Over the next few days, Reba got Samuel settled into school and then spent the rest of her time at home with Ann, learning all about the Quinn family and the Quinn Group.
She dived into everything–business partners, suppliers, factories, you name it.
As for Jessica, after celebrating her birthday, she went off to check out the set and nned to stay in Honn for the next few months.
She needed to oversee the filming of an important script, plus her mom had some stuff to talk over with her.
With everyone else gone,
Onlyn remained in Jsburg.
On the 29th, when Jessica dropped by for dinner with Reba, Ian hit them up with a surprise video chat. As soon as he got through, he went off on them: “Seriously, don’t you have any conscience at all, leaving a guy as handsome, suave, and hrious as me stranded all alone in Jsburg? You don’t feel guilty even a little?”
Jessica shot back, “Not at all.”
Reba chimed in, “Not at all.”
They answered in perfect harmony, not missing a beat.
Ian practically exploded, “You guys are savage!”
Jessica and Reba just kept munching away, totally ignoring Ian’s face on the screen–as if he didn’t even exist.
Ian–he was so pissed, he might’ve shattered his mrs if he kept grinding his teeth any harder.
What else could he do?
Just suck it up.
After all, neither of those two would ever let him have the upper hand.
“Hey, quit munching for a second. I’ve got something serious to say,” Ian said, watching them chow down so happily his own stomach startedining.
Jessica stuffed a piece of meat in her mouth without even looking up. “Go ahead.”
“Can’t you at least pretend to respect me?” Ian gritted his teeth.
Jessica replied with a totally straight face, “We’re picking up your call while eating–trust me, that’s already the most respect you’re getting.”
Reba chimed in, “Exactly.”
Ian felt like he’d just been stabbed. “What do you mean, ‘exactly? Ben–the doctor Andrea was keeping an eye on–just woke up.”
Jessica paused mid–bite.
Reba froze for a second.
At the same time, they both set down their forks and looked up atn on the screen. Jessica pressed, “When did he wake up? Did you get a chance to talk to him?”
“He just woke up. The doctors are still checking him over, Ian said, sounding totally wiped out from keeping watch at the hospital. “He’s not really making much sense yet–just talking in fits and starts.
“He’ll probably need a couple days before he can talk normally,” Jessica said, just going right back to eating
“There’s something else,” Jan added.
Jessica didn’t even bother looking up. “Spit it out.”
Jessica raised an eyebrow. “What?”
Jessica nced up at him, a bit impatient. “Just say it already.”
Ian’s stomach was rumbling, and seeing her so focused on eating and totally ignoring him made him even more irritated. “I’m not saying a word until you put down your fork and sit up straight like a good little kid.”
“Whatever, say it or don’t, I really don’t care,” Jessica shot back, not giving him an inch.
Ian: “Are you seriously doing this to me?!”
Ian was on the verge of a breakdown. “Do I not get any respect in this group at all?”
“In our little friendship crew, you honestly have zero family status,” Jessica said, totally deadpan.
Ianined, “Becky, are you seeing this?”
Reba cleared her throat. “She’s the boss here–whatever she says, goes.”
Ian was barely holding it together. One of these days, he was definitely going to teach Jessica a lesson so she’d stop looking down on him all the time. “Stanley’s guys stopped by–pretty sure Jeffrey sent them. Should we tell them about Ben and Andrea?”
“Not for now,” Reba jumped in.
Jessica and Ian both turned their heads to look at her.
Reba’s expression was serious as she considered it. “The deal between Andrea and Ben probably ties into whoever Jeffrey’s real benefactor is,’ she thought. “Let’s just keep this to ourselves for now.”
13:38 Mon, <b>Oct </b>6
<b>38 </b>
55 vouchers
“Sure thing.”n replied, not pushing any further. Whatever Reba decided, he was always on board.
As for that thing with Andrea,
Reba and Jessica ended up tellingn everything after that day.
“Oh, and something important,” Reba suddenly remembered. “Next time you need to talk to Ben, be sure to switch off your phone first–just in case Jeffrey’s crew is eavesdropping.”
No doubt Jeffrey’s already caught word that Ben’s up.
Mom always said hackers can tap your phone–so better to be safe than sorry.
“Got it,” Ian replied without missing a beat.
“Thanks for handling everythingtely,” Reba said, genuine gratitude in her voice. “If you ever need a hand, just say the word.”
“Come on, no need to be so formal with me,” Ian grinned, practically beaming.
Jessica caught the way he lit up.
She grabbed her phone and sent him a message: [Look at you, getting all giddy.]
Ian: [You just don’t get it–this is the magic of love.]
Jessica shuddered, goosebumps prickling up all over.
‘If he really ends up with Reba, am I ever going to catch a break?‘ she griped inwardly.
“Anything else you two need to discuss?” Reba asked.
Ian: “Nope.”
Jessica: “Nope.”
They replied in perfect unison–not even hesitating for a split second. You could tell they weren’t about to disrespect their own mood with anything less than total confidence!
With that done, Reba said a couple quick goodbyes to Ian, hung up, and dove right back into her food.
“Reba,” Jessica said, suddenly recalling something.
Reba nced over. “Yeah?” <fnea18> Readplete version only at Find~Novel</fnea18>
Jessica asked, “Why are you hiding this from Jeffrey?”
“If he finds out Andrea wasn’t actually his real lifesaver, he’ll have one more excuse to stall on the divorce,” Reba said, not wanting any more mess. “I don’t want to get dragged back into his drama. I’ll just wait until Andrea tells me who that person is–then I’ll decide what to do.”
This time, she was determined to stay one step ahead.
?? 38
165 vouchers
If Jeffrey caught wind of it before Reba did, he’d 100% track that person down and try to negotiate a deal
for himself.
“True.” Jessica nodded knowingly, totally on the same page.
While Reba and Jessica were talking, Stanley was on a call with Jeffrey.
Stanley was lounging on his couch, his tablet propped up on the coffee table for a video call. “Ian’s guard up tight–he’s super wary of me.”
got
his
“Mm,” Jeffrey replied, his attention still on hisputer, handling some work.
“I think he might know something,” Stanley mused. “After all, he was already digging into this before Ben got hurt, and he even met up with him a few times.”
Jeffrey kept his cool, not saying much.
“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Stanley shot Jeffrey a look, his brow furrowed.
Jeffrey was dead serious. “Didn’t I tell you to leave it alone?”
Stanley was speechless–he could only stare back.
He got what Jeffrey really meant. “Whatever, whether I dig into it or not is up to me. Anyway, could you just let Riley know? I need her to handle something for me.”
“Mm,” Jeffrey answered,pletely unfazed.
******
Right after Reba warned him, Ian switched his phone straight to airne mode.
Riley gave it one shot, then just powered herputer offpletely.
Stanley blinked in confusion. “Huh?”
He was totally thrown. “Seriously, what’s up with randomly shutting down theputer?”
“Pretty sure his phone’s on airne mode, so hacking in’s not an option,” Riley said, standing up and leaving the study. “Guess you’ve got no choice but to go old–school–try eavesdropping.”
Stanley frowned, furrowing his brow.
‘Eavesdrop?‘ Stanley balked at the suggestion.
He seriously hated the idea, but for the sake of his brother’s freedom and happiness, he still set things into motion.
But Ian was ready too–his bodyguards were posted outside Ben’s hospital room, making sure no one who
didn’t belong got in, not even Stanley’s guys.
(39}
When Stanley found out, he was about to lose it. He had no choice but to go head–to–head withn himself.
Meanwhile,
After finishing his rounds, the doctor walked over ton. “Mr. Yeats, the patient wants to see you.”