His innocent wife is a dangerous hacker.-Chapter 484 Do you like it?

Her heart beat so hard against her ribs it felt almost painful as she recognized the approaching voices.

Jay.

And Jace.

Oh no. Oh no, no, no.

She hadn’t locked the doorshe’d been too lost in nervous anticipation, waiting for Leo.

"Bella Bell!" Jay’s cheerful shout echoed just before the door swung open.

Bella nearly cried out in frustration. Is there no privacy in this house at all?

Pure instinct took over. She yanked the blanket completely over her head, wrapping herself into a tight, head to toe burrito, and froze.

"Bella Bell!" Jay repeated, his footsteps growing closer.

Jace followed him in, his tone unhappy. "Why are you shouting? I told you it’s late and she might be asleep."

Jay ignored him and bounded toward the bed. "Why’s it so dark in here? Are you asleep already?"

Bella didn’t dare move a muscle beneath the blanket, holding her breath until her lungs burned.

"Bella?" Jace’s voice was calmer, but he lingered near the doorway. "You awake?"

From under the mountain of covers came the smallest, most cautious sound.

"...Mm."

Jay grinned. "See! She’s awake."

Jace frowned. "Then why is she hiding?"

Bella clutched the blanket tighter around herself. "I... I was just about to sleep," she mumbled, her voice muffled and strained. "Is something wrong?"

Jay flopped down onto the edge of the mattress without a second thought. "Nothing’s wrong! I just came to tell you"

"Get off the bed," Jace cut in sharply, grabbing Jay’s arm and hauling him back up. "Have some manners."

Jay just laughed. "What manners? She’s family."

Bella wished desperately that the mattress would swallow her whole.

"Bella," Jace said, his voice softening as he clearly sensed something was off, "we just wanted to tell you we’re taking you out tomorrow. I found a house for me..well.. Jay found it—and we’re going to look at it... You’ll come, right?"

Her heart leaped.

"O okay," she replied, a little too quickly. "I will."

Jay tilted his head, his cheerful expression turning curious. "Why do you sound so weird?"

"I’m sleepy!" Bella blurted out, the words rushing together. "Very, very sleepy."

Jace narrowed his eyes at Jay. "You’re bothering her. Let’s go."

"Already?" Jay protested. "I didn’t even get to—"

But Jace was already pulling him firmly toward the door. "Goodnight, Bella."

"Goodnight," she whispered, a wave of relief washing over her.

Just before the door shut, Jay stuck his head back in one last time. "Sweet dreams, Bella Bell!" Then she heard Jay mutter that even if he bought a house, he would still come here to live.

The door finally clicked closed.

Bella stayed perfectly still for a full five seconds, listening to their retreating footsteps fade away. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Then, she let out a long, shaky breath and cautiously peeked out from under the blanket, her face flushed with heat.

That was way too close.

She scrambled out of bed, hurried over to the door, and turned the lock with a decisive click. Her heart was still pounding as she crawled back under the covers, clutching the blanket to her chest and praying silently that Leo would come soon.

Sometime later, the quiet click of the fingerprint lock sounded, followed by the soft sigh of the door opening. The tight coil of anxiety in Bella’s chest finally began to unwind. She let out a quiet breath beneath the blanket, her pulse now racing for a completely different reason. She listened as his footsteps...familiar, unhurried – crossed the room and faded into the bathroom. The sound of running water followed, steady and agonizingly slow. She bit her lip in the darkness, staring up at the shadowed ceiling as her thoughts spun. He always takes forever, she thought, a mix of nerves and fond exasperation swirling inside her as she pulled the blanket a little tighter.

When the water finally stopped, she squeezed her eyes shut, feigning sleep, every one of her senses acutely tuned to the sounds around her. The bathroom door opened. Soft, measured footsteps crossed the room once more.

Leo emerged wearing a simple black sweatshirt and soft sweatpants. He ran a hand through his hair absently, then rolled his shoulders with a quiet sigh, as if physically shedding the weight of the day. He looked tired, relaxed, utterly unaware of what awaited him. Moving with that familiar, easy grace, he approached the bed, his hand lifting the edge of the duvet as he prepared to slide in beside her.

And then, in one swift, brave motion, she pushed the blanket down.

Leo froze.

His breath caught in his throat, the sound sharp and audible in the quiet room.

Bella lay bathed in the soft, golden glow of the bedside lamp, her body a stark, beautiful contrast against the white sheets. She was wearing a bunny costume. It was delicate, intentional, devastating. The fabric was a creamy ivory, smooth and fine, clinging to her curves as if it had been poured onto her skin. The top was fashioned from delicate lace and soft material, its edges tracing the gentle swell of her breasts, lifting and presenting them in a way that was both modest and maddeningly suggestive. Thin, silky straps rested on the slopes of her shoulders, drawing his gaze helplessly downward.

A band of the same intricate lace cinched her waist, emphasizing its slender grace before the fabric eased over the gentle curve of her hips. The shorts were cut high on the thigh, revealing long, smooth expanses of fair skin that seemed to glow in the low light. At the back, a small, fluffy white tail rested just above the lace edge, a touch of playful innocence that, on her, felt inexplicably sensual. A matching headband with soft, downturned bunny ears was nestled in her brown hair, completing a picture that was sweet at first glance, until you truly looked at her.

And Leo was looking.

Her hair fanned out around her like a dark halo, strands catching the light. Her lips, glossed and slightly parted, trembled with her quiet breaths. She wasn’t posing, wasn’t trying to be seductive. She was just lying there, watching him, her eyes wide and shining, her cheeks flushed a delicate pink. Her confidence was a fragile, trembling thing, and that raw vulnerability made the sight of her utterly captivating and completely ruinous for his self control.

His eyes darkened, the gray of his irises almost swallowed by black as his gaze traveled a slow, scorching path from the hollow of her throat, over the lace teasing at her cleavage, down the delicate line of her torso, to where the shorts hugged her hips. He swallowed thickly, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides, as if physically restraining himself from reaching for her.

"Bella..." Her name was a rough scrape of sound, less a greeting and more a stunned exhalation, a warning he wasn’t sure he could heed.

She shifted slightly, a small, nervous movement that made the lace tighten briefly across her chest, and that was all it took to shatter the last of his composure. His eyes flew back to her face, burning with a heat that was equal parts awe and pure, unadulterated want.

"Do you like it?" she asked, her voice soft but clear. As she spoke, she pushed herself up on her elbows, causing the sheets to slip down another few inches, revealing just a little more of her. Leo’s breath hitched audibly, his entire world narrowing to the woman in front of him.