Escape from Mr. Whitman (Emma and Theodore) novel Chapter 402

Theodore never hesitated to say exactly what he wanted for dinner. Honestly, it was better to keep the old man busy in the kitchen than to have the two of them just sitting around the house, sighing and making do with another dull evening.

After dinner, he stayed to help Bart Pearson’s father, Carney, tidy up the vegetable garden. The yard, which had once been choked with weeds, was finally starting to show some life; Carney had begun planting vegetables, and the whole place seemed more hopeful now.

But as Theodore knelt among the rows of young plants, his mind drifted back to memories of visiting his grandmother’s cottage with Emma. He could almost see them sitting on the front steps, watching vines sprawl across the garden and roses blooming in the dusk. The ache in his chest caught him off guard—a sudden wave of grief that he could do nothing about.

It was well after dark when he finally left the Pearsons’ and headed back to his hotel.

The next morning, Theodore showed up at the office. Jared had arrived even earlier and was waiting for him with several project managers from the contracting firms.

“Let’s head to the conference room,” Theodore said.

Jared gave a polite smile. “Mr. Whitman is here now. It’s best if you all go over the renewal contracts with him directly.”

They gathered around the conference table. Just as Jared had mentioned, the contractors weren’t only there to talk about renewing their agreements—they also wanted to settle accounts. All that was left was Theodore’s signature.

“I’ve gone over the contracts Jared sent me,” Theodore said. “Everything looks fine. We’ll continue working together as we have in the past. As for payment…” He hesitated, clearly uncomfortable. “Jared knows how things are with the company right now. Honestly, it’s tough…”

Jared forced a smile. “That’s true. But the payment deadline is coming up, so…”

“Let’s hold off, just for a few days,” Theodore replied. “There’s still some time before the deadline, isn’t there?”

“Then, Mr. Whitman, would you at least sign the contracts now?” one of the managers suggested.

“We’ll do everything together—signing, payment, and the advance for the new projects. All at once,” Theodore said, handing the documents back to them.

The managers glanced at Jared, uncertain.

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