Unmasking Mrs. Newton's Secret Identities novel Chapter 1875

Lincoln lifted his chin, a trace of pride in his gaze, though he made sure not to let it show.

"Mommy, just tell me what you need."

"Good boy. Anyway, I've got a virus here that even Uncle Taylor can't crack. I want you to give it a try. Are you up for the challenge?" Helen asked, turning the computer toward him.

Lincoln immediately leaned in, his eyes scanning the code intently. After a moment, his brow furrowed. "This code is definitely on Uncle Taylor's level. Mommy, don't you think it's a bit—"

"It's tough, but I can help you," Helen said.

"It's not that," Lincoln replied, sitting up straight. "What I mean is, having me solve this would be overkill. With Uncle Taylor's IQ, I could easily write a program that would blow him out of the water."

Helen couldn't suppress a laugh. Thank goodness Taylor wasn't there, or he'd be steaming with frustration.

"Well then, consider it homework from me. How long do you need?"

Lincoln thought for a moment before answering, "Until tomorrow morning."

Helen's mind drifted as she mulled over the timing of the challenge. After a brief silence, she nodded. "That works perfectly."

"Perfect for what?" Lincoln asked, eyeing her with suspicion.

"Nothing," Helen replied quickly, brushing it aside. "Anyway, what would you like to eat? I'll make something for you."

Decoding a program was as exhausting as writing one—it drained both mental and physical energy. Since she had left the task to Lincoln, Helen decided to take care of the practical side of things.

"I'm not hungry," Lincoln said, shutting his laptop and heading toward his room. With a casual wave, he added, "Mommy, don't bother me until my homework is finished."

His departure was the perfect mix of laid-back and charming.

Helen smiled, her heart full of affection. Lincoln always seemed so mature when he had something important to tackle.

"Got it," she said, playing along as if she were an obedient child.

…

The red-light district on Rouge Boulevard was notorious as the most chaotic and lawless area in Miravell.

The streets were littered with drunken fools, many sprawled out in the filth. Some engaged in open acts of promiscuity, while others clung to lamp posts, vomiting uncontrollably. In the shadows, a group of thugs fought fiercely, contributing to the madness.

All of a sudden, a sleek Mercedes glided into view, its pristine luxury standing out starkly against the surrounding disorder. The car came to a stop outside the most popular bar in the area.

As the door swung open, Lucy stepped out, her designer bag casually resting on her shoulder. After closing the door behind her, she cautiously made her way toward the bar's entrance.

The blinding lights made her squint, and the deafening noise forced her to cover her ears. It took her a moment to adjust to the overwhelming chaos.

As a woman who clearly didn't belong in such a place, Lucy attracted the gaze of several onlookers, all of them curious about her presence.

Oblivious to the attention she was drawing, Lucy paused at the door, scanning the room. Once her gaze fell on her target, she walked toward the bar, where a burly man with a beard was seated.

"Hello!" she called out, but the noise of the bar swallowed her words.

"Hello!" Lucy shouted again, her voice cutting through the clamor.

This time, not only did the bearded man turn his head, but several others in the vicinity glanced over as well.

"Are you Black Dog?" Lucy quickly adapted to the chaos of her surroundings—loud, direct communication was the only way to get through here.

"What do you want?" The bearded man shot her an impatient glare, clearly growing annoyed.

"I heard you know where to find skilled hackers. Is that true?"

Nearby, a crude wolf whistle echoed through the air. "Hey, sweetheart, why not have some fun with me instead?"

Reveling in the chaos, the crowd gathered around Lucy, their lecherous gazes locked onto her.

Ignoring their taunts, Lucy fought with all her strength to free herself. "I'll never trust you again, you liar!"

With a furious glare, she turned to leave.

However, the bearded man quickly closed the gap, his arms wrapping around her from behind. "Do you really think you can just walk away? Not so fast. Let's have some fun first."

Without warning, he tore open Lucy's coat.

"Haha, I didn't expect that," he sneered, his voice laced with malice. "For someone so scrawny, you sure have more curves than I thought."

"No, please! Don't—ahhh!"

Lucy's cries were swallowed by the deafening thrum of the club's music.

Upstairs, Aiden silently swirled his champagne glass, his face devoid of expression.

Unable to watch any longer, the person beside him scoffed, "She's your cousin, for crying out loud—how can you be so cold-hearted?"

Indeed, every detail had been carefully planned by Aiden. He had intentionally fed Lucy false information through the housekeeper to draw her here. The bearded man and the others harassing Lucy were all part of his scheme.

This was Aiden's way of breaking her. Only by doing this could he seize control of BJ Group with little resistance.

"A man who isn't ruthless can't hold power," Aiden said coldly, finishing his champagne in one swift gulp.

As he turned to exit through the back door, he threw one last remark over his shoulder, "Make sure they get clear shots."