Adrian frowned, staring at his screen.
The virus was gone.
Completely gone.
His gaze darkened.
He was certain the system had still been infected when he left the company. He had planned to deal with it later.
Yet now, it was as if nothing had ever happened.
He called Zachary immediately.
On the other end, Zachary was so stunned he nearly lost his voice. The attack had been aimed at Adrian, but none of them had been spared. Every system had been infected to some degree.
And now, it was simply gone.
The shock was impossible to ignore.
After a brief exchange, Adrian told him to keep monitoring the released program, then hung up.
He wheeled himself out of the room.
"Mrs Rose," he called, spotting the housekeeper on the stairs. "Did anyone enter my bedroom just now?"
Martha Rose shook her head. "No. As per your instructions, aside from me, no one goes into your room."
His frown deepened.
"Do you know how to use a computer?"
"A computer?" She blinked, then laughed. "Master Adrian, you must be joking. I barely went to school—how would I know anything about that?"
He nodded slowly.
Disappointed.
He was sure of one thing.
From the moment he left the company until now, no one had touched his laptop.
Except for that short window.
When it sat in his bedroom while he attended the meeting.
In that brief span of time…
Unless the person was highly skilled…
It would be impossible to remove the virus so cleanly.
Martha studied his expression. "Did something happen?"
"Nothing."
He shook his head and turned toward the elevator.
Then, Martha suddenly remembered something.
"Oh, right. I did see Madam Riley come out of your room earlier."
Adrian's eyes flickered.
"I see."
***
He went downstairs, scanning the space for that familiar bouncing figure and froze.
Riley had just stepped out of the kitchen.
A fried drumstick in hand.
Oil glistened faintly on her lips.
One arm hugged her oversized bunny, the other held the chicken drumstick as she trotted toward him.
"Baby, you're back!"
She beamed, completely at ease.
Adrian's gaze lingered on her for a moment.
Then he looked away, letting out a quiet, self-mocking scoff.
I must be out of my mind.
How could someone like her…
Someone with the mind of a child…
Know anything about computers?
Let alone remove a virus?
For a brief moment, I had actually hoped—
No.
He had expected something.
And reality had answered him clearly.
The woman he married had the mind of a five-year-old.
"Here," Riley said brightly, holding out the drumstick she'd already bitten twice. "The chef just made it. Want some, baby?"
Adrian glanced at it, his expression turning visibly disgusted.
"No. And what did you just call me?"
Riley blinked, her face innocent, her smile wide. "Hubby! I said Hubby!"
He let out a soft snort.
Didn't bother correcting her.
At least it sounded better than baby.
"Come here," he said, gesturing.
Riley tilted her head, then walked over.
But when she got close, she paused.
Standing over him felt… off.
So she crouched down instead, still chewing on her drumstick, eyes bright and guileless.
"What is it, Hubby?"