Whitney stood up, a satisfied smile on her face. “Appreciate it, Dad. Just let me know when everything’s done, and I’ll come by to sign off.”
As she turned to leave, her smile faded slightly.
Those shares? They were rightfully hers. And the man Tina wanted to marry? She was taking him for herself.
Emily would have to come to terms with the fact that Whitney was now her aunt-in-law.
Everything she once looked down on? Now, she was claiming it all for herself.
“What? Are you seriously asking us to move out?” Laura’s voice pierced through the spacious villa, reverberating off the walls and filling the air with tension.
Her heart raced, a mixture of disbelief and fury surging within her. How could Samuel even consider such a thing?
Tina, her face flushed with indignation, chimed in, “Dad, why should we be the ones to leave? This is just as much our home! Isn’t Whitney just bullying us into submission?”
Samuel Moore, well aware of the tempest brewing in his daughters’ hearts, adopted a calm and measured tone. “Didn’t you both express concerns about this villa’s age, saying you wanted a change of scenery?”
He paused, hoping to diffuse the situation. “I have a lovely penthouse apartment available. It’s on the top floor, complete with a terrace, just as beautiful as this place. Why don’t you consider moving there temporarily? Once everything settles down, you can return.”
But his soothing words did little to quell their anger.
Tina’s cheeks flushed crimson, her voice rising in protest. “Dad, this isn’t about the quality of the new place. It’s about respect! Whitney is humiliating Mom. She’s treating us like we’re nothing!”
“Whitney has never even acknowledged my mom as ‘Mom’ in her entire life, and now she’s crossing every line. If you give in to her absurd demands, she’ll walk all over us from now on!”
Laura remained silent, her stillness betraying her agreement with Tina’s sentiments.
Yet Samuel, having already made up his mind earlier that day, was resolute. This conflict had its roots in Travis’s actions, and he wasn’t about to back down now.
His expression darkened, brows furrowing in frustration. “That’s enough. There’s nothing more to discuss.”
A sharp pain pierced Laura’s chest, constricting her breath.
Tina’s fury bubbled over, feeling as if she might explode at any moment.
What would her friends think if they found out about this? The thought of their judgment gnawed at her insides.
“There’s one more thing,” Samuel declared, his tone turning serious. “Laura, you were the one who spiked Whitney’s drink this time. The evidence is undeniable. If this escalates to court, you’ll find yourself entangled in a lawsuit, and that could severely impact the company’s stock.”
He continued, “You and Travis need to issue an apology online. No need to go into specifics-just keep it vague. If you appear humble, she might drop the case.”
Laura and Tina exploded in unison, “What?”
“Dad, has Whitney brainwashed you? Are you out of your mind?” Tina shot back, disbelief etched across her features.
‘Why should Mom have to apologize to that insufferable woman? How will she ever hold her head up again?’ Tina seethed internally.
Samuel’s patience wore thin; Tina’s words had crossed a line.
His voice hardened, “Tina, is that how you speak to your father? And show some respect for Whitney. If you continue with this disrespect, you’re embarrassing all of us.”
“There’s nothing left to discuss. You two think it over,” he stated firmly, making it clear he wouldn’t change his stance.
With that, he turned and ascended the stairs, leaving the room heavy with unresolved tension.
Tina felt a wave of injustice wash over her, stung by her father’s harsh words.
Tears threatened to spill as she turned to her mother, “Mom, why is Dad acting like this? Why is he siding with that witch?”
“Enough!” Laura snapped, her voice laced with exasperation. She was at the end of her rope and had little patience left to comfort Tina.
“Tina, stop using that word. Are you trying to give her more ammunition against us?” Laura retorted, her eyes flashing with cold determination.
“She thinks she can just toss us out? Not a chance. This isn’t over. She’s already made enemies with the Harris family. Let’s see how tough she really is. I can’t wait to watch her downfall.”
******
After her meeting with her father, Whitney made her way to the law firm, her mind racing with thoughts of the confrontation.
It wasn’t until the afternoon, during a rare moment of solitude, that she noticed a missed call from Klein.
Deciding to return the call, she headed to the break room, her heart fluttering with an inexplicable excitement.
Inside the conference room, Klein, usually so stoic and unreadable, brightened at the sight of Whitney’s name flashing on his phone. “Let’s take a quick break. I need to take this call,” he announced, surprising everyone present.
Ryan’s eyes widened, disbelief washing over him. ‘Since when does the boss step out of a meeting for a phone call? This has never happened before,’ he thought, utterly floored.
The other executives exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern, silently questioning if something significant was unfolding.
As Klein stepped out of the room, a genuine smile crept onto his face, one he couldn’t suppress. “Did my girlfriend finally check her phone?” he asked, his tone warm and teasing.
Whitney’s ears flushed with warmth.
‘Girlfriend? When did I become his girlfriend? I thought we were just partners,’ she mused, slightly taken aback.
Trying to maintain her composure, Whitney cleared her throat. “Um, I was swamped all afternoon and totally missed your call. What’s up?”
“Not much, really. Just wanted to check if my girlfriend remembered to eat lunch,” Klein replied, his voice playful and affectionate.
Whitney felt a rush of confusion at his sudden display of care.
“Just had a salad for lunch,” she replied, trying to sound casual.
Klein paused for a moment, a teasing glint in his eye. “Trying to lose weight?”
Whitney blinked, caught off guard. “Nope.”
“Then why are you doing this to yourself?” he continued, his teasing tone light-hearted.
Whitney found herself at a loss for words.
“Ivan’s taking over the infringement case tomorrow, so I’ll need you to keep handling the due diligence at NextSphere Electronics…” Ivan began, but then noticed she was on the phone.
“Oh, you’re on a call? Go ahead. I’ll wait until you’re done,” he said, waving it off casually.
Whitney’s heart raced, a sudden wave of nervousness washing over her. She instinctively covered her phone, worried Ivan might discern who she was speaking to, despite having no real reason to feel guilty.
“Ivan, I’ll come find you shortly,” she replied, hoping her voice sounded steady.
Ivan noticed her mysterious demeanor and shot her a playful, knowing grin.
‘Glad to see her dating again,’ he thought to himself, feeling a sense of relief.
He flashed her an encouraging thumbs-up before heading off.
Whitney exhaled softly, her heart settling as she asked, “Klein, are you still there?”
Her gentle tone sent a flutter through his heart.
“Yeah, your boss is looking for you. You should probably get back to it,” Klein suggested, his voice tender.
“Okay, I’ll go now,” Whitney replied, her heart racing.
Klein noticed how quickly Whitney hung up and couldn’t help but smile to himself, feeling a sense of warmth.
Laura instructed the maid to begin packing her belongings and turned to Tina. “Go gather your everyday clothes and essentials.”
Tina was so furious that focusing on packing felt nearly impossible.
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.