Nolan noticed the shock on Calvin’s face and smiled, satisfied that his hint had landed. “Well, Calvin, I’ll let you get back to work. Mr. Harris needs me, so I should head back.”
Calvin was still grappling with the revelation when Klein suddenly appeared in the doorway of his office.
*Oh god, now that I know this secret, is he going to silence me?* Calvin’s mind raced.
Klein raised an eyebrow, his gaze piercing. “What are you spacing out about, Calvin?”
“Nothing, Mr. Harris. I’m fine,” Calvin replied quickly, shaking off the surprise.
“Good. From now on, notify me about every meeting with PrimeBridge Law Firm, big or small. Understood?” Klein’s tone was firm, leaving no room for misinterpretation.
Calvin’s expression became complex, a mix of apprehension and intrigue. “Understood.”
*Oh, I understand perfectly,* he thought. *Are we about to witness an uncle-versus-nephew showdown?* A thrill of excitement coursed through him, mingling with the fear of the unknown.
*****
In the parking lot, Ivan spotted Whitney standing next to his car, her figure silhouetted against the fading light. He approached her, waving her in. “Get in.”
Once they were both settled inside the car, Ivan turned to Whitney, his brow furrowed in confusion. “What do you think Mr. Harris meant by what he said in the meeting?”
Whitney blinked, momentarily caught off guard. “Huh? What part?”
“The whole thing about not working overtime. I literally just told you we’d probably need to put in extra hours, and then he goes and says that in the meeting. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he had cameras in the office or something.”
Whitney couldn’t help but let out an awkward laugh, her lips twitching. “I know, right? So weird.”
*Talk about timing,* she thought, her mind racing with the implications of Klein’s words.
Of course, Ivan would never suspect that Whitney had any connection to Klein, the most powerful man in the business world.
“Well, whatever. No overtime means no overtime. Mr. Harris is something else. Guess they’re not in that much of a rush with the merger after all.” Ivan shrugged, his casual demeanor masking his underlying curiosity. “We’ll just focus on finishing the Harris Group project during regular hours, and everything else can wait.”
Whitney forced another smile, though her mind was elsewhere. “Sounds good, Boss.”
*If Boss knew that Klein made that rule just so I’d have time to go furniture shopping with him, what would he even think?* The thought danced in her mind, a blend of excitement and anxiety swirling within her.
:.
Over the weekend, Whitney showed up at the furniture store where she’d agreed to meet Klein.
Klein was dressed casually today, and without his usual sharp suit, he looked way more approachable, especially with those silver-rimmed glasses.
“Klein, the store I bought from before is on the fifth floor,” Whitney said. “Should we head up?”
Klein shook his head. “No rush. Let’s browse our way up, floor by floor.” He nodded toward a nearby shop. “Look, there’s a bed store right there.”
Whitney stared at him with a complicated expression. “You’re changing your bed too?”
“You really think I’d use an old bed as our wedding bed?”
His words made her mouth go dry, and she twitched her lips. “Fine, let’s go look.”
‘He’s paying for everything, and it’s his place anyway,’ she thought. ‘If he wants to browse, he can browse all he wants.’
The sales associate spotted Klein’s expensive casual wear the moment he walked in and rushed over eagerly. “Sir, ma’am, welcome! Are you looking for a bed today? What size do you need? I’d be happy to help you find something.”
Klein didn’t even hesitate. “We want the biggest, softest one you’ve got-something that’s super comfortable to sleep on.”
Whitney blinked. She thought, ‘What?’
“Right now, our largest standard bed is two meters wide, but if you need something custom, we can make it up to two-point-four meters wide for you. Would you be interested in that?”
Klein turned to look at the woman standing there, looking completely dumbfounded. “Is two-point-four meters too small?”
Whitney’s face went blank with confusion. “I guess that should be fine?”
‘Wait, for one person sleeping alone, isn’t a two-point-four-meter bed huge?’ she thought.
Klein asked, “Do you have it in stock?”
The sales associate could tell from his tone that this was going to be a big sale. “Yes, we do! Sir, ma’am, right this way please.
“Sir, if you’ll look here-this bed frame uses foreign pine slats, and the legs have a hidden design that makes the whole bed appear to float when you look at it, which creates a really unique visual effect.
“The headboard cushions are made from SSS-grade genuine leather. It’s super soft to the touch, wear- resistant, stain-resistant, and with beautiful luster. The color scheme is elegant and sophisticated. But our real
:
(34 ) selling point is this imported luxury mattress.
“This mattress is from a brand used by the British royal family. It’s filled with platinum-certified wool and long-staple comfort cotton, so it’s incredibly soft. The moisture absorption and durability are top-tier, and the support and breathability are excellent. We only produce eighty of these mattresses per year.”
Klein tried it out, and the mattress felt incredible. He looked over at Whitney and gestured to the bed. “Want to give it a try?”
Whitney’s mouth twitched. “No thanks.”
‘You’re the one who’s gonna sleep on it, so you test it, she thought.
“Alright, I’ll take this one. Let’s pay.”
The sales associate had never seen such a decisive customer, but she still felt obliged to give him a heads-up. “Sir, we can deliver the bed frame quickly. We have it in stock and can install it within a week.
“But the mattress needs to be ordered, and it’ll take at least a month to arrive. Also, this particular mattress is 600 thousand dollars. Is that okay with you?”
“Wait, what?” Whitney thought she’d heard wrong. “Six hundred thousand dollars? For a mattress?”
“Yes, ma’am. The mattress is 600 thousand dollars, and the bed frame is a bit cheaper at around 300 thousand dollars. So the full set comes to 900 thousand dollars, and we’ll throw in a complimentary silk bedding set.”
‘Nine hundred thousand dollars for a bed, and all you’re throwing in is a bedding set? Are you kidding me right now?’ Whitney screamed internally.
She opened her mouth to speak, but Klein had already pulled out his black card with practiced ease. “Charge it. One month maximum. Make sure it’s delivered within a month.”
Any longer than that, and he was worried they wouldn’t have enough time together after getting their marriage license.
Whitney had no idea about the indecent thoughts running through his mind. She was still reeling from that 900 thousand dollar price tag.
By the time the sales associate handed over the receipt with a smile, Whitney had finally calmed down.
She gave Klein a long, pointed look. She thought, ‘This man really knows how to burn through money.
Klein remained completely oblivious to the judgment in her eyes. “Let’s go. Second floor.”
Whitney and Klein walked side by side toward the escalator, heading up to the second floor.
“Emily, look over there. Is that Whitney?” Not far away, Tina grabbed Emily’s hand and practically vibrated with excitement.
Emily had invited her out today to shop for home furnishings, and they’d been picking out items for Emily and Carter’s new place.
She never expected to run into Whitney here, of all places.
Emily’s brow furrowed slightly. “I think it is her, but Tina, who’s that guy next to your sister?”
He looked vaguely familiar, but Emily couldn’t quite place him.
Tina whipped out her phone with lightning speed and snapped a photo.
She sneered, “I bet that’s her new sugar daddy. Who knows where she dug him up, but he looks like a married man if you ask me.”
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.