His innocent wife is a dangerous hacker. Chapter 869 What do you want?

"Bella! Bella Bell... my Bella Bell... my lovely friend... my dear sister-like friend..."

Jason dramatically sang her name as though he were performing the saddest love song ever written. His voice wavered with exaggerated emotion.

Bella didn’t even bother looking at him.

Her fingers continued dancing across the keyboard as lines of code rapidly scrolled over her laptop screen. She was deep in the middle of debugging a program, her focus laser-sharp, her brow slightly furrowed. The soft glow of the screen illuminated her face, casting shadows that made her look intensely concentrated.

Jason had been following her around for nearly twenty minutes, showering her with compliments. He had called her brilliant, beautiful, the most understanding soul in the world, and a true gift to humanity. He had even thrown in a few dramatic declarations about how he would never find another friend like her.

Finally, Bella let out a long sigh.

"...What do you want?"

Jason blinked innocently. His hand froze mid-gesture and he tilted his head like a confused puppy.

"How do you know I want something?"

Bella slowly turned toward him and gave him a flat look. Her fingers paused over the keyboard.

"It’s very obvious, okay? You’ve been sugarcoating me since you arrived." She counted on her fingers. "You called me brilliant twice. You said I was the light of your life. And you told me I had the soul of an angel." She raised an eyebrow. "And you only become this super sweet when you need a favor."

Jason scratched the back of his head with an awkward laugh. His ears turned slightly pink.

"...Am I really that obvious?"

"Very."

Jason quickly dropped onto the sofa beside her. He leaned over, glancing curiously at the codes running across her laptop, his eyes glazing over after a few seconds before he gave up trying to understand anything.

"So..."

Bella raised an eyebrow, still typing. "So?"

Jason coughed lightly, clearing his throat. "Well..." He paused, fidgeting with his sleeve. "Winter is your best friend..."

Bella nodded. "Mhm."

"And..." He rubbed his palms together nervously. "I like her... quite a lot."

Bella smiled knowingly. She finally stopped typing and turned to face him fully.

"I figured."

"So please..." He clasped his hands together dramatically, his eyes wide and pleading. "Please help me set us up."

Bella looked at him with pity, her head tilting slightly.

"Mm..." She drew out the sound. "I would’ve helped you."

Jason’s eyes instantly lit up. He sat up straighter, hope flooding his face.

"But..."

Bella continued, her voice dropping into a sympathetic tone. "You know what she told me yesterday?"

Jason leaned forward, practically vibrating with curiosity. "What?"

Bella answered with a perfectly straight face, her expression completely serious.

"She said she isn’t interested in real men."

For a second, Jason simply stared at her. His brain seemed to short-circuit, processing the words.

Then, to Bella’s complete surprise, his face brightened.

"I am not a real man!" he declared excitedly, pointing at himself with absolute pride.

Bella blinked. "...What?"

Just then, Leo walked into the room carrying two cups of coffee. The aroma of fresh brew filled the air, warm and comforting. Hearing Jason’s unexpected declaration, even he stopped walking. His gaze slowly shifted toward Jason, his expression unreadable.

"...You’re not?"

Jason nodded seriously, his face glowing with confidence.

"Exactly!" He pointed proudly at himself, ticking off his fingers one by one. "I don’t smoke. I don’t drink. I don’t go clubbing. I don’t flirt around anymore. I spend most of my free time playing games, watching anime, reading comics, eating snacks, and sleeping." He spread his arms dramatically, as though revealing a grand truth. "I’m basically an indoor species."

Bella stared at him, her mouth slightly open.

Leo remained silent, his coffee cup paused halfway to his lips.

Jason continued confidently, completely unaware of the absurdity of his statement. "So technically... I’m not a real man. I’m a professionally maintained house creature."

For a few seconds, the room fell completely silent. The only sound was the soft, low sound of the laptop’s cooling fan.

Bella slowly covered her face with her hand, her shoulders beginning to shake.

"...Jason."

"Hm?"

She struggled not to laugh. "She meant..." She took a breath. "...She likes fictional robots."

Jason’s confident smile instantly disappeared. His arms dropped to his sides.

"...Oh." He slowly lowered his hands. "So... I lost to a robot."

Bella nodded sympathetically, her lips twitching. "Yes."

Jason sighed dramatically, slumping back against the sofa. "I can’t even compete with artificial intelligence."

Leo calmly handed Bella her coffee before looking at Jason with his usual deadpan expression.

"You never stood a chance."

Jason clutched his chest, his face a mask of theatrical hurt. "Bro... why are you attacking me emotionally?"

Bella finally couldn’t hold it anymore. She burst into laughter, the sound bright and infectious, filling the room with warmth.

Seeing her laugh, Jason smiled too, his earlier disappointment fading.

After a moment, Bella’s expression softened, her eyes warm with genuine affection. "Since you’re my friend..."

Jason looked at her hopefully, leaning forward again.

"I’ll still try talking to Winter."

His eyes sparkled. "Really?"

Bella nodded. "I’ll tell her you’re kind. You’re funny. You’re reliable. And despite saying very strange things..." She paused, a small smile playing on her lips. "...You’re actually a genuinely good person."

Jason’s face immediately brightened. "Bella! You’re the best!" He looked ready to throw himself into a grateful hug, his arms already spreading wide.

Before he could move, Leo calmly stepped between them and rested one hand on Jason’s shoulder, stopping him mid-lunge.

"You may thank her." Leo said expressionlessly. "...From there."

Jason looked at Leo, his expression caught between exasperation and amusement. "...You’re unbelievable."

"I’m her husband."

"Exactly." Jason sighed dramatically, shaking his head. "I forgot."

Bella laughed so hard that tears gathered in the corners of her eyes.

After Jason left, practically skipping out of the mansion with a huge grin on his face, still humming some ridiculous tune, peace finally returned to the living room.

Leo approached silently, placing a fresh, warm cup of coffee on the low table beside Bella, as she had requested another, before taking a seat next to her.

She accepted it with a small smile. "Thank you."

Leo took a slow sip from his own cup before looking at the laptop resting on her knees. His gaze was calm, patient. "...You good?"

Bella nodded. "Hmm."

"What have you been working on?" He asked casually, genuinely curious.