Chapter 81: Chapter 81 Alexa lies
"Who is Leuu or whatever you’re calling him?" SyntaxQueen asked, narrowing her eyes at the screen.
Isabella blinked at her slowly, lips puffed in a pout, and tilted her head like she didn’t understand.
SyntaxQueen leaned in closer. "Wait. Are you drunk?"
Isabella quickly shook her head with a tiny frown.
"Are you crying then?" she asked again, her voice softer this time, noticing Bella’s red, teary eyes and flushed cheeks.
This time, Isabella gave a small nod, her lower lip trembling. "Bad Girls bullied me... and my husband didn’t care," she mumbled with a wobbly pout.
SyntaxQueen’s eyes widened. "Bullied? Wait—what?! Where are you, Bella? I swear I’m coming right now!" Her voice sharpened, filled with fire. "Tell me. I’m packing my laptop and taser!"
Isabella sniffled but giggled. "Your city?" she asked innocently and then, with a few sleepy taps, sent her exact location on the call.
SyntaxQueen stared at the screen as the pin dropped. "You’re in my city? Oh, these girls really picked the wrong day to mess with my favourite hacker."
"Bella," she said suddenly, serious now, "listen to me carefully, okay?"
Isabella nodded her head like an obedient kitten.
"Go and change your clothes."
Isabella shook her head immediately, her pout returning full force. "Don’t wanna..."
SyntaxQueen sighed and took a deep breath. "Fine. If you change and listen to me, I’ll bring you a whole bag of gifts. Pink things. Stickers. Candies. A cat plushie. Even a hoodie."
Bella’s eyes lit up. "Really?"
"Absolutely. But only if you change right now and go to bed like a good girl."
With a sleepy little grumble, Isabella finally nodded and stumbled off the bed. SyntaxQueen watched her like a mother hen.
A few minutes later, Bella came back on screen in her short nightshirt. She looked like she was about to fall over.
"I changed..."
"Good girl," SyntaxQueen smiled, warmth in her voice. "Now close your laptop. Sleep. I’ll come find you tomorrow."
Bella blinked again, her eyes heavy, and gave a tiny smile. "Okay... good night... SyntaxQueeeen..."
"Good night, Bellatrix_019," SyntaxQueen whispered.
As the video call ended, her smile vanished. She sat straighter, eyes narrowing, fingers already moving fast over her keyboard. She pulled up the location Bella had sent and zoomed in. Her screen reflected blue light into her sharp, focused eyes.
***
It was early morning when Leonardo finally returned to the villa. The soft glow of dawn barely touched the windows, but the aftermath of last night’s chaos still lingered in the air. The faint smell of alcohol, leftover decorations, and a few out-of-place shoes scattered near the living room told enough.
He stepped inside with slow, steady steps, his sharp eyes scanning the house with an unreadable expression. His face looked even colder than usual, dark circles under his eyes hinting at how little rest he had gotten. He had just dealt with a dangerous business meeting, yet the first thing he saw was his villa turned into some kind of nightclub.
Alexa, already dressed in a light robe and wearing fake guilt on her face, quickly stood up from the couch. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and bit her lips dramatically, trying to act innocent.
"I’m sorry, Leo," she said sweetly. "We just had a small party while you were away. Everyone needed a break, and it just... happened."
She nudged Casper hard with her elbow. He nearly choked on his drink and stood up straight. "Yeah, yeah! Just fun. You know, team bonding and stuff."
Alan stood near the bar, arms crossed, silent. Zion leaned against the wall with a dark look, his jaw tight. Neither said a word.
Alexa continued, voice overly sweet. "Oh, and Isabella had fun too. You missed it! She drank a full glass! Was laughing and joking—she even made friends! I think she’s finally relaxing."
Casper froze, eyes flicking to Alan in panic, but didn’t dare say anything to contradict her. Alan looked like he was barely holding it together. Zion looked disgusted.
Leonardo’s gaze didn’t move. His stare remained fixed on Alexa, cold and unreadable.
"She was glowing, Leo," Alexa said, stepping closer. "Really. She fit in just fine. Everyone adored her. It was like she wasn’t even shy anymore."
"Yeah, she was, uh, cheerful," Casper added weakly, scratching his neck.
He agreed with her all words, his heart pounding at the memory of what happened to Isabella during last night’s party. Leo was still unaware but if he ever found out, there’d be no mercy.
Leonardo remained silent. But the darkness in his expression deepened, and his fists slowly curled at his sides.
He knew Isabella. He knew her better than any of these people. She was not the kind of girl to drink, let alone party and flirt in a crowd of strangers. The way Alexa was describing her didn’t feel right.
Didn’t feel real.
His voice, when it finally came, was low and cold enough to make the room feel ten degrees colder.
"Stop lying to me."
Alexa froze. Her throat bobbed.
"I’m not lying..." she began, but her voice trembled under the weight of his stare.
And then—
Pitter-patter.
The faint sound of bare feet padding against tile.
Everyone turned.
Leonardo’s eyes flickered to the hallway, and then he saw her.
Isabella stood at the edge of the hallway in her short nightdress, rubbing her head sleepily. Her hair was messy, falling over one eye. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes red, and her lips were slightly parted as if she’d just woken from a heavy, tear-filled sleep.
She blinked at the group.
"Come here," Leonardo said, his voice firm but not loud.
Isabella hesitated. Her bare feet shifted on the cold floor as she looked around at the mess in the living room. Her heart thudded nervously in her chest. Slowly, like a child who had been caught doing something wrong, she walked toward him with her head slightly lowered.
When she finally stood in front of him, she glanced up, her big brown eyes peeking through strands of messy hair. Leonardo’s gaze dropped to her—his brows furrowing instantly when he saw her short nightdress.
Without saying a word, he took off his own jacket and carefully draped it over her, wrapping it tightly around her body. She blinked in surprise, her lips parting as she looked up at him in shock.