CHAPTER 730

Charles’ hand froze mid-air as he lifted the bowl of soup. He did not reply.

Whitney stole glances at his expression.

Recalling that one of the clauses in the marriage contract was to keep their union a secret from the public, she thoughtfully said, “It’s fine. I don’t care that much about weddings. As long as both of us genuinely love each other, all that matters is that we can spend the rest of our lives together. We can skip the traditional customs and focus on building a life together. Furthermore, Charles is busy with work. He doesn’t have time to plan the wedding.”

Lucas sighed, “You’re such a nice and pragmatic person—down-to-earth and frugal. You’re not like those pampered rich girls out there who are so spoiled.”

Jasmine grew upset when she heard that. “What are you talking about, Lucas? Who are you calling spoiled?”

She was one of the rich girls Lucas was criticizing, and she was sitting right there. This is so insulting!

Lucas chuckled awkwardly. “Haha! I wasn’t talking about you. Don’t take it personally.”

Charles, who had been sitting at the end of the table quietly, chimed in, “Well, he’s not entirely wrong. Jasmine has always been pampered in our family. She’s our adorable little princess.”

The praise made Jasmine feel delighted, as if she had overtaken Jennifer’s place in Charles’ heart.

“You’re the best, Charles!” she said playfully, winking at him and forming a heart with her fingers.

Charles merely smiled and kept on eating.

Lucas glanced at his younger siblings before turning his attention back to Whitney, continuing the previous topic, “Whitney, we understand that you’re considerate of Charles, but I believe that skipping the wedding would be unfair to you.”

He became enthusiastic as an idea popped into his head. “Why don’t we announce the news of your marriage on Newton Group’s official website? We can plan a proper wedding later when Charles has some free time.”

The expression on Whitney’s face froze.

Is the dinner discussion only going to revolve around my wedding?

“What do you think, Charles?” Lucas looked at Charles, who was eating with his head lowered.

His azure eyes betrayed no emotions. “I’m fine with everything. I’ll let my wife decide.”

“That’s more like it!” Lucas laughed before asking Whitney, “Look, Whitney! Charles has agreed.”

“I…” This is from .

Whitney tightened her grip on the fork.

By saying that, Charles was implying that the decision should be made according to the marriage contract’s conditions.

Faced with Lucas’ enthusiasm and the tough decision Charles had just thrown her way, Whitney was at a loss for what to do.

She shot Charles a glance, imploring him to help.

However, Charles was eating his food attentively, acting like an outsider who had nothing to do with this issue. He seemed content to let Whitney handle it as she sees fit.

She bit her lower lip and contemplated.

Noticing the troubled look on Whitney’s face, Jasmine quickly realized the situation and spoke up on her behalf. “Lucas, give her a break! You’re making her shy. It’s our first formal introduction, and you’re bombarding her with so many questions. Stop being so annoying!”

Lucas was stunned. “But I’m doing this for her!”

“That’s what you think, but her hometown is somewhere else! Her relatives aren’t here, and they probably don’t even know she’s married. Since she’s not keen on making the marriage public or having a wedding, there must be reasons behind her decision. This matter is between Charles and her, so stop meddling in it!” Jasmine retorted firmly, defending Whitney’s right to keep things private.

Words eluded Lucas.

Jasmine continued, “Anyway, it’s not a big deal if we don’t have the wedding. Charles and Whitney can simply go on a vacation together. It’s quite popular among youngsters these days. Besides, I remember Gwendolyn and Mr. Jenson still haven’t had a wedding, and their child is already five years old! They probably aren’t planning to hold one. I wonder if Gwendolyn will ever have a chance to don a wedding gown. I heard that she didn’t even have a wedding for her first marriage; she simply snapped a photo while wearing a wedding gown.”

Jasmine grew increasingly excited as she spoke, but Charles’ expression turned grim.

He slammed his fork on the table forcefully before rising to his feet and leaving.

“I’m full. Enjoy your meal.”

He strode toward the staircase and disappeared from everyone’s sight within a minute.

Jasmine shook her head, muttering to herself, “I can’t believe Charles! So many years have passed and he’s even married now, yet he still can’t bear to hear me talk about what Gwendolyn missed out on in life.”

Whitney noticed something amiss in her words.

“Jasmine, does this Gwendolyn have a special relationship with Mr… I mean, Charles? Why is he so sensitive about what you said?” Whitney inquired, curious about the dynamics between Charles and Gwendolyn.

Jasmine smiled awkwardly. “I almost forgot that you, his rightful wife, are sitting next to me. It’s all in the past. They’re just childhood friends. It’s nothing important.”

Childhood friends?

Whitney fell into deep thought.

She shot Charles a glance, imploring him to help.

If that woman is the reason behind Charles’ ever-changing moods, she’s definitely important!

When Jasmine noticed Whitney lost in thought, she kindly served some food onto Whitney’s plate, trying to make up for her slip of the tongue. She continued, “Try this, Whitney. I think you’ll love it. Don’t dwell on Charles and his childhood friend. It’s not that significant. He chose to marry you, which means his heart belongs to you now.”

“Ahem!”

Lucas covered his mouth and coughed loudly.

What nonsense is she spouting? She’s just making it worse!

“Ignore her, Whitney. She’s just talking nonsense. Eat up! The Newton residence’s chefs are as good as those in award-winning restaurants. Eat more! Take your time and savor all the dishes.”

“Thank you, Lucas.”

Whitney continued eating and stopped thinking about the matter.

However, she secretly remembered Gwendolyn’s name.

Charles was still working in the study when it was already ten at night.

Holding a glass of freshly pressed orange juice, Whitney knocked on the study’s door.

“Come in,” he replied in a calm and pleasant voice.

Whitney gently pushed the door open and placed the glass of juice on his desk. “Thank you for your help in the courtyard today, Mr. Newton. I’ll be more careful in the future and try not to cause any trouble for you in the Newton residence.”

Charles stopped typing on the keyboard. He looked upward and glanced at her.

“I didn’t think that you caused any trouble. It’s just that I found it a bit strange. Considering how you handled the situation today, you don’t strike me as someone who will tolerate unfair treatment. Why did you follow Haisley’s instructions when she ordered you to clean the courtyard?”

Whitney fiddled with the hem of her dress. “She said that I shouldn’t be lazing around in your room just because I’m your personal housekeeper. Since you’ve already introduced me as your housekeeper, I should keep up with the act. After all, all the other housekeepers were working while I was in the room. That’s why I went. I didn’t expect her to pick on me so blatantly.”

Her explanation made perfect sense.

Observing her, Charles noticed her fidgeting nervously. Suddenly, a mischievous idea crossed his mind.

While she was distracted, he abruptly reached out and grabbed her arms.

Before she could react, he pulled her into his arms, settling her comfortably on his lap.

Startled, Whitney locked eyes with him, and her cheeks flushed as her mind went completely blank.

“Mr. Newton?”