Valerie threw up her hands in exasperation. “You know who my client is suing?”
Whitney’s interest sharpened. “Who?”
“The girlfriend of Starwave Entertainment’s CEO. Tell me, how am I supposed to win this case?” she lamented, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Whitney raised an eyebrow, her mind racing. *Emily?* she thought, connecting the dots.
Valerie continued, “The Boss says there’s a chance we could win, and since the case was assigned to me, I can’t just pass it off to someone else. I have to push through and give it my all.”
Whitney’s interest grew, and she glanced over at Valerie’s screen. It turned out the album poster Valerie had designed was facing a plagiarism claim.
*This kind of case is a nightmare to defend,* she thought, her heart sinking.
“Why do you think the Boss stuck me with this case?” Valerie asked, her voice tinged with frustration.
Whitney’s thoughts immediately turned to Ivan. He was well aware of her history with Carter.
She smiled reassuringly. “Let me take a look at it with you tomorrow, okay?”
“Oh my god, Whit, I love you so much,” Valerie gushed, her relief palpable.
*****
At precisely 1:50 PM, Ivan and Whitney entered the Harris Group conference room.
The same familiar setting awaited them, along with the same faces they had encountered before.
Calvin practically rushed through the door to greet the PrimeBridge Law Firm team first. “Hey, Mr. Walton, Ms. Moore, that due diligence report you guys submitted last time was excellent. Our boss was really impressed,” he said, his enthusiasm almost comical.
Ivan raised an eyebrow, bemused. *It was just a standard due diligence report. Why is he making such a big deal out of it?* he thought, unaware that Calvin was merely trying to curry favor.
“Thank you for the compliment, Calvin. It’s what we’re here for,” Ivan replied smoothly, a hint of amusement in his voice.
The representatives from the accounting firm exchanged glances, their mouths twitching in confusion. *Wait, was our report not good enough or something?* they wondered, perplexed.
Klein made his entrance last, as per usual, and his gaze flickered toward the PrimeBridge Law Firm side for just a moment.
Calvin caught the glance immediately, a smug smirk crossing his face. *Knew it,* he thought triumphantly. *I kissed up to the right people.*
Klein wore his glasses again today, the very same ones he had borrowed from Whitney’s place just the day before.
Whitney felt a strange sensation stir within her, though she couldn’t quite articulate what it was.
“I’ll keep this brief,” Klein announced, his tone commanding. “For this acquisition, I want us to handle work communications during office hours as much as possible and minimize encroaching on everyone’s after-work time. That applies to our partner companies as well. I don’t want our progress to hinge on overtime. What does everyone think?”
Whitney remained silent, her mind racing with thoughts.
Calvin was quick to support him. “Mr. Harris is right. We’re more efficient during work hours anyway. We’re good with it. What about you, Mr. Walton?”
Ivan’s mouth twitched slightly. He had never heard such a bizarre suggestion in his life. “We have no objections either,” he replied smoothly, masking his disbelief.
Whitney’s mind whirled with suspicion. *Is he seriously abusing his power right now?* she thought, a bold suspicion taking root in her mind.
The meeting stretched on for a full two hours, and as the final remarks were made, it became evident that the workday was drawing to a close. The fluorescent lights flickered overhead, casting a sterile glow on the faces of the attendees, who were now eager to escape the confines of the conference room.
Calvin, with a purposeful demeanor, chose to keep Ivan back, gesturing for him to follow as they made their way to his office. The air felt thick with the remnants of discussions, and Calvin’s mind was already racing ahead, strategizing their next steps.
Meanwhile, Whitney remained in the conference room, diligently organizing the key points from the meeting. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she scribbled notes, completely oblivious to the fact that the room had emptied around her. The only other person left was Klein, who was leisurely gathering his belongings, taking his time as if the world outside could wait.
Suddenly, Klein’s smooth voice sliced through the quiet, startling her from her focused reverie. “So our weekend date is still on, right?”
Whitney’s head jerked up, her heart racing as she quickly surveyed the now-empty room. It was true; they were alone. However, she kept her tone low and cautious, trying to maintain a professional distance. “Mr. Harris, we’re going furniture shopping this weekend. It’s not a date.”
Klein raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. “What was that? I didn’t quite catch it.”
The tension in Whitney’s chest tightened. She had no desire to argue with him, and the thought of someone overhearing their conversation sent a shiver down her spine. That would be a nightmare to explain. “Nothing. See you this weekend,” she replied hastily, shoving her notebook into her bag with a sense of urgency.
As she practically bolted from the conference room, Klein stood there, one hand casually tucked into his pocket, a faint, knowing smile lingering on his lips. *She’s so easily spooked,* he mused, amused by her flustered exit.
Whitney hurried down the hallway, her fingers flying over her phone screen as she typed a message to Ivan.
Whitney: [Boss, I’ll wait for you in the parking garage.]
Just as she hit send, she collided with someone, her heart leaping into her throat. Looking up, she was met with George’s surprised expression.
“Whitney? Did you come to the company to see me?” he asked, genuine astonishment coloring his tone.
Quickly, Whitney shook her head, her cheeks flushing slightly. “No, George. I’m here on business.”
George’s assistant, Nolan Lewis, had encountered Whitney before and recognized her instantly; after all, she had nearly been part of the Harris family.
George’s brow furrowed slightly. “Business?”
Nolan interjected gently, “Mr. Harris, Ms. Moore is here for the company’s latest acquisition case. Calvin mentioned we’re collaborating with PrimeBridge Law Firm.”
A flicker of understanding crossed George’s face. “I see.”
He let out a light laugh, but it felt hollow. “Whitney, if you need anything in the future, you can contact my assistant. I have a meeting to get to, so I’ll head out now.”
Whitney maintained a faint smile, but it never quite reached her eyes. She knew better than to take his polite words at face value. If he truly meant it, he would have offered her his direct line instead of deferring to his assistant.
The realization hit her hard: the moment she had called off her engagement to Carter, she had forfeited her place in the Harris family. That decision, made on the very day of the wedding, had not only struck Carter but had also left a mark on George. His ability to remain superficially polite was, in her eyes, a generous act.
*****
Once back in his office, George’s demeanor shifted, growing cold and calculating. “Did Calvin personally choose the law firm?” he demanded.
Nolan nodded, sensing the gravity of the situation. “Yes, he did.”
*Calvin works for Klein,* George thought, a frown creasing his forehead. *Does he know about Whitney’s past engagement to Carter?*
“When you get a chance, feel free to probe Calvin a bit,” George instructed, his tone firm. “If that’s the case, you can give him a hint.”
The implication hung heavy in the air. George wanted to ensure that Calvin didn’t misinterpret Whitney’s presence as a sign of any lingering connection to the Harris family. She had made her choice to walk away from Carter, and with that choice came the loss of any privileges associated with the family.
Nolan understood the unspoken message immediately. “Yes, sir.”
Calvin didn’t dismiss Ivan until he saw Klein return to his office, a sigh escaping him as he thought, *Man, the things I do for this guy. Covering for Klein like this is exhausting. I should really put in a request with HR for a year-end bonus.*
But instead of a bonus discussion, he found himself face-to-face with Nolan.
Calvin greeted him, “Nolan, what brings you here?”
Nolan smiled, though it lacked warmth. “Nothing major. I just wanted to check if you’re still using the conference room this afternoon. Mr. George Harris needs it.”
Calvin found this question perplexing; the company had multiple conference rooms, and the administrative department circulated the schedule daily. *Is Nolan blind or something?*
With a polite smile, Calvin replied, “Well, no, we don’t need it. Mr. Klein Harris won’t be using it, so Mr. George Harris can have it.”
When addressing George’s staff, Calvin always used their full formal titles. Klein may have been younger than George, but he was the head of the corporation, and clarity was crucial to avoid any mix-ups.
Nolan acknowledged this with a nod. “Good. By the way, Calvin, is the legal team you hired for the new acquisition from PrimeBridge Law Firm? I think I just saw a familiar face.”
Calvin paused, his curiosity piqued. “Yeah, that’s right. Is there a problem?”
Nolan shook his head. “No problem. You might not know this, but there’s a Ms. Moore at PrimeBridge Law Firm who’s Mr. Carter Harris’ ex-girlfriend. I thought maybe she was here to see our Mr. George Harris. You know how it is-Mr. Carter Harris is getting married soon, and it’s probably best if ex-girlfriends keep their distance.”
Calvin froze, the implications dawning on him. *Wait, what? Is Nolan talking about George’s son? And Ms. Moore-is that Whitney? So Mr. Klein Harris is interested in his own nephew’s ex-girlfriend?*
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.