Reclaimed by the Mafia Heir

In the fifth year of marriage, Nora Yates stumbled upon scandalous headlines linking her husband to another woman.

His friend teased him. "Stefan, you're ruthless. Just because Nora stole Izabella's boyfriend, you married her, pampered her, and fed her those pills until she's practically a fool."

Stefan Gordon, cradling a pregnant Izabella Stewart, spoke coldly. "She made Izzie unhappy. She has to pay the price."

Outside the private room, Nora, battling severe depression, nearly collapsed.

Her trembling hands dialed a number. "Tell that company I'll join."

For five years, Nora had been a housewife, confined to her sickbed.

Everyone forgot she was once a legendary hacker, feared by every major corporation.

...

Nora's past as a love-struck fool for her first love was a well-worn joke in their circle.

Yet Stefan cherished her, treating her like a treasure.

His love was grand, from renting every LED billboard in the city for a public confession to kneeling in the snow to prove his devotion, and after marriage, patiently spoon-feeding her bitter medicine day after day.

The pills were bitter, but his love was sweet.

No one doubted Stefan's sincerity, yet Nora clashed with him three times.

The first time, she caught a whiff of unfamiliar perfume on him.

Everyone claimed they smelled nothing, and Stefan, to appease her, showered repeatedly, nearly scrubbing his skin raw.

The second time, she found a pair of lacy underwear in their bedroom.

She confronted him hysterically until the maid admitted the underwear was hers.

Nora froze, humiliated, as Stefan hugged her with tender concern. "Are you feeling off again? It's okay if you got it wrong, Nora. I don't blame you."

His patience never wavered. "Come on, take your medicine. It'll help you get better."

He cooled a spoonful and brought it to her lips.

"Stefan, I don't want it," Nora said, her face pale. "Every time I take it, I feel like I'm imagining things."

"It's fine, Nora. If you doubt me, it's my fault for not doing enough. I'll be better for you."

His warmth and forgiveness made her feel ashamed of her dark suspicions.

The third time, Stefan was away on a business trip when their cat accidentally opened a news alert on the tablet.

"Rising star Izabella Stewart spotted with wealthy boyfriend in Solara, celebrating her birthday. Wedding bells soon?"

Nora rarely cared for gossip and moved to close it, but a glance stopped her cold.

Beneath the bold headline was a paparazzi photo.

Izabella, in a sleek swimsuit, beamed in a man's arms, his face blurred.

But Nora recognized the watch on his wrist, a one-of-a-kind gift she gave Stefan for his last birthday.

Snow fell outside, blanketing the world in silence.

The house was warm, yet Nora felt a chill that froze her blood.

It couldn't be.

Maybe she misremembered. The watch wasn't unique, or perhaps she never gave him one at all?

Stefan, in Eldoria for a merger, couldn't be in Solara.

Logic urged her to stay calm, but her shaking fingers betrayed her as she dialed his number.

The phone rang for ages before he answered.

"Nora? Why're you calling so late?" Stefan's voice was gentle, without a trace of annoyance.

The faint sound of wind suggested he was outdoors.

Nora gripped the phone, nails digging into her palm. "Nothing. Just feeling uneasy."

"Uneasy? Did you take your medicine? Is it serious? Should I send a doctor?" His voice sharpened with worry, and she could picture his anxious expression.

"I took it," Nora said, stroking Muffin's head as the cat nuzzled her. "How's your trip going?"

"The meeting's hit some snags. Might take a few extra days." His reply was smooth, but the wind in the background vanished, as if he'd stepped into a closed space.

Nora stayed silent, and Stefan continued. "I've got another meeting. The shareholders here are waiting. They don't like working overtime. Stay safe at home, okay? Eat well and take your medicine."

Nora mumbled a reply and hung up quickly.

Another second, and her calm facade would have shattered.

Stefan hadn't noticed the flaw in his words.

It was midnight in Eldoria.

He had lied to her.

Her chest heaved, breath short from panic.

Pain shot through her palm, pulling her scattered thoughts together.

"Meow!" Muffin bit her hand, letting out a hoarse, urgent cry.

Snapping back to reality, Nora realized she hadn't taken her medicine that day.

She hated those antidepressants; they dulled her mind.

But today, she needed to be calm, even ruthless.

Muffin watched her swallow the pill, then curled up in her lap, purring softly.

Soothed by the cat and the medicine, Nora's gaze drifted to the study.

Stefan knew she studied computer science in college and loved coding, earning a reputation in the tech world before her illness.

The top-of-the-line computer in the study was a gift to keep her entertained, though she rarely used it.

She powered it on, the blue glow illuminating her pale face.

Her fingers brushed the keyboard, and muscle memory took over.

Code flowed effortlessly, bypassing firewalls and tracing signal sources.

Nora, bedridden for years and dependent on Stefan, had been forgotten as the hacker who once rendered corporate defenses useless.

The cloud backup she swore never to touch was now easily breached.

Stefan's phone was traced to Solara's coordinates, matching the news report's time and place.

Clear photos loaded on her screen, unblurred.

Stefan's handsome face glowed with happiness.

He smiled, arm around Izabella's waist, strolling on the beach, dining on a submarine.

The evidence lay coldly before her.

Her stomach churned, but with little food in her system, she only dry-heaved, bile burning her throat.

For the first time, Nora wished she truly was delusional.

In her daze, she dialed a familiar number.