CHAPTER TWO

Celine's POV

I'm in my uncle's office. He called earlier, asking if I could assist with a cybersecurity breach at his company. I'm not exactly an expert yet, but I'm doing a PhD in Computer Science, and my doctoral thesis focuses on cybersecurity, so I'm knowledgeable enough.

They had stopped the breach by shutting down their servers, but not fully once the servers were up again, the hackers would come right back. I sign some non-disclosure paperwork before I start working. Then I go through the code first, analyzing the threat. Whoever did this was skilled; it couldn't be traced.

I write a new code, embed it into the system, clean out the breach, and close the backdoor. It takes me about an hour to fix everything. After that, I sit down with the head of IT and his team to explain the threat and the processes I added to prevent future breaches. Their team is actually good, but this was a very updated, advanced attack that was difficult to decipher. I was able to handle it because I've spent almost four years of my life specializing in this area.

And I'm getting paid big bucks for this, since they hired me as an expert. I can finally get the apartment I've been wanting, which means I won't need to rush into a job while I finish my thesis. I've been working online for companies writing code and working as a Teaching Assistant, but my supervisor doesn't have a class this semester, so I have some time off.

My roommate is moving out and I need to find a new place or take over the lease, which I don't want to do. I don't even like the apartment; I only stayed there because it was close to campus. But I'll be done with my PhD soon, so I don't need to be near campus anymore.

"Will?" someone says as they walk into the office.

My uncle had stepped out, and I'm in the seating area scrolling through apartment listings. I look up as his coworker comes in. He barely glances at me, then looks around for my uncle.

"He just stepped out," I say, watching the man at the door.

He's tall, dressed in a tailored suit, and his eyes are so blue I want to drown in them.

His gaze drags from my head to my boots, assessing me with a frown.

I'm wearing a short black leather mini-skirt, a tank top, stacked necklaces, huge bangles and knee-high boots. My long blonde hair falls over my shoulders like a curtain. Black eyeliner. Red lipstick. It's obvious I look out of place his expression makes that clear.

"Where is he?" he asks.

"I don't know," I reply, just as my uncle steps back in with his secretary behind him.

"Alex, you're back," Uncle Will says as he enters.

"I see you've met our magic helper." He sits beside me, smiling proudly while the man Alex stands by the door, brooding. "It only took her an hour to fix the issue."

Alex's expression shifts into something unrecognizable as he looks at me again.

"She's the cybersecurity expert?" he asks, his eyes still on me.

"She is," my uncle says proudly.

"Honey, my secretary has some papers for you to sign so we can conclude everything," Uncle Will adds. Alex looks from me to him with another frown.

"Sure," I say, standing up and feeling Alex's eyes on me the entire time.

"Will, can I talk to you in private?" Alex says, his tone serious.

"Of course," my uncle replies. "But first, introductions."

"Alex, this is my niece, Celine Stone. Cybersecurity expert and our savior today." My uncle smiles.

I watch Alex's face soften, the frown melting into something more neutral.

"And Celine, this is my partner, Alex Hawthorne, our CEO."

"Hi," I say, offering a nervous smile. Why the hell am I nervous?

"Nice to meet you."

"Hello. Nice to meet you," Alex says just as my phone starts ringing.

"Um—I have to go," I say after checking the caller ID. It's my friend Ana, we're meeting up.

"Okay, honey." My uncle pulls me into a quick hug. "Just sign the document first."

I nod and head to his secretary.

"You’re late,” Ana says the moment I walk in. She’s sprawled across the couch, glued to some reality show.

I drop into the armchair beside her with a sigh. We were supposed to go to a yoga class.
“Sorry,” I mutter. “I had to sign some papers afterward.” A grin tugs at my lips. “Also…I can finally afford my own place in a good neighborhood.”

Ana bolts upright.
“Really? Was it that good?”

I pull out the check. $25,000.

She snatches it and screams.

“Celine! This is insane!”

I laugh. “I know.”

“How was it working with your uncle?” she asks.

I shrug. “It was fine. I didn’t exactly work with him—just his cybersecurity team. But yeah, it went well. I met his partner too. Alex. Not friendly at all.”

Ana’s eyebrows lift. “Not friendly as in cold? Or not friendly as in hot but rude?”

I roll my eyes. “Both.”

She smirks. “Interesting…”

I ignore her. “Do you think you could work with your uncle after grad school?” Ana asks me.

Ana tilts her head adding. “Do you want to?”

I stare at my hands.
“I don’t know. Uncle Will has already done so much for me and Leo. Paying for grad school…helping us since we were kids…” My voice softens.
“I just feel like asking for more would be too much.”

Ever since our parents’ divorce, Uncle Will has been the steady one. The dependable one. He paid for college from the trust fund Grandpa left.  Then he paid for everything out of his pocket, from my PhD grad school fees to Leo’s law school, came from him. He’s more father to us than our actual dad, who shows up in our lives maybe once a year.

Ana squeezes my hand.
“You’re incredible, Celine. You’ll get a great job with or without him.”

I smile. Ana’s my best friend for a reason, she believes in me even when I don’t.

“Okay, enough emotional stuff. Dinner?” I ask.
“My treat.”

She snaps her fingers.
“Obviously your treat. I vote Italian. Something expensive.”

I laugh, pulling out my phone.
“Done.”

“By the way,” she says, turning down the TV, “how was your meeting with Dr. Alton?” He is my thesis supervisor.

I groan. “He wants me to take a break. Says focusing only on code is frying my brain.”

Ana snorts. “He’s not wrong.”

“He wants me refreshed before school starts again, so I thought…maybe getting a job? Something not computer-related. Then I’ll work on my thesis only on weekends.”

She nods thoughtfully.
“What kind of job?”

I slump deeper into the chair. “No idea.”

“We’ll figure it out.” she says confidently.

I start browsing the restaurant menu.
“Is Andrew still working late?”

She nods. “Yes. I hate his new boss. That woman is literally stress in human form.”

I laugh as we scroll through pasta options, the weight of the day slowly uncoiling in my chest.