Chapter 376:

Silence drifted between them. The kind that doesn’t settle but hovers. Brad let go of the wheel with one hand and reached toward her.

She froze just slightly, but he only brushed her chin. “You’ve got crumbs.”

His thumb, rough and familiar from years around weapons, moved gently across her skin.

The touch was brief. It left her cheeks warm.

She dropped her gaze and dabbed her chin with a tissue. “Oh.”

Soon, the car pulled into the Morgan estate.

While unwinding in Marinth, Rylie had made solid progress. Her coding project was nearly done. Now, it just needed to be loaded into the emergency gear for another round of trials.

As they stepped out of the vehicle, a figure came sprinting their way. Zaylee, in a floral dress and holding sunflowers, called out, “Brad!”

Beaming with excitement, Zaylee held the bouquet out to him. “These just bloomed on the hill. I thought you’d like them. They’re for you!”

Brad looked at the flowers, then at her. Without taking them, he asked, “Did you finish your homework before you ran out here?”

Zaylee blinked. That wasn’t what she’d expected. She’d picked the flowers because his necklace had sunflowers too. But instead of a smile, he gave her a question.

“I’ve still got a bit left,” she said, nibbling on her lip.

Brad’s expression remained flat. “Exams are near. You made a promise when you moved in. Don’t forget it.”

Zaylee’s face dropped. She stepped back, her voice quieter. “I’ll study hard.”

“Good.” With a short nod, Brad turned to Rylie. “Let’s head to the lab.”

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Zaylee bit her lip and turned around, trailing behind them with quick steps.

“Brad, my birthday is coming up. Can I invite my friends over after the exams?”

He stopped walking. “Keep the party outside.”

She frowned. “Why not?”

Brad stopped and looked back at the teary-eyed girl. “Too many people, too much attention. It’s inconvenient.”

Zaylee looked down. “Alright.”

Inside the lab, Rylie found a crowd waiting. Some of the faces were new, others familiar.

Brad turned to Rylie. “The Minister of Defense sent these folks to help with the tech upgrade.”

She gave a small nod. “Alright. Let’s get moving.”

Though older and more seasoned, the experts had already seen what Rylie pulled off with the battleship modifications. That was enough. They respected her skill and didn’t hesitate to fall in line.

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