Whitney had heard that excuse far too many times.
“Seriously, what kind of brother gives up getting his marriage license just for his sister’s welcome party?” she thought bitterly.
A scornful laugh escaped her lips. “Wow, that’s so sweet. Are you sure he’s just your brother, not your secret lover?”
Carter’s face darkened, anger flaring in his eyes. “Enough. Whitney, apologize to Emily now.”
Whitney raised her fist, her voice firm and resolute. “I swear I’ll never marry Carter Harris. If I ever go back on this, may Carter be cursed to never have children.”
As soon as Whitney uttered her parting words, she pivoted on her heel and strode out of the room, leaving a palpable tension in the air. The remaining occupants of the private space exchanged bewildered glances, each person grappling with the unexpected turn of events.
An awkward chuckle broke the silence, shattering the moment. “Whitney is quite the character, isn’t she?” one of them remarked, attempting to lighten the mood.
“Carter, don’t take it to heart. Just charm her a little; she’ll come around,” another voice chimed in, trying to offer some advice.
A third person scoffed, “Why bother? Carter, don’t spoil women. If you do, they’ll just walk all over you.” The words dripped with a mix of cynicism and camaraderie.
“Shut up,” Carter snapped, his voice sharp and cold. Frustration bubbled beneath his calm facade, and he was fed up with their incessant banter.
Emily felt a flutter of unease in her chest. “Since when did Carter start taking Whitney’s side? Has she already usurped my place while I was away?” The thought gnawed at her, stirring a cocktail of jealousy and confusion.
Biting her lip, Emily adopted a soft tone, “Carter, are you worried that Whitney will be upset? I can apologize to her if that would help.” She lightly poked him in the side, her voice sweet yet tinged with a hint of pleading. “Please don’t be angry, Carter. Look, you’ve made everyone uncomfortable.”
It reminded her of their childhood days, when she would poke him under the table, a playful gesture that always managed to melt his icy demeanor.
True to form, Carter’s stern expression softened slightly. “I’m not mad, Milly. I could never stay angry at you because of anyone else.” His eyes held a warmth that Emily cherished.
She glanced down, her cheeks warming under the weight of his gaze. “I feel the same way.”
As laughter erupted among the group, the tension Whitney had left in her wake dissipated like morning fog.
Meanwhile, Whitney made her way to Carter’s home, a place gifted to them by his grandfather, James Harris, as a wedding present.
“Ma’am, you’re back already,” Linda Torres, the maid, remarked, surprise flickering across her features.
Linda’s mind raced. “Weren’t they supposed to finalize their marriage license today? Why has Madam returned alone?” she pondered, her curiosity piqued.
Whitney ascended the staircase with purpose, her single suitcase in tow, containing only the essentials.
As she passed Carter’s study, her eyes caught sight of his tablet resting on the desk, a familiar object that stirred a mixture of emotions within her.
She recalled a time when she had tried to indulge in a binge-watching session on that very tablet, only to be met with an unexpected outburst from Carter.
“Why does he always have to be so possessive about his things?” she mused, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.
Stepping into the study, Whitney tapped the screen to wake it, only to be met with a password prompt.
Taking a deep breath, she entered Carter’s birthday first, but the screen flashed red, indicating a wrong attempt.
Next, she tried her own birthday, but the result was the same.
On her third attempt, a memory flickered in her mind: Emily’s birthday was on Labor Day. Swiftly, she consulted Google and confirmed that Labor Day that year fell on September 2nd.
With fingers trembling slightly, Whitney entered 0902, and this time, the screen unlocked.
A wave of bitterness washed over her as she took in the stark emptiness of the tablet-no apps, no games, just a blank slate.
Trusting her instincts, she navigated to the photo album.
Her heart raced as she scrolled through 3,344 images, each one a moment captured between Emily and Carter.
Some showcased Emily alone, while others depicted the two of them together, radiating joy.
Yet, there was a conspicuous absence in the collection: any photo of Whitney with Carter. The only evidence of their union was the wedding portrait that hung in their bedroom, a haunting reminder of the distance between them.
Carter had often claimed to dislike having his picture taken, yet in those countless snapshots, he appeared genuinely happier with Emily than he ever did with her.
Feeling a mixture of anger and sadness, Whitney powered off the tablet, ensuring she left no trace of her intrusion.
Linda watched with curiosity as Whitney dragged her suitcase down the stairs, unable to suppress her intrigue.
“Ma’am, you just returned. Are you already off on another trip?” she inquired, her voice laced with concern.
Whitney, accustomed to her role as a lawyer and frequent traveler, simply muttered a nonchalant “yeah” before exiting, her expression betraying no hint of the turmoil within.
*****
The following day, Carter returned to the shared home only to find it eerily quiet.
Not a single text from Whitney had graced his phone in over twenty-four hours.
“She certainly has some nerve now, doesn’t she?” Carter thought, irritation prickling at his patience.
“Did Whitney come back yesterday?” he asked Linda, his tone laced with a hint of annoyance.
Linda shook her head, “Sir, I believe Madam went on a business trip. She didn’t mention when she would return.”
Carter’s mind raced with suspicion. “Is she genuinely on a trip, or is she just trying to avoid me?”
Yet, deep down, he was confident she would return once she had calmed down.
After all, they were engaged and had already taken their wedding photos; the official declaration of their union was merely a formality.
As for her dramatic declaration about calling off their marriage, Carter dismissed it entirely. “There’s no way she would actually refuse,” he thought, a smirk curling at his lips.
“Alright, I understand,” he said, turning to ascend the stairs.
The master bedroom remained untouched, an empty space awaiting their future together.
Carter and Whitney had been residing in separate guest rooms, and he was oblivious to the fact that the wedding portrait had vanished from the wall.
As he settled into a chair, his phone buzzed, the screen lighting up with a call from James.
“Carter, did you and Whitney manage to get your marriage license? I haven’t seen any updates in the group chat,” James inquired, his tone tinged with paternal concern.
Carter hesitated for a moment before replying, “Grandpa, something came up that day, so we didn’t get it done. I forgot to inform you. We’ll take care of it after your birthday party.”
“Make sure you do it soon. I don’t want to worry,” James urged.
“By the way, I heard Emily’s back?” he added, shifting the subject.
Carter’s thoughts drifted back to the past; he recalled how Emily had left five years ago because James had pressured her into a marriage with someone she didn’t love.
He had no idea what had transpired between Emily and James that night, but once the matchmaking idea was dropped, she had packed her bags and left without a backward glance.
That year had been a tumultuous one for Carter, as his relationship with his family had crumbled. Only after becoming engaged to Whitney had things begun to mend.
“Yeah, I suppose she’s back,” he said with a shrug, attempting to mask his true feelings.
James seemed to relax at Carter’s nonchalance. “Alright then. I’ll have your dad reach out to her. She should come home.”
“Carter, it doesn’t matter who else is back. I want you and Whitney to finalize your marriage license soon. Understand?”
Carter’s expression turned serious. “Yeah, I understand.”
After hanging up, he rubbed his temples, feeling the weight of his grandfather’s expectations pressing down on him.
With James’s birthday party looming the next day, Carter checked his chat with Whitney, only to find it stagnant, stuck on the day he had let her down.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.