Bailey stepped in front of Reese, his eyes red and watery. "Your mom and I just want you to be happy. Maybe you should really think about this whole divorce thing with Sebastian?"


    Reese gave him a cold, t look. The gentle, caring dad she remembered from childhood seemed long gone, reced by this fake, self-serving man.


    "I already told you how I feel on the phone. And stop dragging my mom into this."


    Every time they used her mom''s name, it felt like they were tarnishing her memory.


    "Reese, don''t be like this," Bailey tried, forcing a weak smile. "I know Sebastian hasn''t treated you right. It makes sense that you want a divorce."


    "But the truth is, our family needs the Ratcliffs right now. We''ve worked so hard just to get this partnership."


    He hesitated, then pushed ahead, his eyes shing with doubt before he forced the words out. "If you''re really set on leaving Sebastian, I just hope you''ll have another kid with him first."


    "That way, when they''re older, one could inherit the Ratcliff family''s stuff, and the other could take over your mom''s shares in the Meyer family. Wouldn''t that be perfect?"


    Reese''s stomach turned so hard she thought she might actually get sick.


    Was this really her father?


    How could he suggest she go and have another child with Sebastian, just to keep the two families tied together?


    "Seriously, Bailey? What do you think I am, some kind of baby factory?" She let out a bitterugh. "Get out. I don''t want to see either of you again."


    Hank jumped in, trying to smooth things over. "Reese,e on, don''t get so upset. Dad''s only thinking about your future. You''re a woman, divorced, with no kids. How are you going to manage in Bridger Lake?"


    "My life is none of your business," she shot back, ring at him.


    With that, Reese yanked open the car door, ready to leave.


    Bailey''s patience finally snapped. His fake smile vanished, reced by raw anger. "Reese, you''d better think this through!


    "Do you even want the shares your mom left you?


    "If you don''t do what I say, I''ll make sure you never get a cent. I''ll have your name erased from the Meyer family records. You won''t be one of us anymore!"


    "Erase me from the family?" Reese turned back, her eyes full of icy contempt. "I stopped thinking of myself as a Meyer a long time ago."


    She took a deep breath, slid into the car, and shot Bailey a look sharp enough to cut ss.


    "Every share my mom left is mine. Threaten me again and I swear I''ll bring the whole thing down. Let''s see who wins."


    Bailey''s face grew even darker. "Are you threatening me?"


    "You''re the ones who backed me into a corner."


    Reese mmed the car door,


    started the engine, and drove off et


    without a second nce leaving the two men standing there, looking


    Soetely shaken and lost.


    A sudden ringtone broke the tense silence in the parking lot.


    Hank picked up, listened, and his face went from stormy to lit up in a heartbeat.


    He hung up and turned to Bailey, barely able to contain his excitement. "Dad, we did it! The de Project manager agreed to meet us. They tells the exac time soon!"


    Bailey''s anger vanished instantly. "Are you serious?"


    Hank nodded. Bailey started pacing with excitement, then asked, "Did you find out whichpany''s running the de Project?"


    Hank shook his head. "I tried, but it''s top secret. No one''s talking."


    "Mr. Marsh said people have already been investigated by the authorities over this project. Nobody wants to risk leaking anything now."


    He paused, remembering something. Sofia had been taken in for questioning too, supposedly for leaking information.


    Could it really just be a coincidence?