Chapter 8

**Marie’s Apartment**

The car dropped me off in a quiet, ordinary neighborhood in Berlin. The house wasn’t fancy — just a simple two-story building with plain white walls and a small garden in front. But it was completely paid for and belonged to my mom. No landlord, no debts, no one asking questions. That was what mattered.

I rang the doorbell twice, then pressed my fingerprint on the hidden scanner beside the door. It clicked open softly. I stepped inside and called out, “Mom? I’m here.”

No answer.

I smiled to myself. I knew exactly where she would be. I closed the door behind me, locked it, and walked through the simple living room toward the basement stairs. The house looked normal upstairs — old furniture, family photos that were all fake, and a kitchen that smelled of herbal tea. But downstairs was where the real Marie Gretel lived.

I opened the heavy basement door and stepped into the dark room. The only light came from multiple computer screens glowing on a long desk. Marie sat in her wheelchair, fingers flying across the keyboard. Wires and monitors surrounded her like a command center. She was coding something complex, her scarred face focused in the blue light.

I reached for the switch and turned on the main lights.

The room brightened. Marie stopped typing and slowly turned her wheelchair around to face me.

A warm smile spread across my face. I walked over and hugged her tightly, then sat on her lap like I used to when I was little.

She pinched my cheeks gently and chuckled. “You’re twenty years old now, Hazel. Not a baby anymore.”

“I don’t believe that one bit,” I said, resting my head against her shoulder for a moment. Even with her scarred face and missing legs, she still felt like home.

Marie stroked my hair once before pushing me lightly. “What are you doing here so early? I thought you might not be able to leave.”

I sat up straighter. “I slipped out before Cassian left for work. I knew Hanna was going to start something the moment he was gone, so I ran. It took almost two hours by bus to get here from his place.”

Marie nodded, her eyes sharp. “Good. You did well.”

I looked at the screens behind her. Lines of code filled every monitor. “What are you working on?”

She turned the wheelchair slightly so I could see better. “I’m hacking into Hale Dynamics. There’s a new AI project Cassian has been struggling with for the past two months. He can’t quite get his hands on the finished product. It’s almost done, but he’s missing one critical piece.”

My eyes widened. “And you have it?”

Marie gave a small, bitter smile. “Of course I do. Hans and Darren are returning this weekend from China. They went there to expand the company. Their trip turned out nicely for us — it gave me more time to dig deeper without them noticing.”

I leaned closer, excitement building in my chest. “What do you want me to do?”

She handed me a thin folder filled with printed papers and a small USB drive. “This is the missing piece of Cassian’s AI project. Study it carefully. Make sure he sees you working on it — casually, like you’re just trying to help or pass time. If he realizes how capable you are, he might offer you a job in his company. That will be very important for our plan.”

I took the folder and flipped through the pages. The code and diagrams were advanced, but I understood most of it. Mom had taught me everything she knew since I was a child. “You’re a genius, Mom. Always have been.”

Marie’s face softened for a second, but the hardness returned quickly. “I’ve been tracking Cassian for twenty years. That’s how I knew he always holds important meetings at Blue Stars Hotel. I made sure you started working there two years ago to create the perfect impression — the poor, struggling orphan who just happened to be in the wrong place at the right time.”

I sighed and got off her lap. The truth still felt heavy sometimes. “That old apartment I pretended to live in? I never really stayed there. It was just for show.”

Marie nodded. “Exactly. No one can connect us. The world knows me only as ‘K’ — the ghost hacker. No one has ever seen my face. That’s how we stay safe.”

My stomach growled loudly. I hadn’t eaten much this morning.

Marie noticed and smiled. “Are you hungry?”

“Yes,” I admitted. “I ran out before breakfast.”

We left the dark basement and went upstairs to the small kitchen. Marie moved her wheelchair expertly to the counter and started dishing out food she had already prepared — warm rice, chicken stew, and vegetables. She placed the plate in front of me.

I sat down and began eating while still going through the file. Between bites, I asked questions about the parts I didn’t fully understand.

“Why this algorithm here? Won’t it conflict with the main system?”

Marie explained patiently, pointing at the paper with her finger. “Because Cassian’s team used an older framework. This new piece fixes the instability. When you show it to him, act like you figured it out by accident while playing around with code on your phone. Don’t look too professional at first. Let him discover your talent slowly.”

I nodded, taking mental notes. “Got it. I’ll make sure he sees me working on it in the guest house.”

We continued talking as I ate. Marie told me more details about Darren and Hans — their habits, their weaknesses, and how they were still involved in shady side businesses even after all these years.

“Darren is the loud one. He likes women and parties. Hans is quieter but greedy — he’s been stealing small amounts from the company for years. We can use that.”

I finished my plate and leaned back. “I can’t wait to meet them.”

Marie’s eyes darkened with old pain. “Be careful, Hazel. Cassian is dangerous, but his friends are snakes. Don’t rush. Let them come to you through him.”

I stood up, washed my plate, and hugged her again. “I will. I promise.”

Before I left, Marie held my hand tightly. “This is only the beginning. Once you’re inside Hale Dynamics, we can bring everything down from within. His marriage, his company, his friends — everything he took from me.”

I nodded, feeling the familiar fire in my chest. “I won’t fail you, Mom.”

I slipped out of the house the same way I came, making sure no one was watching. The long bus ride back to Cassian’s estate gave me time to study the file again. By the time I reached the gate, my face was back to its innocent, fragile mask.

Victor was waiting when I returned.

“Welcome back, Miss Lett,” he said politely. “Mr. Hale is still at the office. Mrs. Hale has guests.”

I smiled shyly. “Thank you, Victor. I’ll just go rest in the guest house.”