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

Chapter 885:

Hadley hesitated. “Melba already cooked dinner…”

Joy’s expression dropped.

“Please?” Eric said gently. “It’s just one meal. I haven’t seen her in so long.”

“Mommy, please?” Joy echoed with pleading eyes.

Hadley sighed. With both of them looking at her like that, how could she say no? “Alright.”

“Yay!” Joy cheered. “Let’s go! Let’s go eat something yummy!”

Eric chuckled and tapped her nose. “What do you want?”noveldrama

“Cake! Blueberry cake!”

“Then blueberry cake it is,” he promised.

They ended up at the Red Shell Bistro.

As soon as they sat down, Joy turned to Eric. “Cake!”

Eric laughed and gave her a thumbs-up. “Coming right up!”

“No,” Hadley interjected firmly. “Dinner first. If you eat cake now, you won’t finish your meal.”

“Oh.” Joy’s smile faded into a pout, but she didn’t argue. Instead, she turned to Eric, hoping for backup.

But Eric shrugged helplessly. He wouldn’t dare offend Hadley. “Mommy’s right. Let’s listen to her and eat dinner first.”

Joy sighed. Her mother was clearly the boss here.

When the food arrived, Hadley filled Joy’s plate. “Eat everything on your plate, or no cake.”

“Okay,” Joy mumbled, obediently picking up her spoon.

𝙈𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙩 gⲁ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀⩶ⅽ𝗈𝗺

While Hadley focused on Joy, Eric quietly served her some food as well. “Here, you should eat too.”

“Thank you,” she replied.

Just then, Hadley’s phone rang. She glanced at the screen, declined the call, and set it down.

But it rang again. And again.

Annoyed, she stood up. “I need to take this.”

Eric nodded, watching her walk away. Who kept calling her like that?

Outside, Hadley answered in a frosty tone. “What do you want?”

“Hadley,” came Cade’s voice. “Brady’s recovered and just got discharged. I thought we could have a family dinner to celebrate.”

Hadley let out a cold laugh. “That’s wonderful. But what does that have to do with me?”

“You’re part of the family too,” Cade replied, his voice lowering. “I want you there.”

“Spare me,” she snapped, fury flashing in her eyes. “Don’t pull that ‘family’ nonsense with me.”

She hung up immediately and blocked his number.

Her hand trembled slightly as her anger surged. Her breathing quickened.

She didn’t go back in right away—she needed a moment to calm down.

Meanwhile, the waiter brought over the cake.

“Wow!” Joy’s eyes sparkled as she clapped her hands.

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