Matthew hit the button to silence the ring rm, his fingers flying over the keyboard. On the main screen, a red dot-marking the intruder-had already wormed its way through thest firewall.


    “Not bad,” he muttered. Too bad they picked the wrong guy to mess with.


    He let out a low chuckle and tapped a key. Instantly, his carefully crafted data trap sprang open. A fake "ess Granted" window shed on the screen, and a transfer bar rocketed from ten percent, to fifty, then ny-nine, and finally to a hundred.


    The red dot froze for a moment, then darted back the way it came, clearly thinking it had scored and now rushing to deliver the "core data" home.


    If only they knew. In those few seconds, Matthew had already attached a Trojan program-one he''d pieced together just for Leslie-hidden in fragments at the end of the file. It wouldn''t just log the IP and time every time someone opened it. It would also quietly switch on theputer''s camera and snap a photo of whoever was sitting there.


    As soon as Leslie opened it, everything would be uploaded straight to the encrypted server at the national security bureau.


    "You''re not getting away," Matthew murmured, as he finished thest bit of code. A green "Sync Sessful" popped up at the bottom corner of his screen.


    Now all he had to do was wait for Leslie to take the bait. Then the authorities would have all the evidence they needed to nail her for stealing ssified files.


    And the files themselves? Totally fake.


    Matthew leaned back, rubbing his tired temples. He thought back to what he''d overheard when he helped the national security team nab that Big X executive.


    "Ratcliff Global''s CEO personally vouched for Big X''s director here. Swore she''d never leak state secrets," someone had said. "So even though we''re suspicious of Leslie, we can''t do anything without hard proof.”


    Matthew remembered Sebastian''s history with Leslie and couldn''t help but scoff. "Guess my brother is loyal to a fault." Loyal to the wrong person, anyway. He''d had Reese and didn''t know how lucky he was, hurting her over and over for Leslie.


    Well, that was over now. Matthew wasn''t about to let anyone hurt Reese again.


    His expression softened as he picked up his phone and texted her.


    "Mission''s done. Bait''s out. Don''t worry."


    Reese didn''t see the message until the next morning. Knowing Leslie would soon be caught, and that this danger would finally be gone, made her feel lighter about the thought of seeing Sebastian again.


    She smiled and texted back.


    "Thank you. Take care of yourself and get some rest. I''ll pick up Annie this afternoon, so don''t worry."


    Reese stretched, got out of bed, and started getting ready. When she opened her door, she was surprised to find Brady waiting outside.


    “Ma''am, Mr. Ratcliff asked me to pick you up," he said.


    "Thanks, Brady," Reese replied, giving him a nod, though she couldn''t help feeling a little amused. Last time she''d done IVF with


    Sebastian, there was definitely no special treatment like this


    At the hospital, Sebastian was already waiting, holding a pale thermos. As soon


    as she stepped out of the car, he hurried over.


    "Reese, you''re here," he said softly. He lifted the thermos a little. "I had the kitchen make you some chicken soup. I told them to add extra ginger, just how you like it.


    "You can have it for breakfast after your blood test."


    Reese nced at the thermos and instantly remembered that day in the hospital, how he''d just stood there while Robbie grabbed the so


    Millie


    had made for her. The memory was bitter and almost funny.


    "No, thanks,” she said, not even looking at him as she walked straight inside.


    Sebastian watched her go, his grip tightening on the thermos. His face darkened with disappointment, but he followed her in.