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

Chapter 118 Hiding Something From Her

“Here's you pasta!” the server announced, placing the dishes down with a flourish.

Hadley snatched her fork, too eager to wait another moment.

“Hold your horses!”

Denver halted her just as she was about to dive in. He flashed a grin and lifted his phone. “Letsnap a quick

pic first.”

He opened his camera app, captured a few shots, and then said, “Alright, dig in!”

Meanwhile, Marshall scrolle

through his phone, chuckling softly. “This guy..."

“What's tickling your funny bone?” Eric asked,

Marshall waved him off dismissively. “Doesn’t matter. You're better off not knowing.”

What a load of nonsense!

Rolling his eyes, Eric stood up and made his way to the bathroom.

Once inside, he pulled out his phone, opened his Instagram, and scrolled through his feed. His gaze landed on

Denver's latest post.

“Dinner.”

Just a single word, accompanied by a photo of the meal.

In the corner, two faint silhouettes were evident. The taller one was unmistakably Denver, while the petite figure

next to him had to be Hadley.

And sure enough, among the likes, Hadley’s ntopped the list.

Suddenly, Eric glanced away, switched off his phone, and shoved it back into his pocket.

Marshall had already warned him. Why was he still torturing himself like this?

And why did it gnaw at him so deeply?

Perhaps, in time, it wouldn't.

Enlisting Barrie's mother to speak on Hadley’s behalf to Blanche went about as well as a lead balloon.

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Barrie conveyed the news to Denver. “Sorry. It didn’t pan out. My mom gave it her all, but Ms. Nicolson just

wouldn't budge.”

She had already made an exception once for Barrie's mother, but Hadley had stumbled.

“I understand, thanks anyway,” Denver said.

The weight of disappointment settled in like a heavy fog.

If he felt let down, how must Hadley be faring?

In truth, Hadley was managing better than he had anticipated.

She'd been sad initially, of course.

But moping wouldn't change a thing. Over her four years in Blathe, she had weathered many storms.

Wallowing in sorrow wasn’t her style anymore.

Even if she regretted it, life had to move forward.

“I'm sorry, Hadley,” Denver said, chastising himself for not being able to help.

“Don’t say that,” Hadley replied with a calm smile.

“It was my misstep. Why should you apologize to me? | take responsibility for my own actions.”

She couldn't lay the blon anyone else.

“So...” Denver hesitated, “What are your plans now?”

“Well... I'm still working with the production crew,” Hadley said. “If something better comes along, I'll see where

it leads.”

Elvin already knew she had been let go from the troupe.

Though he wasn’t exactly smug, he extended an olive branch.

Elvin approached Hadley. “Since you're no longer with Lightning and don’t have anything lined up, have you

thought about pursuing a deeper path in the entertainment industry?”

“Mr. Webster, I...”

Hadley couldn't provide an immediate answer.

Honestly, she had never considered it before.

Taking on film work was merely a means to earn more money. But now, with the alimony from Eric, she no longer

needed to pursue it for financial reasons.

Elvin encouraged her. “You should ponder a different trajectory. With your looks and skills, isn’t it remain just a

dance double? Even Adonis said you could do really well if you wanted to.”

aste to

Scould coast by on looks alone, and fate had dealt Hadley a winning hand. She possessed a striking beauty

to begin with.

“Letthink it over.”

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“Alright.” Elvin agreed, not pushing her. “But think carefully. The dance-double scenes for this current project are

nearly wrapped up. When that’s done, what's your gplan?”

Elvin mentioned that Adonis was gearing up for a new film and was on the lookout for fresh faces.

Since Adonis had already been impressed by Hadley, this was a golden opportunity.

And opportunities waited for no one.

After scontemplation, Hadley resolved to give it a shot.

She understood the entertainment industry wasn’t a walk in the park, but the decisions she made would shape

her journey.

Besides, she was merely fighting for that chance. Nothing was set in stone yet.

Once Hadley gave Elvin her firm answer, he beamed with joy. “Fantastic. I'm glad you made the right call.”

He gave her shoulder a reassuring pat. “Trust me, you won't regret it, Hadley. You're on the path to stardom.”

Of course, Elvin's words weren't the final verdict.

He was Adonis‘ assistant director, so the decision ultimately lay with Adonis.

Adonis would choose whom to hire. Still, Elvin could at least provide Hadley with a solid recommendation. After

filming wrapped one day, Elvin took Hadley to meet Adonis in person. “Mr. Faulkner, Hadley’s here.”

Adonis looked up, gesturing for Hadley to approach. “Hadley?”

“Yes, Mr. Faulkner.” Hadley stood poised and quiet.

“Have you given it sthought?”

Adonis was indeed pleased with her. In the entertainment business, looks carried significant weight.

“Ready to take the plunge?”

“I would appreciate your guidance.”

“Of course.” Adonis noticed the tension in her demeanor and sought to ease her worries. “Take a deep breath. |

already have a glimpse of who you are. No need to feel intimidated. Every star has to start somewhere.”

He cast a glance at Elvin. “Hand Hadley the first few episodes of the script.”

“Absolutely.”

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immerse

Adonis then gestured toward Hadley. “While your looks certainly caught my attention, relying solely on beauty

would reduce you to just a pretty face, which | won't allow to happen. Take this script ha yourself in it. |

want to see your interpretation of the character. Dig deep, alright?”

“Understood, sir.”

In no time, Elvin returned with the script and passed it to Hadley, leaning in to whisper, “Make sure you read it

thoroughly and don’t screw it up.”

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Chapter 118 Hiding Something From Her

“Also,” Adonis added, “I'm not entirely sure which role will fit you best just yet. From the lead to the third female

lead, | want you to analyze them all, if possible.”

“Of course.”

With the script in her hands, Hadley felt a wave of apprehension wash over her.

Was acting really this intricate? She still found herself drawn to dancing.

At the hospital.

“Ernest?” Linda called softly as she stepped into the room.

She spotted Ernest's assistant, Quentin Miles, standing by the bed and reporting something to Ernest. As soon as

she entered, Quentin ceased his words.

He offered her a courteous smile. “Hello, Miss Harris.”

“Hi,” Linda replied, her curiosity bubbling beneath the surface. What could they have been discussing? A

nagging thought lingered in her mind-were they keeping something from her?

“Sir,” Quentin said with a respectful nod toward Ernest, “I'll take my leave now.”

Ernest acknowledged him with a nod.

“Goodbye, Miss Harris.”

“Take care.”

When Quentin was gone, Linda pulled up a chair beside the bed, took Ernest’s hand, and pressed it gently to

her cheek.

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