His innocent wife is a dangerous hacker.-Chapter 445 She’s back

"You can call me old man," William added with a chuckle. "That’s what my grandson calls me. Or grandpa, if you like."

Bella’s eyes widened in pure horror.

"That’s rude!" she exclaimed, sitting up straighter. "How can he call you old man?!" She shook her head firmly. "My daddy said it’s very rude to call people old men, old ladies, or old women."

William laughed, warm and genuine, the sound filling the room. "Did he now?"

"Yes!" Bella nodded hard. "You should tell him not to do that."

William smiled at Bella, his eyes shining. "You’re absolutely right," he said. "I think I’ll listen to you."

Bella looked satisfied with that answer.

"Then you can be Grandpa William," she decided seriously.

William’s laugh softened into something tender. "I’d be honored."

After a while of talking with her—

"Can little Bella give me a hug?" William asked softly, sadness threading through his voice. "I have to leave."

Bella looked at him for a moment, thinking very seriously. Then she nodded once, climbed carefully off the bed, and stepped toward him. She wrapped her arms around his waist in a gentle, earnest hug, pressing her cheek against his jacket like she meant it with her whole heart.

William’s breath caught.

He bent slightly and returned the hug, one hand resting lightly on her back, the other lifting to caress her hair with trembling old fingers.

"Be good, little one," he murmured. "And listen to Leo, alright?"

Bella nodded against him. "Okay, Grandpa William."

The word nearly broke him.

He straightened slowly, offered Leo a long, meaningful look, and exchanged a few quiet words with him. Then, without lingering any longer, William turned and left, his steps quick, as if staying another second might undo him.

Outside, he slid into the back seat of his car and closed the door.

Only then did he look down.

In his palm lay a single strand of brown hair, fine and soft. He stared at it for a long moment.

William closed his hand gently around the strand and leaned back, his eyes closing.

***A week passed****

Bella continued to live in her little world, bright and soft and childlike, her days filled with simple joys. Leo’s parents stayed, and so did Nonna. The house felt warmer than it ever had. Bella followed Nonna around the garden, listened to stories she didn’t fully understand, laughed easily with Jay and Jace, and clung to Leo whenever he was home, as if he were her safest place.

They enjoyed her presence, every one of them. Even in her fragility, she brought light into the house.

Today, it was afternoon, and Leo stood inside one of his warehouses. Tall shelves rose around him, shadows stretching long under the harsh lights. His face was cold and unreadable, the warmth he showed Bella completely absent here.

Jay stood a few steps away, arms crossed, unable to keep it in any longer.

"Brooo," Jay said slowly, disbelief written all over his face. "Don’t tell me you had nothing to do with Alan’s accident."

Leo didn’t look at him.

He adjusted his cuff calmly, eyes fixed somewhere ahead, as if Jay hadn’t spoken at all.

Jay took a sharp breath. "His car skidded off the road. Head injury. He’s in the hospital. You expect me to believe this is just bad luck?"

Silence.

Leo finally moved, taking a step forward, his shoes echoing softly against the concrete floor. His expression didn’t change. There was no anger on his face. No satisfaction either.

Just emptiness.

"I didn’t touch him," Leo said at last, his voice flat. "Not directly."

Jay’s stomach dropped.

"...Leo."

"He’s alive," Leo continued calmly. "Breathing. Conscious. Doctors say he’ll recover."

Jay stared at him. "That’s not an answer."

Leo turned then, slowly, his gaze sharp and dark. "It’s the only one you’re getting."

Jay clenched his jaw, running a hand through his pink hair. "You scare me sometimes," he muttered. "You know that?"

Leo didn’t deny it.

"He crossed a line," Leo said quietly. "And I made sure he won’t cross it again."

Jay swallowed, the image of Bella’s condition flashing through his mind. His shoulders sagged slightly.

"...Did it make you feel better?" Jay asked.

Leo looked away again.

"No," he said simply. "Nothing will."

The warehouse fell silent once more.

At night, it was already past ten when Leo finally returned home. Work had dragged on longer than expected, meetings stacking one after another until even his patience thinned. Before leaving the office, he had called his mother, asking her to help Bella settle into bed if she became tired. He didn’t want her to feel alone, not even for a moment.

The hallway was quiet as he walked toward their room. The lights inside were dim, soft and muted, casting long shadows across the floor. He didn’t think much of it. Bella often preferred low light before sleeping.

She was curled beneath the blanket, her small shape barely visible. Leo set his watch carefully on the vanity table and exhaled a tired breath. He unbuttoned the top of his shirt, then went into the bathroom. When he came back out, a towel wrapped around his waist, something made him pause.

The blanket was moving.

Not the small shift of someone turning in sleep. It was trembling.

"Bella?" he called quietly, already walking toward the bed.

He pulled the blanket back—and his breath caught.

Bella was awake. Curled into herself. Crying.

Tears streamed silently down her face, soaking into the pillow. Her shoulders shook, and her hands were clenched tightly in the fabric near her chest, as if she was holding herself together.

"Bella!" He dropped onto the bed instantly, his arms already reaching for her.

She opened her eyes.

And Leo froze.

They were clear. Focused. No confusion. No childish haze. Just guilt, pain, and recognition staring back at him.

"I’m sorry," she whispered, her voice normal. Adult. Broken. "I’m sorry... I’m so sorry."

For a second, Leo couldn’t breathe.

She’s back.