My Wife is a Hacker

Nicole walked over to where Jared had parked his car. Jared smiled affectionately and opened the door for her, saying, "Hop in."

Once inside, Nicole sank into the seat with a deep sigh. "Finally, a moment to relax." "You look worn out," Jared noted, concerned.

"I'm okay," she said, leaning against Jared. It wasn't the work that was tiring, but rather the stress from dealing with Lawrence that had been weighing on her. Now, in the quiet of the car, she felt a sense of relief.

Jared smiled gently, "Soon, you'll get to relax for real."

He knew exactly what she was going through. They just had to handle the situation with Lawrence, and then all this stress would be behind them.

Nicole nodded as she smiled back, feeling a bit more at ease.

****

Ellar took Patricia to a cozy restaurant. The calm music and charming decor made them feel comfortable right away.

"Let’s sit over here," Ellar suggested, guiding Patricia to a window table.

Once they ordered, Eliar turned to Patricia, "You've been working so much lately. I thought a night out would help you unwind. Don't stress so much."

Patricia let out a small sigh. "A call would have been enough, you know. Why come to the office?" "I wanted to see you," Ellar said, looking a bit upset, "Plus, now that work's over and Jared's with Nicole, she'll be alright." "I'm not worried about Nicole. It's just that I think we should keep things between US a bit more private for now," Patricia tried to explain.

Ell ar firmly disagreed, "No, we're together and shouldn't hide it. Are you having doubts?" His stance was clear; he saw no reason to hide their relationship, feeling insecure about Patricia's hesitance.

Patricia couldn't help but smile, a mix of amusement and exasperation in her gaze. "What are you even saying?"

Ellar gave a nervous laugh, scratching his head. "Just making sure you’re okay with US. I get worried when I don't see you." "Let's just eat," Patricia said with a mock stern look, making Ellar seem almost pitiful.

"Alright, let's enjoy the meal," Ellar agreed, cheerfully offering Patricia some of her favorites.

They spent the meal talking and laughing, Ellar appearing utterly satisfied.

Patricia watched him, her heart filling with a gentle happiness, her smile hidden but genuine.

****

The next day, the sun was shining brightly when Patricia walked into Nicole's office early in the morning. "Ms. Riddle, Lawrence hasn't stopped. It seems he hasn't noticed that we're onto him." "So, he's going ahead with his plan," Lulu said, surprised. Nicole had talked about turning his plans against him, so if Lawrence kept this up, he'd only be setting himself back.

"It seems so. And with Mr. Johnston pushing him, I think he'll make his move soon," Patricia explained.

She looked serious. Even though they were ready, she knew they had to be careful.

Nicole thought for a moment, 'Jared is pushing hard, and with Sean's help, Lawrence's company won't last much longer.’

She was surprised Lawrence was still calm, ignoring his own company to focus on her side.