Chapter 216 Distracting Malcolm
Reese and Malcolm returned to their room, and Alyssa attempted to follow, only to be stopped cold at the doorstep.
“What are you doing?”
Alyssa chuckled mischievously. “Just wanted to pop in for a chat with Reese.”
“Don’t you see me standing here? Are you looking for another display of affection?”
Malcolm’s gaze was full of challenge as he spoke, silencing any comeback Alyssa might have had.
She snorted angrily, “Tough guy, huh? We’ll see when you leave—then I can come over.”
With that, Alyssa turned on her heel and left, grumbling under her breath.
“If I were a guy, you wouldn’t stand a chance—I’d be the one marrying Reese. Where can you even find a gem like her these days?”
Malcolm couldn't help but take a little pleasure from her words; his wife truly was a treasure, and he felt incredibly lucky.
Closing the door, Reese was heads down, absorbed in her phone. Then she casually looked up and asked, “How come you didn’t let Alyssa in?”
“This is our sanctuary. I’m not going to let her hang around like a third wheel all the time. What would that look like?”
Malcolm's possessiveness was now fully apparent.
Reese couldn't help but laugh, teasing, “She is your sister, you know.”
“Sister or not, no one's interrupting my alone time with my wife.”
As Malcolm moved toward Reese, intending to scoop her into his lap, her phone rang.
Glancing at it, she saw the caller ID was "ZTO Express," a bluff they used just in case Calvin and the others called while she was with Malcolm. This way, no suspicions would be raised.
Even with this call, Malcolm wouldn’t find anything unusual if he decided to check—only ZTO Express.
Reese was always cautious, and nobody could uncover her secrets unless she wanted them to.
"One sec, I need to take this call."
Malcolm, having seen the caller ID too, didn’t make any comment.
Reese walked out onto the balcony, sliding to answer the phone. Though not on speaker, taking the call in Malcolm’s presence was a clear sign of openness.
At least it wouldn’t feed any suspicious thoughts.
"A package delivery?"
Upon hearing Reese phrase it that way, Calvin immediately caught on.
"Reese, we need you to come down for the ribbon-cutting at the new project. How about swinging by?"
"Just leave it at the front desk of the office. I don't need to be there in person, do I?"
"But there are quite a few people here today hoping to meet you. Maybe you could find a moment to drop by?"
Calvin thought this was a great opportunity. They might even drum up some new business. Reese's mantra was all about staying focused on making money.
Now, all for some guy, she doesn't want to make money anymore? That just didn't sound like the Reese he knew.
Reese was somewhat tempted. After all, money was the key. If she could launch a couple of ventures, she'd certainly net a tidy sum. She had plans to kick off a robotics development project, but that required substantial capital and a partner who shared her vision.
She was picky about collaborators, too. They had to meet her standards in every way.
"Okay, I'll come to get it."
"Alright then, I'll let you go. Watch yourself; don't let your husband catch on."
After hanging up, Malcolm approached her with a quizzical arch of his brow.
"Picking up a delivery?"
"Yeah, and need to do some shopping on the side."
"Want company?"
"Sure." Reese didn't decline; in fact, she agreed readily.
As they were about to leave, with Reese already in the car, Malcolm received a call from Justin.
"Mr. Flynn, the deal we discussed a few days ago, the other party wants to back out. Can you come over?"
Malcolm's brow furrowed, his chiseled features hardening.
"Can't you handle it?"
Justin was on the verge of tears. "Mr. Flynn, if I could handle it, would I be calling you? They specifically asked for you."
He wouldn't bother Mr. Flynn unless it was absolutely necessary, and that's precisely why he was calling.
Reese overheard the conversation between Malcolm and Justin, standing silently by; she knew better than to interrupt, as Malcolm would read her too easily.
Finally, Malcolm agreed, "Fine, I got it. Cut the chatter."
After hanging up, all Reese did was give Malcolm a playful raise of her eyebrows.
"What's up?"
Wrapping an arm around Reese's shoulder, Malcolm's features softened instantly, and his voice turned into a persuasive purr.
"Honey, I might need to sort some stuff out at the office, so I can't go with you."
Reese remained cool. She wasn’t upset in the slightest that Malcolm couldn’t take her.
Malcolm figured Reese's reaction was typical—it was just like her to keep her emotions under wraps. She always internalized her feelings, processing them on her own instead of venting. In her eyes, she was her own source of security, more so than she could ever expect from anyone else.
She never invested too much in others, always holding the belief that, aside from her family, no one could love her more than she loved herself.
And men, she thought, were creatures too unreliable to trust completely. Reese wasn't about to set herself up for disappointment.
So, it didn't bother her if Malcolm didn't accompany her.
"Just go ahead. I'll drive myself there," she told him.
"Alright then. I'm off, sweetheart.” Malcolm pecked Reese on the cheek before he left. She didn't resist and watched him go.
Once Malcolm was out of sight, she dialed Calvin's number.
"Stay put at the venue, will you? And have a few guys watch the entrance. I don't want to get trapped if Malcolm shows up."
She figured that she was gambling with money, but the potential payoff seemed worth the risk.
What can she say? The girl does love her cash. Earning more always made her feel more secure. Even contemplating love, Reese valued her independence above all.
"Reese, don't worry. If I screw this up again, you have my permission to slap me hard," Calvin's voice brimmed with confidence over the phone.
"How's Louis doing? Is he getting any better?"
"Yeah, he's practically walking now."
"That's good to hear. Make sure he's well looked after. And you—it's your last chance with today's task. Don't mess it up, or there’ll be no mercy."
Reese couldn't help but give one final caution.
"Got it, Reese. You can count on me."
After hanging up, Reese skipped the office entirely and drove straight to the venue.
Truth be told, her presence wasn't crucial for the ribbon-cutting. She was just there to observe and possibly vet some partnership opportunities.
But she had no idea just how unreliable Calvin could be...
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