Chapter 94
“Hey, are you two here to snap your wedding pics?” The clerk asked cautiously.
York had the whole thing under wraps because this marriage was just a collab.
Kristin was on edge, sitting there clutching her clothes for dear life.
On the other hand, Rhett leaned in closer to Kristin.
“Come on, darling, give us a smile,” the clerk teased Kristin, making it seem like she was about to walk the plank.
Kristin nervously glanced at Rhett and forced a grin.
The clerk sighed in resignation, clearly not satisfied.
“Garner said Summer used to run around the block butt–naked as a kid, and it took a bee sting on his backside to learn to wear pants,” Rhett said, turning to Kristin. “For real?”
Kristin’s heart skipped a beat, looking into Rhett’s soft gaze.
Rhett wasn’t one to chuckle much, but he was trying to make her laugh. From NôvelDrama.Org.
The mental image of Summer bawling with a bare bum cracked Kristin up.
Garner had shared this during a prison visit. Back then, anything about Summer was Kristin’s light in the darkness of jail.
The photographer seized the moment, caught Kristin’s attention, and clicked the shutter.
Kristin flushed with embarrassment, only realizing it afterward.
The marriage certificate was stamped and handed over, making Kristin feel like she was dreaming.
That was Rhett, after all. She wouldn’t dare dream of crossing paths with Rhett, let alone tying the knot.
“For safety’s sake, I’ll keep the marriage certificate,” York tried to take it, worried Kristin might flaunt it.
Rhett frowned, snatched the certificate from York, and handed it to Kristin. “Keep it safe.”
York was speechless.
Kristin was shocked, anxiously looking at Rhett.
He had handed her the marriage certificate. Wasn’t he worried she might make a fuss with it?
“Trust is the key to a partnership,” Rhett stated flatly.
Kristin stared at Rhett, then lowered her gaze without a word.
York drove Kristin to Rhett’s place.
12:49
“Since we’re partners, I’m looking forward to working with you.” Rhett said, stepping out to open the car door for Kristin.
She looked at him, bewildered. “Are we going to live together?”
“The marriage certificate is for show to the notary folks. If we’re not living together, they won’t buy it,” Rhett didn’t see the need to hide this from Kristin.
Kristin preferred Rhett’s straightforwardness, no schemes or deceit, laying everything in the
open.
“Got it, Mr. FitzGerald,” she murmured.
“Start at the company tomorrow. Call me Mr. FitzGerald in public, but drop it at home,” Rhett said, setting up facial recognition and fingerprint access at the entrance for Kristin..
“Here’s a card for any expenses, your allowance for the next three years. Salary is separate.” Rhett handed Kristin a bank card.
Kristin took a deep breath. “I don’t need the money.”
“As my partner and the one helping me secure shares, this is what you deserve. If I teamed up with some celebrity, it’d cost me more than ten times this,” Rhett felt he was getting a bargain.
Kristin’s jaw dropped, realizing the high price of celebrity partnerships.
Taking the card, she figured she’d save Rhett some cash by not splurging.
“You need to learn a lot as my future personal assistant. You’ll get trained, and York will fill your in on the details,” Saying, Rhett glanced at York, who nodded promptly..
York instructed, “A cleaning service will tidy up daily. Pick a room you like. You don’t need to bring anything else. York will help you get new stuff.”
Rhett was a bit of a clean freak but showed respect to Kristin.
She nodded.
“Oh, Mr. FitzGerald’s study is off–limits,” York added.
Rhett shot York a look, expressionless. “No off–limits at home, feel free. Just don’t bug me when I’m working.”
Kristin nodded earnestly.
York mentally ranted about the double standard. Why was the study off–limits when he visited?
“A chef will come at 7:30 for breakfast. Tell the housekeeper the day before if you want something specific,” Rhett sized Kristin up. “Take care of yourself. Being my PA will be exhausting.”
Kristin nodded, her palms clammy with nervous sweat.
“Let me know if you need anything.” Rhett glanced at the time. His phone was buzzing.
12:49
and leave.
Kristin trailed behind nervously, watching him go.
Once he drove off, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. His presence was overwhelming, always leaving her breathless.
She turned and cautiously eyed Rhett’s villa, slowly unclenching her hands.
Was she going to live here with Rhett for a good while?
York said Rhett was often away, not always home. But as his assistant, she’d need to be on call.
Rhett’s home was spotless. It was so clean that she thought she would sully the air with her
presence.
Sitting stiffly on the sofa, Kristin remained still and silent.
Rhett seemed in a hurry.
Though he told her to pick a room, Kristin felt it best to wait for him to return.
In the car, York had his suspicions. “Mr. FitzGerald, did your father call you?”
Holcomb was getting impatient.
“Back to the FitzGerald family.” Rhett sneered.
Nicola was trending online, and Vincent was still the talk of the town. The media had even started digging into the truth about Rhett’s mother’s death.
That was Nicola and Holcomb’s Achilles‘ heel.
Whether Vincent did time or not was secondary, but they couldn’t afford to have the press poke their noses into that affair.
“Mr. Holcomb has got the trending topic under control. Anything related to your mother has been blacklisted,” York said, frowning and speaking in a hushed tone.
“He’s got a guilty conscience,” Rhett said in a low voice.
York’s grip on the steering wheel tightened.
Anybody with half a brain could tell there was something fishy about the death of Rhett’s mother. It was just an allergy, as they said, but how could she drop dead out of the blue?
Rhett demanded an autopsy, but Holcomb, her husband, wouldn’t have it.
Rhett was still a minor then and didn’t stand a chance against the big shot, Holcomb.
12:49
Rhett wasn’t married and had never gotten his hands on the shares Lucius and his mother left behind, so Holcomb never really saw Rhett as an independent grown–up.
But things had changed. The cops had taken Vincent, and Nicola got caught in the crossfire of public opinion.
Rhett had got all the cards at this time.
“Mr. Rhett, you’re back. The lady had a major meltdown. She was so enraged she needed oxygen. And Mr. Holcomb, he looks like a thundercloud about to burst. You’d better get in there.” said the butler, who was waiting at the door.
Rhett walked indifferently into the living room, facing Holcomb, sitting on the couch waiting for him.
It looked like there was no other way out.
“I had someone go to the hospital to meet Kristin today. She’s been discharged. Did you take her?” Holcomb started, his voice heavy and questioning.