Chapter 225: The Audacity of Crossing My Wife
Just in the nick of time, Reese noticed a partition and swiftly took cover behind it.The office door creaked open, and Malcolm sauntered in. As he neared his desk to retrieve some files, he observed an oddity with his laptop. However, his attention was diverted. He realized that Reese, his wife, had vanished shortly after he had awakened. Was it a mere hunch, or had someone meddled with his computer?Hidden behind the partition, Reese could barely catch a glimpse of Malcolm through a narrow slit. Her fists clenched tight, she struggled to remember when she had last been this anxious. In the past, she would have tackled confrontation boldly, but now, why was she so on edge? The thought of Malcolm discovering her intrusion was unbearable, so unlike her usual self. She was consumed by the possible reactions Malcolm might have upon discovering her true identity, a secret she had kept hidden from him all this while. Would he be swamped with emotion? Would he feel like everything between them was based on a lie? The thought was too much for Reese to bear.Malcolm opened his laptop, and Reese was unable to discern if he had noticed anything unusual. He clicked on a document, ensuring the files were still intact and untouched, but the keyboard felt... sticky. He held his hand near his nose, his brows furrowing in confusion.Reese was clueless as to what Malcolm might be smelling. She had always been cautious about not wearing any perfume to avoid detection or appearing conspicuous. What could he possibly be looking for with just a laptop?Reese was perplexed. After Malcolm retrieved the documents and left, she exhaled a sigh of relief, although her anxiety lingered. She approached the laptop, opened it, and gingerly touched the keyboard, finding nothing out of the ordinary. She suspected the data inside was compromised and knew she'd need to find an alternative way to access it soon.She quietly opened the door and, finding the corridor vacant, returned to her room. After changing her clothes, she descended the stairs and stepped out into the backyard, only to bump into Malcolm. She had planned to call Calvin and inquire about the recipient of the robot project contract. Could it possibly be Malcolm?He was standing under a tree, engrossed in his thoughts, a barely smoked cigarette nestled between his slender fingers.Approaching him, she inquired, "What's on your mind?"He turned to her, a captivating smile dancing on his lips. "Just contemplating how my wife can be so shy and adorable."Her face flushed a deep red instantly, and she shot Malcolm an embarrassed glance."Can't you have a serious conversation for once?"Malcolm laughed as she puffed out her cheeks in annoyance. Her cheeks ballooned out adorably, making her resemble an indignant hamster, irresistibly teasing."Why? Isn't it appropriate to ponder my thoughts? That's what you asked me about."Wasn't his wife worth reminiscing about in his mind?Reese was at a loss for words, her mind a blank canvas as she fumbled for a response, her heart constricting with every word he uttered.She couldn't comprehend why she was struggling now. She used to handle everything with grace and agility, but around him, she was utterly flustered.Reese watched as Malcolm gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, his voice low and calming, devoid of any aggression."Where have you been?""Just took a stroll around the front yard for a bit, needed a breath of fresh air," Reese responded nonchalantly, her delicate features betraying no signs of tension.Malcolm had come to learn something about his wife: aside from the more intimate conversations that made her blush, she could handle any other topic with lightning-fast responses, never giving him a chance to catch her off guard.A smirk played on his lips, recalling the peculiar incident earlier. The keyboard felt sticky, probably from sweat. He had a habit of washing his hands before settling down to work—a peculiar quirk that largely went unnoticed by others.His personal belongings were rarely touched by anyone else, and Reese's coincidental absence had aroused his suspicion.But it didn't truly matter. If Reese was interested in the robotics project, he could simply work on it for her—after all, what belonged to him was hers eventually. However, he couldn't reveal that to her just yet; it would spoil the mystery.
At that moment, Reese found herself unable to decipher Malcolm's thoughts. His outward demeanor was one of calm and composure, yet his eyes betrayed a turbulent storm brewing within him.In an unexpected turn of events, Malcolm swiveled towards Reese and inquired, "You're genuinely intrigued by the robotics project, aren't you?"Caught off guard by the sudden shift in conversation, Reese felt her heart flutter. "It's not really me," she confessed, "My boss is the one who's eager about it. You were discussing it earlier, weren't you? But if I end up with a share of the deal, it could turn out to be a pretty hefty sum." Her eyes glinted with anticipation at the mere mention of money.Malcolm, however, wasn't unsettled by her response. If anything, he found it rather charming. To him, it was perfectly natural to have aspirations.Nevertheless, he subtly redirected the conversation away from financial matters and back towards Reese."Valentine's Day is just around the corner, isn't it?" he asked.Reese may have faltered for a moment but she quickly regained her composure."Indeed, it seems so. But don't feel obligated to do anything special for me; I've never been one to follow that tradition.""Just curious," he responded, maintaining his neutral tone.A silence then descended upon them. Reese found herself musing over whether Malcolm had secured the project, and whether Calvin had unearthed any information.Her phone buzzed in her pocket, but she didn't rush to answer it. She suspected it was Tartt—every Valentine's Day, he would call, lamenting his single status and longing for companionship. Reese regarded Louis merely as a friend, or perhaps even as a family member. She was largely indifferent to his romantic plight, especially considering that both Louis and Calvin were currently girlfriend-less. They could console each other through the icy spells of bachelorhood.Meanwhile, Malcolm, who was standing slightly apart, demonstrated an uncanny sense of hearing. He turned towards Reese and questioned, "Why aren't you picking up your phone?"Reese was momentarily startled. His hearing was extraordinarily keen - she was astounded that he had picked up on the vibration.Now, she had no choice but to take the call, but she strived to maintain her poise. Pretending to be surprised, Reese retrieved her cell phone and remarked, "Well, what do you know. Someone is indeed calling."As she did so, Malcolm spotted a familiar name flashing on the screen. "Isn't that Tartt?"He recalled a recent encounter at a diner, where Tartt had been dining with Reese and seemed quite taken with his wife.Reese had no choice but to take the call in Malcolm's presence. She swiped the screen to answer the incoming call and asked bluntly, "Are you going to tell me you're coming over in a few days?"Over the line, Tartt chuckled, "Even if you're married now, you can't break our pact.""You..." Reese began, but before she could finish, Malcolm swiftly grabbed the phone from her hand.
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