‘Wait, so they were just freebies?’ Whitney thought, a wave of relief washing over her. Just moments ago, she had been fretting over how to initiate the conversation, but now, the tension began to ease.
“They’re pretty cute. Rabbits are actually my favorite animal,” she said, her tone brightening as she relaxed into the moment.
“Is that so?” Klein replied, a half-smile playing on his lips. “Look over there. A friend gave me a rabbit, but I haven’t named her yet. Do you have any suggestions?”
Whitney’s eyes sparkled with delight, her excitement bubbling to the surface. “You have a rabbit? Wow, she’s adorable! So fluffy and white. What a beautiful bunny!” She exclaimed, her enthusiasm infectious.
Unable to resist the urge, Whitney reached out, gently scratching the rabbit’s back. “You’re such a sweet girl. Little bunny, you don’t have a name yet, do you? Are you a girl? How about Jasmine?”
Klein glanced at his boy bunny and chuckled, “Jasmine, huh? Sure, let’s call him Jasmine.”
‘Dad?’ the rabbit blinked up at Klein, a look of innocent confusion in its eyes.
After several minutes of playful interaction with the bunny, Whitney’s mind snapped back to the reason for her visit. She sat down across from Klein once more, her hands nervously clasped on her knees. Wetting her lips, she finally spoke, “So, about what you mentioned before… about marriage. I’ve been thinking about it.”
“If you don’t mind that I broke off my engagement with your nephew, I’d be willing to marry you,” Whitney said softly, her voice a blend of shyness and sincerity.
Klein’s throat tightened as he met her gaze, his voice slightly husky as he asked, “Have you really thought it through?”
“Yeah… honestly, I’d be the one getting the better end of the deal if I married you,” Whitney murmured, her eyes fixed on the floor, unable to meet his intense gaze.
“That’s not true,” Klein replied gently, his heart racing at her admission.
He licked his lips, feeling a rush of warmth at her straightforwardness. Even though he had just showered, he felt heat creeping back into his cheeks.
Klein reached for a throw pillow, placing it on his lap as he considered their situation. “Patricia just passed away. Should we wait a year before we register our marriage and have the wedding?”
Whitney’s expression dimmed at the mention of Klein’s loss. “No, not a whole year. Let’s… wait until the memorial period is over.”
‘Grandma, I really can’t wait any longer,’ Whitney thought, her heart heavy with the weight of her emotions. ‘I can’t wait to deal with those people. Grandma, please forgive me just this once, okay?’
“But since my grandma just passed away, I’d rather we keep things private for now. Is that okay?” Whitney asked softly, her voice tinged with uncertainty.
She worried that her request might upset him, but at that moment, all she wanted was to shield their relationship from prying eyes.
Klein locked eyes with her, his gaze penetrating and sincere. “Sure.”
“After the memorial period, do you want to move in with me, or should I move in with you?” Klein asked, his tone casual but laced with anticipation.
Whitney was momentarily at a loss for words, surprised by his ease in navigating this new territory.
‘He’s really getting used to this whole relationship thing pretty fast,’ she thought, a mix of admiration and surprise flooding her mind.
“I’ll move in with you,” she replied softly, a hint of determination in her voice.
Klein nodded, rising to retrieve a card from the drawer, sliding it over to her with a casual grace.
“Just buy whatever you want. I honestly have no idea what kind of stuff you girls like,” he said, sounding slightly awkward yet sincere.
Whitney gulped, staring at the black card in disbelief.
“It’s okay. I have my own…” she began, but Klein interrupted her.
“I’m old-fashioned about this. A man should take care of his home. Go ahead and take it. There’s stuff we’ll need for the house anyway.”
“Since we’re getting married, what’s mine is yours,” Klein added, his voice gentle yet firm.
‘Yeah, but my money’s still mine,’ Whitney thought to herself, a flicker of doubt crossing her mind.
Her own savings were pretty pathetic anyway. Yet, she didn’t hesitate any longer. She knew there would be plenty of opportunities to lean on him in the future, and taking the card didn’t bother her at all.
She’d only use it for household expenses anyway.
As Whitney stepped out of Klein’s villa, a sense of disbelief washed over her.
‘So… it’s really settled? Just like that?’ she thought, still feeling a bit dazed.
She could hardly fathom that Klein would actually be her spouse.
Climbing into her car, her head spun with the whirlwind of emotions. She sat there for a moment, gathering her thoughts before finally pressing the accelerator.
Klein stood by the window, watching her drive away, his smile stretching wide across his face.
*****
At exactly ten o’clock, Samuel welcomed Whitney into his office, a dry chuckle escaping him. “Whit, you made it.”
This time, his demeanor was entirely different from their last encounter.
Whitney let out a small tsk, taking her usual seat. “So, what do you want to talk about?”
Samuel forced a smile, attempting to maintain his composure. “Whit, you know, I was actually right about something last time.”
Whitney scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Dad, those shares were always meant for me. Grandma gave them to me ages ago. Whether you say it or not, they’re already under my name.”
For a moment, Samuel was at a loss for words, clearly caught off guard.
“Yeah, I never said they weren’t yours. If there’s anything else you want, just let me know. But you know how things are with Laura…” Samuel trailed off, his voice laden with unspoken tension.
“Whit, the company’s stock price is dropping. That’s not good for you either, is it?” he said, trying to sound reasonable.
Whitney tapped her fingers rhythmically on the table, her expression steady. “Yeah, that’s true. But if you think you can just brush me off with a lame apology, that’s not happening.”
Samuel’s expression darkened. “So, what do you want?”
Whitney flashed a triumphant smile, her confidence surging. “First, Laura and Tina need to move out of the villa. That house belongs to my mom and you. They have no business living there.”
The villa was steeped in memories of Patricia, and Whitney’s resolve only strengthened.
Samuel’s face turned stormy, but he gritted his teeth and agreed without hesitation. “Fine.”
“Second, they both have to make a public apology to me on social media, and from now on, they’d better keep their distance. That’s not asking too much, is it?” Whitney pressed, her eyes glinting with determination.
Samuel’s expression darkened again. “Sure. I’ll have them apologize. But I’ll make sure they keep it vague. If the details get out, it’ll be bad for the company.”
Whitney shrugged, unfazed by his concerns. She suddenly raised an eyebrow, a new thought crossing her mind. “One more thing, just to confirm, you promised me another 5% if I married Carter, right?”
Samuel shot her a suspicious look. ‘Wait, is she having second thoughts? Is she actually trying to win Carter back?’ he wondered.
“Yeah. If you marry into the Harris family, I’ll give you another 5% of the shares,” Samuel said, attempting to sound firm.
Whitney smirked, a glint of mischief in her eyes. “Then here’s my third condition. I want that 5% bumped up to 10%. If you agree to all three conditions and actually follow through, I’ll drop the case.”
Samuel narrowed his eyes, assessing Whitney’s sudden ambition.
He hadn’t expected her to be so shrewd.
“Whit, that third condition isn’t something you get just for dropping the case,” Samuel replied, his tone resolute.
Whitney shrugged, unfazed. “Of course, but you need to put it in writing. Better yet, get it notarized. Otherwise, how am I supposed to make sure you actually follow through if I do my part?”
Samuel paused, trying to decipher Whitney’s angle. ‘But would Carter really agree to marry her?’ he wondered, contemplating the implications.
Of course, if they did tie the knot, that would be even better for the company.
When it came to business, Samuel never hesitated.
“Fine. I agree to all three conditions,” he said, his voice steady.
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.