CHAPTER 81: NEW MOVE?

[Reid Enterprise]

The morning sun filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Alexander’s office, painting the room in cool gold.

He sat on the leather couch across from Lucas, half-listening as his friend rambled about something pointless. It was about some new gym trainer he thought was "unnecessarily hot and unnecessarily mean."

Alexander’s lips twitched. "So you hired him because?"

"I didn’t hire him," Lucas corrected dramatically. "I enrolled for character development."

Alexander shook his head with amusement slipping into his eyes for only a moment until the office door opened and Carl stepped inside, holding his tablet like it might explode.

"Sir," Carl said, clearing his throat. "Your brother is here."

Lucas groaned. "Oh God. What does he want this time? A dramatic monologue? A fight? Another emotional breakdown?"

But Carl shook his head. "That’s what I thought too but he went straight to the tenth floor."

Alexander frowned. "Accounting?"

"No, sir. His office."

Silence.

Lucas blinked slowly. "His—what now?"

Carl nodded. "He said he is resuming his duties as Executive Project Director." He hesitated. "He asked for the quarterly reports and requested a meeting with three department heads."

Lucas’s jaw dropped. "Jack asked for reports? OUR Jack? Your brother Jack? Blond, loud, dramatic, ’I can’t believe I’m late again’ Jack?"

Carl swallowed. "Yes, sir."

Alexander leaned back slowly with his hands clasped together. "He hasn’t stepped foot into that office in almost two years."

Lucas stood up and paced like someone had just told him gravity stopped working. "Oh, this is bad, this is so bad. Jack getting a job is basically a sign of the apocalypse."

Alexander didn’t laugh. His expression had shifted from tight to thoughtful and now darkened with the kind of suspicion he didn’t voice easily.

Lucas finally stopped pacing. "Okay. What’s going on in that scary genius brain of yours?"

Alexander’s jaw flexed before he spoke, "Last night Evelyn got a message from Jack."

Lucas looked at him sharply. "What kind of message?"

"A congratulations message." His voice dropped lower. "He wished her well for the marriage."

Lucas stared and then he let out a single, stunned, "Oh."

Alexander didn’t look at Lucas, he was staring at the skyline lost in his own thoughts.

Lucas sat back down slowly. "Okay creepy, very creepy."

"It didn’t sound threatening," Alexander said quietly. "It sounded calculated."

Lucas’s brows shot up. "Which is worse. Jack isn’t the calculating type. He is the tantrum type. So if he is suddenly calm and polite?" He pointed dramatically at the floor. "That screams ’hidden agenda.’"

Alexander didn’t respond but his silence spoke louder than words.

Lucas leaned forward, dropping his voice. "This is connected, isn’t it? The message, him coming to work and now him being quiet."

Alexander finally met Lucas’s eyes and there was a flicker of something sharp. It was concern and protectiveness.

"I don’t trust him," Alexander said

"No sh*t," Lucas muttered. "But now? Now you really shouldn’t."

Alexander exhaled slowly.

Something in his gut felt wrong. It felt like a puzzle was being built in the dark by someone who didn’t want him to see it yet and the name Jack was suddenly at the center of it.

Lucas stood again, running his hand through his hair. "Keep your guard up. People don’t transform overnight without a reason."

Alexander’s voice turned colder. "I know." A shadow crossed his eyes. "And I intend to find out what he is planning."

Carl quietly slipped out of the office, leaving the two men alone again.

Lucas stared at Alexander for a beat before he sighed, "Well, this day just became ten times more interesting."

But Alexander wasn’t amused. His mind was already moving, sharp and instinctive because he had a feeling Jack’s return wasn’t about redemption. It was about something far, far darker.

And maybe a beginning of a problem he hadn’t yet seen but one he felt coming.

.....

[Carter Mansion]

Patricia was sprawled across Evelyn’s bed like she owned the place, munching on chips at eight in the morning because she had no concept of timing.

Evelyn stood in front of the mirror adjusting her earrings when Patricia narrowed her eyes at her reflection.

"Okay, why do you look like someone who slept smiling?"

Evelyn blinked. "What does that even mean?"

Patricia gasped dramatically. "OH MY GOD. YOU DID SLEEP SMILING."

Evelyn rolled her eyes but she could feel heat creeping up her neck. "Don’t make things up."

Patricia threw a pillow at her. "You have the ’I just had a romantic evening with my future husband’ glow."

"I do not," Evelyn muttered.

Patricia wiggled her eyebrows. "So? How was dinner at the in-laws?"

Evelyn sighed but a tiny smile appeared. "It was nice. Margaret was surprisingly sweet. She even agreed to the small wedding. Alexander talked to her."

"Of course he did," Patricia said proudly. "Because that man would hang the moon for you if you asked."

Evelyn’s smile softened. "He really would."

Patricia stared at her, then clutched her chest. "Look at you. All calm and lovesick. Aww, I am so proud."

"Well, there is one more thing I want to tell you."

Patricia immediately sat up. "What is it?"

Evelyn hesitated for a second before handing her the phone.

Patricia read the message.

Jack: Congratulations on the wedding. Wish you all the best.

There was a full three seconds of silence and then—

Patricia exploded.

"OH HELL NO."

"Patricia—"

"That slimy, dusty, emotionally constipated excuse for a man TEXTED YOU? After everything?"

Evelyn winced. "It’s just a message."

Patricia threw the chips bag aside like she was preparing for battle. "It’s not ’just a message.’ It’s him trying to squeeze his way back into your story line. This is YOUR season, girl. He doesn’t get a cameo."

Evelyn laughed despite herself. "I am not replying."

"GOOD," Patricia snapped. "Because if you replied, I would personally snatch your phone, block him, then block his future children."

Evelyn burst out laughing. "His future children??"

"I am being thorough!" Patricia crossed her arms, fuming. "What did he think? That he can just text ’Congrats’ like he wasn’t the human embodiment of bad decisions?"

Evelyn shook her head fondly. "It doesn’t matter. I ignored it."

Patricia softened instantly. "Good, because you are marrying a man who worships the ground you walk on. Don’t let any ghost from the past even breathe near your peace."

....