had not harmed Linda directly.

However, he had crossed a line with Hadley!

Eric, however, kept this to himself.

Instead, he simply asked, “Should we really wait for him to cross a line before we intervene?”

This caused Linda to stop in her tracks.

“Listen, Linda.” Eric's voice grew stern. “Ernest just woke up. If he finds out about this, his response will only be

much harsher than mine.”

Linda responded with silence.

To the outside world, Ernest might appear calm and approachable.

Still, those who knew him well understood that behind his kind demeanor was a depth that wasn’t easy to

handle.

How could a gentle man ever lead the chaotic Flynn family, anyway?

Noticing Linda's frown, Eric tried to offer scomfort. “It’s only a public service announcement. There's always

the option to find other investors and reshoot it later if you decide.”

Meanwhile, Hadley had stopped listening to their exchange.

A wave of relief washed over her as she grasped her chest.

What a relief!

She had suspected as much-why else would Eric intervene if not for Linda?

Yes, it all made sense now; it was logical, even expected.

By chance, she had once again gained from being in Linda’s shadow.

With newfound peace, Hadley moved gracefully indoors.

Inside, Nyla and Ernest were both in the living room.

“Nyla, Ernest.”

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“Ah, Hadley, you've made it!” Nyla eagerly put down the book she was reading to Ernest.

With a touch of frustration, Nyla said, “You arrived right on time-Ernest was just about to tire of my company

“How could he possibly tire of you?”

“Why wouldn't he?” Nyla sighed tically. “I'm merely attempting to help and get him to speak again. You

can see it in his expression-he’s had quite enough of me.”

Hadley laughed softly. “Perhaps we should consider a new tactic?”

She suggested, “Books with long sentences might be overwhelming for Ernest at this stage.

As she spoke, she pulled a set of flashcards from her bag.

These were basic vocabulary cards used by young children.

Presenting them with a smile, she said, “What if we tackle these one by one, Ernest? We can go slowly, just one

word at a time.”

Ernest, now comfortably sitting up in his wheelchair, leaned back and offered a small smile, whispering softly,

“O-kay..."”

“Amazing!” Nyla exclaimed with joy. “Hadley, that’s incredibly thoughtful of you.”

Hadley didn’t consider it extraordinary-she was just leveraging her experience. The doctor had advised that

Ernest needed to relearn basic functions as if he were a child to help his recovery.

The flashcards brought back memories of Joy. Hadley had used the very scards to teach Joy her first words,

patiently guiding her through each one.

Thus, she had purchased a set for Ernest.

Hadley smiled at Ernest. “Congratulations on your recovery and welchome, Ernest. Don’t worry, and just

take your time. You're going to improve.”

Ernest gave a slow, thoughtful nod.

Just then, Eric and Linda walked through the door in succession.

Witnessing the scene, Eric thought to himself how genuinely Hadley cared for Ernest.

It was no surprise, considering Ernest had always been quite fond of her.

The young girl he remembered had matured; no longer the impulsive and reckless teenager she once was, she

now understood the importance of showing gratitude to those who had supported her.

She exhibited this gratitude towards Nyla, and now to Ernest as well.

Regrettably, Eric did not find himself on the list of those she sought to thank....

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As dinner concluded, Hadley was preparing to leave.

Nyla turned to Eric and said firmly, “Escort Hadley safely home, will you?”

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“Understood, Grandma.”

Before Hadley could protest, Nyla was ushering her into the car and waving as they departed from the Flynn

Mansion.

Silence filled the car, neither saying a word.

Hadley finally broke the silence, saying, “You can dropoff here.”

Eric resisted slightly. “Grandma'’s instructions were clear-to take you directly home.”

Hadley explained, “It's because... Denver is supposed to meetthere.”

So that was it.

Eric paused as he processed this.

Understanding that her boyfriend was coming for her, he knew he had no place to challenge that.

“Okay.” Eric consented, his hold on the steering wheel tightening slightly.

Eric then brought the car to a halt. “Where's Denver?”

Looking around, he noticed no sign of another car.

“Just a second...”

Hadley took out her phone and called Denver. “Denver, where are you? Are you close?”

Denver said something and then she glanced up and spotted a silver-gray car making its way towards them.

“Yes, | see you now.”

After ending the call, she turned to Eric.

“Mm,” Eric murmured, sinking back into his seat. Then, a thought struck him, and he looked at her curiously.

“Which do you actually prefer, dancing or possibly pursuing a career in entertainment?”

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