His innocent wife is a dangerous hacker. Chapter 853 What the heck are you doing here?

"Doctor..."

Jay’s voice was strained as he hurried toward the physician the moment he stepped out of the examination room. His eyes were red from exhaustion, dark circles etched beneath them, and his hands trembled slightly at his sides.

"How are my brother and sister-in-law?"

The doctor gave him a reassuring smile, his expression calm and gentle.

"Try not to worry. Their vital signs are stable. They’ll be alright. Both of them are strong, and there’s no permanent damage."

Jay finally let out the breath he had been holding. His shoulders sagged with relief.

"Thank God..."

However, a moment later, confusion appeared on his face.

"Doctor..."

He frowned, his brow furrowing deeply.

"I don’t understand something."

The doctor looked at him patiently, waiting.

"The bomb wasn’t real. It was fake and didn’t actually injure them. Then why did they both collapse like that? Why are they in this condition? They weren’t physically hurt."

The doctor nodded thoughtfully, his expression becoming more serious.

"That’s actually understandable." He folded his arms before explaining. "Sometimes, our brain reacts to what it believes is happening rather than what is actually happening. The mind is a powerful thing, often more powerful than we give it credit for."

Jay listened carefully, his eyes fixed on the doctor’s face.

"If a person genuinely believes they are only seconds away from dying, the body releases enormous amounts of stress hormones. Adrenaline rises sharply. The heart races. Blood pressure changes. The muscles tense and the brain goes into survival mode. It prepares the body for the worst."

He continued calmly, his voice measured and professional.

"Even if the danger later turns out to be harmless, the body has already experienced the fear as though it were completely real. The physiological response doesn’t simply stop because the threat was fake. It takes time for the body to recover from that kind of shock."

Jay slowly nodded, understanding dawning on his face.

"So... the fear itself affected them?"

"Exactly." The doctor smiled gently. "You could think of it as a placebo effect in reverse."

Jay blinked. "A placebo?"

The doctor explained, his tone patient and clear.

"In medicine, a placebo is something with no active effect, yet a person’s belief can still produce real physical or psychological responses. In this situation, the device itself wasn’t what harmed them. But the belief that they were about to die created a very real stress response."

He glanced toward Bella’s room, his expression softening.

"Especially in Bella’s case. She had already been under severe psychological strain from the nightmares and everything she recently experienced. An event like this can overwhelm an already exhausted mind. Her system was already fragile and this pushed her over the edge."

Jay lowered his. "And my brother?"

The doctor’s expression softened further.

"Mr. Moretti experienced the same overwhelming fear. But not for himself." He looked directly at Jay. "He believed he was about to lose the person he loves. That kind of emotional shock can be just as powerful as physical trauma. Sometimes more so."

Jay’s eyes became moist. His throat tightened.

He silently looked toward the closed hospital room.

"...I understand."

The doctor placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"The important thing is that they’re safe now. With some rest and proper care, both of them should recover. Just give them time."

Not long after, hurried footsteps echoed through the hospital corridor.

Alessandro, Lina, William, Nonna arrived almost at the same time. Their faces were pale with worry, their clothes slightly disheveled from rushing.

The moment Lina saw Jay standing outside the ward, she rushed over.

"Jay!" She grabbed his shoulders anxiously, her eyes searching his face. "How are Leo and Bella?"

Jay immediately reassured her. "They’re alright. The doctor said they’ll recover. They’re stable now."

Only then did everyone finally breathe a sigh of relief. The tension in their shoulders eased slightly.

Jay then explained everything that had happened—from Pablo’s kidnapping of Bella, to Leo finding her, and the fake bomb that had exploded.

"...And Pablo?" Alessandro asked, his voice cold and dangerous.

Jay’s eyes darkened. "I captured him and locked him in our basement. He’s not going anywhere."

Alessandro nodded, his jaw tight.

Jay’s expression became a little more complicated. "...Aunt Clara..."

Everyone looked at him.

"She passed away."

Lina looked expressionless. After all, she had no sympathy for someone who had harmed her son and daughter-in-law, who was literally like a daughter to her and called her "Mom."

"What...?" Nonna’s voice was barely a whisper.

Jay lowered his eyes. "The bullet didn’t hit a vital organ. The doctors tried to save her... But because of her age and the amount of blood she lost..." He slowly shook his head. "They couldn’t."

Silence settled over the corridor.

Even though Clara had made terrible choices, hearing of her death still left a heavy feeling in everyone’s heart. She had been part of their lives for so long.

After several moments, Jay suddenly frowned.

"But there’s one thing I still don’t understand."

Everyone looked at him.

"The bomb Pablo prepared was supposed to be real. He wouldn’t have been fooled by a fake, right? He’s too careful for that." He folded his arms, thinking deeply. "So... who replaced it with the fake one? I’ve been thinking about it ever since. I can’t figure it out."

Just then, Jace walked down the corridor after finishing all the admission and hospital paperwork. He joined the group, his expression tired but alert.

"What are you discussing?"

Jay looked at him. "That fake bomb."

Jace thought for a moment. "...Maybe it was a well-wisher. Or someone we already know. Someone who had access and wanted to help."

Jay slowly nodded. "Whoever it was..." His expression became sincere. "...I owe that person my gratitude. They saved my brother and sister-in-law."

"I did it."

A calm feminine voice interrupted the conversation.

Everyone turned at once.

A young woman stood a few steps away with a small, confident smile. Her long dark wavy hair rested over her shoulders and her dark eyes carried an unmistakable hint of amusement. She was dressed simply but elegantly, her posture relaxed.

"Boba..." Jay’s face immediately darkened.

She walked toward them gracefully

"What the heck are you doing here?" Jay demanded. His tone was anything but welcoming.