Sign the Papers Mr. Langford novel Chapter 21

Lawrence Langford opened the thermos and said smoothly, "No need."

Willow Whitaker paused.

"But Wren..."

"She's been emotionally unstable lately," Lawrence replied, his tone entirely even. "Explaining will just cause more drama."

Willow looked down, feigning a look of quiet distress.

"Will Wren think I did it on purpose?"

"You didn't."

Two words, crisp and absolute.

Willow's heart fluttered in her chest.

She looked up at Lawrence.

The man was looking down as he drank his soup, his sharp profile completely devoid of emotion.

But it was exactly this calmness that made it abundantly clear to her—he was on her side.

At least in this moment, he was standing with her.

Willow spoke softly. "Lawrence, you're too good to me. Sometimes I'm afraid Wren will misunderstand."

Lawrence paused his movements.

After a moment, he said, "She's your sister. She shouldn't always hold things against you."

Willow lowered her lashes, hiding the fleeting gleam of triumph in her eyes.

"Yeah."

Of course she knew Wren would care.

What woman wouldn't care that her husband was letting someone else parade around like Mrs. Langford?

But that was exactly what she wanted. She needed Wren to care.

The more Wren cared, the more petty she would look.

The more she lost her composure, the less she looked like a proper Mrs. Langford.

Meanwhile, Willow would remain forever gentle, forever dignified, and forever considerate of Lawrence.

One day, everyone would realize that the position of Mrs. Langford was always meant to be hers.

Before leaving the office, Willow's gaze swept over the stack of documents on the corner of his desk.

Peeking out from the bottom was the corner of a manila envelope.

The sender's name faintly displayed the word 'Wren'.

Her footsteps faltered for a fraction of a second.

But Lawrence happened to answer his phone right then, so she couldn't risk lingering to check. She had to leave.

The office door clicked shut.

The envelope remained resting quietly on the desk.

Like a secret just waiting to detonate.

"You're right. That actually might smooth it out."

Julian looked at her, a faint smile playing in his eyes.

"Ms. Whitaker, how does it feel to be back?"

Wren set her pen down.

"Not bad."

It really wasn't bad.

It was infinitely better than sitting at the Langford Estate, guessing if Lawrence would come home tonight, wondering if Leo would throw a fit because she was too strict, or anticipating whatever new method Willow would invent to humiliate her.

Sitting here, tackling concrete problems, grounded her.

Data didn't throw tantrums.

Machinery didn't play the victim.

If there was an error, you simply fixed it.

Human hearts didn't work that way.

After the meeting, Wren returned to her office to organize her files.

Her phone lit up.

It was a message from Eleanor Langford.

[Come home for dinner tonight. I saw the news. Don't throw another tantrum over it. Willow was just helping Lawrence entertain clients. You're her sister, be a little more understanding.]