“Mother and Alicia called you today. You stood them up?” Trey got straight to the point.
Khloe’s lips curved into a faint smile. “That’s right.”
“Khloe, Mother is an elder. Even if her temper’s bad, you should give her some leeway. And Alicia-she’s in confinement, her emotions are unstable. You shouldn’t hold it against her…”
His voice was gentle, but the reproach was unmistakable.
He didn’t fully believe Khloe was as terrible as his mother and sister made her out to be. But with the family in such an uproar-Alicia even threatening divorce-if his father blamed him, the responsibility would fall squarely on his shoulders.
Combined with the recent stress at the company, his frustration boiled over. Without even hearing her side of the story, he started giving orders.
“Here’s the plan. Tell me where you are. When you’re done. I’ll pick you up. We’ll go see Mother and Alicia together, clear the air, and put this whole thing to rest.”
Trey thought he was being reasonable. If Stella’s anger festered and Alicia kept making a scene, Khloe might be dragged back for a formal family reprimand.
Listening to him, Khloe almost laughed out loud.
But after a moment’s pause, she didn’t refuse outright. Instead, she casually sent him an address-one that was conveniently far away.
After hanging up, she set down her cutlery and dabbed her lips with a napkin. She was nearly finished with her meal anyway.
“Trouble?” Oscar finally spoke, swirling the wine in his glass with a hint of disdain. “Need me to take care of it?”
He had no interest in prying into her personal life, but as a man of the world, he understood that for a young woman, the most vexing problems were often matters of the heart.
“No need, Uncle. I can handle this myself. It’s nothing major.”
Khloe thanked him for dinner and stood to leave.
Oscar walked her to the garage, reminding her not to forget the event the following evening.
Having just inherited her family’s assets, Khloe needed to make a proper appearance before the shareholders. By chance, the Morrison family was hosting a small business banquet the next night. It would be the perfect opportunity.
She agreed, and Oscar added, “By the way, after meeting Nick the other night, has there been any progress?”
“We exchanged contact information.”
Khloe had almost forgotten about it. After that evening, Nick had added her on social media, but his profile was completely blank-as if she’d been blocked.
She had considered reaching out but didn’t want to seem in rusive, so she let it be. Since the marriage was already arranged, she assumed he would contact her when the time was right.
“I know you’re reserved, but sometimes it’s okay to take the in little distant.”
Given his status, it’s natural for him to be a
To Khloe, the marriage was just another item on her checklist. Oscar, however, still hoped the two might develop some genuine affection.
She nodded slightly, offering no further comment.
By the time Trey finally reached the address she had sent him, two hours had passed.
The night was deep, but the commercial district was still bustling with people.
Khloe had only given him the street name, not a specific location. With no other choice, he parked in a nearby garage and sent her a text.
When no reply came, Trey assumed Khloe was still tied up with her client. He leaned back in his seat and settled in to wait.
The day had drained him-juggling time with Angela and a relentless stream of remote work had left him exhausted. Now, on top of it all, this family drama. He was running on fumes.
But then he thought about how far Khloe had traveled for a business meeting. She must be just as worn out, if not more.
A twinge of guilt pricked at him. She was working for the family company, after all. If she was short-tempered with his mother and Alicia after a long day, maybe it was understandable.
The more he rationalized it, the more he regretted his earlier harshness. When she showed up, he decided, he would focus on smoothing things over.
He didn’t know how long he’d been dozing when his phone buzzed, jolting him awake. Thinking it was Khloe, he fumbled to answer, only to hear Angela’s anxious voice.
“Trey, it’s so late. Why aren’t you home yet? Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine. Just wrapping up some work,” he said, sitting up and rubbing his temples. He hadn’t even realized he’d fallen asleep. He didn’t want to worry her with the drama involving Khloe and his family, so he kept it vague.
“It’s two in the morning, and you’re still working?” Her skeptical tone snapped him fully alert.
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.