His innocent wife is a dangerous hacker.

Chapter 748 I am here

She heard Leo’s voice in the distance, shouting orders and demanding answers. His voice was sharp and cold, the voice of a man who was used to being obeyed. She heard footsteps, the murmur of guards talking, and the crackle of radios. She heard the private doctor packing his bag, the click of the latches, and the soft shuffle of his shoes on the floor.

She opened her eyes.

Leo was walking toward her. His face was hard, his jaw tight, and his gray eyes dark with fury. His suit was rumpled, his tie loosened, and his hair slightly disheveled. He looked like he had run here. He probably had. She could see the sweat on his forehead, the strain in his shoulders, and the way his chest rose and fell like he had been holding his breath for miles.

But when he saw her sitting on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, her face wet with tears, his expression softened. The fury did not disappear, but it moved to the background, replaced by a gentler expression.

He knelt in front of her, the fabric of his trousers brushing against the cold floor, and took her hands in his. His palms were warm, rough, and familiar.

"I am here," he said. His voice was low and soft, meant only for her ears.

Bella nodded. She could not speak. Her throat was too tight and her lips too shaky. She just stared at him, at his gray eyes that were searching her face, looking for injuries, looking for pain, looking for anything that would tell him she was not okay.

"I am taking you home."

She nodded again, and he helped her stand, keeping his arm around her waist and holding her close. She leaned into him, her body weak and her legs unsteady. The blanket slipped from her shoulders, but she did not care. She did not feel cold anymore.

He did not rush her. He just held her, letting her take the time she needed. His hand rubbed slow circles on her back, and she focused on the rhythm, letting it calm her racing heart.

She looked back at the guard before they left. Her voice was hoarse, barely audible. "What is his name?"

The guard blinked, surprised. "Ma’am?"

Bella swallowed, forcing the words out. "The man who died. What was his name?"

The guard’s eyes flickered with something, surprise or maybe respect. He stood a little straighter. "Moofi. Moofi Rizzo."

Bella repeated the name in her head, memorizing it. Moofi Rizzo. She would not forget him. She would not let his death be meaningless. She would say his name when no one else remembered. She would make sure his sacrifice meant something.

Leo led her out of the security office. The night air was cold against her skin, sharp and bracing, cutting through the fog in her mind. A black car was waiting, engine running, the back door already open. He helped her inside, slid in beside her, and pulled her close.

The door closed. The world outside became muffled and distant.

The car pulled away from the curb, the city lights blurring past the tinted windows.

Inside the car

She buried her face in his chest and finally, finally let herself cry.

Bella’s shoulders shook. Her fingers clutched Leo’s shirt, twisting the fabric, holding on like he was the only thing keeping her from falling apart completely. Her tears soaked through his shirt.

"Leo," she sobbed, her voice muffled against his chest. "Leo, someone died. Moofi. He had brothers. Two brothers. He was protecting me, and now he is gone."

Leo’s jaw tightened. His eyes flashed with something dark, something dangerous. A headache pounded behind his temples, but he ignored it. He pushed it down and buried it deep, because right now, Bella needed him to be solid. Needed him to be her rock.

He pulled her closer, his arms wrapping around her like a shield. His hand came up to cradle the back of her head, his fingers threading through her hair.

"It is okay, Bella," he said, his voice steady despite the storm inside him. "I will take care of his family. I will make sure his brothers want for nothing. Education, housing, careers, and everything. They will never have to worry about money again. I promise you."

Bella sniffled, lifting her tear streaked face to look at him. Her eyes were red, swollen, and full of grief. "But he is still gone. Nothing can bring him back."

Leo’s expression softened. He wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb, his touch gentle and reverent. "No," he agreed quietly. "Nothing can bring him back. But his death will not be forgotten. He died protecting you. That means something. His sacrifice will not be wasted."

Bella let out a shaky breath. Her lower lip trembled.

Leo continued, his voice low and thoughtful, almost philosophical in a way she had never heard from him before. "Death is a natural phenomenon, Bella. One day, you and me and everyone in this world will face it in their own time. We cannot stop it. We cannot outrun it. We cannot bargain with it. It comes for everyone. Kings and beggars. Saints and sinners. Rich and poor. No one escapes."

Bella listened, her tears slowing.

"But what we can control," Leo said, "is how we live, how we love, and how we protect the people who matter to us. Moofi knew the risks when he took this job. He knew that one day, he might not come home. But he did it anyway because he believed in something bigger than himself."

Bella nodded slowly, the words sinking in, settling somewhere deep in her heart.

Leo kissed the top of her head, his lips lingering there for a moment. Then he kissed her again, softer this time, his lips brushing her hairline.

"Don’t worry," he said, pulling back to look at her face. His gray eyes were steady, certain, and unshakable. "I will handle everything."

Bella’s eyes searched his. "You cannot do everything alone."

Leo’s lips curved into the faintest smile. "I am not alone. I have you."

Bella let out a wet laugh, something between a sob and a giggle. "I am a mess right now. I cannot help anyone."

Leo tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "You do not have to help anyone right now. You just have to rest. Let me carry this for a while."

Bella’s eyes welled up again. She leaned her head against his chest, listening to the thump of his heart.

Leo felt her getting sleepy. Her body grew heavier against his, and her eyelids began to flutter.

"Sleep," he whispered. "I will wake you when we are home."

"Mmm," she murmured, already half asleep.

He kissed her forehead one more time and held her tighter, his eyes staring out the window at the dark city.