After ending the livestream, Riley packed up her equipment and headed into the bathroom.
Adrian would be back at nine and she had no intention of fighting him over the bathroom.
Something about Adrian felt dangerous to Riley.
What if something happened by accident? Who would she even complain to?
The moment she stepped inside, she heard voices drifted up from downstairs.
Derek wheeled Adrian to the second floor. As usual, he was about to head straight for the study.
But then—
"Not tonight," Adrian said suddenly. "You can go. I'll return to the bedroom myself."
Derek paused, surprised, then nodded. "Understood."
With a laptop resting on his legs, Adrian pushed open the bedroom door.
He set the computer on the desk and powered it on—
Only for his phone to ring.
His expression darkened. Without hesitation, he turned and headed to the study.
***
"Huh? He's back already?"
Riley stepped out of the bathroom, her hair still slightly damp and fluffy from drying.
Her gaze fell on the laptop, already booted up on the desk.
At first, she only glanced at it out of curiosity. Then she noticed it.
A bug.
Her lips curved.
Even someone like Adrian has problems with his system?
The programmer in her couldn't resist.
She dropped onto the sofa, fingers flying across the keyboard.
In a matter of moments, the system was restored.
Clean. Smooth. Perfect.
Satisfied, she hugged her bunny and skipped downstairs.
***
Meanwhile, Adrian was in the study, in the middle of a video conference.
Earlier that day, the company's system had been hacked.
Although the tech team had responded quickly and blocked the attack, the damage wasn't insignificant. A virus had already been planted.
"Mr Yates, this hacker is aggressive," one of the shareholders said, frustration evident. "The virus they implanted is extremely difficult to remove. We need a solution as soon as possible—and we must identify the attacker."
Sterling Corp had always been a prime target due to its size, but never before had they faced something like this.
The room buzzed with tension.
Adrian listened quietly, a sharp glint flickering in his eyes.
From another screen, Zachary spoke up. "I've checked with the tech department. They can only contain the attack—they can't eliminate the Trojan."
He paused.
"I have a proposal. Let's make the virus public and offer a substantial reward to anyone who can crack it. We solve the crisis—and potentially identify new talent."
Adrian tapped his fingers lightly against the desk.
"Do it," he said. "Immediately. Announce it—whoever can eliminate this virus, I want them found."
***
After the meeting ended, Adrian pressed a hand to his temple.
The dull ache hadn't gone away.
This attack had been targeted—at him.
His personal computer had also been infected.
Even after the tech team's intervention, traces of the virus remained.
There was an important collaboration with Malacca still in negotiation. Fortunately, no data had been stolen.
But the system was no longer safe to use.
Frowning, he turned his wheelchair and headed back to the bedroom.
***
The moment he entered, a faint, lingering fragrance greeted him.
Clean. Soft.
The scent of someone just out of the shower.
The tightness in his head eased almost instantly.
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
He moved to the desk and powered on his laptop again.
And then—
His expression shifted.
The virus—
Was gone.