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

Chapter 173 Slipped On The Road

As Eric eyed her dress, Linda grinned. “Recognize this? Thinking it looks quite similar to the one you chose for

Hadley?”

“Yeah,” Eric acknowledged with a pause, nodding

“It’s more than similar.” With a laugh, Linda explained, “Actually, it’s the very sone.”

She went on to describe her earlier interaction with Hadley.

“Hadley was so kind. | just mentioned how much I liked the dress, and she insisted | take it.”

Hadley gave up the gown?

Eric narrowed his eyes slightly. What could Hadley possibly be wearing instead?

And more importantly, where was she now?

He looked around the banquet hall once more.

Linda’s smile faded a bit. “Searching for Hadley? | haven't spotted her yet. She might not have arrived.”

Not here yet?

Eric checked his watch with a frown.

“I'm sure she'll show up soon.” Linda managed a strained smile. “I should find your brother now. He'll start

wondering where | am if | don’t show up soon.”

“Okay.”

“Mr. Flynn!” Phillips approached hurriedly, having been searching for Hadley without success.

“Hasn't she shown up?” Grasping the situation as he saw Phillips alone, Eric asked with a frown.

“Mr. Flynn. It’s begun to snow. The roads could be congested. Should we give her a call to see if she’s on her

way?”

Nodding, Eric pulled out his phone and called Hadley.

As Hadley was on her way home, her phone started ringing.

She saw who it was and picked up.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Hadley.” Eric massaged his forehead. “Where are you right now? It's already starting to snow. Got caught

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in traffic?”

“Huh?”

Hadley hesitated before admitting, “I'm really sorry. | should have told you earlier... | won't make it to the

banquet tonight.”

Surprised, Eric asked, “What? Why not?”

Hadley explained, “Well, when | went to try on the dress earlier, Linda saw it and fell in love with it. | ended up

giving it to her. Now, I've got nothing to wear. | can’t just turn up in workout clothes, can 1? That would make

everyone uncomfortable, wouldn't it?”

What?

Eric sensed there was more to the story than her just giving Linda the dress.

But this? Hadley wasn’t coming after all?

A suspicion crossed his mind, and he couldn’t help asking, “You don’t want to be at this party, do you? You're

avoiding being seen in public with me?”

Nailed it!

Hadley’s true feelings seemed obvious now.

Yet, she wouldn't confess.

Hadley chuckled dismissively. “No, why would you think that? Didn't you see Linda wearing the gown? That alone

should tell you something...”

“Hadley!”

Anger tinged Eric’s low voice.

“You purposely gave away the gown to avoid attending the party tonight with me!”

Hadley responded with a firm denial, “That's not true at all...”

“Hah,” Eric scoffed coldly, his look growing harsher.

Before Eric could say more, Hadley cut in and asked, “Why are you so upset? Isn't this what you wanted?”

“Excuse me?” Eric looked bewildered.

“You've said it before.” Hadley’s voice was gentle. “I owed her that much, so | gave her the gown she wanted. Is

there a problem with that?”

Eric caught his breath sharply.

Could he have inadvertently sabotaged himself?

“Try not to be upset,” Hadley suggested with a subdued grin. “I'll choose my own dress next time. You always

seem to choose what she prefers. If it happens again, I'll still have to hand it over to its rightful owner.”

Eric's response was one of confusion and narrowing eyes. “What nonsense are you talking about? What rightful

owner?”

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Chapter 173 Slipped On The Road

A light, almost mocking laughter bubbled from Hadley. “You know, like the pearl head tie, that gown, or the time

we both ended up in identical outfits...”

She paused, a playful tone in her voice. “You've always had her in your mind when you choose things for me,

haven't you, Mr. Flynn?”

Just then, a car horn blared behind her.

“I need to go now-bye!” Hadley swiftly ended the call, trying to avoid the coming car.

“Hadley!”

Back at the other end, Eric simmered with anger. Was this really how little she thought of him? Had she even

listened to a single word he'd said?

The head tie he gave her-tossed aside. The gown he'd chosen-given away. And she kept bringing up Linda!

Couldn't she sense how deeply he cared about her, or did it simply mean nothing?

If Hadley didn’t care, why should he?

HAN

Continuing to chase someone so indifferent like her would make him the biggest fool of all.

Elsewhere, Hadley slipped her phone into her pocket, heading steadily toward Mayfield Road.

Just as she rounded the corner, a vehicle emerged quietly from behind.

With her heart jumping into her throat, she tried to step aside. Though she narrowly dodged the car, her shoes

slid helplessly across the snowy ground, sending her crashing down onto the cold pavement.

“Ah”

At that moment, the car behind made a quick stop.

“What's going on?” Denver, awakened by the sudden halt, peered out from the back seat.

“It wasn’t us, sir-someone just slipped on the road!”

The person lying in the snow...

Denver recognized her immediately. How could he not?

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It was Hadley-of course it was Hadley.

His heart raced as he opened the door, stepping hurriedly onto the icy road, his movements unsteady.

“Mr. Moran!” the anxious driver called out behind him. “Your cane-you forgot it!”

Denver's injury from the accident in Blathe hadn’t fully healed, so he still needed to use a cane for a while

longer.

“There's no need!”

At that instant, Denver's attention was solely on Hadley; everything else faded into the background. His vision

narrowed to her alone, regardless of any personal cost.

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Chapter 173 Slipped On The Road

At the stime, Hadley fell pretty bad, striking her head against a nearby lamppost.

“Ugh.”

A groan was all she managed before she lost consciousness and collapsed.

“Hadley!”

In the snowy street, Denver knelt, cradling Hadley, and gently tapped her face.

Panic set his heart racing and his breathing quickened.

“Hadley, please open your eyes! Don’t scarelike this! It’s Denver, can you hear me?”

There she lay, still and silent in his arms.

“Hadley, please!”

In desperation, Denver scooped her up. As he rose, his injured leg groaned under the strain.

“Mr. Moran!” the driver exclaimed in concern. “Allowto assist; your leg isn’t strong enough...”

“Just get to the car!”

Denver was adamant, unwilling to hand Hadley over to any other man. His leg be damned-he couldn't let her go.

Watching helplessly, the driver observed Denver's struggle as he managed to get Hadley into the vehicle.

“Take us to the nearest hospital, now!”

“Right away, Mr. Moran.”

Denver carefully looked at the figure in his arms, afraid to hold her too loosely and let her slip or too tightly and

cause more harm.

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