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

Chapter 226 Did She Overlook Something

Eric navigated the car slowly, particularly as they neared the riverside park.

He intentionally stopped the car and lowered the window, peering out in hopes of spotting Joy.

Considering Joy had been hospitalized just the day before, he actually wasn’t optimistic about seeing her here

today.

Yet, there she was unexpectedly!

Joy, well-wrapped against the cold, sat on a swing, gently pushed by a boy who seemed slightly older.

Eric exited the vehicle.

“Enjoying yourself?” the boy behind Joy asked.

“Yup!

“Want to swing higher?”

“Oh yes, please! Haha...”

“Joy,” Eric called out, reaching for the swing’s ropes to stabilize them.

Joy had her hat and mask on, leaving only her eyes visible, which sparkled as she noticed Eric.

“You're here!” she cried out joyfully.

With a leap from the swing, the little girl was quickly enveloped in Eric's welcoming arms.

Snuggling against him, Joy asked, “Did you cjust to see me?”

“Indeed, | did,” Eric answered, his smile broadening.

“Do you need something from me?” Joy asked, curious.

“Actually, | have something for you,” Eric replied, producing a small box from his coat pocket and flicking it open

with a deft flick of his wrist.

“This is for you, Joy. What do you think?”

Her eyes lit up at the sight of the gift. “It’s beautiful!”

As she reached out tentatively, her hand paused mid-air.

“What's the matter?” Eric asked, a curious look crossing his face. “Isn't it to your liking?”

“I love it.” Joy quickly reassured, yet with a pause. “But Mommy said | shouldn't accept gifts from strangers.

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Eric was pleasantly surprised by her maturity; her mother had clearly done an excellent job raising her.

“Don’t worry.” He comforted her, gently tousling her hair. “We're friends, right? Remember your hairpin that

went missing? | found this new pair for you. Look, they also got Minnie Mouse on them.”

Joy's eyes shimmered, touched by his thoughtfulness.

She hadn’t expected him to remember she liked Minnie Mouse!

Gratefully, she threw her arms around him. “Thank you! | really like you!”

His heart swelled with a warm, affectionate glow. “And I like you very much too, Joy.”

He selected the hairpins from the box. “May | put these on for you?”

“Please do!”

Two new hairpins, each poised to beca cherished companion.

“Are they in place?” Joy patted her head,

“Do |

a heart ok nice?”

“You look very beautiful.” Eric confirmed with smile, his eyes soft. “Joy, you're the prettiest girl in the whole

world!”

Joy's laughter filled the air, her voice light and joyful. “Thank you!”

“You're most welcome.”

Observing Joy’s charming expressions, Eric felt a pull at his heartstrings to delve deeper into her health issues.

Since their first encounter in Blathe, he had been aware of her frail condition, yet the specifics remained elusive

to him.

Now, feeling a closer connection, he considered offering his support.

“Joy, you...”

“Joy!”

At that moment, Melba reappeared, disrupting the conversation.

“Oh, my!”

She swiftly scooped Joy into her arms, offering Eric a polite but cool smile. “Hello.”

“Hello.”

“Joy!” Melba gestured towards the hairpins adorning Joy’s head. “Those need to be returned, okay?”

From her vantage point, ‘she had witnessed the entire exchange.

She had assumed they were merely conversing, yet Joy had received a gift.

“No, no!”

Joy defensively raised her hands to her hair. “He gave them to me! | like them!”

“You...”

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“It’s alright.” Eric quickly assured with a reassuring smile, aiming to defuse the tension. “I gifted them to Joy.

They're simple tokens, just playful adornments for a child.”

“But, this...”

“Joy!” Eric didn’t allow Melba to continue, instead turning his attention to Joy. “I must be off now. Say goodbye

to me.”

“Okay, goodbye.”

“Goodbye.”

A short distance away, Hadley observed the scene, her expression one of shock.

So, those hairpins were for Joy... for her Joy!

They knew each other? More than that, Joy clearly had a fondness for Eric!

How did it cto this?

Did she overlook something?

Before Melba and Joy could return, Hadley had already arrived back home.

Melba muttered to herself, “Huh? Your mom's shoes are here. She’s back! Oh no, she’s going to be furious when

she knows!”

Hadley stepped out of her room with a mock puzzled look. “What's the issue? Why would | be mad?”

“Mommy!” Joy's eyes lit up as she joyously sprinted into her mother’s embrace. “Mommy's back!”

“Good girl,” Hadley responded warmly, lifting Joy into her arms and helping her out of her bulky coat.

“Look.” Melba gestured towards Joy's head, compelled by her role as a nanny not to keep secrets from Hadley,

her employer.

“This little girl has got herself a pair of hairpins from sman she met,” she said.

She continued, “It’s the sman we saw in the park | told you last time.”

“Mommy!” Joy pulled at her mother’s sleeve urgently before Hadley could react. “He's really nice!”

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“Nice, just because he gave you hairpins?” Melba gave Joy a gentle tap on the head. “They're just hairpins! What

can you possibly understand about them? They're nothing significant!”

With a shake of her head, Melba made her way to the kitchen. “I'll leave her to you. | need to start cooking.”

Hadley remained silent, her gaze fixed on the sparkling hairpins adorning Joy's hair, her expression concerned.

The hairpins were far from ordinary. Melba assumed they were mere trinkets, not recognizing the real

diamonds embedded in each.

Firmly, Hadley addressed Joy. “Melba has a point, dear. We shouldn't just accept gifts. Please remove the

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Charter 226 Did She Overlock Something

hairpins, and return them to him when you see him next.”

Her thoughts were racing

It baffled her how her daughter had quickly grown so fond of Eric.

Frightened by the implications.

“Chere.” Hadley extended her hand towards Joy. “Lethelp you remove them.”

“No, no!” Joy quickly covered her hair, her large eyes filled with dismay. “He gave them to me! | love them! |

don’t want to give them back!”

What just happened?

Hadley was taken aback Joy was usually such a well-behaved child, and now she was openly defying her mother

for the first time

Was it because of Eric, a man who had never played a significant role in her life?

A shadow fell over Hadley’s face. “Joy, | asked you to remove those hairpins. Did you not hear me?”

Seeing her mother’s serious demeanor, Joy shivered; it was unfamiliar to see her mother so stern.

Tears welled up in her eyes, and her bottom lip trembled.

“You're not being fair, Mommy! Waaah...

Upset, she dashed into her room, saying, “I don’t want to talk to Momimy anymore!”

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