Chapter 284: Chapter 284 Caught
Leonardo stepped out of the luxurious black car, the door swinging open with a soft thud. Excitement burned in his eyes, sharp and hungry, like a beast that had finally cornered its prey. His gaze landed on the figure standing a short distance away, back turned toward him. The man’s posture was confident, his black hair falling neatly against the collar of his stylish clothes.
Leo’s brows drew together. Is the hacker really this young? The disbelief unsettled him for a moment, and he caught Jeffery wearing the same look of shock.
"Catch him," Jeffery ordered sharply, breaking the silence.
The command jolted Bella’s nerves like lightning. Her heart raced, and instinct took over. She spun on her heel, ready to flee. Fear twisted inside her. Who were these men? Were they enemies of Leo, or worse, enemies who had come for her? Her fingers fumbled for her second phone but panic made her hands shake.
Around her, men in black suits and dark glasses moved into formation, flooding the street until every escape route was sealed. Their presence was suffocating, their movements precise, and yet, as Bella’s wide eyes scanned their faces, something strange tugged at her. Why do some of them look familiar...?
Her thoughts stumbled as her head lifted slowly and froze.
Shock rippled through her as her gaze locked onto the man stepping forward. Leonardo.
He was dressed in a dark shirt, a few buttons left undone, revealing a glimpse of the strong lines of his chest. His jaw was set in a hard line, every feature carved in tension, his presence radiating power and control. For a heartbeat, he only looked at her, and then his lips curved into a smirk.
"So you’re that hacker?" His voice was smooth, edged with mocking amusement.
But when her face tilted up fully toward him, something in his expression shifted. Recognition struck him like a blow. That soft jawline, those honey-brown eyes he could never forget, the lashes that brushed her cheeks when she blinked, and—damn—those lips, the very ones he had imagined far too many times.
It was her. Bella.
The realization tightened his chest, though outwardly his smirk remained. The hacker he had been chasing was none other than the woman who had haunted his thoughts.
Jeffery, however, stood frozen at his side, confusion plain on his face. To him, this delicate, almost fragile-looking youth was an impossible match for that wild hacker’s style.
***
Meanwhile, Alexa’s heart soared with secret triumph the moment she confirmed the news. She was pregnant. Of course, she hadn’t left it to chance. Before seducing Archer, she had consulted her doctor carefully, waiting for the perfect fertile day, and on that day, she had made sure to trap him in her carefully woven net. Now, as she rubbed her stomach with a self-satisfied smirk, her eyes gleamed with dangerous delight.
"Baby," she whispered softly, tilting her head toward the mirror as though she were speaking to the tiny life inside her. "You will help me tame your daddy." Her voice dripped with pride as she stepped out of the bathroom, her lips curling in satisfaction. She had tested herself more than once already, each result flashing positive, and with every confirmation, her confidence grew sharper.
Today, however, another matter weighed on her. It was supposed to be the day they discussed divorce. For weeks she had stalled Archer with excuses, feigning sickness to avoid the inevitable. But now she felt untouchable, armed with a secret that would bind him to her whether he liked it or not.
When she entered the living room, her gaze fell on him. Archer sat alone on the sofa, casually flipping through a magazine, his posture calm, almost careless. For a moment, Alexa’s lips parted in grudging admiration. He truly was handsome—his deep blue eyes, framed by dark lashes, his sculpted features, his tall, elegant frame. And on top of that, he was wealthy beyond measure. How could any woman in her right mind willingly give him up?
Her thoughts turned sly. If she couldn’t secure Leo, then why shouldn’t she hold onto Archer? In fact, she had already succeeded. She had him. She had even joined her friends’ online group under a different name, watching them chatter with envy. They were jealous that, no matter how much they despised her, she had managed to win such a man. That jealousy fueled her pride, filling her with a twisted sense of superiority.
And there was more. Alexa knew of another woman, one waiting eagerly for their divorce, an admirer who dreamed of taking her place beside Archer. The knowledge only made Alexa’s grip on him tighten. How could I possibly let him go now? she thought with a cruel smirk. Let them all be jealous of me.
Her smile faltered as her anger flared again. Leo. That man had tossed her aside despite everything she had done, despite every sacrifice she had made for him. Ungrateful scum! But fate had handed her a second chance—a wealthy, powerful man who would keep her life drenched in luxury. With Archer’s child in her belly, she would live pampered, envied, untouchable. And one day, when Leo finally realized what he had lost, she would look him in the eye and reject him.
Her thoughts twisted darker, spiraling with greed and vengeance, her expression shifting from smug to almost manic. She stroked her belly again, whispering softly, as though feeding her own delusions. This baby wasn’t just her child—it was her weapon, her victory, the chain that would tie Archer to her forever.
She walked gracefully into the living room and settled opposite him, smoothing her skirt with deliberate calm.
Archer lowered the magazine he had been reading, his expression unreadable as his deep blue eyes met hers.
"Let’s discuss the divorce," he said evenly, his tone leaving no space for argument.
Alexa forced herself to nod, her lips curving faintly as though she were indifferent. She didn’t want to appear desperate, not now. Every movement had to look natural, every reaction measured, as though she were perfectly in control.
Archer leaned back, his posture relaxed yet unyielding, and spoke in the same calm tone that could cut sharper than anger. "I will give you a house, a car, and one hundred million. I believe that is more than enough to feed you."