<b>Chapter </b><b>221 </b>
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Connor stood in the living room of my apartment, shifting his weight nervously from one foot to another.
“I—I’m your idol,” Connor blurted out, then immediately shook his head, his cheeks flushing red. “No, I mean, you’re my idol. I’ve admired you for so long.” His voice trembled with genuine excitement, like a fanboy meeting his favorite celebrity.
I gave a slight nod, my expression neutral. “I know. You’re Q.”
Connor’s eyes widened even further, his face lighting up with the childlike delight of being recognized. The tension in his shoulders instantly vanished, reced by barely contained excitement.
“You know me? How do you know? Yes, that’s right. I’m Q.” His words tumbled out in a rush, pride evident in his voice.
I studied him for a moment. “Your hacking skills,” I said, turning to Ethan. “Did he learn from you<b>?</b><b>” </b>
Connor nodded eagerly before Ethan could respond. “Everything I know about bypassing security systems, Mr. Haxton taught me. The foundation, at least. I’ve developed my own methods since then, but-”
“He was a quick study,” Ethan interrupted, his voice cool and controlled.
I looked at Ethan with mild curiosity. “You seem to be unranked in the hacker world.”
A slight smile tugged at the corner of Ethan’s mouth, transforming his severe features into something almost boyish. “I didn’t see the point before. But perhaps I could aim for second ce now.” His eyes locked with mine.
Connor’s excitement couldn’t be contained. He took a step forward, eyes bright with realization. “Did you–was it you who hacked myputer during the board meeting?”
“You deserved it,” I confirmed without hesitation, remembering the satisfaction of watching his system crumble under my attack.
Connor’s face crumpled into a mix of horror and embarrassment. His hands flew to his hair, gripping it as if reliving the moment. “Do you have any idea how devastated I was? A whole conference room of people, all my colleagues, watching that on the big screen… My reputation, my dignity…” He groaned dramatically. “I couldn’t look anyone in the eye for weeks!”
I nced at Ethan with a hint of amusement. “Did you see it too?”
“Forced to,” Ethan replied dryly, though the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
“And?” I asked, my expression yfully provocative, “What did you think?”
Ethan avoided the question, his eyes briefly meeting mine before shifting away. “I only wanted to throw him out the
8:01 Fri<b>, </b>Sep 26 T
window at that moment.”
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My gaze turned mischievous as I leaned forward slightly. “Was it that necessary? Never seen anything like it before?”
Connor’s face reddened further, the blush spreading to his ears. “The second half wasn’t even my fault! It was the <b>Boss </b>who-” He stopped abruptly, seeming to realize he was about to incriminate Ethan. His eyes darted nervously
between us<b>. </b>
“Someone’s trying to appeal his case,” I observed, enjoying his difort.
Ethan shrugged, the expensive fabric of his suit shifting smoothly with the movement. “He deserved it. If your security is weak enough to get hacked, that’s on you.”
After Ethan and Connor left, my apartment felt oddly quiet. I sat on the couch, fingers absently tracing the bandage on my hand, when my phone rang. Zach’s name shed on the screen. His terse message–just a police station
address and “need you“-sent me rushing downtown.
The station buzzed with activity when I arrived–phones ringing, officers shuffling papers, the acrid smell of old coffee hanging in the air. The fluorescent lights cast a harsh glow over everything, making even the youngest officers look tired. I was directed to the chief’s office, where I found an unexpected familiar face alongside Zach.
“Sergeant Ford,” I said.
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