Dangerous Desires: SECRETS OF THE HACKER & SPY

Starley was now in her car. Honestly, she was confused about where to go. At first, she wanted to meet Lia at the office, but Lia worked at the Bellamy company. If Starley had gone, then there would have been no reporters who would also be present. So, she could only go to her best friend's house, Selene Lucciano Blackwell.

Starley quickly stepped on the gas toward Selene's house. After about fifteen minutes, she finally arrived at a large, beautiful mansion. The security at the mansion gate recognized Starley immediately and allowed her to enter.

Starley parked her car in the mansion's guest parking area. She tried calling Selene from inside the vehicle but didn't pick up. Eventually, Starley decided to get out of the car and head toward the mansion's front door.

She pressed the doorbell. After waiting a few minutes, a servant finally appeared behind the large door, and it seemed the servant immediately recognized Starley.

"I didn't tell Selene I was coming. Is she at home?" Starley asked.

"Oh yes, Miss Starley. Mrs. Blackwell is at home," the servant replied, then invited Starley in. The servant led her to the west guest room and said she would notify Selene. Starley sat on one of the luxurious sofas in the living room. Soon after, the servant returned and said she would take Starley to the second floor, where Selene was waiting.

Starley followed the servant to the second floor. When they reached a large door, the servant knocked twice, and Starley could hear Selene's voice from inside saying, "Come in."

The servant opened the door for Starley. As she entered, she found herself in a lavish and elegant nursery. The room was light pink, with a luxurious-looking crib and a plush pink sofa not far from it.

Then she saw her best friend sitting on the sofa, holding a small figure that Starley recognized as Selene's second child, Amelia Blackwell.

Starley had never met Selene's second child in person. A few months ago, Selene gave birth to Amelia in Los Angeles. Lucian had a project in Los Angeles, so the whole family had to stay there for several months. It was only a few days ago that Selene and her husband, Lucian, returned to Chicago.

Starley's heart melted instantly when she saw the little creature Selene was holding. Although Starley wasn't great with babies, anyone would melt when seeing Amelia.

"Starley! Oh my god, why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Selene exclaimed. Starley smiled and replied, "Don't you want to see me?" in a mock sad tone.

"Of course, I'm happy to see you, but I didn't expect you to come today, especially since you've become hot news this morning," Selene responded. Starley walked over to Selene, who was still sitting and holding her daughter.

"I don't know where to go, there are reporters and paparazzi everywhere," Starley said, then sat next to Selene.

"Well, that sucks," Selene replied.

"And I haven't seen you since you came back to Chicago, so I thought, why not come here? I also haven't met Amelia in person," Starley added, looking at Amelia, who was just focused on her pacifier.

"Amelia, look, it's aunty Starley," Selene said softly to Amelia. Amelia, who didn't understand anything, just stared at Starley with her big eyes.

Amelia's hair was blonde like Selene's, but she had her father Lucian's hazel eyes. Amelia's eyes also resembled her uncle Raul's. Starley quickly shook her head. 'Oh my god, why am I thinking about Raul out of nowhere? Bad habit.'

"She's so adorable," Starley commented.

"So, what's been going on with you these past few days? Want to tell me about it?" Selene asked.

Starley sighed, finally telling her everything from the beginning, including how she became the hot topic in the news. She also talked about what happened earlier that morning when Nathan brought Raul and Raul's offer. After Starley finished telling her story, Selene spoke up.

"But Raul's offer isn't such a bad thing, you know. If you work with Raul, you won't get any more offers like that," Selene said. Starley looked at Selene in disbelief, as though Selene had just betrayed her.

"Selene, you know Raul and I have a history. And there's no way I'd work with him," Starley said.

"Why not? Are you afraid of falling for him again?" Selene asked.

"I never fell for him," Starley replied sarcastically. However, she wasn't entirely honest.

'I did love him once. But that was the past. Now, there's no future for me and him.' Starley thought.

"I'm just giving my opinion. If you keep rejecting like this, Raul will think you're scared of his charm," Selene said casually. Although she was teasing Starley, it seemed like Starley took Selene's words seriously because she immediately responded.

"Charm? Oh, do you think his handsome face can make me swoon?" Starley asked with a sarcastic laugh. Selene just held back a smile, raising an eyebrow as if saying, Stop acting, bitch, with her eyes. Selene knew her friend very well. With everyone knowing, Starley had a strength.

Her weakness was handsome men. Even though that was her weakness, Starley hid it very well. And Raul was the perfect example of her ideal type all along.

"So, you came to my house to hide from your brother and Raul?" Selene asked. Starley nodded her head, with puppy eyes, as if pleading to Selene. Selene stared at her for a moment before responding.

"You know you can stay here as long as you want, right?" Selene said. Starley immediately cheered up.

"Thank you, Selene!" Starley exclaimed.

"By the way, where's Zach?" Starley asked.

"He's with Lucian at the toy store," Selene replied.

After that, Selene breastfed Amelia while Starley was escorted to the guest room in the eastern wing of the mansion. The servant had said that the east wing was reserved for guests staying at the mansion. Currently, Starley was the only one staying there.

When Starley stayed at the mansion previously, she was given a vacant room near Zach's room because the eastern wing was under renovation. But now the renovation is complete.

The servant left her alone once Starley arrived at the luxurious and comfortable guest room.

Starley had brought a few clothes she could wear for two or three days, along with her laptop.

She would stay here for a few days until everything calmed down.

.

.

.

Later that evening.

7:00 P.M.

Starley had just finished showering and came out of the bathroom wearing a warm white bathrobe. The mansion's guest room was like a five-star hotel room. If Selene ever wanted to adopt a child, Starley would willingly become Selene's adopted child and live in the mansion forever.

Because Selene and Lucian's mansion was very different from the Bellamy family mansion, which was an old residence, the Bellamy family mansion was a century-old house, renovated only every generation. Though grand, its luxury needed to be updated.

In contrast, Selene and Lucian's mansion was relatively new and had many modern conveniences. Even Nathan himself preferred living in his luxury penthouse over the Bellamy residence.

Suddenly, there was a knock on her door, and the next moment, she heard the servant's voice from earlier.

"Miss Starley, Mrs. Blackwell would like to inform you that dinner will be in ten minutes," the servant called.

"Alright, I'll be downstairs in ten minutes," Starley replied without opening the door. The servant left.

Starley quickly changed into a blue turtleneck dress with long sleeves. Luckily, she hadn't washed her hair. Ten minutes wouldn't have been enough to dry it if she had.

Precisely ten minutes later, Starley was ready. She just stared at herself in the mirror one last time to check her appearance.

Not long after, she heard another knock on the door. It must be the servant again. This time, Starley opened the door. But she didn't see the female servant who had guided her earlier.

Instead, it was a tall man with a broad build wearing a black shirt. Starley couldn't believe who she was seeing standing in front of her.

'Oh my God, why is this guy everywhere?' Starley thought.

Standing at her door was Raul Blackwell. He looked at Starley for a moment and then smiled charmingly.

"Hello again, cupcake," Starley's breath caught when she heard Raul call her that again. But she quickly composed herself.

"What are you doing here?" Starley asked, confused.

"I'm here to escort you to the dining room," Raul replied.

"What? Why are you doing that?" Starley asked, even more puzzled.

"It's not wrong for neighbors to help each other, right?" Raul answered.

Starley began to have a bad feeling about this.

"What do neighbours neighbours?" Raul paused momentarily while studying Starley's face, then spoke again.

"Well, for the next few days, I'll be staying here in the mansion too, so that means we'll be neighbors, right?" Raul asked casually.

…