"I had someone check Tara''s prenatal records. We''ll have them by tomorrow or the next day, tops."


    "And if there''s really something wrong with the baby, what are you going to do?"


    Reese''s eyes shed with steely resolve. "I''ll give everything to Zach. He has a right to know the truth.


    "I''ve also got proof that Dylon''s been shorting Ramos Corporation. They keep making trouble for me this time, I''m not letting any of them off easy."


    "Good," Matthew said, his eyes full of quiet pride. He smiled. "If you need anything, just tell me. Don''t be a stranger."


    "Thanks. Really," Reese replied softly.


    She should have thanked him back at the conference, when he stood by her without a second thought.


    Matthew smiled again, reaching out as if to ruffle her hair, but then he saw how tired she looked and just shook his head with a helpless littleugh.


    "You''re still so polite with me," he teased.


    He''d watched Reese fight her way out of one impossible situation after another. At first, he just thought it was a shame that her talent in Al was getting wasted on marriage and motherhood. Then he heard from Annie that her husband and son barely treated her like family.


    He felt bad for her, but he admired her strength even more.


    When he found out her husband was Sebastian, he did think about keeping his distance. After all, he left the army and came back to Bridger Lake for one reason -to settle the score with the Ratcliff family.


    But the more he worked with Reese, the more he was drawn in. He wanted to see how far she could really go.


    Honestly, once the de project wrapped up and they had military backing, neither the Wiles family nor the Meyer family would dare try anything with her.


    But even so, he still wanted to help. He wanted to make things a little easier for her, to be someone she could lean on.


    Yet no matter how much they''d been through, she still kept him at arm''s length.


    As those thoughts drifted through his mind, Matthew remembered what n had mentioned earlier.


    "Oh, by the way, the Vista Tech CEO wants to set up a meeting. He''s asking when you''ll have time to talk about a de partnership."


    Reese smacked her forehead, suddenly remembering. "Sorry, things have been nonstoptely—I totally spaced."


    She thought for a second. "They want to work with us on civilian applications for de. I''m fine with that."


    "But honestly, we''re so close to finishing the project that it might be smarter to wait before we negotiate. Once we have the final product, we''if have way more leverage: That''s better for ckOak, too. What do you think?"


    Matthew watched her, the smallest smile tugging at his lips. He loved that about her-no matter what, she always stayed clearheaded and determined.


    "I think you''re right. I''ll let n know and get back to Vista Tech."


    Big X CEO''s Office.


    Leslie stood behind her huge desk, trying not to shiver as Sebastian sat across from her-cold, collected, and quietly terrifying.


    "Leslie, I want to know how Big X got their hands on the de data."


    Sebastian lounged on the guest sofa, fingers drumming on the armrest. His gaze was sharp, never leaving Leslie''s face.


    "And I want to know why he tried to take that data out of the country.


    “He says he was following orders from Ratcliff Global''s senior management. But when I asked who exactly gave the order, he suddenly had nothing to say. Any idea why that might be?"


    Yesterday, right after court, Sebastian got a call from National Security. They were at Ratcliff Global for an investigation Ele rushed over and found out someone from Big X had tried to smuggle out confidential data, iming the order came from Ratcliff Global''s top brass. Since then, Sebastian had been putting out fires nonstop.


    Leslie had never seen Sebastian like this before. She bit the inside of her cheek, forcing herself to stay calm. Somehow, she managed a tight smile.


    “Sebastian, I honestly have no idea what''s going on.


    "You know I''m just the regional director. When headquarters sends someone over,


    I just go along with it. I had no idea what he was really here for.


    "You said he tried to smuggle out confidential data. Did you catch him?"


    Ten minutes ago, Leslie had been sitting in her office, daydreaming about finally getting her green card and moving abroad She never expected Sebastian to suddenly barge in, ignoring her assistant, and confront her like this.