Yet, despite the tension, she found a flicker of amusement in the absurdity of it all. What right does he have to be angry? she mused, annoyance bubbling within her.
“I’m not looking to die tonight. Slow down, or I’ll call the cops,” Whitney warned, shooting him a pointed glare.
Carter caught sight of her pale lips, and recalling her earlier complaints about her stomach, he reluctantly eased off the accelerator, the car slowing down.
Once they arrived, Whitney slammed the car door shut, her expression icy as she marched up to the guest room on the second floor.
Carter followed her, hesitating outside her door for a moment before retreating to his own room, both of them avoiding the master bedroom like it was a minefield.
Inside her room, Whitney rubbed her stomach, forcing herself to respond to her clients’ messages. She checked her calendar, organized her cases for the upcoming week, and finally shut her laptop with a sigh.
She logged into her alternate account, the only person she followed being Emily.
The last time she had checked Emily’s page, she had forgotten to switch back to her main account.
A red dot on her following list caught her attention, and she clicked on it. Emily had just posted a new tweet five minutes ago.
Emily: [My brother got me the Heart of Angel as a welcome-back gift. What do you guys think? Isn’t it gorgeous?]
“So it was Carter who dropped 15 million dollars at Crownstone Auction House for the Heart of Angel,” Whitney thought, a bitter taste rising in her throat.
Just then, a knock echoed through her room, and with a heavy heart, Whitney opened the door.
Carter stood there, one hand tucked in his pocket, the other holding out a gift box. “Saw this at the mall while I was away. Thought you’d like it, so I got it for you,” he said, his voice casual, but the tension was thick in the air.
If Whitney hadn’t just seen Emily’s post, she might have believed that Carter was genuinely trying to make amends.
But now, staring at the jewelry box that felt almost like a cruel joke, she couldn’t muster any anger. Instead, a small smile crept onto her lips. “Wow, what a surprise. Hope it didn’t break the bank.”
Carter frowned, catching the sarcasm in her tone. “Hundreds of thousands won’t break the bank.”
Whitney took the box, attempting to shut the door, but Carter stepped into the entryway, blocking her escape.
Raising an eyebrow, she asked, “Got another gift for me?”
Carter arched his own brow in response. “Nope. Just a reminder. We’re getting our marriage license tomorrow.”
Whitney glanced at her phone, casually reading a new message that popped up. [Whit, are you with Carter right now? If you call him, he’ll ditch you in a second. Wanna try it?]
The message was quickly deleted, a knot forming in her stomach.
Carter looked annoyed, his patience wearing thin. “Hey, I’m talking to you,” he said, his voice sharper than before.
Whitney offered him a half-smile, her eyes locked onto his. “Sorry, what did you say?”
Carter repeated himself, impatience creeping into his tone. “We’re getting our marriage license tomorrow. Don’t sleep in…”
Before he could finish, his phone rang, cutting through the tension.
“Hey, Milly,” he answered, his demeanor shifting instantly. “Where are you? I’m coming right now. Just wait for me.”
Without sparing Whitney another glance, he rushed downstairs, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the silence. Moments later, she heard the car roar to life and speed off into the night.
“Marriage license? What a joke,” Whitney scoffed to herself, her heart heavy with the weight of their reality.
Without wasting a moment, she decided to send the jewelry straight off to a high-end consignment store, eager to rid herself of the reminder of their fractured relationship.
This time, she packed up everything-the sheets, comforter set, scented candles, bath products-every single item she had lovingly chosen for their home, shoving it all into boxes with a sense of finality.
Next, she marched to Carter’s room.
Opening his closet, she grabbed every shirt and tie she had ever bought for him, stuffing them into her suitcase as well.
Whitney heaved another suitcase down the stairs, determination fueling her every step.
Linda, taken aback, blinked in surprise. “M-Madam, are you going on another business trip?”
Whitney turned to her, offering a faint smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “No, I’m moving out. I probably won’t be coming back.”
Linda watched Whitney walk away, her expression a mix of shock and concern.
‘Is she joking, or is she really leaving for good?’ Linda pondered, anxiety creeping into her heart.
“Milly, why are you always so careless? You know your health isn’t great. Why don’t you just stay with Mom and Dad?” Carter’s voice was laced with worry as he confronted his sister.
Emily’s tears fell, soft and sudden, landing on Carter’s hand like tiny pearls.
Seeing her tears caused a sharp pain to pierce Carter’s heart. “Milly, I wasn’t trying to be harsh with you…” he said, his voice softening.
Emily wiped her tears away, her voice barely a whisper. “I know, Carter. I know I’m not very helpful. But what can I do? You’re the only one who cares about me in this house.”
Carter set down the cotton swab and gently pulled her into his arms. “Come on, don’t cry. I was too harsh earlier. It’s alright. I’ve got your back, always.”
Whitney set out for the law firm at the crack of dawn, the sun barely peeking over the horizon. She could feel the weight of the day ahead pressing down on her, a familiar tension coiling in her stomach.
As she stepped through the office doors, Rosalie, her diligent assistant, rushed over, her eyes wide with urgency. “Whitney, you’re finally here! Mr. Walton is absolutely furious today. He’s counting on you to fix the mess that Valerie and Frank made of that court case yesterday,” she whispered, her voice barely above a murmur.
Whitney nodded, her heart racing as she approached the conference room door, a sense of foreboding creeping in. She knocked lightly.
“Come in,” a voice called from within, sharp and impatient.
Pushing the door open, she was met with a sight that made her stomach drop: Valerie Garner and Frank Reese sat slumped in their chairs, looking utterly defeated. Their manager, Ivan Walton, had a face like stone, his anger palpable in the air.
“Morning, Whitney. How did the first hearing go yesterday for that guarantee contract dispute with SilverCore Capital that you were handling?” Ivan asked, his tone a mix of expectation and irritation.
Taking a seat, Whitney steadied herself. “Boss, the first hearing went smoothly. The other party’s client is open to a settlement,” she replied, trying to keep her voice steady.
“Good. You two should really take a page out of Whitney’s book. Maybe then I wouldn’t have to rely on blood pressure meds every day,” Ivan snapped at Valerie and Frank. “Alright, you two can leave. Whitney, stay for a moment.”
Whitney inhaled deeply, her mind racing. “Boss, there’s something important I want to discuss with you.”
Ivan, always more patient with her than with others, nodded. “Go ahead.”
“Since my legal counsel contract with Starwave Entertainment is ending this month, I was thinking of passing it on to either Frank or Valerie. What do you think?” she ventured, her heart pounding as she spoke.
Starwave Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Harris Group, had once felt like a golden opportunity, but now it felt like a chain around her neck. Carter, the man who had once made her feel special, had turned into a painful reminder of what had been lost.
Ivan frowned, his brow furrowing in concern. “You were the one who brought Starwave in. Are you sure you want to hand it off? Whitney, are you thinking straight today?”
She could sense the weight of his words. The Harris Group was a colossal opportunity, and she had once been on the inside track.
Ivan had summoned her today, hoping to forge connections with the executives at the Harris Group, a chance to elevate their firm’s status.
Only a select few knew about her past engagement to Carter, and outside the elite circles of Ravorport, no one had a clue about her family ties, especially that her father was the CEO of AetherTech.
“Boss, I’m absolutely certain. To be honest, I only landed the contract because my ex-boyfriend pulled some strings for me. Now that we’ve split, it wouldn’t be right for me to remain involved,” Whitney explained, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her.
It was the first time Ivan had realized that Whitney’s boyfriend was actually connected to Starwave Entertainment.
“Aren’t you two supposed to be getting married soon?” he blurted out, his surprise evident.
Whitney’s lips twisted into a bitter smile. “But we broke up.”
Ivan paused, drumming his fingers on the table as he processed her words. Finally, he nodded. “Alright. When the contract’s up, I’ll handle the handover myself.”
As Whitney wrapped up her work, she glanced at the clock and realized it was already 11:30 AM. A wave of disappointment washed over her as she checked her phone, still devoid of any messages from Carter.
‘Just as I thought,’ she scoffed inwardly. ‘He never took it seriously.’
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.