Chapter 43: Nicholas Whitlock

Nick knew where he wanted to go, and it was the absolute last place he should be. If he was seen with her, Caleb could use it against him, could say his irresponsibility in his personal life would lead to the mishandling of Whitlock Inc.

Still, he couldn’t help it. He went to her, (his, he reminded himself) condo and knocked on the door. It was early evening. Maybe she’d be back from the appointment. All of them were now on his schedule, added the day he found out about the baby.

The door opened, his heart in his throat. His fear faded when it was not Jasmine’s figure that greeted him, but Natalie’s.

“Oh,” she said, caught off guard. “Sorry, Jasmine isn’t back yet. You’re welcome to stay until then, though. It’s your place.”

Instinctively, he shook his head. “No. I’d probably wouldn’t be helpful to her right now. I’ll come back later.” He turned on his heel and started back down the hallway.

“Hey, Nick?” she called.

He stopped, turned his head. “Yes?”

“Don’t leave her hanging too long. She might never say it to you if you don’t, but she loves you. She deserves to know if you feel the same.”

His whole existence stopped for one long, agonizing moment.

Rather than verbalizing his thoughts, he simply nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you.”

The city felt oppressive. His fingerprint, his whole family’s fingerprint, was on almost every building. There was nowhere he could escape from the legacy he held in his hands.

Jasmine’s face, lit up by the light pouring through the stained glass of the hilltop church, appeared in his mind. He’d never been more himself than that moment. And yet, she’d been carrying a massive secret from him. Did he really know who she was if she could keep something like that from him for so long?

Those days at Cannes weren’t a lie; he knew that much. The strength she displayed during the interview wasn’t an illusion. He held onto those moments together.

Part of his job was to read someone in an instant, know their real intentions before ever setting eyes on them because it was the only way you could have an advantage over them. Their secrets were never as well-hidden as their bearers thought they were, which made it easy to get what you want.

She broke all the rules, though, from the night they met.

She should have been a rebellious young woman living a pipe dream before she went home. She should have the cockiness of a wealthy upbringing, thinking the world couldn’t touch her with hardship.

And yet she was none of that, and so much more.

Without much thought, he directed his driver to his parent’s home.

The elaborate mansion that sat on top of the hill overlooked the East River. It was ostentatious to be sure: the architecture was Colonial, but the gardens were modern, with patios, rock gardens, and several water features.

Despite the wealth of it all, it didn’t stop his feelings of nostalgia upon seeing it. It was where he grew up, where he tormented Astrid until he was old enough to know better, and where he learned how relationships shouldn’t work.

He walked into the large entry foyer, and his dad was already at the top of the stairs.

“So, she wasn’t lying?” he said, the disdain for a woman he’d never met clear. Nick bit back a defensive remark.

“No.”

“Well, come on then.” His dad nodded for him to follow.

They entered his study; the walls as cold as he remembered. None of the books that lined the wall had been opened since they were place on their shelves.

“She’s still not asking for anything?”

“She said whatever I wanted to give, but she didn’t expect anything when she first told me. I don’t expect her to change her answer.”

He smiled. “Good. Write her a check for a million and tell her to leave New York. The money will be enough for her to start somewhere else and take care of the kid for a few years at least.”

He stared at his father. This was the exact response he anticipated from the man; it was almost word-for-word the answer he gave for the Autumn situation, and still, he couldn’t help but be shocked.

“What, so I’m just supposed to buy her off, forget her and the baby exist?”

“That’s exactly what you’re supposed to do.” The older man didn’t flinch. “We have worked too hard for you to be burdened with an illegitimate child. Her family is important enough; marriage would normally be an option, but with how far along she is, there will be too many questions. It’ll be best if she disappeared, for you and her.”

It was the logical answer, however painful it was.

“What did you do when you found out Mom was pregnant?”

“That’s different.”

“Just answer the question.”

He sighed, rubbed his temples. “We were already planning to be engaged. I took a couple weeks off, went to the property in South Dakota, and when I came back, we married almost immediately. But as I said, our engagement had been planned long before you were ever a thought in our minds.”

Nick fell silent. His mom had never seemed truly happy. Life with his father was lonely. He was always gone, and she relied on her children far too much to compensate for his absence. He knew in her final days she held no love for the man she’d spent most of her life with. He didn’t know he could do that to Jasmine. She’d already fought too hard to escape a life she hated.

His dad could never understand their struggle, though. Nick wasn’t sure if the man was capable of empathy in general.

He stood up. “Thank you for your advice. I need some time to consider the options.”

His father stood as well. “I know you’ll do the best thing for the Whitlock family. You’ve got a good head on your shoulders.” He extended his hand, and as they always had, they shook hands before parting ways. It was closest to affection his dad could show.

Nick was no closer to a clear answer, regardless of what his dad said. He was half-tempted to message Astrid, get her perspective as one of the only people who knew him well enough to tell him what to do.

He’d never find answers from someone else, though. There was one bit of advice he’d take from his dad though: he needed some space from Whitlock and Jasmine, to find the best answer for him.

He sent a quick message to the board to tell them of his sudden vacation, and then promptly shut off his phone before he directed the driver to the airport. Merrick wouldn’t leave him alone if he had the chance; he’d made that much clear in his office over a week ago. And if he heard from Jasmine, well, it would be much easier for him to think clearly if he didn’t talk to her.

Nick pulled into the airport, completely unaware of the message Jasmine had sent just moments before.