“I’ll confirm this with your sister myself, but you need to keep your head down for the next month. Before their wedding, you’d better not cause any trouble.”
If Carter was indeed getting married, the wedding would surpass the last one in extravagance.
More wealthy families would attend, and if his daughter could show up as a bridesmaid for the Harris family, it might salvage some of her tarnished reputation.
Samuel was practical; whichever daughter could elevate his standing would earn his favor.
So, when Whitney stepped out of the law firm, she was surprised to find Samuel’s car waiting for her.
She slid into the passenger seat. “Dad, what are you doing here?”
Samuel snorted coldly. “What, I can’t come here now? Whitney, do you even remember what you promised me? Carter’s getting married, so what do you plan to use to marry into the Harris family?”
Whitney’s eyes flickered momentarily. ‘So he knows about it,’ she thought.
A slight smile graced her lips, completely unfazed by his accusations. “I know, Dad. We broke up, so he can marry whoever he wants. What’s wrong with that?”
“You-” Samuel gritted his teeth. “Whitney, last time you made such bold promises and set conditions. You made me agree to let Laura and your sister move out of Moore Manor, and the condition was that you’d marry into the Harris family. Now you’re telling me there’s nothing wrong?”
“Everything’s wrong about this,” Whitney shrugged dismissively. “Dad, I think you’ve got it twisted. They moved out of Moore Manor as punishment for drugging me with her nephew’s help.”
She continued, “And marrying into the Harris family? That was about securing your 15% shares.”
Samuel found himself at a loss for words. Regardless of the past, what mattered most was that he needed a strong marriage alliance to bolster his company.
Due to Tina’s blunders, his business was struggling more than ever.
He sighed heavily. “Then tell me, how are you going to marry into the family now? You don’t want the 15% shares anymore?”
Whitney’s lips curled into a confident smile. “Want them? Of course I do. Dad, I said I’d marry into the Harris family, but I never said the person I’d marry was Carter.”
Samuel’s eyes widened in shock. “If you’re not marrying Carter, who else could you possibly marry?”
Suddenly, a thought struck him. ‘Wait, there’s more than one unmarried man in the Harris family. Could it be-‘
Whitney interrupted his thoughts. “Dad, what if I told you my target has always been the real power behind Harris Group?”
A hint of mockery flickered in her eyes. “I’ve been rethinking the previous terms, and they’re not quite enough. If I pull this off, you’ll need to give me at least 20% of the shares. Do you agree?”
Samuel froze, his mind racing. ‘I never saw this coming,’ he thought. ‘Whitney’s after Klein? But how would Klein ever fall for her? And she’s his nephew’s rejected fiancée, for heaven’s sake.’
“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” he said, his brow furrowing. “Klein’s not someone you can just set your sights on.”
Whitney locked eyes with him, her voice slow and deliberate. “What if I actually pull it off?”
Heat surged through Samuel’s chest, and he swallowed hard. “If you manage that, fine. I’ll agree to your terms.”
“Good. But we’re not doing this on a handshake. We’re drawing up new papers and getting them notarized.”
Samuel contemplated the risks he had to take to achieve his goals.
His jaw clenched, and a reckless determination took over. “Fine,” he snapped. “Let’s do it.”
Tina sat impatiently, her eyes glued to her phone, waiting for Samuel to call. Each passing minute felt like an eternity. She had hoped that once he grasped the full scope of the situation, he would at least make an effort to extricate them from this dismal place. A spacious penthouse was one thing, but it paled in comparison to the grandeur of their villa.
“Mom, has Dad completely lost his mind?” she exclaimed, frustration bubbling to the surface. “He knows everything now! So why isn’t he telling us to come home?”
Laura, her mother, had a deeper understanding of the dynamics at play. “Tina, you need to brace yourself. We’re not moving back anytime soon,” she replied with a calmness that belied the turmoil within her.
The moment they had vacated Moore Manor, Laura had come to terms with their new reality.
“Whitney must have struck some deal with your father that we’re completely unaware of. She’s got a way with words-her only real talent, if you ask me. So, we don’t need to do anything right now. Let’s just sit back and watch her trip over her own schemes,” she said, her voice steady yet laced with a hint of bitterness.
Tina felt a wave of relief wash over her at her mother’s words. “You’re right. That bitch is all talk anyway,” she said, a smirk creeping onto her face.
Laura’s lips curled into a knowing smile. “Now, listen closely, Tina. You need to seize this bridesmaid opportunity. Your ability to make a stunning comeback hinges on that day,” she advised, her eyes sparkling with determination.
Tina’s face brightened with excitement. “Mom, do you have a plan already?”
Laura chuckled softly. Plans didn’t materialize that quickly, but she was intent on ensuring Tina made an unforgettable entrance.
“Talk to Milly about the bridesmaid dress. We need to see if we can arrange something on our own. Just let her know we won’t overshadow her,” Laura instructed, her tone firm yet encouraging.
But deep down, Laura was resolute in her intention to make Tina the second focal point of the entire event, right after the bride.
Tina wasn’t unattractive; she just needed a touch of refinement.
Over the coming month, Laura knew she needed to work diligently on correcting Tina’s less desirable habits. *But can they really be fixed?* she pondered with an inward sigh, her heart heavy with the weight of uncertainty.
*****
After her heated confrontation with Samuel, Whitney returned to the law firm, ready to dive into her work with a vengeance.
As soon as Ivan spotted her, he beckoned her into his office. “At two o’clock this afternoon, the Harris Group is holding a meeting. I’ve already submitted the due diligence report you all prepared last time. They should have received the financial and business assessments as well,” he said, his voice steady and professional.
“This afternoon’s agenda will cover the due diligence findings, risk factors, and the next steps for valuation assessment. Mr. Harris will likely be there too. Frank has court this afternoon and can’t attend, so you’re coming with me,” he added, a hint of excitement in his tone.
Whitney felt a rush of exhilaration. “Sounds good!” she replied, her heart racing at the prospect of being involved in such an important meeting.
Even as a support staff member on a merger of this magnitude, Whitney knew she had the chance to absorb invaluable knowledge. Of course, she would seize the opportunity with both hands.
“However, Whitney, you should prepare yourself. We’ll probably be working weekends for the next few weeks,” Ivan warned, his expression serious.
Whitney’s brow furrowed slightly as she processed the information. “Boss, starting this weekend?” she asked, a hint of concern creeping into her voice.
“Most likely. It all depends on how today’s meeting unfolds. What’s wrong? Got a date?” Ivan teased, a playful glint in his eye.
She forced a laugh, her cheeks warming. “No, it’s not a date.”
Back at her desk, Whitney contemplated the situation and decided to send Klein a message.
Whitney: [Sorry, I might have to work this weekend. I won’t be able to make it to the furniture store with you.]
Ten minutes crawled by before Klein responded.
Klein: [You’ve got a lot of cases right now?]
Whitney: [Not many court dates lately, but there’s that investment and acquisition project with your company.]
After hitting send, she waited anxiously, but this time it took half an hour for his reply to come through.
Klein: [Got it.]
Whitney let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
As a lawyer, she despised the feeling of standing someone up, so when she had to cancel on someone, she made it a point to keep her tone polite and apologetic.
This time, canceling on Klein felt particularly significant.
Valerie, her colleague, glanced at Whitney with envy. “Whitney, you get to work with the Boss again and learn so much,” she remarked, her voice tinged with admiration.
Whitney smiled, “You’ll get your chance too.”
She had earned her position through sheer skill, and Valerie respected that.
Valerie sighed, her shoulders slumping. “Yeah, but with my mediocre abilities, I should just be grateful the Boss doesn’t kick me off the team. This infringement case I’m working on is giving me a monumental headache.”
“What infringement case?” Whitney inquired, her curiosity piqued.
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.