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

Chapter 251 She Is An Outsider

Despite his small stature, Locke spoke with the sharpness of a child who understood more than most gave him

credit for.

“If you're really my mom, then why didn’t you cwith Dad to get me?”

Linda’s smile faltered for the briefest moment, a flicker of unease crossing her features. But she quickly masked

it, smoothing out her expression with practiced charm.

“I wasn’t your mother before,” she cooed, her voice honeyed yet hollow. “But now | will be. Isn't that nice?”

“Why?” Locke asked bluntly, eyes narrowing with distrust. “You don’t even like me. | don’t want you to be my

mom.”

Then, just like that, he stood up, ready to leave-ready to run.

Before he could take a step, Linda's fingers clamped around his tiny arm. Not rough, but firm.

Her voice dipped, low and sharp, a far cry from the gentle act she’d been putting on. “Listen to me, Locke, I'm

going to marry your father. That means-whether you like it or not-I will be your mother.”

“No! Letgo!” the boy cried, yanking at his arm, his small body twisting in panic.

Terror surged through him, and without thinking, he ran.

He sprinted blindly, breath coming in quick gasps—until he crashed into Nyla’s legs. “Locke? What happened?”

The way his small hands clutched at Nyla-the way his body trembled against her-said everything. He was

scared.

“Locke!”

Linda stormed after the boy, her expression dark with frustration. Her anger flickered, replaced momentarily by

surprise when she saw Nyla.

“Great-grandma.” At the sight of Nyla, Locke didn’t hesitate-he burrowed deeper into her embrace, his small

body trembling as he turned his back to Linda. He clung to Nyla as if she were his shield, refusing to even look

at Linda.

The message was painfully clear.

Everyone in the Flynn family knew-Linda had never liked Locke.

“Locke, don’t be afraid. It’s okay, honey.” Nyla’s voice was a soothing whisper, laced with quiet sorrow.

As her eldest great-grandchild, the boy should have had everything-a childhood filled with warmth, security,

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and love. Instead, he had spent three years in hardship, growing up in a world that never made room for him.

Alone. Forgotten. Unwanted. The weight of it made Nyla’s chest tighten.

She held him closer. “I'm here, Locke. There's no reason to be afraid.”

Linda's face flushed with anger as she glared at Nyla. “What are you trying to say? Are you implying that | hurt

him, and that’s why he’s afraid of me?”

“Linda...” Nyla exhaled slowly, shaking her head with quiet disappointment.

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“That's not what | meant...” she said, her voice gentle but firm. “Locke is just a child. He's only three.”

Her gaze softened as she looked down at the boy nestled against her, his small frrigid with fear. “He's still

learning. Don’t take his words or actions so personally.”

The words struck Linda like a slap. Color flushed and drained from her face in quick succession, embarrassment

colliding with rising anger.

She knew exactly how much Nyla adored Locke.

The only reason Linda had been welcomed into the Flynn family was because of her past-because once upon

a time, she had saved the Flynn brothers. That debt had secured her a place among them.

But now that Locke was here... Nyla’s world had shifted.

It was painfully clear. Linda wasn’t family. Not really. She was an outsider. She would never truly belong.

“What's going on here?”

Ernest had arrived.

Before

anyone

could answer, Locke moved first. “Dad!”

The little boy scrambled down from Nyla’s lap and planted himself squarely in front of Ernest. For someone so

small, he stood with an unshaken determination-one that shouldn't belong to a child his age.

“Dad, I'm sorry!”

His tiny fists clenched, his words trembling on the verge of breaking.

Locke hesitated, stealing a glance up at Ernest, searching his face for a reaction.

That look-so fragile, so uncertain-sent a sharp pang through Ernest's chest.

He was just a child. And yet, he already understood too much.

That his fate wasn’t in his own hands. That his father had the power to decide whether he belonged in this

family. Whether he mattered.

Without hesitation, Ernest crouched down and pulled Locke into his arms.

“Dad...” Locke's tiny fingers curled into his shirt, gripping it as if letting go would mean losing everything. His

voice shrank to a whisper, heavy with fear. “I'm sorry. Please don’t sendaway.”

Tears streamed down his cheeks, his small frtrembling as he sobbed into Ernest's chest.

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Chapter 251 She Is An Outsider

“Locke, don’t cry.” Ernest gently wiped the tears from his son’s cheeks, his voice steady, reassuring. “This is your

home. No matter what happens, | don’t want you thinking like that again. Do you hear me?”

“Dad!”

Watching them, Nyla felt her heart ached. She reached out, stroking Locke's soft hair. “Sweetheart, let's not cry

anymore, okay? How about sice cream?”

Locke's tears slowed. He blinked up at her, sniffling once more before nodding. “Okay!”

The warmth between father and son was undeniable-a picture of familial love that should have been

comforting.

But for Linda, standing off to the side, it was suffocating. She had been completely forgotten, pushed into the

background. Without another word, she turned and made her way upstairs.

“Hadley!”

At that moment, Eric stepped out of his room, freshly changed, his sharp gaze immediately catching sight of

Hadley walking toward him with a bowl! of yogurt and oats.

But just as he reached her, his eyes flickered toward the hallway-just in tto see Linda retreat into her room,

shutting the door firmly behind her.

His brows furrowed. “What's going on? What happened?”

“They had a fight,” Hadley said casually, chewing thoughtfully. “Seems like Locke doesn’t like her.”

They fought over the boy?

Eric hesitated before choosing his words carefully. “Maybe she just... doesn’t know how to handle kids.”

Hadley smirked, lifting the spoon toward him. “Want syogurt?”

“Sure.” He eyed it for a moment before leaning in, taking the bite straight from her spoon.

“Is it good?” she asked.

He swallowed, nodding appreciatively. “Can | have smore?”

“Don’t eat it all,” she protested, pulling the bowl slightly away. “Save sfortoo.”

Eric scoffed, shaking his head. “You're impossible. How about | have this bowl, and I'll just make you some

more later?”

Their playful back-and-forth echoed softly through the hallway. And then-Linda emerged from her room, suitcase

in hand, dressed as if she were heading somewhere far away.

Linda’s pace slowed when her gaze landed on them-Eric and Hadley, standing side by side in front of their room,

sharing a bowl of yogurt.

She had once been so certain-so sure—that Ernest had loved Hadley.

But she had been wrong. The woman he had truly loved... had been someone else entirely. And they had a child

to prove it.

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Chapter 25 She is in ser

In the end, Linda had lost not only to Madley-But also sshe didn’t even know.

Ernest descended the stairs, his sharp geze immediately landing on the suitcase dunched in her hand. His steps

quickened. “Where are you going?

He reached her in an instant, his hand dosing around her wrist before she could move

Linda tensed. “Let go of me. Her voice wavered slightly, but her resolve didn’t. Her eyes, sightly red-rimmed.

held a quiet storm. “I don’t belong here, Ernest. | never have. I'm just an outsider.

Ernest's brows furrowed, a flicker of something unreadable passing through his eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous...”

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He hesitated. “No one sees you as an outsider. Locke is just a child-he’s only been with us for a short time-

“Hah!” A bitter laugh escaped Linda's lips. “Exactly. And yet, I'm the one who has to step aside for him. Isn't that

enough?

*Linda...”

“Ernest, please.” Her voice softened, but her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. I'm exhausted. | have a new

assignment. | need time. Space. A chance to clear my mind and breathe.”

She swallowed hard, her expression unreadable. “For once, can you think about my feelings?”

Silence settled between them, thick and heavy.

“Alright,” he said, his voice low. “But wherever you go, letknow. Just so | know you're safe.”

Linda let out a small, scoffing breath. “As if you don’t already know.” Her lips curled into a sad, knowing smile.

“Every person on my team works for you, don’t they?”

She tightened her grip on the suitcase and walked away. Not once did she look back.

“Linda, wait!”

Eric stepped forward, his gaze shifting between Linda's retreating figure and his brother.

His jaw tightened. “Ernest, you're just going to let her walk away like that?”

“And what would you havedo?” Ernest’s voice was steady but carried the weight of unspoken conflict. “Tell

me, Eric-what should | do?” A bitter chuckle escaped him, void of humor. “She doesn’t get along with Locke. Do

you expectto send my own son away?”

The answer was clear. That was never an option.

Eric hesitated. He had spoken instinctively, but now, standing here, watching the quiet turmoil flicker in his

brother's eyes, he realized-Ernest wasn’t choosing to let Linda go. He simply had no other choice.

Monday arrived.

Eric had recovered well, which meant Hadley’s leave was officially over. It was tto return to the dance studio.

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Early that morning, Sebastian pulled up outside, ready to drive her to work before heading to the Flynn Group.

Hadley settled into the car, absently watching the city blur past the window. Her mind wandered-maybe she

could sneak back to her apartment during her lunch break to check on her daughter...

But then-Her gaze froze.

Her heart lurched into her throat.

Without thinking, she reached for the car door, only to find it locked.

“Sebastian! Unlock the door!”

Sebastian blinked, startled. “Huh? What?”

Hadley’s voice sharpened. “Unlock the door! Now!”

“Yes!”

“Hadley?” Eric's alarmed voice cut through the chaos as he grabbed her arm. “What's going on? Where are you

“Let go!”

There was no tto explain.

With a forceful yank, she shook free of Eric's grip, shoved the door open the moment the lock clicked, and

bolted.