n walked into the office, and Reese finally looked up from her screen, pushing herself out of her chair.


    "Don''t mind me," n said, waving her off, then walked over to stand behind her, eyes on the swirling car routes animated across her monitor.


    Reese kept working, tweaking her code. A pop-up shed in the bottom corner. Sofia was grinning under a spotlight, her smile blinding. Reese didn''t even nce at it.


    n caught her totalck of reaction to the Clever Cloudunch news. He smiled, satisfied, and set a gold-embossed invitation on her desk. "Tonight is Mr. Ratcliff''s son''s birthday party. You''reing with me."


    Reese''s hands paused on the keyboard. "n, I''m still swamped. Can I skip it?"


    He gave her a tired smile. "I know you hate these things. But it''s the Ratcliff family. Every big name in Bridger Lake will be there."


    He leaned closer, dropping his voice. "Clever Cloud''s dispatch system is finally live. All eyes are on us. We need to show up."


    He was right—no one else at thepany knew the system as well as she did.


    Reese fell silent. This was work, not a choice. She really didn''t want to go to Robbie''s birthday, but there was no way out.


    "The stylist''s already booked. Company''s covering everything." n ced a business card beside the invite and headed out.


    That afternoon, Reese walked into the styling studio, told the receptionist her stylist''s name, and got led to the dress racks.


    n said expenses were covered, but she wasn''t about to abuse it. She ignored the consultant''s thinly veiled eye roll and walked straight to the lower-priced section, pulling out a simple ivory off-the-shoulder dress that hit at the knee.


    The satin fell in clean lines, the neckline fastened by a single pearl. It''s elegant, almost in.


    She held it up in the mirror. The girl staring back had clear, steady eyes. Somehow, the simplicity suited her.


    "This one please," she said.


    She was about to call the consultant over when a suddenmotion broke out behind her.


    "Mr. Ratcliff, Ms. Meyer, right this way. Your custom gown just arrived, it''s waiting in the VIP suite."


    The consultant who''d barely looked at Reese now practically bowed, her voice syrupy, hustling to the entrance.


    Reese turned and saw Sebastian walking in with Sofia. He wore a crisp ck suit, tall and sharp, his gaze cool as he scanned the room. It never once settled on Reese, as if she was a stranger.


    Sofia, in a champagne mermaid dress, wasughing up at him. The sapphire ne at her throat caught the light, dazzling.


    "Didn''t Mr. Ratcliff get that ne for thirty million at Sotheby''s?" someone whispered.


    "That''s nothing. Ms. Meyer''s dress was handmade by a Mn designer. Just the embroidery took three months. Heard it goes for nearly two million."


    "Honestly, she''s wearing a house on her back. Mr. Ratcliff really doesn''t hold back."


    The chatter drifted over. Reese nced down at the price tag on her dress. It wasn''t even close to the cost of that ne''s sp. No wonder the consultant hadn''t bothered with her. Without another word, she took her dress and headed straight for the makeup room.


    When her hair and makeup were done, the main hall was empty. Sebastian and Sofia must still be in the VIP suite.


    Reese didn''t care. She slipped out, got in her car, and drove to meet n.


    Robbie''s birthday was always at the Ratcliff family estate. It was the kind of ce everyone in the upper circles wanted an invite to just setting foot inside felt like a privilege.


    Chandelier light filtered through vines, casting a soft, frosted glow over Reese''s ivory dress as she walked in with n.


    They''d barely crossed the threshold when Robbie came rushing out, dragging his mother Jane along, clearly searching for Sofia.


    As soon as he spotted Reese, Robbie scowled. "What are you doing here? You''re not wee."


    If Auntie saw Reese, she''d assume he invited her, and she might be mad at him. n, surprised by Robbie''s familiarity, blinked. "Wait, you two know each other?" Before Robbie could say a word, Jane covered his mouth. "We haven''t met this youngdy before. He must have her confused with someone else."


    She shot Reese a warning look: keep quiet.


    Reese had no ns to start anything. In another month, once herwyer finished gathering evidence, she''d be filing for divorce from Sebastian. No need to make waves now.