Chapter 289 Fireworks Bloom Again
After seeing Magnus off, I turned to Alaric, my heart brimming with gratitude. I had so much to say, but the words just wouldn't come out.
After a moment, I finally managed, "Alaric, I really owe you one. If you hadn't stepped in, I would've been lost."
Alaric looked a bit taken aback, then smiled and waved it off. "Diana, don't sweat it. I'm just glad I could help."
His genuine expression warmed me even more, and I nodded seriously. "Still, I won't forget this."
Alaric gave a soft nod before turning back to his computer, diving back into the investigation. In the light, his focused figure looked even more dedicated, making me admire him a bit more.
After a while, Alaric suddenly shouted, "Got it! This is the IP address that attacked our website!"
His voice broke the silence, and I quickly moved to his side.
As I stared at the string of numbers, a weird feeling washed over me. The address seemed familiar, but I couldn't place it.
My memory was fuzzy, with familiar clues flickering in and out, but I just couldn't connect the dots.
I glanced at Alaric, who looked back at me at the same time. Our eyes met.
For a moment, the office was so quiet we could only hear each other's breathing.
The awkward atmosphere made me a bit flustered, so I quickly looked away and tried to sound composed. "Now that we have the IP address, what's next?"
Alaric seemed to sense the tension too. He cleared his throat and said seriously, "We can trace this IP further to see if we can find the mastermind behind the hacker. But it's a complex process and might take some time."
I nodded, feeling a bit anxious about what kind of conspiracy might be behind this mysterious hacker.
As the investigation went on, Alaric uncovered some crucial clues hidden behind layers of disguise on the IP address. Digging deeper, he found that the hacker's attacks weren't random; each data theft and destruction seemed aimed at getting core information about the Howard Group and Cooper Group's deep collaboration project.
Alaric worked tirelessly, analyzing data without rest. By the next evening, he finally discovered that the attack commands came from an encrypted network server.
Just as he relaxed, Alaric looked at me with a hint of anticipation and asked softly, "Diana, after all this work, how about we take a walk by the river?"
Hearing this, my smile faltered, and I couldn't help but remember him telling Edward, "I'm Diana's boyfriend."
I took a deep breath, trying to keep my tone calm. "Alaric, I think it's better if we keep some distance."
Alaric looked at me, puzzled, and asked, "Why do you say that all of a sudden?"
I bit my lip and decided to voice my thoughts. "Earlier in the parking lot, you told Edward you were my boyfriend. That made me uncomfortable. We had just met, and saying something like that made it seem like there was something between us..."Alaric looked a bit surprised, then gave an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I just blurted that out. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I really didn't have any other intentions. Think of it as my way of saying thanks for letting me help build the tech team. A walk with me isn't too much to ask, right?"
After hesitating for a moment, I thought about how much he had actually helped me and finally nodded. "Alright, I'll walk with you. But I still need to pay for the tech team."
We strolled along the riverside path, where the water sparkled and the occasional boat created gentle ripples.
Alaric suddenly spoke up. "Diana, how do you balance work and relationships?"
I was a bit taken aback, not expecting him to bring up that topic. After a moment of thought, I said, "It's really tough. The pressure from work often leaves me exhausted, and when I get home, I just want to rest. I don't have the energy to invest in a relationship. Plus, I have a child."
Alaric nodded thoughtfully, his gaze drifting to the distant boats. "True, when work gets busy, it's hard to manage everything. But I think having a child is a warm presence in life. Skylar must be adorable, right? How old is she?"
Mentioning Skylar brought a tender smile to my face. "Yes, she's very mischievous and cute. She's three years old now, at that age where she's both lovable and a handful. Sometimes, after a long day, seeing her smile makes all the fatigue disappear."
Alaric looked at me, his eyes smiling. "Hearing you talk about her, I can almost picture it. I always thought having someone to care about is a good thing. No matter how tired you are, knowing someone is waiting at home gives you the motivation to keep going. Have you thought about finding a partner to help you take care of Skylar?"
I sighed softly, not directly answering his question. "Sometimes I do feel overwhelmed. Like this time, when something suddenly happened at work, I had to ask someone else to watch her. I didn't have much time to spend with her, and I feel really guilty about that."
Alaric slowed his pace and spoke gently. "I understand how you feel. Finding the perfect balance between work and family is really tough. But you shouldn't be too hard on yourself. You're doing all this to create a better life for Skylar. She'll understand your intentions."
His voice was gentle, almost magical, slowly easing my anxiety about the work-family balance.
Just then, a burst of cheerful shouts rang out in the distance. I instinctively looked up: a group of young people were excitedly setting off fireworks.
As I watched this scene unfold, my thoughts inevitably wandered back to the past. On a night like this, David had once set off fireworks just for me.
Alaric keenly noticed something was off with me. He immediately halted his steps, concern etched across his face, and gently asked, "Diana, what's wrong? Is something on your mind?"
Hearing his words, I snapped back to reality, shaking my head quickly and forcing a smile, not wanting him to worry. But Alaric misunderstood, thinking I envied those setting off fireworks.
After a while, a voice suddenly came over the loudspeaker, clearly calling my name. "Diana, I hope these fireworks bring you joy."
Immediately, brilliant fireworks exploded in the night sky, illuminating our faces.
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