Reese pulled her car over to the curb, exhaling sharply as she grabbed her phone. First, she called Patrick, quickly filling him in on the warehouse situation and asking him to keep everyone calm and not let things get out of hand.


    Then she shot Matthew a message.


    [Matthew, I''m heading to ckOak now. Wait for me, okay? Let''s talk about the Vista Tech partnership when I get there.]


    She hit send, started the car again, and turned around, heading straight for ckOak.


    Inside the ckOak R&D conference room, Matthew lounged back in his chair, fingers drumming absentmindedly on the table. He was trying to figure out how to buy Reese enough time to get her shares from the Meyer family without raising suspicion.


    His phone buzzed. The moment he saw Reese''s text, the almost-smile on his lips faded, his eyes going cold. So Bailey was making trouble for her already.


    He and Reese had agreed she wouldn''t reveal she was the other lead on the de project until she secured her inheritance. If she wasing here in person, Bailey must have really pushed her buttons. The Meyer family had way too much time on their hands.


    He quickly sent a message: [Give the Meyer family something to keep them busy. They''re getting restless.]


    If Reese''s shares weren''t tied up with them, Matthew would have dealt with the Meyers a long time ago. He wasn''t in the mood to let their antics slide.


    As he put his phone away, footsteps echoed outside the door. Matthew looked up just as Bailey and Hank walked in.


    Bailey looked smug, briefcase tucked confidently under his arm. Hank was all smiles. They clearly thought the de contract was theirs for the taking.


    Matthew''s lips curled in a hint of a smirk. He knew Vista Tech''s setup didn''t stand a chance of running the de system, no matter how confident they looked.


    "Matthew, sorry to keep you waiting," Bailey said, striding forward and holding out his hand. "Vista Tech is ready tounch de. When can you transfer the system to us?"


    Matthew didn''t bother getting up. He nced at Bailey, his voice cool and even. "Mr. Meyer, have you finished preparing the share transfer agreement for Reese?"


    Bailey''s hand hung awkwardly in the air before he pulled it back, the smile slipping from his face. He''d thought Matthew was just making


    conversation when he not


    it up,


    during the contract signing He never expected Matthew would bring it up the moment they met.


    He cleared his throat and looked away. "We''re working on it. With so many shares


    involved, we need to double-check everything.


    "How about we focus on the next steps for the Vista Tech and ckOak partnership?"


    Matthew didn''t answer. He just leaned back, fingersced together, watching Bailey with an unreadable look and the faintest trace of a smile.


    Bailey shifted under Matthew''s


    stare, a sense of unease creeping in. He tried to brush it off, pulling a tobi


    folder from his briefcase and offering it to Matthew. "Here''s they updated integration data for de. We''ve made all the rmended changes. Take a look?"


    Matthew didn''t move to take it. He just tipped his head back, studying Bailey with open amusement.


    Dylon, standing by, scowled. "Matthew, we have a signed contract. If ckOak doesn''t cooperate, we could face serious penalties for breach of contract.


    "You''re just one of de''s project leads. Are you really willing to risk that much, just for Reese? Do you really think you can take the fall if ckOak loses big because of this?"


    Bailey had to admit, Matthew was a genius with Al. But if he wasn''t running de, Bailey wouldn''t even bother to remember his name. Now he was sitting here acting like he owned the ce.