The Doormat Wife’s Ultimate Glow-Up novel Chapter 99

“Yeah.”

Sebastian took the glass of water, his Adam’s apple shifting as he drank. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Reese watching him, and something inside him softened unexpectedly.

If, back when everything happened with Sofia, he’d bothered to explain things a bit more to Reese, if he’d just listened to what she was trying to say, would things have gotten this bad between them?

“When are you moving back home?” he asked quietly.

He wanted her back. He could change. He’d come home on time, do things right, actually live like a real couple with her.

But the second Reese heard him, her eyes turned cold, her walls going right back up.

Sebastian noticed her shift and quickly tried to fix it. “You don’t have to, if you don’t want to. It’s fine if you stay here. Whatever works for you.”

There was still time. He just had to be patient.

He glanced at Annie, who was standing quietly at Reese’s side, big bright eyes peeking up at him. He smiled. “She’s adorable. You two hungry? Want Uncle Sebastian to take you and Aunt Reese out for dinner?”

Reese glanced at her watch. It was almost time to get off work, and she needed to bring Annie back to Matthew. “No thanks. I’m just taking Annie to the office for a bit.”

The three of them headed down to the parking garage. Reese helped Annie into her seat, then got behind the wheel.

Sebastian stayed where he was, watching the taillights disappear. He remembered when he and Sofia went to the mountain resort—how he was terrified Reese would show up and mention their relationship, and someone would force her to leave.

Now he’d finally reached out, but she didn’t even look surprised. She didn’t want dinner with him at all.

A heavy feeling settled in his chest. Sebastian slid into his car and lit a cigarette, letting the smoke drift out the window.

Inside the BlackOak Tech lab, Matthew was hunched over his computer, fingers flying across the keyboard as lines of code scrolled by in a blur.

When Reese walked in, he glanced up. “Found the intruder’s terminal. It’s an internal IP.”

He pointed at the screen, where data flickered nonstop. “I’ve set up double encryption. Only we can access the core files now. Even if they try to break in again, all they’ll see is useless data. Plus, we can track them.”

“Don’t worry. Yesterday, they barely had time to get through the first firewall. None of our confidential stuff was touched.”

“Auntie was so nice today. Her son said I pushed him, but she didn’t blame me—she asked me what really happened…”

“And then that old lady said I didn’t have a mom to teach me, but Auntie stood up for me…”

Annie nestled in Matthew’s arms. “She’s just like a mom. So gentle.”

Matthew quietly patted her back, listening to her chatter.

“And then this scary-looking uncle showed up and made everyone leave. He helped Auntie change the locks and tidy up, and he even said he’d take us out for a big dinner.”

“But she didn’t go. I think she wanted to keep you company, so she brought me to eat with you instead.”

Matthew paused mid-pat. “Well, I’m flattered.”

Their voices faded as they walked away. Reese smiled, turning toward the elevators, but then she spotted a tall figure leaning against a car by the entrance, cigarette glowing in the dusk.

As she walked over, Sebastian put out his cigarette. “Who was that man just now?”