His innocent wife is a dangerous hacker.-Chapter 659 Dominique Secret

"I’m doing both." Dom finished the banana, set the peel on the coffee table, and took a breath. "Okay. I’m ready."

Jay leaned forward, elbows on his knees, his expression serious. The afternoon light had shifted, casting long shadows across the living room floor. Somewhere outside, a bird was singing. "So?"

"So I’m from Umbra." Dom picked up an apple from the bowl, turned it over in his hands, then set it back down without taking a bite. His fingers lingered on the smooth red skin for a moment before he pulled away. "My family has royal background. Hundreds of years. Centuries, actually. We’ve been ruling since before most countries even had names. Kings, queens, crowns, castles. The whole fairy tale package."

Jay’s eyebrows rose slowly, his eyes widening. "Royal background?"

Dom nodded, his voice calm, almost casual, like he was describing someone else’s life. "And now we have royal family business too. Very successful. Very popular. Very... everywhere. You know that luxury brand, Veridian? The one with the watches that cost more than your car?"

Jay blinked. "That’s your family?"

Dom nodded again. "And the hotel chain, Aethel? The one with the gold elevators and the private butlers?"

"Also your family?"

"Also my family." Dom picked up the apple again, this time holding it like it was something precious. "My family owns half the luxury market, honestly. You’ve probably bought something from us without even knowing. Clothes, jewelry, perfume, cars. If it’s expensive and comes in a pretty box, chances are my family had something to do with it."

Jay stared at him, his mouth slightly open. He had heard of royal families, of course. Old bloodlines, ancient titles, the kind of wealth that made his family’s fortune look like pocket change. But he had never met one. Never seen one in person. They were stories, rumors, legends whispered about in elite circles.

And now one was sitting on his couch, eating bananas and complaining about Jason’s driving.

"You’re a prince," Jay said. It wasn’t a question.

Dom shrugged, his expression softening. "I was a prince. Past tense. Five years ago, I left. I gave everything to my cousin. The crown, the business, the whole empire. I walked away."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to. Because I was tired." Dom’s voice dropped, barely above a whisper. "Because sometimes the weight of a crown is heavier than you can imagine. People think it’s all glamour and gold, but it’s not. It’s decisions that ruin lives. It’s responsibilities that crush your soul. It’s never being able to trust anyone because everyone wants something from you."

The room was quiet. Even Jace had stopped fidgeting, his eyes fixed on Dom’s face.

Dom continued, his voice steady now. "I thought my cousin would be happy. He always wanted what I had. So I gave it to him. The whole thing. Wrapped in a bow. I told him I didn’t want it, that he could have it all, that I was leaving and never coming back."

"But he’s still suspicious," Jay said.

Dom nodded slowly. "He’s always been suspicious. Paranoid. He sees threats where there aren’t any. He’s probably convinced himself that I’m waiting for the right moment to come back and take what’s mine."

"Will you?"

Dom looked at him, his dark eyes deep and tired. "No. I don’t want it. I never wanted it. I just wanted to be left alone. To live a normal life. To eat bananas on my couch without worrying that someone’s going to poison them."

Jay leaned back, processing. "So he sent an assassin. To kill you. Because he’s scared of something you don’t even want."

"People are complicated," Dom said softly.

"People are insane," Jay corrected. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Dom laughed, the tension in the room breaking slightly. "That too."

Jay looked at Dom very carefully. The high cheekbones. The perfect jawline. The way the afternoon light caught his skin, golden and warm, almost glowing. His eyes were dark and deep and intelligent, the kind of eyes that seemed to hold centuries of history. His bone structure was extraordinary. Sharp, elegant, like it had been carved by someone who knew exactly what they were doing.

His skin was flawless. Not in a manufactured way, but naturally, like he had been blessed with genetics that most people could only dream of. His hair fell across his forehead in soft waves, catching the light, looking like something from a painting.

Dom looked like he had been crafted carefully by someone who took their time. Paid attention to every detail. Made sure everything was exactly right. His cheekbones were high and defined, his jaw sharp enough to cut glass, his lips perfectly shaped. Even his hands were elegant, long fingered and graceful, the kind of hands that belonged in a museum.

Jay had always known Dom was handsome. He was a model, after all. That was his job. But now, knowing what he knew, Jay saw him differently. This wasn’t just a handsome man. This was a prince. Royal blood. Centuries of breeding, of careful marriages, of genetics refined over generations.

"Your ancestors," Jay said slowly, "must have been very strategic about who they married. Because you’re not just handsome. You’re something else entirely."

Dom raised an eyebrow, a slow grin spreading across his face. "Are you complimenting me?"

"I’m observing," Jay said quickly, though his ears had gone slightly pink.

"You’re complimenting me."

"I’m making a factual statement about your genetic heritage."

"You think I’m pretty."

"I think you’re royally bred." Jay paused, crossing his arms. "Which is not the same thing."

"It’s exactly the same thing," Dom said, his grin widening.

Jace, who had been silently watching the exchange from the corner of the couch, finally spoke up. "He’s not wrong, you know. You do look like someone spent a lot of time making you. Like, a lot of time. With very specific instructions."

Dom turned to him, his grin turning into something softer. "Jace. My friend. My ally. My—"

"Don’t push it," Jace said, but he was smiling.

"I’m just saying. It’s nice to be appreciated. I spend a lot of time on this face."

"You were born with that face."

"Exactly. I’ve spent my whole life maintaining it. That’s dedication."

Jay shook his head, but he was smiling now. "Okay, focus. We’re getting off track."

"We’re appreciating my bone structure," Dom corrected. "That’s very important."

"We’re figuring out how to keep you alive," Jay said firmly.

"Same thing," Dom said. "Bone structure is very important for survival. If I die, my bone structure dies with me. That would be a tragedy for the world."

Jace snorted, covering his mouth with his hand.

Jay pinched the bridge of his nose, something he found himself doing more and more often around Dom. "Dom. Your cousin wants you dead. He already sent one assassin. He’ll probably send another. We need to protect you."