His innocent wife is a dangerous hacker.-Chapter 438 Safe Space

Bella kept staring at Leo with those wide, curious eyes, her smile growing bigger and brighter by the second. Then she leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice as if she were sharing a very important secret meant only for him.

"Wow..." she whispered again, sounding deeply amazed. "My future husband is very, very tall."

She lifted her small hands and stretched them upward, carefully measuring the air as if trying to capture his height. "And very big," she added seriously, nodding to herself. "Like... like a hero in a cartoon."

The room went completely quiet.

Bella’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Leo properly this time, not with fear or confusion, but with pure, childish wonder. She smiled at him slowly, sweetly, then shyly covered her mouth with both hands, her cheeks warming.

"Are you kind?" she asked softly. "You won’t scold me if I cry, right?"

That single sentence shattered everyone.

Jay felt his chest tighten so painfully it almost hurt. Jace turned his face away, rubbing his eyes roughly with his thumb, jaw clenched. Even Dr. Michel paused, his expression softening.

Leo couldn’t breathe for a moment.

He stepped closer to the bed without realizing it and sat beside Bella, while Jay quietly shifted back to give him space. When Leo spoke, his voice was low and careful, stripped of all coldness, nothing like the tone he used with the rest of the world.

"I won’t ever scold you," he said quietly. "Not now. Not ever."

Bella seemed to think about that for a second. Then she smiled again, completely satisfied, as if she had just received the most important answer in the world.

"Good," she said, nodding like a tiny adult who had made a serious decision. "Then I like you."

She suddenly reached out and grabbed the front of Leo’s black shirt, her small fingers curling into the fabric as if claiming it. Leaning forward, she rested her forehead against his chest without hesitation, trusting him completely.

"You feel warm," she murmured sleepily. "I think future me chose well."

That was it.

Leo’s control broke. His eyes burned as he carefully wrapped his arms around her small frame, holding her as though she were something fragile and irreplaceable. He pressed his lips gently to her hair and stayed there, breathing her in, grounding himself as much as her.

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Dr. Michel stepped quietly out of the room and closed the door behind him with careful hands, making sure the sound didn’t startle Bella inside. The hallway of Spring Villa was hushed, warm lights casting long, calm shadows along the floor. From behind the door, faint, soft sounds could still be heard, Bella’s small murmurs, Jay’s gentle voice answering her.

Dr. Michel turned toward Leo.

Leo stood with his back straight but his shoulders tense, one hand clenched at his side. His face looked calm on the surface, but his eyes were dark and restless, filled with questions he did not yet know how to ask.

Jace stood a little behind him, one hand covering his mouth, brows drawn tightly together. He hadn’t spoken since seeing Bella like that.

Dr. Michel took a slow breath before speaking, choosing his words carefully.

"Well," he began quietly, lowering his voice even though they were alone, "when some patients experience trauma their mind cannot process or escape from, especially when it connects to old fear, the brain sometimes retreats into what it considers a safe space."

Leo’s jaw tightened. "Safe space?" he repeated slowly.

"Yes," Dr. Michel nodded. "It’s a psychological defense. When the present becomes too overwhelming, the mind returns to a time when the person felt protected, loved, and free from responsibility. In Bella’s case..."

He paused, glancing briefly toward the closed door.

"...that safe place is childhood."

Jace swallowed hard, his fingers pressing tighter against his lips.

"She has age-regressed," Dr. Michel continued gently. "It’s often called little space. Her mind has shifted to an age where she didn’t have to make decisions, didn’t have to defend herself, didn’t have to understand danger."

Leo closed his eyes briefly. His chest felt tight, like something heavy was pressing down on it. He thought of her wide eyes, the way she counted her fingers, the way she asked for her father. His throat burned.

"Is it permanent?" he asked.

Dr. Michel shook his head immediately. "No. This is not permanent damage. This is her mind trying to survive."

Jace finally spoke, his voice hoarse. "But she wasn’t scared of us... does that mean... she trusted us?"

"That’s a very important sign," Dr. Michel said, nodding. "Age regression only happens when the patient feels safe enough to let go. If she were still in danger, her mind would stay alert, defensive, panicked."

Leo opened his eyes slowly. "So she regressed because she felt safe?"

"Yes," the doctor said softly. "With you."

The words landed heavily.

Dr. Michel looked at Leo directly now. "Your presence stabilized her. That’s why she calmed when you held her yesterday."

Jace’s eyes glistened. He turned away, dragging a hand down his cheek.

"What do we do?" Leo asked, his voice low but steady. "Tell me exactly what she needs."

"For now," Dr. Michel replied, "treat her exactly as she presents. Don’t correct her age. Don’t force memories. Don’t remind her of what happened. Speak gently. Keep routines simple. Offer reassurance often. Physical comfort is important, hand-holding, sitting nearby, calm voices."

He hesitated before adding, "And most importantly... do not leave her alone. Separation could trigger panic."

Leo nodded immediately. "I’m not going anywhere."

Dr. Michel studied him for a moment, then nodded in approval. "This episode doesn’t mean she’s weak. It means she endured something for a very long time without support. The mind can only carry so much."

Leo’s hand curled into a fist.

"She won’t ever have to carry it alone again," he said quietly.

Dr. Michel gave a small, approving nod. "Good. Because with the right care, she will return to herself. Slowly. Safely."

Jace exhaled shakily. "And until then?"

Dr. Michel glanced back toward the door once more.

"Until then," he said softly, "she’s a little girl who needs to feel loved. And from what I saw..."

His gaze returned to Leo.

"...she already knows exactly who to run to."

Leo didn’t respond.

Dr. Michel adjusted his glasses gently, sensing the tension still coiled tightly in Leo’s chest. "And don’t worry," he added calmly. "This isn’t memory loss. It isn’t damage. I can say that with complete certainty."

Leo’s gaze snapped back to him.

"It’s temporary," Dr. Michel continued. "Her mind has stepped back to protect itself. Once Bella feels consistently safe and her nervous system settles, she’ll return to her normal self on her own."