Chapter 8
Soon, Andrew called again, his voice filled with undisguised surprise, almost losing his composure.
"Sophia, Shadow Circuit Studio will always welcome you back."
His excitement came through the phone, carrying a warmth that belonged to "that world" - a warmth I hadn't felt in so long.
It made my frozen heart seem to crack open just a little, letting in a sliver of light.
"Thank you." My voice was still hoarse, but I tried to keep it steady.
"Thank me for what? Do you know, ever since you retired and got married, those top forums in the industry have been flooded with posts like 'Looking for ZeroSpecter'!"
At that, I smiled; a real smile, for the first time in forever.
"Those code frameworks you casually wrote back then are still considered classics. Tons of people study and analyze them every day."
ZeroSpecter.
That long-forgotten code name was like a key, instantly unlocking a dusty box deep in my memory.
Inside wasn't the compromising wife of James, wasn't the careful, timid love I had for him; it was my own brilliant past.
Turns out, while I imprisoned myself in a cage called "James's wife" for some pathetic love, making myself smaller than dust, there were still so many people out there who remembered me, who valued what I could do.
I took a deep breath, forcing back the weak tears.
No, I didn't need to cry over the past. I needed to pave the way for my future.
I couldn't wait to escape this cage. I'd been off course in the vast ocean of life for too long; I had to get back on track, now.
"I need work right away."
My hand rested on my belly. My child gave me a determination I'd never felt before.
Andrew immediately understood, his tone turning serious. "There's a commercial system project. The client is a top-tier business empire with, unlimited budget, but extremely demanding. They specifically asked for the best computer expert available. I've been worried about it."
Top-tier business empire?
Unlimited budget?
Only one person seemed to fit that description and could say those words.
A strange feeling passed through me, but was quickly covered by stronger determination.
Whoever the client was, this was my first step toward supporting myself and my child.
Even if the road ahead was full of danger, I wouldn't back down.
"Send me the details." I kept it brief.
After hanging up, without any hesitation, I opened that long-dormant forum, simple interface but a legendary reputation in the hacker world.
I entered the username and password practically carved into my bones.
The next second, my private messages and mentions went crazy, the unread count jumping to an alarming "99+". I clicked on some of the most popular posts.
[ZeroSpecter's third year in retirement, missing her, missing her, still missing her!]
[International hacking competitions without ZeroSpecter are like soulless shells!]
[Those legendary codes ZeroSpecter left behind - analysis needed!]
[Daily question: Did ZeroSpecter come back today?]
Going through them one by one, those passionate words, that devoted admiration, that genuine regret, like waves of warm, powerful energy flowing into my wounded heart.
I leaned back in the cold chair, gently touching my still-flat belly, and slowly, a smile spread across my face - a real smile that was truly mine, sharp-edged and fierce.
'James, look at this. Without you, I'm not some worthless nobody with nowhere to go. I'm ZeroSpecter. I once stood at the peak of the coding world, looked up to by everyone. You don't want this child, but I do. You don't want us, but we want ourselves. From now on, this is my battlefield. My worth is defined by me.' I thought to myself.
On the third day, following Andrew's address, I arrived at the studio in a premium office building in the city's CBD.
The environment here was worlds better than our old garage workspace that reeked of instant noodles and keyboard clicks; it had a professional, elite atmosphere.
Andrew met me at the door. When he saw me, a flash of concern crossed his eyes, but it was quickly covered by the joy of reunion.
"Sophia, welcome back!" He led me inside, quietly briefing me on the project basics.
"The client is the Smith Group; you know them, extremely powerful. This project is crucial to their global business strategy for the next decade, so they're taking it very seriously. Their CEO is coming in person today..."
Hearing that, my steps paused almost imperceptibly.
Of course, it was him.
A cold mockery rose in my heart. The world really was ridiculously small.
We'd just reached the hallway outside the conference room when I heard a voice I knew down to my bones, deep, magnetic.
But now, it carried the authority of someone in power, all business.
"The security and stability of this system are top priority, no room for error. The Smith Group's core business data will all run on it."
It was James.
Then came Amelia's soft, admiring voice.
"James, don't worry. Mr. Anderson said they've gotten the legendary 'ZeroSpecter' to lead this project. Everyone in the industry says ZeroSpecter has never failed. Getting him to take this on was incredibly difficult."
"ZeroSpecter?" James's voice held a rare note of genuine interest.
"I've heard of them. Definitely a mysterious figure. If we can really get her on board, any price is worth it."
Get me on board?
Any price was worth it?
Never thought I'd hear those words from his mouth.
Standing outside the conference room, listening to my husband speak so seriously about how to "secure" me, how much he valued my abilities to build the foundation of his business empire.
A feeling of extreme absurdity and irony erupted like a volcano.
I could almost picture his expression - that usual calm control and seriousness.
He probably never imagined that the mysterious, elusive "ZeroSpecter" he was willing to pay any price for was the same wife he'd neglected for two years, the one he said only knew how to scheme, who used a child as a tool - his despicable wife!
I couldn't hold it back anymore. From deep in my throat came a soft laugh, filled with endless mockery and icy amusement.
That laugh, in the relatively quiet hallway, sounded especially clear and sharp.
The conversation in the conference room stopped abruptly.
Almost immediately, the door was yanked open from inside.
James's handsome but cold face appeared in the doorway.
He'd obviously heard that inappropriate laugh. His brow furrowed with the displeasure of being interrupted and his usual intimidating presence. His sharp gaze looked toward the door.
Then his eyes locked precisely on my face.