The Doormat Wife’s Ultimate Glow-Up novel Chapter 453

“Besides.” He paused, his voice carrying that easy, relaxed tone. “I promised you sushi, didn’t I? I can’t just bail on that.” He grinned. “Let’s eat first. We’ll need the energy to deal with those jokers later.”

Reese hesitated, but then it clicked. Matthew was pretending to be laid-back, letting Joseph drop his guard. He wanted Joseph to think he wasn’t interested in fighting, only to strike when he least expected it.

Her nerves settled. She smiled and nodded. “Alright, I’ll go with your plan.”

Matthew started the car, turned the wheel, and headed toward the sushi place. Inside the car, he put on some mellow music. Instrumental notes filled the space, washing away that earlier tension. Every now and then, he’d turn to Reese and chat about the most ordinary things. New dishes at the sushi spot, how strange the weather had been lately, anything but Ratcliff Global. It was like he’d just decided to forget about the boardroom drama for the time being.

Reese watched him, so calm and collected, and she felt her worries slip away. She knew Matthew never walked into a fight without a plan. He might look casual, but he always had things under control.

After about twenty minutes, they pulled up to Reese’s favorite sushi restaurant. The place was hidden away on a quiet little side street, all clean lines and simple Japanese decor. It felt peaceful the moment they walked in.

The owner spotted them right away and hurried over, beaming. “Mr. Wiles, it’s been a while. Want your usual table?”

Matthew smiled. “Yeah, the usual.” He took Reese’s hand and led her to the booth by the window. It had a great view of the alley’s greenery, and the whole corner just felt so calm.

Once they sat down, the waiter handed over the menus. Matthew glanced at them, then ordered without even looking. He picked out all the things Reese loved: salmon belly sushi, arctic surf clam sashimi, grilled eel, and a sukiyaki hot pot. He added, “And two glasses of plum wine, please.”

Reese picked up her chopsticks, grabbed a piece of sushi, and popped it into her mouth. She closed her eyes, savoring it, feeling all the stress of the past few days just dissolve with every bite.

Matthew watched her enjoy the food, and he couldn’t help grinning. He kept adding more to her plate, not bothering to hide how much he cared.

They ate slowly, talking in quiet voices. The restaurant felt like its own little world, far away from all the chaos and games of the business world.

Every now and then, Matthew’s phone would buzz quietly. He’d glance at it, tuck it away, and go right back to talking with Reese, never letting anything interrupt their time together.