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

Chapter 105 Being Completely Ignored

The atmosphere crackled with tension, thick and volatile.

Hadley’s nerves were on edge, sensing an imminent explosion.

“Looking for trouble, are you?” Eric's voice cut through the air.

Without hesitation, he delivered a fierce punch that sent Denver tumbling to the ground.

“Denver!” Hadley’s shout was a mix of anger and concern.

Focused entirely on their confrontation, Eric and Denver paid no heed to her cries.

Denver quickly recovered, retaliating with a strong punch aimed at Eric.

The impact made a resounding thud.

In the chaos, Hadley couldn't tell where Denver's punch had landed-nor did she care, to be honest. The fight

escalated quickly, with both men exchanging a flurry of punches and kicks. Hadley’s eyes stayed locked on

Denver, fear gripping her at the thought of him getting seriously hurt. She didn’t know the first thing about

fighting, but it was clear he was starting to struggle.

After a fierce struggle, a low grunt escaped Denver as he was forcefully pinned to the ground by Eric.

“Trying to steal her from me?”

A wild, almost untamed glint flickered in Eric's eyes-something Hadley had never seen in him before.

“You're begging for trouble!”

To Hadley, Eric was unrecognizable, transformed into someone horrible.

As Eric drew back his fist once more, fear gripped Hadley, she was terrified he might kill Denver.

“Stop!”

Driven by fear, Hadley sprang forward, shielding Denver with her own body.

Eric's fist froze, quivering as he battled the impulse to strike.

“Move away from him!”

His voice was harsh, teeth clenched in anger.

“l won't!”

1324

[e]

Hadley pivoted to confront Eric, her eyes ablaze with defiance, “You want to hit someone? Then hit met I'm the

one rejecting you! I'm the one who loves Denver! Go ahead, killif that's what you want!”

Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt

“Hadley?”

Did she really love Denver enough to put her life on the line for him?

Eric's heart squeezed painfully. Never had Hadley shown such fervor, not even during the days she seemed

inseparable from him.

“And me? What about me?” Eric couldn't accept her words. “After all we've been through... you've never thought

of me?”

Hadley’s resolve was firm. “Not once.”

Eric stood there, dumbfounded.

Turning her attention away from Eric, Hadley knelt beside Denver. “Are you alright, Denver?”

“I'm alright, just a bit sore...”

Denver tried to shrug it off but grimaced from the pain.

“You call this alright?”

Hadley noticed the blood trickling from Denver's split lip and the swelling on his jaw, her concern deepening for

the injuries hidden from view.

“Let’s get you on your feet.”

“Okay.”

With Hadley’s assistance, Denver managed to rise to his feet, albeit shakily.

Suddenly, he gripped his abdomen.

“Are you okay?” Concern washed over Hadley’s face. “Did he hit you in the stomach?”

Denver dismissed it with a shake of his head, recalling the blow but not believing it to be critical.

“It’s not too bad..."

11

“How can you be sure?”

Tears were close to spilling from Hadley’s eyes as she felt responsible for Denver's pain. She whispered, “I'm so

sorry...”

“Hadley...”

She firmed her grip on Denver's arm. “We need to get you checked out.”.

Denver tried to reassure her. “I'll be alright.”

But Hadley wasn’t convinced. “No, you won't be.”

They attempted to move past, but Eric was in their way, his presence daunting.

22.2%

+

13:24

[I

0 <

“Move,” Hadley demanded, avoiding Eric's gaze.

Eric seemed to falter from her words, as if dealt a physical blow, and remained rooted to the spot, shocked.

“You refuse to step aside?”

Hadley scoffed coldly, “Eric, do you really think your family’s influence grants you such liberties?”

She raised her head defiantly, locking eyes with Eric.

“Very well. If this is the path you choose, you'll have to go throughas well. As long as Denver and | draw

breath, we will stand together.” She shut her eyes briefly and intertwined her arm with Denver's.

“Hadley...”

Despite his discomfort, Denver positioned himself staunchly by her side. “Eric, listen to Hadley. We're not

backing down. Our love is deep, and nothing short of death will part us.”

These declarations seemed to deflate Eric.

His resolve seemed to dissolve as he observed Hadley and Denver, united and resolute, appearing as if they

were destined to be together.

Eric questioned his presence in this unfolding .

As his anger surged, Hadley and Denver's unity seemed only to solidify.

His efforts for Hadley now seemed futile, utterly disregarded.

A rueful chuckle escaped him, feeling as though he were the butt of scruel joke.

Finally, Eric yielded, stepping aside with a gesture that allowed them to leave.

Conceding defeat, he recognized that releasing them was his only option.

Hadley’s eyes briefly sparked with determination as she tightened her grip on Denver's arm. “Let's go!”

“Yes.” Denver agreed.

Together, they quickly moved away, leaving a solitary Eric behind.

As he watched her departing back, a flicker of anger ignited within him. Overcby emotion, Eric’s voice rang

out once more. “Hadley!”

Hearing him, Hadley stopped in her track without turning back.

Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm

“One last question...”

Eric’s expression remained unreadable as he focused on Hadley’s figure. “Was everything you've said tonight the

truth? Do you truly love Denver?”

“Yes,” Hadley replied instantly, her response resolute.

Hadley knew that even a flicker of hesitation could ruin the entire act for the night.

“I love Denver.”

13:24

[e]

After a fleeting look at Denver, Hadley grasped his arm and they departed without a backward glance.

Eric released a dry chuckle, a slight twitch in his jaw betraying the turmoil of emotions-anger intertwined with

sadness-clouding his mind.

He was caught in a whirlwind of conflicting feelings.

“What does this even mean?”

In a moment of frustration, Eric tugged at his tie, accidentally grazing the bruise on his jaw and grimacing from

the sharp pain.

That pang of discomfort deepened his sense of defeat.

Indeed, Eric had inflicted pain on Denver, but it was clear that Denver had returned the favor, wounding him just

as deeply.

To Hadley, Denver now appeared to be her entire world. It was as though Eric was invisible to her.

Had her connection with Denver been established so quickly? Was her affection that deep already? Did she truly

understand who Denver was or if he could be trusted? How had she fallen for him so readily?

“Hadley! You better not cback towith regrets!”

As Eric slid back into his car, his eyes caught a package resting on the passenger seat. It was the bag of candied

hawthorns he’d purchased for Hadley.

She hadn’t bothered to take them with her.

With a bitter laugh, Eric scoffed emptily.

Why would she value his gifts if she had no regard for him?

Eric resolved to dispose of the treats he'd purchased for her, seeing as she showed no interest.

With a swift movement, he grabbed the package and tossed it into the nearest trash bin.

To Eric, it seemed his affections for Hadley were as worthless as trash to her.

He pressed the accelerator hard and drove off into the darkness of the night. As he drove past Mayfield Road,

Eric glimpsed Hadley climbing into Denver's car.