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    Reba nced at Samuel beside her, giving him brief instructions before following Stephen outside.


    The garden. Reba cut straight to the chase. “What did you want to discuss, Stephen?”


    “There’s something I’d like to ask of you.” He adjusted his sses, his profile appearing as approachable as ever with that bookish warmth.


    Reba couldn’t imagine what favor Stephen Hanson could possibly need from her.


    Stephen read her hesitation and cut in before she could refuse. “This concerns Jeffrey. I want you to talk sense into him.”


    Reba grew more puzzled.


    “He’s been neglecting Hanson Group dutiestely, spending all his time at Primey Technologies helping n their anniversary event,” Stephen exined calmly. “Our parents aren’t pleased.”


    “I can’t help with this,” Reba declined.


    Given their pending divorce, interfering with Jeffrey’s affairs wasn’t her ce. Even if she tried, their strained rtionship guaranteed he wouldn’t listen.


    More importantly, Jeffrey always operated with deliberate purpose.


    “I understand your reluctance to clean up Jeffrey’s messes,” Stephen said, though his tone remained steady. “But it’d be regrettable to see him lose the CEO position he’s fought so hard to attain.”


    Reba met his gaze directly. “Wouldn’t you be pleased if he’s removed, Stephen?”


    She’d stayed clear of the power struggles between the brothers, and Jeffrey had shielded her from such corporate warfare.


    But everyone knew about their ongoing rivalry for control of the Hanson Group empire.


    “If he’d been dismissed for job performance, I’d naturally be pleased,” Stephen said without hiding his satisfaction. “But winning because of personal entanglements wouldn’t be a fair victory.”


    The phrase “personal entanglements” struck Reba. Maintaining eye contact, she asked calmly, “How can you be so sure he’ll actually get dismissed?”


    She knew Jeffrey’s capabilities too well. Having beaten Stephen in their previous power struggle, this current issue was trivial for him. He’d have backup ns.


    Stephen met her gaze directly. “Because our parents exploited his weakness<b>.</b><b>” </b>


    Reba blinked, confused.


    “They visited the Hanson Group during Primey Technologies‘ anniversary event.” Stephen adjusted his


    silver–rimmed sses, his tone still gentle. “Threatened him using your safety as leverage.


    Reba stiffened.


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    Seeing her reaction, Stephen pressed on. “I want you to convince him to refocus on the Hanson Group. He always listens to you.”


    “Sorry, I can’t help with that.” Her refusal was immediate. While she believed his parents confronted Jeffrey, the idea that they could threaten him? Jeffrey Hanson bowed to no one.


    Stephen epted her firm stance gracefully. “My apologies for taking up your time.”


    Reba didn’t respond. She turned to leave and went inside to fetch Samuel.


    To be honest, Reba couldn’t quite grasp Stephen’s intentions behind doing all this. From her perspective, his words offered him no tangible benefits or advantages.


    “Reba,” Stephen called out to her from behind.


    She paused mid–step.


    Stephen approached her with measured strides. “Did Jeffrey ever tell you about his childhood?”


    Reba maintained a neutral expression, her eyes silently questioning the relevance.


    “You should ask him sometime.” Stephen left this cryptic remark hanging. “If after learning his past you still hold your current beliefs, I’ll say no more.”


    Reba found his behavior perplexing. During their previous meeting, he’d practically painted Jeffrey asmitment–phobic, just shy of outright calling him a yer. Yet now he seemed to be defending him.


    Stephen Hanson was proving exceptionally difficult to read.


    After bidding farewell to Lucas inside, she left with Samuel. Stephen’s enigmatic statements would have to wait forter contemtion.


    Watching their retreating figures, Lucas turned to Stephen beside him and asked, “Why bring that up with her all of a sudden?”


    “Jeffrey hasn’t been himselftely,” Stephen replied, his eyes behind his sses gleaming with hidden meaning. “As his brother, I should lend some support.”


    A chill crept down Lucas‘ spine. This particr “support” wasn’t the benevolent kind.


    “Reba might not y along with your scheme,” he warned, having glimpsed her stubborn nature during their brief interactions. “Given her current rtionship with Jeffrey, she definitely won’t ask him directly.”


    Stephen countered, “She doesn’t need to ask.”


    Lucas was confused.


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    “We just need to nt the seed in her subconscious,” Stephen exined with inscrutable calm. “When the timees, it’ll bear fruit naturally.”


    “Aren’t you worried Jeffrey will retaliate?” Lucas frowned, uneasy about involving outsiders in their longstanding rivalry.


    Dragging Reba into this… Lucas felt Stephen’s approach was a bit dangerous.


    Stephen remained eerily calm. “How? I don’t have a weakness like he does.”


    “What about the one you’re keeping at home?” Lucas hinted.


    Stephen’s gaze remained steady, his expression unreadable. “Just a woman. She’s disposable at any time.”


    Lucas opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing.


    Over the past two years, Lucas had witnessed Stephen’s rtionship with her. He knew exactly how much his friend cared. Sometimes he wished Stephen could be more forthright like Jeffrey, openly acknowledging his feelings.


    Yet the brothers handled this matterpletely differently.


    <b>***** </b>


    Jeffrey remained unaware of Reba’s recent meeting with Stephen.


    After leaving the hospital at noon, he returned to Maple Garden. Following a rejuvenating shower in unit 1801, he dried his hair and retrieved a key to unlock Reba’s adjacent apartment.


    Meanwhile, Reba and Samuel departed the Reed residence.


    As their car headed toward the hospital, an observer immediately reported, “Gregory, Ms. Jensen and Samuel are heading to the medical center.”


    Reba had no idea she was being watched, let alone that someone had entered her home.


    She had stayed at the hospital for nearly two hours before leaving.


    “Not nning to stay longer?” Timothy appeared suddenly, asking in a natural and gentle tone.


    “No,” Reba replied, still holding Samuel’s hand. “We’lle back tomorrow afternoon.”


    Timothy cleared his throat lightly. “Perhaps I should discuss your mother’s condition with you.”


    “Has there been a change?” Reba asked earnestly.


    “No, it’s the same as before,” Timothy replied somewhat uneasily.


    Reba paused, raising an eyebrow questioningly.


    Timothy grew increasingly nervous under her gaze, his mood heavy.


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    He couldn’t understand why Gregory had suddenly instructed him to stall Reba and prevent her from returning home too early.


    “Is my mother’s condition getting worse?” Reba had noticed his odd behavior but couldn’t guess the reason since he wasn’t speaking up.


    “Not at all.” Timothy quickly improvised a usible excuse. “I just thought you might stay longer in case that man from the surveince footage shows up again.”


    Reba rxed slightly. “He was just here. He probably won’te back <i>so </i>soon.”


    Timothy nodded. “Makes sense.”


    “We’ll be leaving then,” Reba said politely. “We won’t take up more of your time.”


    Timothy acknowledged. After Reba and Samuel left the hospital, he sent a message to Gregory: [Ms. Jensen and Samuel have departed.]


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