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

Chapter 47 An Agitated

Customer

“Miss S, raise a toast to Mr. Flynn!”

“Raise a toast!”

The crowd at Galant erupted in cheers, their voices bouncing off the walls like a rolling tide. Yet, in the midst

of the excitement, a realization dawned upon them-neither Eric nor Hadley was present.

“Where is Mr. Flynn?”

“Has anyone seen him? | don’t see him anywhere.”

Soon, murmurings turned into certainty-Eric had not made an appearance at all.

“Con now,” someone teased, amusement laced in their voice.

“Mr. Lewis, how does Mr. Flynn claim the title of top patron if he has not even set foot in the place tonight?”

“Are you pulling the wool over our eyes?”

“Or is it that you have locked Miss S away, unwilling to let her grace us with her presence?”

“No, no!”

Lennon frantically waved his hands, motioning for the growing unrest to settle. “Here is the situation. Mr. Flynn

may not be here in person, but he did leave behind a message.”

A message. That was all Lennon could offer.

After all, if he revealed the prearranged scheme-where Eric would automatically outbid anyone by half a

million dollars—it would be akin to stirring a hornet’s nest.

The Flynn family commanded power, but the gathered guests were not the type to be trifled with either.

“A message, you say?”

That explanation carried as much weight as a feather in a storm,

“So, Mr. Flynn can place bets from thin air now?”

“Hold on a second for now! | recall Galant’s rules clearly. If you are not present, your bid does not count!”

That statement struck a chord, heads nodding in agreement like synchronized pendulums.

“That is right! Rules are rules!”

The agitation swelled like a rising tide, particularly in Cody Blake, the second-highest bidder of the night

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Cody, heir to the Blake Group, had always been a steadfast admirer of S, never hesitating to spend

extravagantly on her performances.

Cody was predicted by everyone to be tonight's biggest winner. It had appeared to be a given.

It was unexpected that Lennon would declare Eric the winner.

Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt

Cody had swallowed his displeasure at first, but now, the tide had shifted in his favor.

“Mr. Lewis,” Cody called out, stepping forward with deliberate intensity, his finger jabbing in Lennon’s direction.

“Since everyone is in agreement, are you not bound to follow the rules?”

“This is...” Lennon hesitated, sweat forming at his temples.

Not even Eric's ncould silence the crowd. The web of deception he had spun was unraveling before his

eyes.

What was he supposed to do now?

Meanwhile, across town, Eric leaned casually against his car, a day’s work behind him. As the vehicle sped

towards Silver Villas, his eyes drifted toward the scenery beyond the tinted glass.

A thought crossed his mind.

“Sebastian.”

“Yes, Mr. Flynn?”

“I have something to handle. Stop the car and | will drive myself. You can take a cab and go home.”

“What?” Sebastian blinked in confusion. “Mr. Flynn, where exactly are you going? | can drive you.”

“No need.”

Eric shook his head, declining the offer. Without another word, he slid into the driver's seat and pulled away,

his departure as silent as his refusal.

Sebastian remained rooted in place, watching the car veer left at the next intersection. A frown tugged at his

brow-Silver Villas was in the opposite direction. “Where is he going?”

Eric was headed for Galant.

He had stayed away for stime, partly because of Hadley, but tonight, something in the air-or perhaps

something inside him-urged him back.

Meanwhile, chaos was unraveling at the nightclub.

“Mr. Blake, you can’t go in there! That's the staff only area!”

“Out of my way!”

Cody’s temper was already a firestorm, fueled by disappointment and wounded pride. He hadn't gotten the

result he expected, and in his world, that meant both his money and his dignity had gone up in smoke. There

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Chapter 47 An Agitated Customer

was no way he was letting this slide.

“Lennon!” He stormed through the backstage area, his finger stabbing the air as he singled out Lennon. “I have

spent a fortune on her, and | expect answers! Besides...”

He swept his arm toward the onlookers trailing behind him like moths drawn to the scent of scandal.

“Ask them if my request is unreasonable!”

“Unreasonable? Hardly!”

“Of course, it's fair!”

They were here for the , nothing more.

“Mr. Blake, | swear I'm telling the truth, Mr. Flynn-"

“Stop throwing Mr. Flynn’s naround like a shield!”

Cody had marinated himself in liquor, and the burn of alcohol only made his temper sharper. With a forceful

shove, he sent Lennon stumbling.

“Does Mr. Flynn even know you use his nlike this? Step aside!”

“Ouch!”

Lennon stumbled, barely managing to stay on his feet before he hit the ground.

Shakin

the misstep, he raced after Cody, who had already bulldozed his way into the dressing room.

Inside, several dancers were in the middle of wiping off their makeup and changing into their regular clothes.

The moment Cody stormed a chorus of startled shrieks filled the room.

Cody paid them no mind, cutting straight to the chase. “Where is S? Tell her to cout and share a drink

with me!”

“Her?”

ago

A heavy silence fell over the room as every gaze instinctively landed on Hadley.

She had already wiped away her makeup and was without her mask. However, she reacted swiftly, slipping it

back on the instant Cody barged in.

Ironically, that only served to make her stand out even more. Cody's eyes gleamed with recognition.

A loud, amused laugh burst from his throat.

Striding forward, he zeroed in on her.

“So, this is where you have been hiding!”

Hadley straightened, keeping her voice as composed as a still lake. “Good evening. May | ask what this is

about?”

For a brief moment, Cody faltered. He could not see her face, but something about her voice snared his

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Chapter 47 An Agitated Customer

attention. Up close, her poised stance and graceful figure were impossible to ignore.

“Miss S, you gave your word that you would toast with the top patron after the performance. Surely, you are not

thinking of going back on it now?”

Hadley had no issue with the request.

However, the choice was not hers to make.

She cast a glance at Lennon, who immediately stepped forward to shield her. “Mr. Blake, this is a private space

Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm

full of young women. Can we take this conversation somewhere else?”

Just when he was inches away from getting what he wanted, another roadblock appeared. Cody's patience,

already hanging by a thread, snapped.

With a sneer, he seized Lennon’s shoulder and shoved him aside. “Out of my way! Unless you wantto tear

this place apart, | suggest you do not test me!”

Without waiting for a response, he reached for Hadley, locking his fingers around her slender wrist.

The moment their skin touched, something dark flickered in his gaze. Her skin was smooth, like untouched silk

beneath his grip. “Now this is nice,” he mused.

“Calong with me!”

He tightened his hold, intent on dragging her away.

“No! No!” Hadley’s carefully held composure shattered at the man’s touch. “Let go of me!”

She fought against his grip with every ounce of strength she had.

Cody’s head snapped toward her, his face twisting in irritation. “You are just a performer, and yet you dare to

raise your voice at me?”

“| said let go!” Hadley’s voice

hang out again, laced with defiance despite the tremor in it.

Their struggle intensified, and in the scuffle, Hadley lost her footing and crashed onto the floor.

Cody, his ego bruised and templat

flaring, tightened his grip and started dragging her toward the door.

“I am not letting go. Whether you like it or not, you are coming withtoday!”

“Ah!” Hadley screamed in terror.

Nonetheless, he yanked her forward with brute force.

Hadley trembled uncontrollably, her voice cracking as she cried out, “Let go of me! Let go!”

The entire room stood frozen in shock.

“Mr. Lewis! Do something!”

“Damn!” Lennon had not expected the situation to spiral out of control so quickly. “I will call security right now!

Hadley, just hold on!”

“What should we do? Should we step in?”

“But Cody is not someone you want to cross.”

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Chapter 47 An Agitated Customer

“Look at him! If we interfere, we might end up in trouble ourselves!”

Hadley’s gasping sobs grew louder.

Her wrist had gone numb under Cody's crushing grip, her body was locked in a rigid stat