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

Chapter 95 Scars On The

Back

Eric, puzzled by the pleasant scent, wondered what fragrance Hadley was wearing that smelt so wonderful

“Hadley,” he said gently, trying to soothe the stirring within himself, “What perfis that you're wearing?

Caught off guard, Hadley hesitated for a moment.

“Perfume?” she echoed, her lips twitching ever so slightly. How could she possibly afford luxury fragrances?

“It’s just my shampoo, actually,” she explained.

She then efficiently applied a Band-Aid to Eric's wound. “There, all set.”

Then, she started to clean up, gathering the used medical supplies to dispose of them.

“Okay,” Eric murmured, his voice tinged with a hint of disappointment.

By the tthey exited the pharmacy, midnight had fallen.

Sebastian drove them back towards Mayfield Road. When they arrived, Eric stepped out of the car and

accompanied Hadley to her apartment entrance.

“Get srest,” Eric suggested, pausing at the entrance without stepping inside.

“Okay.” Hadley nodded, pointing to the box on the floor. “Thanks for this.”

She still might have ended up getting that doll by waiting in line all night, but the discount was indeed thanks

to his favor.

“Aren’t you going to invitein? | had swine earlier and could use swater now,” Eric said, his voice

casual but with a hint of expectation.

Hadley hesitated, conflicted. Accepting his help already felt like a lot; would it be rude to deny him such a simple

request?

Unexpectedly, Eric didn’t just asshe could enter-he was actually waiting for her invitation.

“Well...” Hadley moved aside slightly. “You can cin for swater.”

Hadley then went to get water for Eric.

She picked up the cup, turning to fill it at the sink. Suddenly, the tap handle coff in her hand, unleashing a

torrent of water that drenched her completely.

“Ah!” Startled, Hadley couldn't help but scream.

“What happened?”

0.0%

+o

X+

[e]

14:22

Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt

+o

[e]

<

X+

Chapter 95 Scars On The Back

Eric's voice cut through the chaos, sharp with concern.

Noticing Hadley soaked to the bone, he hurried over to assist-only to end up getting drenched by the spray

himself.

Wiping the water off his face, Eric couldn't help but notice Hadley remained where she stood. Without hesitation,

he grabbed her arm and pulled her aside.

“Don’t just stand there-move!” he commanded.

He pulled her to safety behind him, protecting her from the water as it continued to pour down on him.

Standing behind Eric, Hadley felt a wave of guilt. “I’m so sorry...” she stammered.

“Why are you even living in a place like this?” Eric blurted out, frustration coloring his tone.

As he opened his mouth to continue, a jet of water surged directly into it, cutting him off.

“Maybe... maybe you should stop talking,” Hadley whispered, barely audible over the sound of the spraying

water.

Eric's head snapped toward her, his eyes sharp with irritation. He quickly moved to pull her away from the sink.

Breaking free from his hold, Hadley said, “I need to fix that.”

The urgency was clear; the relentless spray threatened more than just her apartment. A flood was imminent, and

the potential damage could extend to her neighbors below.

Frowning, Eric questioned her plan. How did she plan to fix that anyway?

“I need to get to the shutoff valve downstairs,” she explained, already moving toward the door. “And | have to

buy a replacement faucet.”

But as she made to leave, Eric's voice halted her. “Stop right there!”

Once more, he grasped her arm.

His face was a mix of frustration and concern. “Why are you rushing to do this alone? I'm here and can help.”

Hadley paused, caught off guard by his insistence.

Eric, puzzled by her willingness to handle this alone, made a decisive call.

“Stay here. I'll handle it.”

As Eric spoke, he guided Hadley to a chair and then moved briskly towards the door.

“Hey!” Hadley called out, her opposition evident. “I can take care of it myself!”

“Stay there!” Eric commanded, not bothering to turn around as he exited.

Left behind, Hadley found herself reluctantly sitting down again, her mind racing with doubts. Could he really

handle this? Was he familiar with the location of the shutoff valve, or even know where to purchase a faucet?

Contrary to Hadley’s assumptions, Eric was more capable than she credited him for. Despite his afflue

upbringing, he was capable of learning quickly and asking for help when needed.

23.8%

[e]

14:22

Moments later, the relentless sound of water ceased

Leaping from her seat, Hadley hurried to verify. A grin spread across her face upon discovering the halted flow -

Eric had successfully located and turned off the shutoff valve.

This minor victory made her reconsider. If he could handle that, surely purchasing a faucet wouldn't be too

challenging for him.

Indeed, he could manage that as well.

Right after Hadley changed into dry clothes, Eric cback.

The vibrant and ever-active West Twelfth Alley had a convenient perk-everything was within walking distance.

Eric had spotted a hardware store right at the corner during his first visit.

“Did you manage to get it?” Hadley asked as she walked over. “Great. Now give it to me.”

“Hold on,” Eric responded, holding the faucet just out of her reach.

“Why would | hand it over to you?” he quipped, giving her a sidelong look.

Hadley was puzzled. “So | can install it.”

Eric narrowed his eyes, his disbelief evident. Did she really think he couldn't install a faucet?

“Why do you need to do this while I'm right here? I've got this. Besides, are you sure you know how to do this?”

Hadley’s lips tightened. Yes, she knew exactly how to do it.

Eric might have thought the old Hadley didn’t have the skills, but the Hadley who had spent four years in Blathe

certainly did.

She wasn't just good at replacing faucets; she could change light bulbs too.

Due to the high labor costs in Aradimen, Hadley had learned to manage on her own rather than spend her

limited funds. Over the years, she had becquite adept at various hrepairs.

Eric, unaware of this, was insistent. “I'll handle it.”

This was his chance to prove that he was dependable.

“Bringthe toolbox,” he commanded, and headed towards the sink.

“Alright.” Hadley agreed, though she harbored doubts about his abilities given his pampered upbringing.

To her astonishment, Eric managed the task with ease.

Using his strength, he swiftly replaced the faucet.

Hadley watched, amazed at his capability, something she hadn't anticipated.

Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm

Eric caught her look of surprise and couldn't help but feel a bit proud. “There,” he said, lifting an eyebrow.

“Thank you,” Hadley responded, getting up. “Just wait here a moment.”

Eric waited without questioning.

5100%

14:22

[I

[e]

Chapter 95 Scart On The Back

Soon, Hadley returned with a straightforward request. “Take off your shirt.”

Taken aback, Eric defensively raised his arms, shaking his head. “No way!”

“Huh?”

Hadley was baffled by his reaction.

Why did he look so alarmed, as if she had sulterior motive?

“You're not actually worried I'll try something, are you?” Hadley asked, half-amused, half-annoyed.

“No, of course not...

She sighed in frustration and turned away from him.

“Just take off that wet shirt and hand it to me,” she instructed, hoping to clarify the situation.

Eric, finally catching on, realized she was only concerned about his wet clothing

Yet he hesitated.

His back bore a secret- a maze of scars that narrated a tale of past anguish.

Only a select few knew of this mark: Eric himself, his brother Ernest, and Linda.

Whenever intimate moments occurred in the past, Eric made sure the lights were off, safeguarding his scars

from Hadley’s eyes.

He couldn’t bear the thought of exposing them, not to anyone, even his wife.

Memories linked to those scars still haunted him, causing him pain even at the mere thought.

At that moment, Eric clenched his eyes shut, his complexion turning ashen. He shivered, the trauma

momentarily overwhelming him as his body trembled.

14:22

[e]

Too Late, Mr. Billionaire You Can't AffordNow

Chapter 96 Ha