“Dad, there are only four days left. You need to reconsider this. It’s not too late to cancel. Otherwise, the one who’ll end up embarrassed won’t just be me; it’ll be you too,” she declared, her voice steady as she turned on her heel and walked out, refusing to look back.
Samuel’s expression turned icy, frustration etched on his features.
Faced with his obstinate daughter, he abandoned all attempts at reason, his patience wearing thin.
“Samuel, what’s going on?” Laura answered her phone from the beauty salon, her tone light.
“The wedding is the day after tomorrow. Find a way to bring Whitney back. I don’t care how you do it, but I must see her there, in person,” he ordered, his voice firm.
Laura paused, a soft laugh escaping her lips. “Alright, I got it.”
‘So Whitney has given him trouble again. If being gentle doesn’t work, then we’ll have to take a harder approach,’ Laura thought, determination settling in.
As the sun crested high in the sky, Lena stirred from her slumber, the soft rays filtering through the curtains and nudging her awake. She blinked, momentarily disoriented, and glanced at the clock. It was well past noon.
“Whit, did we run into Uncle Klein at the bar yesterday?” Lena’s voice came out a bit slurred, the remnants of sleep still clinging to her.
Whitney, sitting nearby, rolled her eyes in exasperation. “Lena, you really don’t remember?”
Lena pressed her fingers to her temples, trying to jog her memory. “Not really. I just have this hazy recollection of you ordering some massive guy, and I asked for a muscular one, and then Dustin appeared.”
Dustin, a name that carried a weight of nostalgia and complications, was Lena’s childhood companion. They had danced on the edge of engagement once, until Lena’s emotional outburst at the party shattered that dream.
Whitney often found it difficult to categorize their relationship; every encounter seemed to devolve into bickering.
“He didn’t do anything to you, did he?” Whitney’s tone turned serious, concern etching her features.
Lena’s voice rose defensively, “How dare he?”
“What about you? By the way, how did you manage to get home last night?” Lena’s curiosity piqued as she tried to piece together the fragmented memories of the previous evening.
In that moment, realization struck Whitney like a bolt of lightning; her car was still languishing in the parking lot behind the bar.
“Oh, I just took a cab,” she replied, trying to sound nonchalant.
“Got it. Too bad, next time I’ll take you somewhere new. I’ve heard there are plenty of hot guys there,” Lena remarked, a mischievous glint in her eye.
Whitney forced a smile, though it felt more like a mask. “Nah, I’m not really into that.”
“How can you not be? You were practically drooling over that pretty boy yesterday! Alright, alright, I get it-we’re besties, and I respect your taste,” Lena teased, her laughter lightening the mood.
Just then, a low, familiar male voice crackled through the phone, “Lena? Who are you talking to?”
Whitney’s senses heightened instantly. “Don’t mention me,” she whispered urgently.
But Lena was oblivious to her friend’s warning. “Hi, Uncle Klein! I’m on the phone with Whit,” she chirped cheerfully.
Whitney groaned inwardly, her heart sinking.
“Okay,” Klein replied, his tone casual.
Desperate to escape the conversation, Whitney abruptly hung up the phone, frustration bubbling within her.
At that moment, Frank strolled over, a businesslike demeanor about him. “Whitney, Valerie and I have client meetings. Starwave Entertainment wants us to come over. You in?”
Whitney blinked slowly, taking a moment to gather her thoughts. “Sure, I’ll go.”
The contract with Starwave Entertainment was set to expire today, the 27th, and Whitney hadn’t anticipated that Carter would find a way to torment her even on the final day. ‘What an exhausting ex,’ she mused, irritation flaring.
Zoe, efficient as ever, guided Whitney directly into the office.
As she entered, her gaze landed on Carter, who was already seated. She took a deep breath, maintaining her composure. “Mr. Harris, I didn’t think your company would be so frugal as to not spare the last day of the contract.”
Carter appeared unfazed by her sarcasm, sliding a contract across the table toward her. “Please help me review this service contract. Look it over carefully; you can do it right here.”
Whitney flipped the document open, her heart sinking as she skimmed through the text.
It turned out to be the contract that Starwave Entertainment had signed with the production company for Emily.
Carter had gone all out, hiring the top team directly. She couldn’t help but twitch the corner of her mouth at the sight of the multi-million-dollar deal.
Carter studied her expression, hoping to catch a glimpse of disappointment.
But to his surprise, she remained unyielding, her focus unwavering as she meticulously examined each line.
He had intentionally called her in today, convinced that she couldn’t have truly moved on.
Yet, for the first time, doubts began to creep into his mind. Perhaps she really had moved on.
“Are you not angry?” he asked softly, narrowing his eyes as if searching for a crack in her armor.
Without glancing up, Whitney kept her attention on the contract, amusement dancing in her voice. “Work makes me happy. Why would I be angry?”
“Ms. Moore, I’ve finished reviewing the contract. Aside from the last section regarding breach penalties needing revision, everything else looks fine. The revised content is already standardized. You can take a look,” she added, her tone professional.
Carter’s gaze remained fixed on her, unblinking, as he took the contract from her.
“Excellent, Ms. Moore. You’re as professional as always. Are you genuinely not considering renewing with us? I could double the service fee if that would help,” he offered, a hint of desperation creeping into his voice.
Whitney offered him a slight smile, one that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “PrimeBridge Law Firm would certainly be interested in renewing our contract with Starwave Entertainment, but due to personal reasons, I won’t be able to continue as your lead counsel.”
“Of course, our team has many other excellent lawyers. If you’re open to it, I can have Mr. Reese come by tomorrow to discuss renewal with your assistant,” she added, keeping her tone steady.
Carter’s expression darkened, irritation flaring within him. “No need. If you don’t have time, then there’s no reason for us to renew either.”
Just as Whitney stood to leave, the office door swung open, and Emily stepped inside. “Carter, I came today to-“
She halted mid-sentence upon spotting Whitney in the room.
Her expression stiffened slightly, and she forced an awkward smile. “Whitney, you’re here too? I was just passing by and thought I’d invite Carter to lunch. Whitney, would you like to join us?”
Though her words dripped with politeness, her eyes were daggers, silently urging Whitney to stay away.
Whitney contemplated teasing Emily but decided it wasn’t worth the effort.
At that moment, her only desire was to distance herself from this irritating duo.
“No thanks. I wouldn’t want to intrude on your lunch, Ms. Miller and Mr. Harris. I have other matters to attend to. Excuse me,” she replied, her voice steady as she turned to leave.
An inexplicable irritation bubbled within Carter’s chest. “Wait, I’ll walk you out. Emily and I were heading downstairs anyway.”
He cast a gentle look at Emily. “Let’s go. Didn’t we say we’d have lunch?”
‘Stuck with these clingy nuisances,’ Whitney cursed silently. ‘Do they really have to ride the same elevator as me?’
Whitney stepped inside first, pressing the button for basement level two.
Carter and Emily positioned themselves behind her, their presence a looming shadow.
As the elevator ascended to the 12th floor, it jolted violently twice, and the lights flickered out, plunging them into darkness.
Whitney felt her body stiffen, pressing against the elevator wall as panic surged through her.
“Carter, what’s happening? I’m so scared,” Emily’s quivering voice pierced through the silence, and Carter instinctively pulled her close, his heart aching at her distress.
“Don’t be afraid. Someone will come to rescue us soon,” he assured her, his voice steady despite the growing uncertainty.
The emergency call button appeared unresponsive, and glancing at his phone, Carter noted the weak signal-only one bar.
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.