"Remember FrostByte? That guy who tried to challenge you in that chatroom?"
Bella nodded slowly, sipping juice.
"He once told me he was a ’digital tiger’—but guess what? I found his photo on LinkedIn. He looks like a tomato with WiFi."
Bella laughed so hard she nearly choked on a piece of croissant.
And just like that, the awkwardness disappeared.
Now there were only two girls, sharing breakfast, jokes, and the first warmth of friendship in real life.
"So, Bella... I’m seriously worried," Scarlett said, placing her glass down with a thud. Her usual grin was gone. "I flew out of my work city. Left my work. All the way here to save your cute little face."
Isabella blinked, her eyes instantly moistening. She looked down, her lashes fluttering. "You... did all that for me?"
Scarlett leaned back and crossed her arms with a sigh. "Yeah. And don’t make that face. I saw your teary cheeks on video call, and I almost exploded."
Isabella bit her lip. "I didn’t mean to worry you, Scar. I was drunk... and confused. I didn’t even know what I was saying."
Scarlett narrowed her eyes, suddenly serious. "Yeah, and you didn’t tell me the people here were Mafia."
Isabella looked up, startled. "Wait—how did you—?"
"I may have eavesdropped. Or maybe someone pointed a gun at me when I walked in," she said flatly, her voice laced with sarcasm. "And someone very rude almost made my eardrums explode."
Isabella looked guilty. Her lips quivered as she lowered her head. "I... I’m sorry, Scarlett. I just... I didn’t know what to do."
Scarlett let out a breath and studied the girl sitting across from her. Her soft lavender dress barely reached her knees, and her fingers fidgeted with the hem. Even her voice was trembling a little. And yet this was Bellatrix_019—the hacker legend. The girl who exposed money laundering, brought down three government corruption portals, and made grown men cry in code.
She looked so delicate now. So real.
Scarlett’s expression softened. "You’re softer than I thought," she murmured honestly. "I always imagined you as the ice-cold, keyboard-smashing queen who’d bite off someone’s head for just touching her people."
Bella’s head snapped up. "What? No! I only act cool online because people won’t take me seriously if I show my real self..."
Scarlett smiled faintly, resting her chin on her palm. "Well, they’re dumb. You can be soft and strong. And you don’t have to act around me, okay? I like this version of you too."
Bella’s eyes sparkled, and she gave a tiny smile.
Scarlett leaned forward slightly. "You didn’t deserve what they did to you. Whoever hurt you—mentally or physically—I’ll make sure they regret it. I didn’t bring my laptop and taser all the way here just to drink fancy juice with cool Hacker bella."
Bella giggled, but her shoulders relaxed. It was the first time in a while she felt genuinely safe.
Scarlett’s voice turned serious again as she leaned closer. "But I need you to tell me the truth now, Bella. What exactly happened here last night? Who are these people you’re staying with?"
Bella looked down for a moment, hesitating before answering in a quiet voice. "Well... Leo is my husband. I owe him a big debt. And those people you saw in the living room... they’re his friends. We’re... on our honeymoon."
Scarlett’s eyes bulged as if someone just smacked her with a frying pan. "H-Honeymoon?! Wait wait wait—ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! Which normal man brings his whole friend gang to a honeymoon?! Is he opening a club or what!?"
Bella blinked. "Umm... I don’t..."
"And you’re fine with this circus?" Scarlett asked, deadpan, her mouth still open in disbelief.
"Maybe... I mean..." Bella fidgeted, fingers twisting the edge of her skirt. "They were nice... not all of them... but I didn’t really complain."
Scarlett threw her head back and groaned into the decoration pillow beside her. "No no no! Don’t do this, Bella! You can’t be fooled like this! Leo or Leu or whatever his mafia name is, he’s not good enough for you!"
Bella flinched slightly and whispered, "He’s not that cold..."
Scarlett raised an eyebrow. "Not that cold?"
Bella’s cheeks flushed as she softly added, "He... he covered me with his jacket in morning when I wore a short nightdress... and he took care of my scratch..." Her voice trailed off, her lips curving into a faint, dreamy smile.
Scarlett stared at her, frozen.
"Oh my god... are you serious?" she muttered. "Tell me one thing honestly—are you color blind?"
Bella looked up in confusion. "No? My eyes work fine."
"Then how do you only see roses growing on that ice statue of a man?! He shoots guns in his house! His friend bully you!" Scarlett counted on her fingers.
Bella blinked, eyes round and innocent. "But he didn’t laugh at me like the others..."
Scarlett stared. "You’re unbelievable. I think your cuteness is affecting your brain."
Bella giggled softly and covered her face. "Stop saying that..."
Scarlett sighed, leaning back again with a hand on her forehead like a tired mother. "I can’t believe this. My hacker goddess, the undefeatable Bellatrix_019, has turned into a soft marshmallow over a man."
Bella peeked through her fingers. "I’m not marshmallow..."
"You’re melted, babe," Scarlett shot back.
The two of them burst into soft laughter, the tension finally easing.
But Scarlett wasn’t done.
She placed her hand over Bella’s gently and looked at her with sisterly seriousness. "Listen, I’m not saying Leo’s the worst. But don’t forget yourself in this, okay? Even if he shows you kindness, don’t let it erase the times he stayed silent when others hurt you."
Bella looked down, her eyes flickering.
"I know..." she whispered.
Scarlett gave her a little smile. "Good. Because I’m here now. And no one’s messing with you again."
Bella looked up with a teary smile. "Thank you, Queenie..."
"Haha, don’t thank me, my sweet girl!" Scarlett smirked and flicked Bella’s forehead gently. "I took a whole three days off just for you. Three days! My team thinks I’ve been kidnapped."
Bella gasped softly, holding her forehead with a pout. "You what?! But—but why would you do that..."
Scarlett leaned back with a dramatic sigh, tossing her long hair over her shoulder. "Because I’m hopelessly in love with a certain hacker girl who cries like a puppy and still manages to break into government systems for fun."
Bella’s cheeks turned a bright shade of red. "S-Scarlett!! Don’t say that!"
Scarlett leaned closer, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "What? I’m serious. Since I’m already here, maybe we should date. What do you say, hmm?"
Bella’s jaw dropped. "Date?!"