Chapter 310: Chapter 310 Hidden Threats
"You find everyone interesting," Leo replied flatly, though his voice held no real bite. He sighed, turning his gaze away, trying to pull himself together.
Inside, though, his thoughts were far less composed. Great. Just great. His own grandmother had managed to turn him—Leonardo Moretti, CEO and most feared Mafia boss—into a blushing schoolboy in front of his wife. She really had to bring up the broccoli story, didn’t she?
He felt a muscle twitch in his jaw. Seriously? She told her I cried because of broccoli?
He could practically feel the image shattering—the calm, powerful man Bella was supposed to see replaced with a five-year-old hiding under the dining table from a spoonful of green horror.
He stole a quick glance at Bella. She was smiling softly, trying to hide a laugh behind her hand, her eyes bright with mischief.
He sighed inwardly, his pride crumbling all over again. Perfect. Now she thinks I was a vegetable-phobic child.
Still, as he watched her laugh quietly, shoulders shaking just a little, something in his chest eased. Even if she found him less "authoritative" now, the sparkle in her eyes was worth it.
He looked away quickly, pretending to adjust his watch just to avoid smiling like an idiot. Still... I’m hiding the broccoli story forever. If Nonna brings it up again, I’m moving her to another city.
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"You’re late," Leo said calmly, glancing up from his laptop as Isaac—who was, of course, Bella in disguise—walked in, looking slightly out of breath and frazzled.
Bella, still adjusting her tie and trying to look composed, glared at him. "Sir, I have a family! That’s why I’m late," she said, trying to sound firm and professional. Her voice carried just the right amount of irritation to make it believable.
Leo’s lips twitched slightly, though he hid his amusement well. "I see. Family first, hmm?" he said lightly, then gestured toward the chair opposite him. "Sit."
Bella sat down quickly, brushing invisible dust from her sleeves, trying not to meet his gaze.
"Did you read the contract?" Leo asked directly, his tone smooth and businesslike.
"Yes, I have read it," Bella replied, nodding quickly.
"Good." He slid a folder across the desk. "Sign it."
Bella took the pen and, without hesitation, signed the documents. She’d already gone through every line last night, memorizing the terms. She set the papers down neatly and looked up.
Leo studied her for a moment before speaking again. "You can officially join from today. I’ll also pay you for your work yesterday. Submit your details, and I’ll have my assistant send you an email later. Understood?"
Bella nodded, her tone polite but brisk. "Understood, sir."
"Good," he said, watching as she stood, straightened her clothes, and walked toward the door.
As soon as she left the room, Leo leaned back in his chair, and a faint, genuine smile appeared on his lips. He could still hear the faint click of her shoes fading down the hallway.
Honestly, it was easier like this. With her in disguise, no one would suspect who she truly was. His enemies wouldn’t be able to trace her, wouldn’t connect the brilliant hacker "Isaac" with his wife, Bella Moretti. If they knew... if anyone even guessed she was working for him, she could become a target.
The thought made something cold coil inside him.
No, he wasn’t going to risk that. He’d rather let her play her little role as Isaac for as long as she wanted.
Just as he was about to return to his work, his phone buzzed. He picked it up without checking the caller ID. "Yes?"
"Hello, sir," came the voice of Assistant No. 5, polite but slightly nervous. "I wanted to confirm—when should we arrange the full-body check-up for your family?"
Leo’s eyes narrowed slightly. "On the weekend," he said firmly. "Send the medical team to my home directly."
"Yes, sir," the assistant replied quickly before hanging up.
Leo set his phone down slowly, his expression tightening. Ever since he found that strange powder from Pablo’s men, the unease hadn’t left him, and the strange reports he’d received about it—it wasn’t something he could ignore.
What if it had already been used somehow? What if it had been inside his home? On their food?
His jaw clenched, and his hand curled into a fist on the desk.
He wasn’t taking any chances.
He turned his chair toward the window, staring out at the city below, the glass reflecting the faint tension in his face.
If anyone was trying to harm his family—if anyone had even thought about it—he’d make sure they regretted ever breathing his name.
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Meanwhile, Bella sat at her desk in a shared workspace with other hackers.
A guy beside her glanced up from his screen and smiled politely. He looked a few years older than her, tall, with messy brown hair and thick glasses that kept slipping down his nose. "My name’s Matthew," he said with a small grin, pushing his glasses back into place. He extended a hand toward her.
"Isaac," Bella said with a calm, friendly smile as she shook his hand. Her voice carried that soft neutrality she’d practiced– confident, a bit aloof, not too warm to raise suspicion.
"Nice to meet you," Matthew said, his tone friendly but clearly curious. "I heard you’re working on the Pablo assignment today too."
Bella nodded. "Yeah."
Her gaze flicked to her monitor, and her fingers started flying over the keyboard almost instinctively. The faint glow of code illuminated her face as she scanned the target’s data trail.
The name "Pablo" made something tighten in her chest. Isn’t this the same man who attacked us last time? she thought, her eyes narrowing. She had destroyed his digital base completely, erased his entire system months ago. How is he back again?
Her jaw set slightly, determination flaring in her eyes. Fine, if he’d crawled back, she’d just destroy him again—only cleaner, faster, and without leaving a single trace this time.
As the minutes passed, the other hackers in the room started exchanging glances, whispering quietly. They couldn’t believe what they were seeing.
Isaac’s or rather, Bella’s—fingers moved across the keyboard at lightning speed. Every command was precise, every line of code flawless. She didn’t pause, didn’t hesitate. It was like watching an artist paint—fast, fluid, and mesmerizing.
"Holy crap," someone muttered from across the table, leaning forward. "He’s not even using reference files... he’s building everything from scratch."
Matthew adjusted his glasses again, stunned. "And his firewall bypass code—what the hell... I’ve never seen that pattern before."