The message was sent to M, but there was no response until the car entered Forest Hill. Just as Alessia settled down, M's call finally came.
Glancing at Riley, who had already gone upstairs, Alessia walked to the window to take the call.
"Boss, you finally remembered me," M's voice, as lively as ever, greeted her.
Alessia couldn't help but smile slightly, but her tone remained cool. "Can we stick to business?"
"Sure thing, boss. You're always so business-minded, but I still like you," M teased, then continued, "Boss, IronRose and NeoNinja were the youngest hackers to apply to the Hacker Association. They both got invitations, but guess what happened next?"
M deliberately left her hanging, and Alessia narrowed her eyes before replying, "They both backed out."
"Woah, boss, you already knew the answer and still asked me? Are you pulling my leg?" M complained on the other end.
Alessia popped a lollipop into her mouth.
How could she not know? She guessed the answer from Tiffany and Dominic's conversation in the private room.
She figured that Dominic and Tiffany probably missed their appointment back then, so they both left the Hacker Forum and gave up applying to the Hacker Association.
She felt familiar with the code names IronRose and NeoNinja probably because she had interacted with the Hacker Association and heard about them before her memory loss.
Alessia pieced together the situation and, for some reason, still felt a bit uneasy. She wasn't in the mood to continue chatting.
Alessia said, "Alright, if there's nothing else, I'll hang up."
"Don't hang up, boss, I have something else to tell you," M interrupted, and Alessia put the phone back to her ear.
M said, "Boss, someone is using hacker techniques to investigate you."
"Investigate me?" Alessia raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, it's about your identity as Doctor Athena. But don't worry, I've helped you hide it properly. But, you know, do you want to know who is the person investigating you?" M's tone indicated he was trying to pique her interest.
Alessia said firmly, "Give you three seconds. If you don't want to say, I'll hang up."
M was once again controlled by Alessia, and when he spoke again, his voice lacked the excitement from before, resignedly saying, "Alright, I'll tell you. The hacker who's investigating you is TiffByte, who was recently selected through the hacker selection process. But I haven't given you and Eagle their list yet. Should I deal with her?"
As he spoke, he seemed to want to stir up trouble again.
Alessia frowned slightly, completely uninterested. "No need, follow the normal procedure."
TiffByte was Tiffany.
She hadn't forgotten what Tiffany said at the hospital today, that she knew hacking techniques and would help investigate her whereabouts.
It was quite a coincidence, but she wasn't someone who sought revenge. Besides, seeking revenge at a different level was called a waste of time.
Alessia just hung up the phone, and then heard the sound of a car outside the courtyard.
She looked out the window and saw Dominic's car entering the opposite yard.
Dominic had come back already. They had just recognized each other with Tiffany, so why didn't he stay a little longer?
As Alessia thought about it, she realized her focus was wrong. Whether Dominic stayed with Tiffany had nothing to do with her.
Alessia pulled the curtains closed, walked upstairs, and went into the bedroom, then headed to the bathroom.
She was halfway through her shower when she heard noise coming from the bedroom. She couldn't help but smile. If Riley entered her room, he would definitely knock. It must be one of the three little ones who was still awake and lively.
Was there still school tomorrow?
Alessia casually finished her shower, wrapped herself in a towel, and walked out.
"Christian, what's going on?" Alessia asked as she walked out, but when she fixed her gaze on the person in the bedroom, her expression suddenly changed.
In the warm yellow light of the room, Dominic was lazily leaning on the sofa, his long legs stretched out, making the sofa seem narrow.
"How did you get in here, Dominic?" Alessia instinctively threw the towel in her hand towards Dominic's face.
Dominic effortlessly caught it and set it aside, his handsome face carrying a hint of exhaustion. "Didn't I tell you I'd come back to talk to you?"
"I thought you would come back late tonight," Alessia said.
"What, are you jealous?" Dominic raised an eyebrow, propping his forehead with one hand.
Since all three kids lived here, Dominic knew the password for this place. He didn't avoid it, and Alessia would seem petty if she did.
Alessia leaned against the bathroom doorframe, crossing her arms. "Jealous? I'm not worthy. Mr. Carter, if you have something to say, just say it. I'm tired."
This was pushing him away. Dominic rubbed his nose and unfolded his legs. "It's nothing, just a reminder to stay away from Enzo."
Dominic had noticed something!
Alessia looked serious. "What do you mean?"
"It's just a hunch," Dominic analyzed. "Enzo was once kidnapped, but there's no record of what happened to him during those years he was gone. The resume Riley gave me tonight is new and flawless."
The more beautiful something was, the more poisonous it was. The more perfect an identity seemed, the more problems it had.
Alessia understood Dominic's implication.
Although they hadn't exchanged information, their views on Enzo were surprisingly consistent.
Dominic's eyes flickered, and seeing Alessia looking thoughtful, he knew she had taken his words seriously.
"Enzo told me he wants to pursue you," he suddenly said.
Alessia lifted her head abruptly. "So, when you acted so unusually in the private room, were you trying to make Enzo back off?"
Dominic didn't answer, and Alessia took it as a yes.
Alessia pondered for a moment. Over the years, she had been chased after leaving the Carter family, and she had also suddenly appeared and disappeared without a trace. After some speculation, she believed it must be related to her memory loss and Eleanor's prenatal toxicity.
She thought she should confess these things to Dominic. She said, "After I left the Carter family, I was chased by someone. Christopher wasn't accidentally lost; he was lost while trying to escape from being chased."
Alessia told Dominic everything, ending with, "So, Enzo's identity is not simple. I think we can outsmart him."
"No, it's too dangerous," Dominic firmly refused, getting up and walking towards Alessia. With his height advantage, he looked down at Alessia, who had just finished showering, her skin glowing.
He couldn't imagine what kind of days a pregnant woman would have, fleeing and hiding, and how guilty she must feel when her child was forcibly lost right after birth.
In these many years of searching for Christopher, it must have been agonizing.
Dominic had an impulse to hug Alessia, but then he remembered something, forcing himself to withdraw his hands and stiffly keep them at his sides.
Alessia looked up and saw Dominic's tense jawline, where short stubble had appeared, a symbol of masculinity.
She looked away. "Do you have a better solution for Eleanor's prenatal toxicity?"
Dominic hesitated for a moment, then, as if with great effort, said, "I'll help you find Mr. Victor La Rosa."
Mr. Victor, her grandfather!
Alessia stood straight.
She didn't expect Dominic, who would fly into a rage at the mention of her grandfather, to voluntarily offer to help her find him.
"You're doing this for..."
Dominic's gaze paused, meeting Alessia's. His heart tightened.
She had figured it out.
He would never admit it.
"Cough..." Dominic coughed twice.
Alessia completed her sentence, "...you're doing this for Eleanor. You've been very good to Elle. She'll be very happy if he knows. I'm happy that you're willing to help with my grandfather, but I don't want to give up my plan."
Alessia didn't notice.
All the effort he had just made was in vain.
Dominic snorted coldly, his tone much stiffer than before, still refusing. "Do you want to die?"
***