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Too Late, Mr. Billionaire: You Can’t Afford Me Now
Chapter 7 How Cheap She Had Been
“Understood.”
Hadley nodded. “I won’t cook here again.”
Noticing his evident revulsion, she assured him. “I’ll ventilate the kitchen later to clear
out the smells and make sure everything is cleaned up.”
“You?” With a scoff, Eric mocked, “You struggle with noodles, and now you want to clean?
Don’t bother. Let the housekeeper handle it tomorrow.”
He then turned and ascended the stairs.
At last, some peace…
Relieved, Hadley exhaled and resumed her seat.
The noodles, now even more unappetizing in their cold and mushy state, stared back at
her.
Expressionless, Hadley picked up her fork and hurriedly finished the noodles.
She then proceeded to open the windows to air out the kitchen, tidied up the space, and collapsed onto the couch in the living room.
Opting against the guest room, she didn’t want to give him any further reasons to complain about odors again.
Her plan was to start looking for an apartment the following day; for the moment, she would cope with the situation as best as she could.
The next morning, Hadley was up early and left the house before Eric could descend the
stairs.
She urgently needed both employment and a place to live.
The previous evening, Hadley had meticulously mapped out her journey. She headed
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Chapter 7 How Cheap She Had Been
directly to the bus stop, and then switched to the subway.
Her target was Galant, a well–known nightclub in the city.
Trained in modern dance, Hadley was there to try out for a position as a dancer
Galant was notorious locally as a hotspot where affluent patrons splurged on extravagant entertainment.
Yet, Hadley was undeterred. Her goal was to earn a living and sustain herself.
Moreover, she was there to showcase her skills, not to partake in anything dubious. There was dignity in her purpose.
When she reached the nightclub, she followed the instructions provided by her friend Colleen Hayes to locate a manager named Lennon Lewis.
As it was during the day and the club was not open, her meeting with Lennon happened swiftly.
“Good day, Mr. Lewis,” Hadley said, standing poised and composed.
“Hello,” Lennon responded with a faint smile. “You come recommended by Ms. Hayes, correct? Remind me of your name?”
“Hadley Pearson.”
“Ah, yes, now I recall.”
Lennon scrutinized her carefully. With her connections and striking appearance, his
smile widened.
“You’re on board, Hadley.” She was taken aback by the ease of it all. Even with Colleen’s backing, she hadn’t anticipated such a smooth process.
“Thanks so much, Mr. Lewis.”
“Let’s skip the formalities.”
With a dismissive gesture and a grin, Lennon added, “With Ms. Hayes vouching for you, how could I refuse? Plus, I have no doubt you’ll be great here!”
He then mentioned, “For now, let’s get your measurements for the costume. That’ll take a few days and… Let’s see… How does Friday sound for your first night? It’s when we usually draw the biggest crowd.”
“That works for me,” Hadley responded with enthusiasm. Why would she hesitate?
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“We’re all set then.”
“Thank you again, Mr. Lewis.”
Stepping out of the nightclub after everything was taken care of, Wadley immediately took out her phone to call Colleen.
The phone rang twice before cutting off
Shortly thereafter, it rang again–this time it was Colleen returning the call.
“Seriously…” Hadley chuckled as she answered, “Why is that?”
She was playfully criticizing Colleen for her habit of returning calls immediately after declining them first.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Colleen’s laughter came through the phone. “Long- distance charges add up, you know. You’re tight on cash, so I’m just trying to save you a
little,”
“Yeah.” A gentle smile crossed Hadley’s face. “I get it, Colleen. Thanks for that, and for the job referral.”
“You got the job?”
After a brief pause, Colleen exclaimed joyfully, “I knew they’d hire you. Don’t stress. I’m taking care of things here in Blathe for you.”
Given the expense of long–distance calls, they quickly exchanged a few crucial updates and then said their goodbyes.
Now, Hadley’s priority was to secure a new apartment.
She checked out various listings, yet nothing seemed suitable. The affordable ones were in questionable neighborhoods with poor security, while the nicer ones were way beyond her budget.
As she prepared to move on to another viewing, her phone buzzed.
Nyla was calling.
Hadley responded quickly, “Nyla?”
“Hadley, where are you right now?”
Surveying the bustling streets and the flow of traffic, Hadley replied casually, “Oh, just taking a stroll. Srixby has undergone quite the transformation.”
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“That’s true.” Nyla’s laughter filled the line. “Take your time to get reacquainted with the city. No need to hurry.”
The conversation then took a turn as Nyla broached the main topic of her call.
“It’s been four years since you left Srixby. I’m thinking we should have a little welcome- back party for you.”
“A party?”
Caught off guard, Hadley was quick to protest, feeling such a fuss was unnecessary. “There’s really no need for a party, really.”
“Why not?” Nyla was insistent. “You are Eric’s wife. With your return, it’s important for everyone to see you. They might otherwise assume Eric is available.”
Hadley smirked, well aware that Eric was indeed available now that they’d signed the divorce papers.
“Really, Nyla, there’s no need…” Hadley persisted in her attempt to decline.
“But it is necessary.” Nyla sighed and added, “Your grandmother’s biggest concern before you… Have she died was your well–being. She left you in my care, asking me to look after
you down these past years? Are you angry with me?”
I let
“Not at all.” Hadley quickly comforted her.
It seemed the party was inevitable.
“Fine, let’s do it your way, Nyla.”
She felt obligated to honor Nyla’s past kindness.
“That’s my girl.” Nyla sounded pleased. “We’ll make it a celebration to remember.”
“Thank you.”
After ending the call, Hadley let out a heavy sigh. The search for an apartment had lost its appeal, and with the day drawing to a close, she headed back to Silver Villas.
Stopping at the local bakery, she picked up some bread.
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Since Eric had forbidden her from using the kitchen, bread would have to suffice. Even though it was slightly pricey, she didn’t see any alternative.
Once home, Hadley consumed the bread with just water, setting aside the remainder for
later.
She then changed into her dance attire and began her routine.
Practice was essential; Hadley couldn’t afford to skip even a day.
Eric didn’t return that night.
Hadley was unfazed. During their brief marriage, his absences were common.
Back then, she used to inquire, “Where were you last night?”
Whenever she asked, his reaction was a frigid glare and a dismissive tone. “Why does it matter to you? Being my wife doesn’t give you the right to meddle in my affairs! You’ve gotten what you desired. I’ll look after you, and you just stay out of my business!”
Reflecting on those moments, Hadley realized how cheap she had been.
The night went by without a dream.
The following morning, Hadley resumed her apartment hunt.
She sifted through numerous listings and visited multiple apartments. By the end of the day, she had found one she liked.
Right as she was about to call the agent for a viewing, her phone rang.
Eric was on the line.
Maintaining her composure, Hadley greeted him with a simple, “Hello.”
“Where are you?”
His tone was urgent from the start.
“Why aren’t you at Silver Villas?”
What? Hadley was startled. Was he at Silver Villas right now?
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Chapter 7 How Cheap She Had Been
Ignoring his question, she asked, “What do you need?”
“You’re asking this?” Eric’s voice was mocking. “Didn’t Grandma talk to you about the
welcome party? And you still need to ask?”
“Oh!” Realization dawned on Hadley. “Is that tonight?”
“Yes, and you need to come back right now!”
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