Chapter 544: No Password Required
Hayley’s POV:
All I ever wanted was to live a quiet life, hide my Alpha identity, and blend in as an ordinary person. But now, I see that even as an Omega, living simply isn’t an option. I had no choice but to use that identity again.
The dust had settled on the laptop’s casing. My mild obsession with cleanliness kicked in, so I wiped it down thoroughly with a disinfectant wipe, then sprayed it with sanitizer just to be sure. Only then did I press the power button.
No password was required, and the interface was empty, with no icons or folders. I tapped a few keys, and after a few minutes, an automatic program launched. In the center of the screen, two large words appeared: “Logging In.” This laptop didn’t need a password—only someone with my level of skill could access it.
Steven Lowe was leisurely sipping red wine in an investment firm office in Western Europe when a remote login notification suddenly popped up on his screen. Normally, this wouldn’t be worth his attention, but the moment he caught sight of the login icon of Amore, he nearly spilled his drink all over himself.
“Amore?!” Steven’s eyes widened in shock. The elusive Financial Genius, Amore, who was missing for six years, is back! Without hesitation, Steven switched to a secure chat interface and sent a coded message: “Is that you, my dear Amore?”
Hayley’s POV:
Seeing his message, I sighed in exasperation. Six years, and this guy was still as unserious as ever. I wasn’t interested in small talk, so I got straight to the point: “Are you interested in playing in the North Annestone market?”
The Ortegas had taken their company public early on, reaping profits from the stock market. After Freya took over the Sanders family, they quickly followed suit, entering the financial world. If I wanted to completely crush them, the stock market was the battlefield. This way, I wouldn’t have to be involved as the Alpha of the Shadow Pack. I could keep them out of this and, more importantly, keep my true identity safe.
If I was going to strike, I had to do it cleanly and thoroughly. Freya and Daniel deserved nothing less than…
Third-person POV:
Steven’s reputation in the market was ruthless—wherever he set his sights, companies collapsed. If he decided to short-sell a business, there would be no way to save it. And now, the Financial Genius, Amore, was personally reaching out. How could he refuse? Steven responded immediately: “I’m very interested!”
The moment his message was sent, the other party went offline. Now, all he had to do was wait. Steven’s fingertips brushed over the keyboard as a sly smirk formed on his lips. His sharp eyes remained locked on the now-gray chat window, flickering with anticipation. If there was anyone in this world he truly admired, it was Amore. Nothing thrilled him more than to partner with Amore to play the financial game.
Hayley’s POV:
With Steven on board, I logged out and ran a full system upgrade on my laptop. In six years, technology has advanced rapidly. My old firewalls were still strong enough to keep out most hackers, but they wouldn’t hold up against true experts. If I wanted to move unnoticed in the digital shadows, I had to reinforce my defenses. After all, Amore’s return wouldn’t go unnoticed.
Once everything was set, I put the laptop away and grabbed my coat. I wanted to head out and buy some necessities for Virginia. As I opened the door, Hera sensed a familiar scent; she became unusually excited and hurried toward the entrance. That’s when I noticed Benjamin’s car parked outside. He was in the driver’s seat, fully focused on something in his hands. The car window’s reflection made it hard to see inside, but I could still make out his striking, chiseled features. He looked effortlessly sexy—so much so that I instinctively swallowed. I forced myself to suppress the primal urge to jump him right then and there. Taking a deep breath, I walked up to the car and tapped on the passenger-side window.