His innocent wife is a dangerous hacker.-Chapter 615 She needed help

Bella wasn’t angry with Leo.

She was tired. Sore. Her head pounded and her body ached from sleeping on that cold floor. The silence between them had stretched so long it felt like its own living thing, pressing down on her chest.

When they got home, she didn’t follow him to their room.

She went to her PC room.

She closed the door behind her and leaned against it, pressing her palms to her aching temples.

She needed help.

Someone experienced. Someone who would understand. Someone who wouldn’t judge her for being scared and making mistakes.

Miss J.

The thought came suddenly, like a light in the dark.

Bella pushed off the door and walked to the small drawer where she’d placed the card. Her fingers trembled slightly as she pulled it out, staring at the elegant handwriting.

Just a name. A number. A small sketch of a paintbrush.

Her heart beat very fast.

Before she could talk herself out of it, she dialed the number on her phone.

The phone rang once. Twice.

Then—

"Hello?"

That warm, melodic voice. Like honey and comfort and everything safe. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Bella’s nervousness melted slightly, replaced by a flutter of happiness. "Hi... I’m Isabella. From the exhibition? We exchanged numbers and you said I could call and—"

"Oh, Bella!" Miss J’s voice shifted instantly, cheerful, warm, delighted. "Of course I remember you. How could I forget those pink cheeks?" She laughed softly. "You called! I’m so glad. How are you, dear?"

Bella felt tears prick her eyes at the kindness. "I’m... I’m okay. I mean, I’m not really okay, but I’m okay enough to call, I guess."

A pause. Then softer: "What’s wrong, sweetheart?"

Bella gripped the phone tighter. "I need help. Will you help me with something? If it’s not too much trouble?"

"Bella." Miss J’s voice was firm but gentle. "If it’s within my ability, of course I will help you. Tell me what’s going on."

Bella took a shaky breath. The words tumbled out before she could overthink them.

"I hid something from someone I care about. Someone really important to me." She wiped at a tear. "It wasn’t because I didn’t trust him. It’s just... when it happened, he was so busy with work. Important things. I didn’t want to add more stress."

She paused, gathering herself.

"Then he got hurt. Badly. I almost lost him. And after that, there was so much going on—family stuff, a wedding, chaos everywhere. I kept thinking I’d tell him at the right time. And now he found out from someone else and he’s so angry, Miss J. He won’t talk to me. He won’t look at me. He’s never been like this before."

Her voice cracked. "I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to fix this."

Silence on the other end.

Then, softly: "Oh, sweetheart."

Bella squeezed her eyes shut. "I’m scared. I’m scared I broke something we can’t fix."

"You haven’t broken anything," Miss J said gently. "You made a mistake. A human mistake. You were scared, and you kept putting it off because life kept happening. That doesn’t make you bad. It makes you human."

"But he’s so angry—"

"And he has a right to be. But anger doesn’t mean it’s over, Bella. It means he’s hurt. It means what you hid mattered to him. Now tell me, have you apologized?"

Bella nodded, then realized she couldn’t see it. "Yes. I apologized. He didn’t respond."

"Then the next step is giving him space to feel what he needs to feel. Some people need time to process before they can talk. You can’t force it."

"But what if he never talks to me again?"

A soft laugh. "He will. Because if he didn’t care, he wouldn’t be angry. He’d be indifferent. The fact that he’s this upset means he’s deeply invested in you and this relationship."

Bella wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "What do I do in the meantime?"

"Be there. Be present. Don’t push, but don’t disappear. Let him see that you’re still here, still waiting. Small things. A cup of tea left nearby. A gentle touch when you pass. Reminders that you’re not going anywhere."

Bella sniffled. "That’s... that’s really good advice."

"I’ve lived a long time, sweetheart. I’ve made my own mistakes. I know a thing or two about love and forgiveness."

"Miss J... thank you. Thank you so much."

"Anytime, Bella. Anytime. And listen, if you need to talk again, call me. Day or night. I mean it."

Bella smiled through her tears. "I will. Thank you."

"Take care of yourself, sweet girl. And be gentle with him. And with yourself."

The call ended.

Bella sat in the quiet room, phone clutched to her chest, Miss J’s words wrapped around her like a warm blanket.

She wasn’t fixed. Nothing was solved. But she felt less alone, and that was enough for now.

She walked outside, opening the door, and bumped into someone.

"Jay?" she said, looking up.

Jay stood there, his hand on the doorknob. He glanced past her into the room, then back at her face. His expression shifted, concern flickering in his eyes. Without a word, he stepped inside and quietly closed the door behind him.

"What’s wrong with bro?" he asked immediately. "Is he angry with you?" He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "Oh my god, I can’t believe he went back to his cold mode again. I thought we were past this. I thought you fixed him."

Bella shook her head quickly. "No, Jay, it’s not like that. He’s just angry because I hid something from him. He has a right to be."

Jay waved a hand dismissively. "No, no—you must have had your own reason. I believe that." He crossed his arms, leaning against the door. "Look, my bro has this bad habit. Once he gets angry with someone, he goes full ice mode. Won’t talk. Won’t look. Acts like you don’t exist."

Bella bit her lip. "How long does it usually last?"

Jay snorted. "Depends on the crime. Back when he was fifteen, I stole his favorite pen. Just a pen, Bella. You’d think I’d committed murder. He didn’t talk to me for a whole week."

"A week?"

"A week of cold shoulders and death glares. Wouldn’t even look at me at the dinner table." Jay shook his head at the memory. "Finally, I had to get Nonna involved. She marched into his room, grabbed him by the ear, and—" He made a whacking motion. "Let’s just say his cold attitude warmed up real quick after that."

Bella couldn’t help a small laugh. "Nonna spanked him?"

"With a wooden spoon. At fifteen years old." Jay grinned. "Watched the whole thing. Best day of my life."