His innocent wife is a dangerous hacker. Chapter 960: Her Boyfriend Is an Expensive Model (4)

"...So that’s how I met you," Dominique said over the phone, finally understanding how their story had begun.

After Aunt Clara and the other incidents, things had gradually settled down and Dominique had returned to his modelling career. His schedule was filling up again with photoshoots, brand meetings and invitations to various events. He had even started making plans to take Hazel along to some of them, hoping they could spend more time together outside their usual routines.

There was just one problem.

Hazel had returned to her Mafia career and she was every bit as busy as he was.

"You didn’t remember me, but..." Dominique complained, rolling across his bed until he ended up hugging a pillow. "I even told you my name back then! Dominique! Do you know how many people would be thrilled to have a handsome man introduce himself to them? And you couldn’t even be bothered to remember me!"

Hazel lay on her bed, gazing at the ceiling.

"I really don’t remember," she admitted. "Back then, I barely interacted with anyone. I had other things to worry about."

"Other things? More important than me?"

"Yes. And I didn’t know you would become my friend in the future."

Dominique pulled the pillow over his face. "That’s cruel, Hazel. Truly cruel."

She heard him mumbling something into the pillow and couldn’t help smiling.

It had been a week since Dominique had returned to his own home and she was beginning to notice just how quiet her apartment had become.

She had never considered herself someone who needed company. Silence had always suited her. She could spend hours alone without feeling the slightest discomfort, and most people found her presence intimidating enough that they rarely dared to disturb her unnecessarily.

Yet, somehow, she had grown accustomed to having Dominique around.

She was used to his endless chatter, his ridiculous complaints, and the way he could turn even the most ordinary situation into a lengthy discussion about his exceptional appearance. Sometimes, she would be reading a report while he sat beside her, talking about a photoshoot, a new outfit, or something interesting he had eaten that day.

She rarely responded with more than a few words but he never seemed to mind. In fact, he could happily continue talking even when she barely acknowledged him.

Now, the apartment felt strangely empty.

Hazel shifted onto her side, keeping the phone against her ear. It was already 12:49 a.m., and neither of them had much free time these days. Dominique’s modelling schedule kept him occupied, while Hazel had returned to handling Mafia affairs. Their days were filled with meetings, work and responsibilities that rarely waited for a convenient moment.

Most of the time, they exchanged messages whenever they managed to find a few spare minutes.

Unfortunately, texting wasn’t exactly their strong point.

Dominique enjoyed messaging her. He liked sending her pictures from his day, telling her random little things, and eagerly waiting for her replies. The problem was that Hazel’s responses were often so short that he couldn’t tell whether she was busy, uninterested or simply being herself.

A message like Had dinner? might receive a simple Yes.

And when he asked what she had eaten, she might reply with Food.

He had once spent five whole minutes staring at that particular message, wondering whether she was doing it on purpose.

Eventually, he had decided that calling her was much safer for his fragile heart.

Hazel, meanwhile, preferred phone calls because they required less effort than typing out replies. She could listen while doing other things, and if she didn’t feel like talking, she could simply remain quiet. Dominique, naturally, interpreted her willingness to stay on the phone as a personal victory.

"Hazel?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you listening to me?"

"Yes."

"What did I just say?"

"You were complaining about how handsome you are."

Dominique immediately sat up, looking pleased. "See? You do pay attention to me!"

"I didn’t say I agreed."

His smile faded slightly. "Can you let me have one happy moment?"

"You’ve had several."

"Name three."

Hazel glanced at the ceiling again, considering his request for a moment. "You have a successful career. You’re healthy. And you have me on the phone at nearly one in the morning."

Dominique went quiet.

Oh, no. He had no immediate comeback for that.

Then he fell backward onto his bed, grinning at the ceiling like an idiot. "Well, when you put it that way, I suppose my life is pretty good."

Hazel said nothing, but the corners of her lips lifted slightly.

She would never admit it to him, especially not when he was already so pleased with himself, but she was glad he had called.

"Hazel?"

"What now?"

"When are you coming to see me?"

"I have work."

"So do I. We can both have work and still see each other, you know."

"I’ll see what I can do."

Dominique hugged his pillow a little closer. "That’s not a proper answer."

"It’s the answer you’re getting."

He sighed, but he didn’t push her any further. He knew how demanding her work could be, and he had no intention of making her life more difficult just because he wanted to spend time with her.

Still, after a brief pause, he asked in a slightly low voice, "You miss me a little, don’t you?"

Hazel looked around her quiet bedroom.

There was no one sitting beside her, talking endlessly about his day. No one was stealing her attention when she was trying to read. No one asked whether she had eaten, only to complain when she answered with a single word.

She could have told him the truth.

Instead, she closed her eyes and replied, "It’s late, Dom. Go to sleep."

He groaned. "You always do this when I ask you something important!"

"Goodnight."

"Hazel!"

"Goodnight."

The call ended.

Dominique stared at his phone, offended for approximately three seconds before a smile crept across his face. He glanced at the call duration, mentally counting it as another successful night spent talking to his favourite person.

Meanwhile, Hazel remained on her bed with her phone in her hand.

The apartment was quiet again.

She turned onto her side, pulled the blanket over herself, and stared at the dark screen for a few moments before finally closing her eyes.

????︵??????︵????

Dominique was busy at a photoshoot.

He usually preferred solo shoots. He liked having the camera focused entirely on him, without having to coordinate poses with another model or share the photographer’s attention. It also made the work considerably easier. He knew his angles, understood how to move in front of the camera and rarely needed anyone to tell him what to do.

Unfortunately, today’s shoot was an exception.

A friend had asked him for a favour, and after some persuasion, Dominique had eventually agreed to participate in a campaign alongside another model. He wasn’t particularly excited about sharing the spotlight, but a promise was a promise.

"Damn, it’s hot."

He ran a hand through his hair, pushing the loose strands away from his forehead while the crew adjusted the lighting equipment. The studio was unusually humid, and the powerful lights only made the atmosphere more uncomfortable. Even the makeup artists were constantly reaching for tissues to dab away the sweat on the models’ faces.

Dominique tugged lightly at the collar of his shirt, looking increasingly displeased with the temperature.

"Sir, coconut water for you!"

Kyle, his assistant, approached with a freshly chilled coconut water and a straw. Dominique accepted it without hesitation, immediately taking several generous sips.

The cool drink was exactly what he needed.

He let out a satisfied breath, holding the coconut in one hand while glancing towards the crew, who were still busy preparing the next setup.

"Wow! Can I have some as well?"

A female voice interrupted him.

Dominique turned his head towards the sound.