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

Chapter 248 | Just Want To

Hold You

Ernest rose from his seat and left the lounge.

Eric’s surgery was almost done. It was tfor him to wait outside the OR.

Without a word, Hadley followed.

“Ernest,” Linda called softly, standing up from the bench and taking Ernest’s arm. “Sit down. You should not

strain your leg.”

“Alright.”

A few steps away, Hadley observed them in silence, a strange sense of disbelief washing over her.

Linda, this selfish and calculating woman before her, had once risked everything to save the Flynn brothers...

Ernest had said that Eric's feelings for Linda stemmed from gratitude.

Hadley suddenly found herself wondering-what about Ernest? Was his affection for Linda rooted in love or

obligation?

Or perhaps, was it a love shaped by gratitude?

The morning light brightened.

Eric’s brow furrowed slightly as his eyes fluttered open.

His arm felt oddly weighted. Looking down, he saw Hadley asleep beside him, her fingers curled loosely around

his arm.

Her long hair spilled over her shoulder, smooth and shining like silk.

Eric swallowed hard, an unfamiliar warmth stirring in his chest.

Hadley, ever the light sleeper, sensed the shift and stirred, propping herself up on her elbow. Her drowsy gaze

met his.

“Did | wake you?” Eric's lips curved into a teasing smile. “You drooled. Are you not going to wipe it?”

Hadley froze, her cheeks burning as she quickly raised her hand to her mouth.

Then she paused. There was nothing there.

Her brows furrowed as she glared at him. “You think that is funny?”

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“Pfft... | did not expect you to be so gullible,” Eric chuckled.

Annoyed, Hadley moved to pull her hand away, but Eric held on. “I am sorry! | am really sorry! Do not go,

Hadley... Stay with me!”

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What could she do? When this man decided to be unreasonable, he was capable of sending himself straight

back to the operating room.

“I am not going anywhere.” She pointed to the IV bottle. “It is almost empty. | will call the nurse to remove it.”

A moment of carelessness, and air could slip into the line. That would be dangerous.

“Oh, okay.”

Having no choice, Eric let her go.

Hadley stepped out and soon returned with a nurse and a caregiver.

While the nurse removed the IV, the caregiver placed a tray of food on the table.

Once the nurse left, Hadley picked up a bowl and stirred its contents with a spoon. “I made schicken broth

and shredded the meat into strips-easier for you to swallow... And drink ssoup too.”

Scooping up a spoonful, she blew on it gently before bringing it to his lips.

“It is not too hot anymore. Open up.”

Eric took a sip, his smile warm. “Delicious.”

“Try the chicken as well.”

Hadley fed him a small piece, and Eric accepted it without hesitation, his expression softening.

“Hadley, | am really happy.”

This time, after he woke up, she had not kept him at arm’s length.

“If I had known that going into surgery would make you stop being angry, | would have done it sooner,” he

murmured.

Hadley hesitated for a fraction of a second, but then simply continued feeding him. “Eat before it gets cold.”

“Alright.”

Being taken care of by her, Eric felt nothing short of content.

Women and jealousy-what a troublesmix! And yet, she still refused to admit she liked him? It was clear as

day that she did.

Eric had no doubt that soon, Denver would be nothing more than a forgotten shadow in her heart.

After helping Eric with his meal, Hadley left for the hospital cafeteria to eat her own.

Compared to his plain recovery diet, her meal was far more indulgent. By the tshe returned, satisfied and

full, Eric had been waiting.

“Hadley, did you eat enough?”

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“Yes,”

Chapter 248 | Just Want To Hold You

She nodded and made her way to the sofa.

Eric frowned. Was she really going back there again?

But just as he was about to protest, Hadley returned with her pillow in hand.

Wearing indoor slippers, she took light steps to the bedside, placed the pillow next to Eric's, and carefully lay

down beside him.

She looked up at him. “Did | bump you?”

“No!” Eric snapped back to reality, his voice firm.

“That's good.”

Hadley reached for the remote on the bedside table. A TV was mounted on the wall opposite the bed, and with

nothing else to do, watching TV seemed like the best option.

Staring at each other in silence would be far too awkward.

“What do you want to watch?” Since they were watching together, Hadley figured she should at least ask for his

input.

“Anything’s fine.”

Even on normal days, Eric would go along with whatever Hadley wanted, and now, especially when he was in

such a good mood, he had no objections.

“Pick whatever you like. I'll watch with you.”

“Okay.”

Hadley flipped through the channels and finally settled on a lively variety show.

“Let’s watch this.”

Her mind was in chaos, and she couldn’t focus on anything too serious.

“Alright.” Eric agreed, carefully shifting his position until, finally, he pulled Hadley into his arms.

Hadley tensed instantly. “Be careful not to tear your wounds again.”

“I will be careful.” Eric held her tightly. “I just want to hold you.”

His voice carried a hint of grievance. “I haven't held you in days.”

Hadley sighed but let him be. She had already expected this would happen when she lay down beside him.

Her compliance softened Eric's heart, giving him the courage to press his cheek against hers.

Finding that still unsatisfying, he nuzzled closer..

“Hey, enough’s enough.” Hadley huffed, slightly annoyed. “If you keep acting up, I'll get off.” “Don’t!” Eric

tightened his hold, his tone bordering on pitiful. “I'm not acting up. | just miss you.”

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Hadley shot him a look, warning him.

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“You better hold back. In your current state... if you end up turning yourself on, that’s on you. Why should |

suffer with you?”

Eric stiffened.

That felt like a rejection.

He quickly assured her, saying, “Just wait for me. I'll heal soon, and you won't have to wait long”

For Hadley, he would endure for now.

Finally, he settled down.

Eric was young and in good shape, so his recovery was swift. Within a few days, his wounds had healed

significantly.

However, since shad reopened once, it was likely to leave scars.

While helping him change, Hadley mentioned it under her breath.

“What are you so worried about?” Eric didn’t seem to mind. “It’s just scars. Would you dislikefor them?”

Hadley was momentarily stunned, but then shook her head.

Her thoughts drifted to the scars on his back. For him, such small marks were nothing compared to those on

his back.

And those old scars... how did they cabout? Could they be connected to the kidnapping he endured as a

child?

As night fell, Ernest sat in his car, preparing to visit Eric at the hospital.

Tonight, he was alone-Nyla wasn’t feeling well, and Linda had to stay hwith her.

As the car approached an intersection, a shadow suddenly darted into the road.

With a screech, Sebastian slammed on the brakes!

A sickening jolt-had they hit someone?

Ernest frowned. “Quentin, go check it out.”

“Yes!”

Quentin and Sebastian stepped out together. After a moment, Quentin returned, carrying someone in his arms as

Sebastian opened the car door.

Ernest's brow furrowed. “Are they badly hurt?”

“Mr. Flynn, take a look. You might recognize her.”

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Quentin bent down, carefully laying the figure onto the seat beside Ernest, who turned his head-and his gaze

fell upon a woman.

“Who is she?” he asked.