“I’m talking to you,” Klein continued smoothly, a hint of authority in his tone. “Come over and say hello. After all, I’m your elder brother, so it’s not unreasonable for you to show some courtesy, is it?”
The three of them stood there, speechless, their minds racing with disbelief. ‘What the hell?’ they all thought in unison.
“Hey, Whitney.” Dustin was the first to step forward, breaking the awkward silence that hung in the air, his tone surprisingly warm.
The other two boys followed suit, their voices trailing off as they mumbled, “Hey, Whitney,” lacking any real enthusiasm.
Klein, however, was having none of it. His brow knitted together in disapproval. “Louder. And mean it,” he commanded, his voice firm, expecting more from his friends.
Eric rolled his eyes internally at Klein’s insistence but eventually drawled out, “Hey, Whitney,” with a hint of reluctance.
Oliver mimicked Eric’s tone, echoing the greeting with a similar lack of enthusiasm.
It wasn’t that they had anything against Whitney personally; rather, they resented Klein’s tendency to play the seniority card, reminding them of their place in the social hierarchy.
“Whitney, you look really familiar,” Dustin said, tilting his head slightly, his curiosity piqued. “Have we met before?”
Whitney felt a tightening in her chest. Of course, we’ve met, she thought, her mind racing back to the wedding where the Campbell family and the Grant family had mingled. It was a significant moment, one that lingered in her memory.
Oliver leaned in, nodding in agreement. “Yeah, Whitney, I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere too,” he said, his eyes narrowing in thought.
A moment later, he inhaled sharply, clearly having been pinched by Joanne, who stood nearby. He pressed his lips together, suddenly quiet, the jovial atmosphere shifting slightly.
The guys, who had grown up together, quickly fell back into their familiar rhythm, discussing inside jokes and shared experiences that only they understood, leaving Whitney feeling a bit like an outsider.
Joanne, sensing Whitney’s discomfort, stepped forward and took her hand gently. “Let’s go check out the other side. You guys keep chatting,” she said, her voice warm and inviting.
Whitney was taken aback by the unexpected kindness from a stranger. It was a rare occurrence, and it caught her off guard.
They hadn’t walked far when Joanne playfully let go of her hand, sticking out her tongue and grinning mischievously. “Don’t you think what they were talking about back there was super boring?”
Whitney chuckled softly, feeling a flicker of connection. “Yeah, a little,” she admitted, relieved to be away from the boys’ banter.
“I’m Joanne, by the way. What’s your name?” Joanne asked, her eyes sparkling with friendliness.
“I’m Whitney. I actually know who you are,” Whitney replied, her heart racing a little at the admission.
Joanne blinked in surprise. “Oh, have you seen my work?” she asked, a hint of pride in her voice.
“No,” Whitney said, shaking her head. In truth, she had recognized Joanne the moment she laid eyes on her. She recalled the day she had first stepped into PrimeBridge Law Firm as an intern, spotting Joanne exiting Ivan’s office, her eyes red-rimmed and distressed.
Joanne seemed to sense that Whitney didn’t want to delve deeper into that memory, so she changed the topic. “You hungry? Want to grab something to eat?” she offered, her tone brightening.
Whitney nodded, but she was acutely aware of the constraints of her eye-catching dress. There was no way she could comfortably sit down and eat in it.
Joanne smiled, her enthusiasm infectious. “Your dress is gorgeous, by the way. You could walk a red carpet and outshine half the celebrities there,” she complimented, her eyes shining with sincerity.
“Thanks, that’s sweet of you to say,” Whitney replied, feeling a warmth spread through her at the compliment.
Joanne’s bubbly personality was a stark contrast to Oliver’s earlier demeanor. She exuded an extroverted energy that was hard to ignore.
Whitney felt a strange sense of disconnect, a pang of nostalgia hitting her. ‘She’s changed so much,’ she thought, recalling that brief moment from years ago. “I saw you at the firm that day,” she mentioned, her voice softening.
Joanne froze for a second, her expression shifting as she recalled that time. “Wait, you work at PrimeBridge Law Firm?” she asked, her curiosity evident.
Whitney nodded, feeling a sense of pride. “Yeah, I just started. I was still an intern back then,” she explained.
“That explains how you know me. God, I was such a mess that day,” Joanne said, a rueful laugh escaping her lips. “My agency had just screwed me over, and I was staring down this insane breach-of-contract penalty. I must’ve looked awful when you saw me.”
Whitney simply smiled, her heart softening at the memory. “You look really good now,” she reassured her.
Joanne’s eyes sparkled with a quiet humor. “Compared to back then? Yeah, I guess I am doing better,” she replied, though a hint of longing lingered in her voice, revealing that she was still striving for more.
Joanne then asked, “How long have you been seeing Mr. Harris?”
Having worked alongside Oliver for three years, she had encountered Klein more than once. Sometimes they called him Klein; other times, it was Mr. Harris-it all depended on the setting and their mood.
But one thing was certain: a low-profile powerhouse like Klein rarely brought a woman along. So, Joanne couldn’t help but wonder, ‘Is this girl actually his girlfriend?’
Whitney felt heat rise to her cheeks. “Um, not that long,” she replied, feeling a twinge of embarrassment. They weren’t even officially dating.
As the two women continued their conversation, Klein and the others made their way upstairs to the second floor.
Oliver glanced back at Klein every few steps, a light scoff escaping him. “Quit looking back like some lovesick fool. Relax, your girlfriend’s with mine, and my girl’s sweet. She’ll take good care of Whitney,” he said, attempting to ease Klein’s apparent anxiety.
–
**20:07 Thu, Dec 18**
“This is all your fault. We’re going to be late,” Hannah exclaimed, her voice sharp with irritation.
If her mother hadn’t insisted she bring along a friend’s daughter, she would have arrived much earlier. They had agreed on six-thirty, but Tina didn’t show up until seven-thirty, leaving Hannah fuming.
“I’m so sorry, Hannah. My car broke down on the way here,” Tina replied, her expression frazzled and apologetic.
Hannah felt her palms grow clammy as she thought about the plans for the night. “The more guilty you feel, the more things go wrong,” she mused, her mind racing.
She had been certain the drug was in her purse, only to realize she had left it at home and had to rush back to retrieve it.
Hannah shot Tina a glance filled with frustration but chose to remain silent. ‘Well, we’re late now,’ she thought, anxiety creeping in. ‘I just hope Oliver hasn’t left yet!’
Hannah was also one of Paul’s students, in the same year as Oliver, but she didn’t share a close bond with Paul. However, she had been infatuated with Oliver for years.
And then he started dating a no-name actress. ‘An actress is fine, but why not me?’ she thought bitterly. ‘I’m a Wills family heiress, for God’s sake.’
The Wills family wasn’t exactly top-tier, but they were certainly above the bottom feeders like the Moores, which was why Hannah looked down on Tina so much.
As soon as they entered the banquet hall, Hannah left Tina behind, striding purposefully to find Paul.
Tina felt a flash of anger bubble up but suppressed it, not daring to offend Hannah. She scanned the room for Klein, but he was nowhere to be seen. ‘Did Mom get it wrong?’ she wondered, a sense of dread creeping in. ‘Is he not even here?’
Then her eyes landed on a figure in the corner, and her breath caught in her throat. It was Whitney.
–
Whitney and Joanne had surprisingly hit it off, engrossed in conversation to the point where they lost track of time.
Suddenly, a sharp female voice sliced through the air. “Whitney. What are you doing here?”
Tina’s eyes narrowed as she glared at Whitney. ‘Mom said this was a private event and the invitations were hard to get,’ she thought, her annoyance growing. ‘Why does this girl get to be here?’
Whitney looked up, irritation flaring within her. “Tina Moore, you’re hurting my ears,” she shot back, her brow furrowing momentarily before smoothing out.
Joanne observed the tension between the two women with curiosity. ‘Is she one of Whitney’s relatives?’ she wondered, noting the name.
“You okay?” Joanne asked, concern lacing her voice.
–
**20:07 Thu, Dec 18**
Tina shot Joanne a sideways glare. “Sorry, but this is between Whitney and me. I’d appreciate it if irrelevant people would back off,” she snapped, her tone dismissive.
Joanne bristled at the passive-aggressive attitude. “Listen, lady, can you not act like some street vendor having a meltdown? This is Mr. Whitmore’s dinner party, not a zoo. If you want to bark like a dog, the door’s that way,” she retorted, her patience wearing thin.
Tina’s chest heaved with indignation. “Who are you calling a dog?” she shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
She let out a mocking laugh and turned to Whitney, her tone dripping with condescension. “Don’t tell me you’re here trying to hook a rich husband after your engagement to Carter fell through?”
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.