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

Chapter 124 He Is Weird

“What?”

Hadley blinked, taken off guard by the unexpected question.

“Tell me.” Eric's voice was firm, his gaze momentarily flicking toward the roadside where a silver-gray luxury car

cto a halt, Denver preparing to step out.

“Uh...” Hadley hesitated, still reeling from the suddenness of his demand. After a beat, she quickly replied, “My

passion’s always dancing.”

Eric nodded, his expression unreadable as he processed her answer. As Denver walked over, Eric started his car

and drove off.

“Hadley.”

Instead of acknowledging Denver, Hadley stared at the back of Eric's car, puzzled by his strange behavior.

Meanwhile, Phillips had made sheadway in his investigation into Blanche.

“Mr. Flynn, it seems Blanche indeed has a weakness.”

“Oh?”

Eric raised an eyebrow, interest flickering in his eyes. A faint, knowing smirk tugged at his lips, thoughts drifting

to Hadley’s answer-dancing was always her passion.

“Go on,”

“Here's the situation-"

Blanche and Barrie's mothers Stella Hanson had always been close friends, but unlike Stella's, Blanche’s in-laws

had fallen on hard times.

While the Hanson family maintained their perch at the top of Srixby’s financial world, Blanche’s husband's family

had been struggling to stay afloat in recent years.

Blanche’s own family had a respected academic background, but they were hardly in a position to offer much

financial assistance.

For the past two years, her husband's family had been desperately trying to keep their heads above water. And it

was precisely this vulnerability that Eric had noticed-and where he saw an opening.

When Blanche learned that her husband’s company crisis had been resolved, relief flooded her-but so did

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Chapter 124 He Is Weird

confusion.

Her husband had been fighting this battle for so long. How had the situation suddenly turned around?

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“It was Mr. Flynn.” She was told when she voiced her doubts.

Her husband practically beamed with excitement. “The Flynn family-do you understand who they are? Even the

smallest favor from them could turn everything around for us!”

The Flynn family? Could it be Eric?

Blanche’s mind began to churn, curiosity starting to edge in.

Why would Eric step in to help her husband out of nowhere?

A nagging thought lingered in the back of her mind-this wasn’t as simple as it seemed.

Sure enough, the next day, when Blanche arrived at the dance troupe, there he was-Eric, waiting for her by

the entrance.

“Ms. Nicolson.” Eric greeted her with a polite, almost disarming smile. “I apologize for showing up unannounced

and disrupting your day.”

Blanche furrowed her brow. “Mr. Flynn, what's the reason for this visit? Please, get to the point.”

“Of course.” Eric wasted no twith pleasantries, diving straight into the matter. “I've cto offer an apology

on Hadley’s behalf. She’s young-still learning-and, unfortunately, made an error by breaking the troupe’s rules.”

I'm asking, if possible, for your forgiveness and for another chance to be given.”

And there it was.

Blanche’s heart skipped a beat. So, this was the true reason behind Eric’s sudden involvement-he wasn’t just

helping her husband out of the goodness of his heart after all.

Should she agree, or should she refuse?

Her husband had already accepted the offer.

If she turned Eric down now, could she convince her husband to reject the Flynn family’s help?

Realistically, she knew he wouldn't. Worse, that might even create a rift between them.

It was clear-money had a way of smoothing over everything.

Even someone as proud as Blanche had no choice but to bend.

With a long, resigned sigh, she met Eric's gaze. “With you putting it that way, how could | possibly refuse?”

“Oh, please.”

Eric’s smile remained unchanged-polite, but distant.

“I need you to truly accept Hadley. She'll be under your guidance, and | need your word that you'll take care of

her.”

If Blanche merely pretended to comply while secretly making things difficult for Hadley, it would only end up

harming her.

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Blanche took a deep breath, weighing her decision carefully. “Rest assured, “Mr. Flynns. If | agree to take starting

back, my personal feelings won't interfere with her progress.”

She wasn’t the type to let emotions cloud her judgment.

“Do you trust me?”

“I do.” Eric nodded without hesitation.

Whether he truly believed her or not didn’t matter-he had to maintain the proper stance, especially for Hadley’s

sake.

“How could | not trust you?” he said smoothly. “If | didn’t, | wouldn't have placed Hadley in your hands”

After a brief, thoughtful pause, he added, “But | need to ask you one more thing,”

“What is it?” Blanche responded, her curiosity piqued.

“Hadley isn’t aware of any of this,” Eric said, his voice steady. “I'd prefer it stays that way. | don’t want anything

to interfere with her focus or her mood.”

There was no need for Hadley to get tangled in this mess.

All she needed was to focus on what she loved-dancing.

Blanche was taken aback. This man had gone to such lengths for Hadley, yet he chose to keep everything in the

shadows?

Was he not planning to claim any credit?

Men's intentions could be so difficult to read at times.

But in the end, this wasn’t her problem. Blanche nodded, her voice calm and collected. “Alright, Mr. Flynn. 1

understand. Thank you.”

Eric offered a faint smile. “No, thank you. Please take good care of Hadley.”

Hadley was deep into her final scene as a dance double.

After tonight, the job would be over.

Adonis was waiting for her to confirm before signing off on her next project-the one that would officially launch

her career as an actress.

Signing the contract would secure her future in the industry. But she hesitated.

The entertainment world wasn’t what she’d planned for herself.

Was it really a path she should take? Did she even have the ability to succeed in it?

Then, the phone rang. It was Blanche.

“Ms. Nicolson?” Hadley quickly answered the call, her voice both excited and confused. Why was Blanche calling

her?

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“Yes.”

Blanche got straight to the point. “I’m near the film studio. Do you have tto meet?”

Hadley was taken aback. “I do! Where are you?”

“At a nearby cafe,” Blanche replied.

“Okay, I'll be there in just a moment!”

Once the call ended, Hadley hurried to the cafe, aware she had stbefore her next scene.

When Hadley arrived, still dressed in her costume, she spotted Blanche sitting at a corner table.

Blanche raised an eyebrow, a playful smile tugging at her lips. “Picked up a new role?”

“No,” Hadley said quickly, shaking her head. “It’s still the sone that I've signed the contract for.”

“Take a seat.” Blanche gestured to the chair across from her.

“Okay, Ms. Nicolson.” Hadley pulled out the chair, sitting up straight, almost like a student awaiting a lecture.

Blanche chuckled softly. “I fired you because you took on a side job, yet here you are, still filming?”

“Ms. Nicolson?”

Hadley froze, her pulse quickening.

With a nervous laugh, she quickly explained, “The assistant director of this film... he was really kind to me,

helpedout when | was in a bind. This happened before | joined the dance troupe. | broke the rules, but it

wasn't intentional...”

“Alright, alright.” Blanche saw the panic look creeping into Hadley’s eyes and waved her hand dismissively. “How

much longer until you wrap up here?”

Why did Blanche want to know?

Hadley, still unsure about the reason behind the question, answered honestly but cautiously. “Tonight's the last

scene.”

Blanche nodded, processing the answer before continuing, “And once that’s over, do you plan on continuing with

acting?”

Hadley hesitated. “I'm... not sure yet.”

Blanche’s tone softened, but it was firm. “Here’s what you're gonna do.”

With a casual flick of her wrist, she continued, “Go back and finish your final scene, and then? Return to what

you truly love. The lead dancer role is still yours for the taking.”

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