Too Late, Mr. Billionaire: You can’t afford me now

Chapter 818:

Ernest slid a glance at Eric. “Hadley is expecting now—what is your next move?”

The undertone was a gentle prod toward walking down the aisle.

“I’ve got it in the works,” Eric replied, a sly smile tugging at his lips. “Truth be told, I was planning something before Hadley even got pregnant. The ring is still on its way, but once it lands, I’ll need you and Grandma in my corner.”

A proposal, naturally, called for family backup—both to cheer Eric on and to show Hadley she was worth her weight in gold.

Ernest shrugged, easygoing as ever. “Count me in.”

Eric scanned the room, then dropped his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “What about you and Linda—any wedding bells on the horizon?”

They had been gearing up to tie the knot once, but Locke’s arrival had thrown a wrench in the plans.

Ernest’s face stayed cool and collected. “Marriage or not, I’m leaving it in her hands.”

That was his style—when it came to Linda, he was always the one bending, never breaking.

Eric found himself wondering if Ernest truly loved Linda.

Before Hadley came along, love had been a foreign language to Eric. Now, with fresh eyes, he could see Ernest treated Linda kindly, but something—some spark—seemed absent between them.

Still, popping the question “Do you love her?” to another guy? That was a bridge too far for Eric.

Instead, he pivoted to safer ground. “How is Locke’s mom holding up?”noveldrama

Ernest’s tone was steady, matter-of-fact. “The bandages are off, but her sight is gone.”

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Had Elissa’s vision slipped away for good?

Ernest massaged his temple, weariness etching his features. “We’re scrambling to find a fix—reaching out to specialists, hoping surgery might bring her sight back.”

Elissa was still in the bloom of youth, and he clung to the hope of sparing her a life shrouded in darkness.

Besides, he couldn’t shoulder her care indefinitely.

Sooner or later, Linda would demand answers he couldn’t dodge.

“Pick up the pace if you can,” Eric urged, his voice tinged with worry. “Linda has still got her suspicions simmering.”

“I’m well aware.” Ernest sighed.

At the dining table, Nyla kept a watchful eye on Locke as he tucked into his meal, all while piling Hadley’s plate high. “Hadley, dig in—don’t hold back.”

“Thanks,” Hadley replied with a grateful smile.

Just then, Ernest’s phone buzzed to life—Quentin’s name flashed on the screen. “Bad news, Mr. Flynn. Elissa has taken off!”

Ernest mastered his emotions with a steely resolve as he rose to answer the phone.

“How did this happen?” he asked quietly.

Elissa, blind though she was, had somehow managed to slip away? What in heaven’s name were the bodyguard and servant up to?

Quentin unraveled the tale. “The bodyguard had stepped away to the restroom, and just then, the grocery delivery arrived. The servant was busy ticking off the list when Elissa darted out through the kitchen’s back door.”

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