"Are you 'S'?" Lana asked.Carol avoided her gaze, and her response remained ambiguous."I'm sorry, but I can't disclose that information. People from the National Security Bureau tend to keep their identities confidential."Carol's response was carefully crafted, leaving room for two interpretations.The first interpretation was that she was "S". However, her association with the National Security Bureau stopped her from confirming it.The second interpretation was that she wasn't "S". But her position within the National Security Bureau prevented her from speaking freely.However, despite Carol's explanation, Lana remained unconvinced.The truth was, Lana was "S"!Lana quickly figured that Carol must have a hidden motive for impersonating "S".One onlooker exclaimed, "Ms. Carol, you're 'S' after all? What a surprise! I've been a huge fan. I've been revisiting your exploits every day."Another chimed in, "You've been trending all over recently. You're a true hero in Zanteles
In the evening, Liam attended a wine-tasting event at Irwin Winery. It was the largest winery in Gilsbury. The owner, a true Fleinese, exclusively imported their red wines from Fleines by air.Businesspeople were drawn to this venue for their negotiations. On one hand, the atmosphere was tranquil, and on the other, they could enjoy authentic wines. It was a perfect win-win.Liam, a connoisseur with a taste for meat and red wine, held a VVIP status here. The winery's owner extended a personal welcome, even pouring a glass of wine that had just arrived on a plane earlier that afternoon.Savoring his drink leisurely, Liam quietly eavesdropped on conversations around him. His deep gaze was focused on a particular spot, showing his thoughts were elsewhere.As the evening unfolded, people entered and exited, yet Liam remained silent. He didn't say a single word.The others believed Liam was in a foul mood and it was wise to avoid him.Before long, two more individuals arrived—a man
Olivia and Billy anxiously followed Lana into the dining area. But they were left utterly dumbfounded.Lana was chatting enthusiastically with the foreign guests in fluent Balanese. The foreigners were visibly astonished. They hadn't expected such fluency from the owner of a pasta restaurant in Zanteles.Olivia and Billy exchanged surprised glances, both in awe of Lana's remarkable abilities.After completing the foreigners' orders, Lana found herself surrounded by Billy and Olivia."Boss, you're incredible," Billy exclaimed. "I admire you even more now.""Lana, I want to be your apprentice. Consider me at your service from now on," Olivia eagerly added.Lana blushed in response to their unexpected reactions. She wondered if they truly believed she lacked competence.However, today's unfolding events served as a wake-up call for Lana. As a renowned chain restaurant owner, she realized that her wait staff should not only speak one language.It was time to implement a training pr
"Are you really 'S'?" a voice asked in awe."'S', could you please give me an autograph? I can talk about every case you've been involved in. I'm your loyal fan," another voice exclaimed excitedly."Please do your best tomorrow, 'S.' I will be there to support you," chimed in another.Carol smiled at Nelson's classmates and said, "Thank you for your support. I will give my best performance tomorrow. Now, please allow me some time to complete my task, okay?"Upon the top hacker's words, no one dared to linger. After they pledged their support for Carol at the competition, Nelson politely escorted them away.Zeke didn't know much about hacking. Still, he knew it was an impressive skill that brought glory to the country.Looking at Carol, his eyes filled with affection. "Carol, if that's the case, I won't disturb you anymore. I'll also be at the competition tomorrow to support you."Carol remained silent. Her fingers danced across the keyboard, the rhythmic clacking sounds filling
Inside the stadium, Liam and other key sponsors occupied the front row just below the stage. It gave them a direct view for easy communication with the contestants later.Behind them stood the translation team. It was essential as the competition featured not only Zantelians but also contestants from around the world.Further back, excited hackers and dedicated fans filled the seats. They eagerly awaited the opportunity to see their idols in action.In the farthest corner were fans of the renowned hacker "S". They waved banners, spun glow sticks, and cheered loudly. Their voices echoed throughout the stadium, creating a vibrant atmosphere.Onstage, after the host's introduction, all contestants stood in perfect formation.Amidst them, one elegant figure stood out, immediately capturing everyone's attention.As the only female contestant, Carol naturally attracted admiring glances from the men. It caused Chris in the audience to feel a flush of heat wash over him.The host was ab
Rumors circulating online suggested a romantic connection between hackers "Z" and "S". Carol now firmly believed the idea.If Liam had no feelings for her, he wouldn't have revealed himself as "Z" in front of the entire world once he found out she was "S".What a despicable man!He had rejected a golden opportunity yet orchestrated such a grand spectacle. Was he trying to emphasize the depth of his feelings?Carol was convinced that after today, she and Liam would get back together.While Carol was brimming with confidence and hope for the future, the host snapped out of his shock. With "Z's" confirmation of issues with this elite-level task, the truth became undeniable. He turned to Sullivan for assistance.Rising to his feet, Sullivan addressed the audience in fluent Zantelesian."I apologize for meeting you all in this manner. I rushed here for this competition precisely related to this matter. "The task I assigned this time was poorly conceived, resulting in a bug that d
Sullivan remained calm as he looked at Carol. With a smile, he said, "To prove that you are indeed the hacker 'S,' there's a very straightforward way. "Just like 'Z' did earlier, you can log into your account on the World Hacker Network right now, in front of everyone."Upon hearing this, Carol's face turned as pale as a ghost."That's right, Carol. Show him the truth, make him back down," a voice urged from the crowd."We have nothing to worry about. I mean, why should we? If you don't prove it, these people might keep bothering you," another person said, trying to reassure her.Carol's hand, hanging at her side, clenched into a tight fist.At this moment, her nosy fans should have just shut their mouths. Why were they still goading her on?From Carol's expression, Sullivan and the other judges had grasped the situation.What Sullivan had stated earlier seemed to be true. Carol had become too bold. First, she impersonated Liam's savior, and now, she pretended to be a national
Lana felt trapped, cornered by Liam. His threat loomed over her like a storm cloud.The significant height difference between them allowed Liam an easy peek beneath her neckline with a subtle tilt of his head. It caused his heart to race.Suddenly, an overwhelming desire surged within him. It urged him to lose himself in her embrace, to breathe in the scent that enveloped her.The moment this thought crossed his mind, Liam grew intensely uneasy.His perverse inclinations seemed to be spiraling out of control. Now, he found himself entertaining crude fantasies about Lana.To quell his escalating desires, Liam diverted his attention. He gazed at Lana's beautiful and delicate face. "So, you're a perfumer one moment, a hacker the next, and now managing four restaurants. Which one is the real you?"Lana let out a dry chuckle. "There's no such thing as the 'real me.' I'm just a chef who enjoys perfumes and surfing the internet."Oddly, her explanation seemed strangely believable. He
Would Lana forgive him and spend the rest of her life with him?Liam's heart was filled with a sense of anticipation.Since the reason for the incident had been clarified, everyone let out a sigh of relief at the same time and also went back to rest. Even Leonardo was taken away just to give the two people who had been apart for a long time some space to be alone.After everyone had left, Liam straightened out his clothes and approached Lana, then proceeded to slowly crouch down."Lana!"In the man's deep and sexy voice, there was an unusual tremor and a hint of choked emotion.Liam had no idea what kept him going during these years after losing Lana.Liam didn't dare to do anything too bold. Instead, he gently leaned his handsome face against Lana's hand, repeatedly calling her name.Three years had already passed since Lana left in a fit of anger, setting off a series of events afterward.If she still had any resentment, it would have vanished when she saw Liam's tall figu
Liam's outstretched hand awkwardly hung in the air, and eventually, he could only withdraw it."Speak up if you have something to say, or else, stay quiet. We're not in the mood to listen to you." Hector's attitude toward Liam was still unfavorable, to the extent that he didn't even want to see him.Lana suddenly said, "Something very serious actually happened today."Following that, she placed Leonardo down and showed everyone the wound on his neck.A ring of red marks surrounded Leonardo's delicate neck. In some places, the marks were so swollen that it looked like a tire had been wrapped around his neck. It was a shocking sight to behold.Hector, Violet, Mandy, and Romelius were immediately enraged."What happened to Leo?""What happened to his neck? It could have been fatal if it was any worse.""Who was responsible for watching Leo today? How could they be so negligent and let the child get injured so badly?""This doesn't look like any ordinary wound. It looks like it wa
"Stop looking at me like that. If you want to kill or torture me, go ahead." Cynthia knew what would happen to her after the truth came out, so she gave up struggling. "However, even after my death, I'll haunt you for the rest of your life!"As they listened to her absurd threat, Lana and the Traffic Light Trio burst into laughter."If ghosts were real, then Emilia would be the first to look for you."When her deceased sister was mentioned, Cynthia's smile remained unchanged. "That fool probably never knew it was me who betrayed her until her death."Considering the situation, Cynthia didn't believe she could leave the Garrison Villa tonight."What exactly do you gain by single-handedly destroying the Cooper family?"Lana was still very confused by Cynthia's actions.After all, Emilia and Cynthia were twins and had the same blood coursing through their veins. With all the Coopers gone, Cynthia had nothing to gain from it either!Cynthia sneered at Lana's question. "Lana, yo
On the evening of the banquet, the Garrison Villa was bustling with distinguished guests.Initially, everyone's attention was on the precious great-grandson of the Garrison and Kane family. With his confident and lively demeanor, the chubby child was absolutely adorable. Everyone was naturally curious about who the child might have chosen as his stepmother.It should be noted that the Garrison and Kane family only had one great-grandson. His future was destined to be extraordinary. As long as one could control the child, it was much more worthwhile than dealing with those individuals from the two affluent families.After all, the elders from the two families were very attentive and doting toward this child. Surprisingly, Liam, who was said to have been away from home for a long time, had returned. During the reception of guests, he unexpectedly had a smile on his face.The ladies who had come tonight, vying for the position of Liam's wife, became even more excited.Liam typi
On the night before the banquet, Romelius and Mandy finally brought Leonardo back.Lana was overjoyed, and she immediately went to the bungalow where they were staying.At that time, Leonardo had just returned home and was playing with toys on the living room floor."Leo, you're back! Did you miss Mommy? Mommy missed you so much!"Lana ran toward Leonardo, talking to him while reaching out to hug him. In a flash, Leonardo suddenly ran toward Romelius while holding a toy car.After that, he kept hiding in his arms, refusing to come out. He would occasionally peek out from the gaps to glance at Lana.His actions clearly showed that he refused to accept Lana.Lana's enthusiasm was dampened, and her outstretched arms awkwardly remained in midair. She looked at Romelius and then at Mandy as if waiting for them to persuade Leonardo. However, these two remained silent and only greeted Lana in a casual manner."Oh, Lana, you've come?" Mandy said while presenting her with a basket o
Due to the fact that the Garrison family was going to hold a banquet to introduce the mother of their beloved great-grandson, Leonardo, the Garrisons once again became the talk of the town in Dawsbury.The last time Dawsbury was so lively was when Hector introduced the Garrison family's heir to everyone.As soon as the news was released, the Garrisons became noticeably busier in the following days. All of them were busy scurrying around and helping Hector deliver the invitations.In addition to people who had business dealings with the Garrison family, the invitations were naturally sent to people who were familiar with Lana in the past. Therefore, as soon as the Traffic Light Trio received the invitation, they didn't even go to work and immediately ran to Liam's office—intending to get an explanation from him.At that time, Liam had just finished a phone call from overseas and was deep in thought when the office door was suddenly kicked open.Lincoln stood at the door, looking
With that, Sawyer ignored the unpleasant expressions on Freya and Hector's faces. He immediately picked up his child and walked away.Hector was furious. He glared at Liam, his eyes burning with anger. It was clear that he thought Liam was the one responsible for Lana's predicament.Liam was once again innocently caught in the crossfire.Freya set aside her current tasks, offered some comforting words to Hector, and then got up and chased after them.She knew Sawyer well enough and was certain that he would never have treated someone like this unless there was a reason.As Freya's family of three left, Lana's face bore a sorrowful expression. "Since I'm not welcome here, I guess I'll just go."With that, Lana got up and walked toward the door.Hector and Violet had been waiting for Lana's return for a long time. Now that she was finally back, how could they possibly let her go?Naturally, the two of them chased after Lana and tried to talk her out of leaving. They eventually ma
Liam sensed a challenging undertone in Lana's stare. After all this time, had they truly become adversaries?Releasing Lana abruptly, Violet gently patted her arm, her eyes filled with profound hurt."You're here, alive and well. Why did you leave us in the shadows? Even if you chose not to contact anyone else, you should've considered reaching out to me. Do you have any idea how much I missed you?"Over the years, Violet had been grappling with a deep sense of loss.Though it remained an unspoken sentiment among them, Violet was aware of the underlying blame directed toward Liam for what was believed to be Lana's demise.Had Liam been more emotionally available, their relationship wouldn't have crumbled. It would've stopped Lana from seeking refuge overseas while carrying their child, an act that set the stage for her heartbreaking destiny.Witnessing Liam's anguish and believing Lana to be lost forever had taken a severe toll on Violet's health, aging her considerably."Gr
Liam guided Leo to Lana's room.As they entered, Lana was already awake, bathed in the serene morning light streaming through the window.Upon hearing their arrival, Lana, while brushing her hair, shifted her gaze toward them—a familiar scene echoing times gone by."Good morning, Liam and Leo!" she greeted them effortlessly.Without hesitation, Leonardo squirmed out of Liam's embrace and darted toward Lana, exclaiming, "Hi, Nana!"Lana paused, momentarily surprised by Leonardo's nickname. "Leo, you should be calling me 'Mommy'!" she gently corrected him.Leonardo hesitated momentarily before redirecting his attention to Liam.Even though Liam hadn't exchanged a single word with Lana, he spoke up when Leo glanced his way, firmly stating, "Feel free to do as you wish. There's no need to seek my approval. Alright?"Leonardo nodded obediently and turned his gaze back to Lana, continuing to address her as "Nana."While Lana appeared somewhat displeased by this unexpected turn of ev