After the divorce he begged novel Chapter 120

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“If you can hack it,” Jeffrey said calmly, his voice steady and unwavering.

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Riley fell silent. Looking back, she probably should’ve held back on making his defense system so flawless. Now, even she could barely make a dent in it.

“Amelia’s profile has been hidden by a top–level hacker.” Riley brought it up again, wondering if Stanley had mentioned it to him. “If I can hack into it, it’ll probably take me two hours.”

Back in the day, she might’ve been stumped by this.

But now, this was a piece of cake. She could do it with little effort.

“Alright,” Jeffrey replied, settling in to wait for her. He had full confidence that she’d succeed.

As the minutes ticked by, the only sound in the private booth was the tapping of her fingers on the keyboard. Stanley was stuck there, neither able to leave nor stay.

They didn’t drink or chat. It was boring.

Ironically, he was the one who’d insisted on meeting up.

“Jeffrey,” he finally broke the silence. “What’s the plan for PrimePlay Technologies‘ tenth anniversary bash? I heard your folks came to the hospital this afternoon to see Stephen.”

“Whoever made the mess can clean it up,” Jeffrey replied, his tone dismissive. His mind was elsewhere, completely focused on how he could keep Rebecca by his side.

He knew he couldn’t just force her to stay. With her stubborn streak, she’d probably tear Rebecca’s Manor apart before she’d agree to anything.

And trying to trick her wasn’t exactly a foolproof plan either.

Stanley raised an eyebrow, totally baffled.

He stared at Jeffrey, who seemed completely out of it. “What’s on your mind?”

“Did you and your

desk mate secretly binge on romance novels back in high school or something?” Jeffrey suddenly blurted out.

Riley instantly looked up, eyes sharp, clearly caught off guard.

Stanley was floored.

There was no way he’d ever admit to that embarrassing part of his past. “I’ve only ever read classics, alright? I have never touched a romance novel. Don’t talk nonsense.”

Jeffrey just stared at him, his gaze intense and unreadable.

12:21 Thu, Sep 25

Chapter 120

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Stanley was under pressure. Jeffrey’s piercing gaze left him no way to dodge. After a long while, he relented, coughing nervously and shifting his stance. “Alright, I admit it. Just one book, okay? You can’t really call that a lot, right?”

“Yup.” Jeffrey said.

Stanley was baffled. ‘Seriously? Just a yup? That’s it?‘ he thought, feeling exasperated.

He cleared his throat. “That’s all you have to say?”

Jeffrey glanced at him. “What do you want me to say?” he almost asked, but caught himself. Everyone had their own way of doing things. He thought it was better to make a plan that suited both him and Rebecca, rather than copying someone else.

Stanley was totally lost. ‘How did this turn into me waiting for him to say something? He’s the one who started this conversation, right?‘ he thought.

“Just drop it, will you?” He didn’t stand a chance against Jeffrey’s way with words, so he backed down. “It’s awkward.”

“Fine,” Jeffrey agreed smoothly.

Stanley shot him a suspicious look.

‘I’m 100% sure he wanted to ask me something else. But for whatever reason, he held back. Guess I’ll never know what changed his mind,‘ Stanley thought.

Riley was enjoying the drama when something suddenly flashed on her computer screen. She was stunned for a minute.

‘Why does this name look exactly like my mentor’s? No way… Did she change her name after vanishing from the web?‘ Riley’s mind raced, stunned by the coincidence.

“Any luck?” Jeffrey glanced over at Riley from time to time, clearly keeping an eye on her progress even while chatting.

“Sort of,” Riley replied, her voice tinged with uncertainty. She closed her laptop, picked it up, and stood. “I’ll look into it somewhere quieter. Once I’ve figured things out, I’ll call you.”

Both Jeffrey and Stanley looked puzzled.

They turned their gaze to her, suspicion flickering in their eyes.

“Why are you two staring at me like that?” Riley raised an eyebrow, her messy bangs giving her an effortlessly cool vibe. “Come on. Don’t tell me you’re both falling for me here.”

“Aren’t you the type who loves working in a bustling crowd?” Stanley said, still a bit confused. “You always crack the system and then have a drink to celebrate. It never gets old for you.”

“Digging up stuff is nothing like going toe–to–toe with someone,” Riley replied smoothly. “No shame if you don’t get it.”

12:21 Thu, Sep 25

Chapter 120

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With that, she strode right out of the bar, flagged down a cab, and hopped in, leaving them both behind without a second thought.

As she settled into the seat, her mind couldn’t help but replay everything she’d just uncovered–that creepy image flashing on the blank page and that name.

Riley thought, ‘All the pieces fit my mentor’s past perfectly. If Amelia was really the mentor I’d been chatting with online for almost ten years, then what happened after she disappeared from the web, and why did she assume a new identity?

‘Did she cut off her past because it was too painful, or to keep it hidden? If I really break through that firewall…‘

Her mind was racing with a million questions.

She decided to talk to Rebecca the next day. After their chat, she’d decide whether to hack into those files or just leave them alone.

Stanley couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off when she left. He glanced at the nearly untouched glasses on the table and turned to Jeffrey. “Did you notice Riley acting strange tonight?”

She barely touched her favorite drink.

Without a word, she just got up and left as if nothing had happened.

‘Didn’t she use to be the last one to leave? What’s different now?‘ thought Stanley.

“She must have uncovered something about Amelia,” Jeffrey said, calmly analyzing the situation. “It could be related to her, or maybe to someone close to her.”

“Why didn’t you just confront her, then?” Stanley pressed.

“She’s cautious,” Jeffrey replied, standing up and straightening his clothes. His trust in Riley was clear. “If she’s staying quiet, there’s a reason. Let’s just give her some time.”

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