Chapter 148

Matthew's birthday was three days away. Bringing up anything heavy then was out of the question; I didn't want to spoil his day. I planned to visit him early, deliver his gift, and get it over with.

But before I could, Wayne arrived. I hadn't seen him since the amusement park and barely recognized him.

"Did I turn into a coal miner or something? You don't even know who I am?" he joked, self-deprecatingly breaking the ice.

Seeing him evoked memories of Hayden, and I smiled. "If your mom saw you now, she'd freak."

"Nah, she said I look more manly," Wayne replied, keeping the mood light.

"You do have that rugged, manly vibe going on," I teased.

Wayne grinned, rubbing his face. "Glad you noticed."

Despite his efforts, I felt awkward, unsure how to proceed. Remembering my plan to see Matthew, I changed the subject. "So, how are your mom and dad doing?"

"They're good, but they miss you," he said, hitting me with a wave of guilt. I used to visit the Johnston residence daily after work; they saw me more than my own family. Since moving out, I hadn't been back.

"I'm actually planning to visit them today," I said, hesitating. "I also need to talk to your dad about something."

Wayne's expression pleaded for an explanation. I didn't hold back. "Jace has been attacking the company I joined, trying to destroy it—even stealing clients."

He wasn't surprised. "I already told my dad. And about you quitting? He was against it."

He watched me intently. When I remained silent, he added, "I'm here because my dad sent me to convince you. Rea… please, come back to the company."

Despite his serious tone, I smiled. "So, if you don't succeed, is your dad going to give you a hard time?" The memory of Matthew's harsh reaction to Wayne's failed errand in my third year with the family surfaced. It was the first time I'd seen Matthew lose his temper so severely. Wayne hadn't reacted—no tears, no excuses—but the embarrassment was evident in his blush. I realized I should have looked away, to spare him.

"Making fun of me?" Wayne laughed, perhaps recalling that day as well.

"No, I—" I began to deny it, but he interrupted.

"But I'm not here to pressure you, even if it means trouble later."

Confused, I stared at him. He pressed his lips together. "I know why you left, why you gave up on the amusement park you cared so much about. How could I force you back?"

He smiled, the bright, warm smile of the carefree kid he once was. "Besides, even if I asked, you wouldn't go back. So why make things awkward?"

He knew me too well. Before his assignment, I'd always gotten along better with him than Jace. Jace was nice, but his teasing and pranks often went too far. Wayne, however, always had my back, even scolding Jace for scaring me. He was the brother I never had.

"Does your dad actually support Jace?" I asked, remembering Wayne's mention of Matthew's knowledge of Jace's actions.

"No, my dad tore into him and warned that if he keeps causing trouble, he'll be kicked out," Wayne said, and I believed him.