Chapter 271: Why Make It Complicated
Upon their return, Malcolm had already made his presence known. Reese, burdened with bags, deposited them onto the table before turning her attention to him. “Back so soon?” she queried casually. Malcolm, in the process of draping his jacket over a chair, responded, “I delegated the remaining tasks. Been in meetings since lawn and have reviewed a mountain of documents. My eyes are on fire. “Reese snorted at his veiled plea, expecting her to offer some relief for his eyes. However, playing the fole of a doting wife was not her forte. “Perhaps you should ask the staff to assist you,” she suggested. Malcolm, however, had other plans. He took her hand, a playful glint in his eyes. “But I would prefer your touch, he insisted. Reese found herself momentarily disarmed by his tender gaze. Either he was genuinely expressing his feelings, or he was a master of deception. Regardless, she was too weary for a battle of wits. “How about an acupuncture treatment instead? It will certainly clear your vision,” she proposed.It was likely that Malcolm’s discomfort was due to a lack of sleep the previous night, coupled with the exhaustion from the past few days. “Alright,” he agreed readily, but then he remembered it had been a while since Rese had used her needles; ever since his leg injury had healed, she rarely practiced. “Give me a moment,” she said, heading upstairs to change her clothes.As Reese ascended the stairs, Jason entered from the backyard, catching Malcolm’s eye. “Mr. Tartt,” he greeted. Jason, upon hearing his name, halted and approached respectfully. “Do you require something, sir?” he asked. Malcolm’s question was direct. “I heard from the staff that you were delayed with the groceries today, Mr. Tartt. Did something occur on the road His inquiry was pointed, and Jason could sense the suspicion in his gaze.Jason was not naive. He understood that Malcolm’s question was a signal of his doubt, seeking a confession that would spill from Jason’s lips. However, this was not something Jason could reveal to Malcolm. Even if he were to confess, it would serve no purpose unless he had substantial evidence against Reese. Only then might he consider taking such a risk.Despite Malcolm’s high regard for Reese, treating her like a precious gem, Jason’s previous heroics in saving Grandpa Flynn amounted to little. He was an outsider, and Malcolm’s loyalty would not waver in his favor. Jason maintained his composure, his eyes twinkling with a friendly smile, appearing as unfazed as any other day.“I encountered a bit of trouble today–a reckless youngster driving too fast clipped me. My walk is a bit unsteady, hence the delay,” he explained smoothly. On the surface, his response seemed flawless. But Malcolm, always one step ahead, was not someone Jason could easily deceive. Malcolm’s lips curled into a slight smirk, radiating a confidence as if he already knew the truth and was merely watching the drama unfold. “However, I recall you practicing martial arts regularly. You should have been able to avoid harm,” Malcolm remarked. For most people, getting hit would be normal, but not for Jason.
Given his reflexive catch from yesterday, he could have avoided the collision unless the car was exceptionally fast. Jason couldn’t ignore the probing in Malcolm’s voice. With a casual chuckle, he replied, “Age catches up with us all, and I didn’t see it coming. Thank you for your concern, Master.“At that moment, Reese descended the stairs, clutching her belongings, sensing the tension. Both Jason and Malcolm’s eyes held layers of speculation. It seemed Malcolm had begun his questioning. But she was not worried. With Jason’s background, his capacity for handling surprises was not in question–and this hardly qualified as a surprise; Malcolm’s interrogation was likely anticipated.Descending casually, she placed her items on the table, addressing Jason, “Mr. Tartt, what’s on the menu tonight?” “Whatever Mrs. Flynn is craving, I’ll have the staff prepare it,” he replied amiably, a natural flow to their conversation that even Malcolm couldn’t fault. “How about some braised pork? I’ve suddenly got a taste for it,” she said, equally effortlessly.Malcolm, observing their interaction, couldn’t pin down anything amiss. With Reese present, he couldn’t pry further and simply told Mr. Tartt, “You can go about your business then.” “Certainly, Master.” Once Jason had retreated to the kitchen, Reese didn’t say much more. She began administering acupuncture to Malcolm, who was quite accommodating, his eyes gently closed.“My dear, what did you purchase today?” he asked. “Oh, some gifts for friends, and I snagged a couple of outfits for myself. You know how the seasons are about to change.” Reese’s response was smooth, as if she really had spent the day shopping.Malcolm joked in his usual easy–going manner, “Whose gifts? They must be pretty important to you if you’re bothering to get them something.” The thing about Reese was that she tended to be quite straightforward. She didn’t usually beat around the bush. Normally, she didn’t make a big deal out of holidays and preferred investing her time in things she was passionate about. Like at work; she might have appeared disengaged, but she never missed a beat and always handled her tasks with ease.Reese could tell what Malcolm was getting at. They both knew exactly what the other was thinking, probing each other, but neither wanted to tear down that last barrier of pretense. “Remember the person I met the other day? A good college buddy who’s always been there for me.” “Oh yeah, her,” Malcolm said, a mix of remembrance and rumination in his voice. “Yeah, she’s got a birthday coming up. She invited me, but I’m not really into parties, so I figured I’d just send a gift.” “That works,” Malcolm said, pulling Reese’s hand towards him, fingers lightly grazing her skin in an offhand manner. “You know about that project I mentioned before, right? The one that got snatched away, the ribbon–cutting you attended?” His words had an undertone and Reese paused for a moment. He must have found out.She withdrew her hand, a chill touching her gaze, and pulled up a chair to sit opposite him. “What are you trying to say?” Malcolm deliberately teased her, his head bowed as he chuckled lightly. “Just making conversation, don’t read too much into it, darling.” Who’s reading too much into this, Malcolm? Are you trying to suggest that I snatched that project from you, and you’re peeved about it?” His bringing it up after so long suggested that doubts still lingered. Or perhaps he had already made up his mind on the matter, and for her to deny it now would be overly contrived seeing her seemingly perturbed made Malcolm find her even more endearing. He just wanted to stir up her emotions to have her express the real feelings to him. He couldn’t help but chuckle softly, “Darling, just tell me straight, and I could have simply handed the project to you. Why go through all that hassle?“Reese found his comment even more amusing. “So you’re implying that I’m the one making things complicated, creating my own problems?” she said with a laugh.
