"Yeah."


    Sebastian took the ss of water, his Adam''s apple shifting as he drank. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Reese watching him, and something inside him softened unexpectedly.


    If, back when everything happened with Sofia, he''d bothered to exin things a bit more to Reese, if he''d just listened to what she was trying to say, would things have gotten this bad between them?


    "When are you moving back home?" he asked quietly.


    He wanted her back. He could change. He''de home on time, do things right, actually live like a real couple with her.


    But the second Reese heard him, her eyes turned cold, her walls going right back up.


    Sebastian noticed her shift and quickly tried to fix it. "You don''t have to, if you don''t want to. It''s fine if you stay here. Whatever works for you."


    There was still time. He just had to be patient.


    He nced at Annie, who was standing quietly at Reese''s side, big bright eyes peeking up at him. He smiled. “She''s adorable. You two hungry? Want Uncle Sebastian to take you and Aunt Reese out for dinner?"


    Reese nced at her watch. It was almost time to get off work, and she needed to bring Annie back to Matthew. "No thanks. I''m just taking Annie to the office for a bit."


    The three of them headed down to the parking garage. Reese helped Annie into her seat, then got behind the wheel.


    Sebastian stayed where he was, watching the taillights disappear. He


    remembered when he and Sofia went to the mountain resort-how he was


    terrified Reese would show up and mention their rtionship, and someone would force her to leave.


    Now he''d finally reached out, but she didn''t even look surprised. She didn''t want dinner with him at all.


    A heavy feeling settled in his chest. Sebastian slid into his car and lit a cigarette, letting the smoke drift out the window.


    Inside the ckOak Techb, Matthew was hunched over hisputer, fingers flying across the keyboard as lines of code scrolled by in a blur.


    When Reese walked in, he nced up. "Found the intruder''s terminal. It''s an internal IP."


    He pointed at the screen, where data flickered nonstop. "I''ve set up double encryption. Only we can ess the core files now. Even if they try to break in again, all they''ll see is useless data. Plus, we can track them.”


    "Don''t worry. Yesterday, they barely had time to get through the first firewall. None of our confidential stuff was touched."


    Relief washed over Reese. "I had no idea you were this good."


    Matthew just grinned and didn''t say anything. He used to run cybersecurity for his unit in the army of someone ever managed to steal secrets with him around, that d be the real joke.


    His stomach growled, loud in the quietb. A faint blush crept up Matthew''s neck.


    Reeseughed. "You haven''t eaten yet? I''ll order us something."


    Takeout arrived fast. The three of them ate together, and just as they were finishing up, theb''s main screen lit up green.


    "It worked!"


    Reese leaned in to check. The second phase of testing had passed perfectly.


    Now, all they had to do was install the core module into de, and they could finally take a breather for a few days.


    Since they all lived in the sameplex, Reese drove Matthew and Annie home. At the parking lot, Annie hugged Reese tight around the neck refusing to let go. "Aunt Reese, can we spend time together again?"


    "Of course you can." Reese squeezed her cheek, watching as Matthew picked up


    his daughter and walked away. Their voices floated back to her.


    "Auntie was so nice today. Her son said I pushed him, but she didn''t me me— she asked me what really happened..."


    "And then that olddy said I didn''t have a mom to teach me, but Auntie stood up for me..."


    Annie nestled in Matthew''s arms. "She''s just like a mom. So gentle."


    Matthew quietly patted her back, listening to her chatter.


    "And then this scary-looking uncle showed up and made everyone leave. He helped Auntie change the locks and tidy up, and he even said he''d take us out for a big dinner."


    "But she didn''t go. I think she wanted to keep youpany, so she brought me to eat with you instead."


    Matthew paused mid-pat. "Well, I''m ttered."


    Their voices faded as they walked away. Reese smiled, turning toward the elevators but then she spotted a


    tatt figure leaning against a car by the entrance, cigarette glowing in the dusk.


    As she walked over, Sebastian put out his cigarette. "Who was that man just


    now?"