MHD


    “All I’m <b>asking </b>is for you to <b>stay </b>with me, Reba. To stop this talk of divorce, Jeffrey exined, his <b>voice </b>patient. “This isn’t about taking away your freedom.”


    Reba didn’t bother to reply. “Right, she thought bitterly. He won’t let me leave him, and he expects me to ept that he’s supporting Andrea forever. How is that any different from taking away my freedom?”


    “Here. This is yours,” he <b>said</b>, pulling the unlimited ck card from his jacket and offering it to her. “I <b>had </b>it reissued with a new design. <b>Andrea </b>never touched it.”


    Once, such a thoughtful detail <b>would </b><b>have </b>melted her heart. Now, it was <b>just </b>noise. Her mind was a single. looping track of <b>panic</b>. She thought, Is <b>Samuel </b>okay? How could this have happened? The school knew all his allergies…


    Suddenly, a horrifying idea struck her. She shoved him away, scrambling back to put some distance between them. Her eyes were wide with a new kind of terror.


    “Samuel..” she started. “His allergic reaction. That was you, wasn’t it? Did you stage this whole thing?”


    The pieces clicked together with sickening speed: the prepared agreement, the order to the doctors to stand down, and the door to his suite left open. It was all too perfect to be a coincidence.


    “No.” Jeffrey said tly.


    “Really?” Reba shot back.


    “No,” he repeated.


    She chose to believe him. He didn’t have to lie to her.


    Once Reba’s emotions had somewhat settled, Jeffrey asked the question almost anyone in his position would have asked. “Do you really think I’m the kind of man who would risk our son’s life?”


    “Are you serious<b>?</b>” Reba shot back. “You were literally using his life <b>as </b>a bargaining chip five minutes ago. Did you forget already?”


    “Amazing,” she thought with biting sarcasm. How a man that powerful could have such a short memory.


    Jeffrey’s jaw clenched, but he said nothing to defend himself. The truth was, he was just as terrified for Samuel as Reba <b>was</b>. But he didn’t tell her.


    The clock rewound two hours, to the moment Reba had stormed out of <b>his </b>suite.


    Jeffrey was <b>about </b>to call Gregory, intending to have him speak with the gaming division executives. He wanted them to ease up on the <b>Primey </b>Technologies team’s workload and provide more hands–on training


    <b>Chapter </bti


    But just as <b>he </b><b>was </b>about to dial, his cell rang. He recognized the number and answered immediately.


    “Mr. Hanson? It’s Lena, from Sammel’s summer camp. He had an allergic reaction, and it’s had, the teacher sand, her voice strained with panic. It looks really serious. You need to


    “Stay with him and keep me updated on his condition. My team is on its way, Jeffrey cut her off.


    He didn’t waste a single second on me or questions. He disconnected and immediately dialed the private medical unit that shadowed Samuel 24/7, ordering them to intervene. Every second was critical.


    They were at Samuel’s side in under sixty seconds, giving him the best possible first aid on the spot.


    “Mr. Hanson, Samuel’s reaction is quite severe, the head of the medical team reported to Jeffrey over the phone, his voice tight. “We’ve stabilized him for the moment, but we need to get him to the hospital. Now”


    “The car is waiting. Your route is clear,” Jeffrey replied. He’d set everything in motion the instant the call came in. “Get him there. Dr. Yeager is prepped and waiting.”


    “On it,” the medic confirmed.


    With the medical response underway, Jeffrey’s mind shifted to information control. He dialed Lena again. “Say nothing of this to Reba for the time being,” hemanded. “I’ll be in touch.”


    “Okay.” Lena agreed.


    For the next hour, Jeffrey never left the video call with the medical team. He watched the monitor, his eyes locked on Samuel’s pained face. For the first time in a long time, he felt a sharp knot of fear tighten in his chest.


    Finally, after what felt like forever, the doctors brought Samuel out of the woods.


    “How’s Samuel doing?” Jeffrey asked.


    The hospital director, Emory Yeager, who had personally supervised the case, appeared on screen. “He’s fine, Mr. Hanson. The crisis is over.”


    Jeffrey frowned slightly. “Then why isn’t he awake?”


    “His vitals are perfect. Honestly, he’s probably just exhausted. It’s been a long day for him, Emory reassured him. “I promise you, Mr. Hanson. He’s healthy andpletely safe.”


    The knot in Jeffrey’s chest finally began to loosen. “Good.”


    He considered his original n–to keep the whole incident from Reba. But then he suddenly remembered how hell–bent she was on divorcing him and taking Amelia and Samuel out of Jsburg. In <b>that </b>moment, an idea struck <b>him</b>.


    “Listen carefully,” Jeffrey said to the medical staff. “I want you to use makeup that’s safe for kids to make him look like he’s still having an allergic reaction. Make his lips look pale, and spray some water on his forehead.”


    A stunned silence met his request, but no one dared question the order. They went to work, creating the


    horrifying illusion. <b>And </b>so, the stage was set for Reba’s arrival.


    Jeffrey’s focus returned to the present. He met Reba’s re and answered her usation. “I used his life to threaten you,” he admitted, his voice even. “But just this once


    I have to admit it, he thought. She needs to believe I <b>can </b>be this ruthless when ites to Samuel. It’s the only way she’ll understand <b>that </b>leaving me is not an option”


    “When we get back, just quit your job at Primey Technologies,” Jeffrey announced, shifting topics. He wanted her to have an easy life, not kill herself withte nights and stressful projects for a paycheck he considered pocket change. <fnfd47> ???? ????s? ???????s ?? f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l?</fnfd47>


    But that job was Reba’s only source of power, the one thing that was truly hers. “You have got to be kidding me.” she snapped.


    Jeffrey was confused. For once, he had no clue what had set her off. “I gave you back the <b>card</b>. <b>You </b>can have anything you want. Why <b>waste </b>your time at an office when you could be enjoying your life?”


    “In your dreams, Reba hissed. “I am never quitting that job. She snatched the paper off the table. “And for the record, there is nothing in your stupid agreement that says I can’t work.”


    ‘If I quit. I know exactly what happens, she thought, the memory burning like acid. The next time we fight. he’ll spit out those same words: Everything you eat, everything you use and wear–it’s all because of me.


    And I’ll have noeback. I will not make the same mistake twice. Once was more than enough humiliation tost a lifetime.”


    “Fine,” Jeffrey conceded. “If the job makes you happy, keep it. You’re free to choose.”


    The cruel remark he’d once thrown at her in anger had be a permanent thorn in her heart, but he had <b>no </b>idea.


    Reba tossed the agreement <b>back </b>at him. As he watched her, a strange warmth flickered to life in Jeffrey’s chest. Her fire was back.


    “There she is, he thought. ‘She’s the same as she always was. The only difference is that now, all that fury is aimed at me.


    “It’s gettingte, Jeffrey said softly. “You should sleep.”


    He hadpletely forgotten one crucial detail: As far as Reba knew, Samuel was still fighting for his life in


    an emergency <b>room</b>.


    She stared at him, shocked at his casual indifference. Thest of her hope in him withered and died. “Are you even human?” she whispered.


    Jeffrey looked up, confused. “What?”


    “<b>You </b>want me to sleep?” Reba had never been this angry, not even when she first found out about Andrea.


    “While Sammel is still in the ER! Are you his father or not?”


    Jeffrey pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose <b>Shit</b>, he thought. He’d gotten so lost in the game, and he’d forgotten the lie.


    Just a second,” Jeffrey said to <b>her</b>. Phone in hand, he walked to the massive window overlooking the city and <b>dialed </b>Emory “Is everything okay now?”


    “Yes,” Emory replied. Samuel looked all good now.


    “Call me in ten minutes. Feed me the same story you did half an hour ago<b>. </b><b>And </b>make sure all traces of the makeup and the water spray are gone,” Jeffrey ordered quietly. He needed Reba to never find out the truth.


    “Consider it done. Emory replied.


    Jeffrey ended the call with a quiet “Okay.”


    Reba, though furious with Jeffrey, couldn’t hide the desperate worry in her eyes. “Well? How is Samuel?”


    “He’s stable. Out of danger,<b>” </b>Jeffrey said, his face a perfect mask of calm. The lie slid off his tongue without a hitch. They’re just wrapping things up. There’s nothing to worry about.”


    The tight band of fear around Reba’s heart loosened, but only for a moment. In the space that her panic had upied, suspicion began to take root.


    “But how did this happen? We gave the camp a detailed list of his allergies. Plus, Samuel’s not the kind of kid who’ll eat something just because it’s there. We warn him about food, and he actually listens.”


    “I already have a team on it,” Jeffrey said, and a shadow passed through his eyes as he followed her line of thinking.


    ‘A food allergy… he thought. ‘Reba’s right. It made no sense. Samuel is always careful about what he eats. Someone did this to him on purpose.


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