Chapter 4 A Perfectly Timed Move
513 Words
That night, Sean didn't sleep a wink.
He kept pacing the bedroom until daybreak, then finally dug out a medical checkup booklet from his drawer and shoved it at me.
"Honey, maybe I should just go get a vasectomy tomorrow."
I leaned back against the headboard, watching him. "You're really not scared?"
He sat on the edge of the bed, dead serious. "I was, at first. I was scared you would leave me. But then I realized my mom went too far. Having kids is our call, not hers. She made it look like your fault in front of everyone and tried to pressure you with inheritance. If I don't stand with you now, what kind of husband would I be?"
I studied him. His eyes were steady, hurt, but unshaken.
"And besides," he added in a lower voice, "if I actually let Lily into this house, you'd probably take down me and the entire White family with one move."
I couldn't help laughing, "At least you know it."
Sean asked quietly, "Then why did you say yes yesterday?"
I said, "Because Elizabeth reminded me of something."
"What?" he frowned.
"The White heir matters too much. It can't all fall on you."
Sean froze for a moment, then his eyes gradually lit up. "Honey, you're plotting something again, aren't you?"
I pinched his cheek. "This is called strategy."
The next morning, I brought a woman to the White family estate.
She was in her early forties, impeccably maintained. Dressed in a pale silk dress, hair loosely pinned up, she carried herself with a soft, cultured elegance.
Her name was Linda Quinn. Officially, she was an art investment consultant. Unofficially, she was one of my mother's top PR specialists, an expert at handling wealthy middle-aged men with inflated egos and ambition to match.
When I entered, Elizabeth was in the living room selecting jewelry for Lily.
She frowned the moment she saw us. "Who's this?"
I smiled, "This is Linda. She's an art foundation advisor."
Mark came downstairs, and the moment his eyes landed on Linda, he visibly hesitated.
Linda smiled lightly, "Mr. White, I've long admired you. Your acquisition of HorizonPeak Capital was repeatedly analyzed in my business school case studies."
Mark's eyes lit up at once. No successful middle-aged man could resist a young woman appreciating his rise, especially one who wasn't frivolous, but composed, graceful, and flattering in all the right ways.
He cleared his throat. "Just ancient history. Nothing worth mentioning."
Linda lowered her gaze with a soft smile. "Only someone truly remarkable would speak of their achievements so lightly."
The corner of Mark's mouth lifted before he could stop it.
I chose the exact right moment and gently nudged Linda forward.
"Elizabeth was right yesterday. The White heir can't be delayed. Relying on Sean alone is too slow. Mark, you're in good health. Your genes are strong. Linda is gentle, beautiful, and of clean background. If she could also give the White family another child, wouldn't that be a double blessing?"
The entire room went rigid in an instant.
- Writer
