Behind the Screens of Deception

Chapter 1

“Yay!” Ethan Devereux exclaimed, jumping up from his chair and dancing to a little tune the moment he saw the successful transfer notification flash on his screen.
“Not good! There’s a hacker breach!” Clara Devereux, seated next to him with a book in hand, leaned over to the computer, her heart racing at the unexpected anomaly.
Clara's small fingers flew over the keyboard, typing furiously.
Meanwhile, at Morrow Enterprises.
“Mr. Morrow, our system is practically down,” Simeon the Scribe reported, wiping the sweat from his brow.
The four tech specialists were stumped, unable to identify the hacker’s location as it seemed to flicker around like a video game map—one moment in Antarctica and the next in the Arctic. More bizarrely, just before the screen went black, one of the locations that flashed up was The Moon!
For months, Lysander Morrow had been perplexed by inexplicable losses in his Swiss bank account. The amounts weren't massive by his standards, but taking money without explanation was unacceptable.
That day, he had hired the best hackers in the country to trace this mysterious culprit and uncover who was behind it all.
Yet, none of them could breach the hacker's defenses to gather intel.
Seated in a sleek black leather chair, Lysander leaned back, his tall frame relaxed but his hawk-like gaze was fixated on the screen, exuding an aura powerful enough to chill the air.
The tension was thick as ice!
Killing intent! Frigid!
“Mr. Morrow…” Simeon the Scribe swallowed hard, glancing nervously at the man’s hardened jaw and tightly pressed lips. Every nerve in him tensed involuntarily.
“Simeon, we need to hire the best hacker available to track down the one targeting Morrow Enterprises, no matter the cost,” Lysander Morrow’s eyes narrowed like ancient frost-covered lakes, fixated intently on the monitor.
The repeated messages sent during each monthly theft, stating: "Goodbye money, hello disaster," piqued his curiosity.
“But these hackers are extremely skilled. Our tech department has exhausted all resources and analytics yet still can’t pinpoint their exact location,” Simeon said, perspiring profusely. “Little Ben and Little Amy have risen as exceptional hackers this year; even the International Intelligence Bureau is searching for them.”
“If even the International Intelligence Bureau is after them, we have to act fast. We need to find them first.” Lysander’s cold gaze remained locked on the screen, unintentionally clicking on a photo that caught his attention, narrowing his eyes slightly.
“Understood, Mr. Morrow!” Simeon realized Lysander’s intent.
Once the others departed, Lysander remained fixated on the black screen. Using his military-grade computer, he activated the hacking skills he had cultivated during his college days and managed to breach the hacker's system.
In distant Milan, the two young children sat before their computer, exchanging furtive glances. “Is Dad trying to investigate us with his computer? What should we do, Clara?” Ethan asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Fight back! We can't let him discover our existence so easily; otherwise, it won’t be any fun anymore,” Clara Devereux replied, her small face intense, determination shining in her eyes.
For a five-year-old, her steady demeanor was striking.
Clara smiled mischievously and quickly took control of the other computer.
As Lysander moved his mouse, he realized his computer had been compromised. Just as he was about to initiate the self-destruct protocol for his ultra-secret files, a provocative GIF appeared on the screen—a man and a woman entangled on a bed.
The GIF was captioned with something scandalous.
“Dalin, I'm feeling lonely and empty, looking for some fun!”
Lysander’s dark eyes flickered dangerously, a glint of mischief lighting up as he absorbed the outrageous scene unfolding before him.

Chapter 2

Lysander Morrow felt a curious thrill rather than anger in response to the provocative messages flashing across his screen. The images and cheeky text made him momentarily flustered, leaving behind the annoyance of losing an extravagant wager.
How could he, a man with influence and wealth, be treated like a fool? No way would he let someone like that toy with him.
In swift strokes, he typed back, "Send a picture, and let’s see how it looks. If it’s not what I prefer, we won’t bother meeting."
His tone dripped with arrogance, and his friends Ethan and Clara Devereux were secretly impressed, even a bit envious.
“Clara, watch this!” Ethan said, his eyes sparkling mischievously. He snatched the laptop from Lysander and typed hastily, “Guaranteed to be a perfect match—five stars on compatibility!”
Lysander narrowed his icy blue eyes. “I like tall women. When it comes to the physical, I stand firm on my needs.”
Ethan was taken aback, a mix of shock and disbelief swirling in his mind. "Dad, really? You're losing all dignity here!"
“No worries, I assure you, she’ll be irresistible,” Lysander replied with a sly grin, diving right into the bold banter. “So, tell me, sweetheart, are you ready for a little fun?”
Just then, Clara waddled over, having just guzzled two bottles of milk, and caught sight of the heated exchange on the screen. She burst into laughter, spraying milk everywhere.
“Whoa, this is wild! Ethan, looks like you’re getting played back here. Go for it!” she laughed, wiping her mouth and casually leaning back into the couch with a relaxed attitude, eager to see how this would unfold.
Taking a deep breath, Ethan steeled himself. “You don't know if I'm drenched in excitement? You used to have all that macho charm—did you misplace it? Need a boost, maybe a little Viagra?”
“Viagra? What’s that?” Lysander’s expression darkened. “Trust me, my size will have you begging for more.”
This was too much! Ethan could feel the heat rise in his cheeks from the audacity of it all. "Men these days talk a big game, but often fall short when it matters. Years ago, sure you were bullish, but I worry about your stamina now."
After a pause, Ethan continued with challenging bravado: “Lysander, cough up your measurements.”
Lysander, adjusting his fitted dress pants, responded coyly, “Honey, I promise, my size will leave you dazzled.”
Wow!
How had a few flirty texts with a hacker got him feeling a stir down there? Even the most daring women had never stirred anything within him.
He swore his physical needs were perfectly normal!
Ethan typed back eagerly, “Are you one of those legendry guys with a low IQ?!”
Lysander smirked, “Saying that may just put you on Einstein's hit list!”
“Hahaha!”
As Ethan and Clara erupted into laughter, they beamed at their dad’s playful comeback. Who knew he could be this amusing? Quick-witted, not dumb, and shamelessly sarcastic!
Lysander felt daring, his gaze sharp. “How about we set up a rendezvous again?”
The mention of their past encounter made it evident he was familiar with the gossip surrounding his personal life.
“Clara, this guy is seriously relentless; I can’t win a verbal duel with him,” Ethan quickly turned to his sister, looking for backup.
With a sly smile, Clara set her bottle down and began typing furiously. “How about I send you a 25-centimeter carrot for our date? What do you say?”
Lysander wasted no time, shooting back, “How about some plump corn? Let’s talk bumps and curves, shall we? Care to try? You’ll definitely enjoy.”
Oh my God!
The Devereux siblings fell back in astonished laughter, realizing they'd engaged with a man even more undaunted than themselves!

Chapter 3

"That shameless man is still their father!" Ethan Devereux and Clara Devereux finally understood something: like father, like son! Their utter lack of decency could only be a result of their genes.
Broken principles aside, they were continuing down this path. If Mother Beatrice found out they were flirting with the man who had a fling with her, she would surely go insane.
Lysander Morrow glanced at the computer, "The more, the merrier. I'm open to all."
Ethan furrowed his brows at these words. His father's personal life was quite scandalous!
Should they reconsider the idea of bringing Mother Beatrice back home?
Before Clara could respond, Lysander fired off another message: "You transfer money from my account every month. What’s the purpose?"
Ethan replied, "Of course, money is for spending. What, should I burn it?"
After some casual banter, Lysander deduced that Ethan didn’t mean any harm, and he finally relaxed.
Over the past few months, thirty thousand dollars had been disappearing from his account every month. Whoever could access his account and do so without leaving a trace was clearly not an ordinary person.
Still, he wondered why the amount was always thirty thousand and not more.
Clearly, the other party was confident enough to avoid being tracked.
Lysander Morrow texted, "Darling, I'm quite interested in you. How about you name your price? I’ll support you, and I can guarantee you more than thirty thousand a month. What do you think?"
Ethan rolled his eyes at this absurd offer and quickly turned to look at Little Ben, who was sucking on a bottle. "Little Ben, what’s your take on father-son incest?"
"I’m not that extraordinary," Clara said with an eye roll.
Turns out their father was not just a lush; he genuinely seemed like a man with insatiable desires, attracted to both genders? Does age even matter to him?
How much are principles worth? He could buy them if he wanted! His father was just... wild!
"I’m quite expensive—more than what you’d pay for any of your mistresses," Ethan replied. "And being supported by you would require me to serve you too, and that doesn’t sit well with me!"
Lysander asked, "Come on, why’d you hack into my company’s system to siphon my money? What’s your plan?"
Ethan jived, "Sweetheart, I need cash! Since you’ve done so many wrong things, I’m helping you spend it to ward off bad luck. I’m a good Samaritan, you should be thanking me, and I’d love a little affection in return!"
Lysander couldn't get Ethan to reveal the truth, so he played along, "What’s your favorite position? Doggy style? Bottoming?"
Ethan felt a thirst—he grabbed the milk that Little Ben had made for him and took a sip. He ended up spraying it out!
How many times had they nearly choked on milk due to Lysander's outrageous comments?
And for some reason, he instinctively squeezed his butt, feeling a twinge at the outrageous words flashing on the screen.
This father was so wild, so blunt! The imagery was too vivid; they couldn't even look at it directly!
"Wow, Father, your tastes are rather heavy! Is it genetic, or did your parents raise you this way?"
After sending that message, Ethan's heart skipped a beat!
Lysander replied, "Father?"
Ethan quickly composed himself, "Just playing along—you call me sweetheart, and I’ll call you Father, Young Sir Morrow."
Seeing Ethan’s flawless response, Ethan exhaled a sigh of relief.
Lysander raised an eyebrow, "You know who I am?"
Anyone who could mess with his computer and even knew his name was a powerful player!
Ethan tossed a virtual ball at him, "Dingbat, how else would I mess with your company and transfer your funds?"
Lysander was even more intrigued, "Why do you only transfer thirty thousand each time?"

Chapter 4

“This money is something you should pay. In the future, we might demand even more.”
Right now, they were merely tapping into Lysander Morrow's finances based on current spending patterns, but who knew what funds they might require going forward? If Father Edmund crossed them one too many times, they might just find a way to take everything he had.
Lysander Morrow set his hands down, staring at the screen in confusion.
“What am I supposed to pay? And who are you exactly? And what does this have to do with me?”
Instead of a reply, the computer was suddenly released from its remote control, and two adorable emojis sprang onto the screen, accompanied by a voice that chirped, “Papa, here’s a little surprise! Enjoy!”
This was turning into a joke. If he had a son who was stealing from him, he would love to see how that played out!
Lysander Morrow could never have imagined that the person scheming against him would be his own flesh and blood. Or rather, a flesh and blood that he had never met.
Gazing at the screen, his expression darkened, lost in thought.
He needed to find out who was behind this.
As Ethan Devereux was about to type again, a loud sound erupted from behind him.
“Queen is back!” Clara Devereux exclaimed, springing up from the sofa!
Ethan Devereux quickly shut down the computer, and the two kids lined up at the door. The moment it swung open, their sweet, innocent voices rang out in unison:
“Welcome back, Queen!”
Clara Devereux eagerly pulled out Fiona Devereux’s house slippers from the shoe rack. “Queen, please change your shoes.”
“Queen, let me carry your bag! Are you tired? I can give you a back rub!” Ethan Devereux chimed in, rushing forward to take the designer Chanel handbag from Fiona’s hands and then ushering her to the sofa where he started to massage her shoulders.
“Just what trouble have you two been getting into to be so eager to please me?” Fiona Devereux sipped on the drink Clara prepared, stretching languidly as she asked.
“Serving the Queen is our honor! We’ve done nothing wrong,” Ethan Devereux said with a cheeky grin.
“Exactly, it’s only fair!” Clara Devereux echoed.
Looking at her two little cherubs, Fiona Devereux felt a wave of warmth wash over her. Despite having wandered through hardship overseas for many years, their presence made it all worthwhile.
Finally enjoying a bit of reprieve from their struggles, she had earned degrees from two prestigious universities and landed a job at the Elite Design Guild of Milan.
In the office, she was valued by her superiors and well-respected by her colleagues. At home, she had these two adorable kids looking after her, making her feel like she was loved by the universe. Despite her troubled past, life had treated her kindly, hadn’t it?
“Mommy, dinner’s ready! A feast that’ll ensure you stay forever young!” Ethan Devereux teased. “Ning’s cooking skills have skyrocketed! Let’s give him a round of applause!”
“What fun stuff happened at home today?” Fiona Devereux asked as she served food to the kids.
“Mommy, while we were browsing online, we came across an incredibly naughty dude! It was terrifying!” Ethan exclaimed, thumping his chest dramatically.
“It made us spit milk all over the screen!” Clara added, chiming in with wide-eyed shock.
“Really? Who was it that scared you so much? Mommy wants to meet this naughty person,” Fiona inquired, intrigued.
“Really?” Ethan blinked, his eyes sparkling.
“Just kidding!” Fiona shot them a look and said, “Eat your dinner!”
After the three of them finished eating, they took a stroll outside, then went back in to shower and head to bed.
The Devereux brothers shared a room, with two bunk beds set up in there.
Ethan Devereux, the mischievous one, leaned down from the top bunk. “Hey, Ning, I really want to meet this amazing dad of ours.”

Chapter 5

Clara Devereux was wide awake, her legs crossed as she sat on the edge of her bed, deep in thought. “What excuse can we use to convince the Queen to come back home?”
Since birth, she and her brother Ethan had never seen any other family member around their mom, except for the occasional visits from Aunt Luca Warman. There were some topics their mother avoided, and as her beloved children, they knew better than to pry—no need to reopen old wounds.
By the time they turned four, their potential with computers had already reached a jaw-dropping level. They used their resemblance to each other to synthesize images, analyzing their DNA to reconstruct their adult appearances. Holding the digital 3D images in hand, they began searching for anyone in the world who resembled those virtual faces.
Their screen soon populated with the profile and photographs of Lysander Morrow. The moment Clara and Ethan laid eyes on him, they instinctively knew: Lysander Morrow was their father!
They dug deeper into Lysander Morrow's background and soon discovered he was a big deal in the business sector—a legendary figure known for his accomplishments. It was only natural to think, if he was indeed their biological father, he should help support their mom financially.
At the international airport, Simeon, their devoted aide, suddenly received a jolt when his phone buzzed. He leaned towards Lysander Morrow, who sat inside the sleek black car, and said, “Lysander, the phone is showing the location of Little Ben and Little Amy. I've installed your tracking software on their computer two months ago.”
All this time, Simeon had thought the software was detected. The signal was weak, but as long as they were in the country and activated their computer, their location would become revealed. This unexpected notification prompted Lysander, in an unusual move, to suggest they should go to the airport together.
“Should we meet the designer coming from headquarters, or hunt down those hackers?” Simeon asked, eager for direction.
“Let’s put the designer on hold for now,” Lysander replied coolly. Finding those hackers was his priority. They had managed to outsmart him, and he didn’t even know who they were!
“Understood, sir!” Simeon quickly got out of the car, phone in hand.
Just as they landed, Clara’s expression shifted abruptly to panic. “Oh no!”
“What’s wrong, sis?” Ethan leaned in, dropping his gaming device.
“Someone planted tracking software on our computers! A third of the data has been compromised!” Clara’s fingers flew over the keyboard as her eyes gleamed with urgency.
“Someone knows our exact location! We must keep Mom safe! Even the International Intelligence Bureau seems eager to know our identities.” Ethan glanced back at their mother, Fiona Devereux, who was busy packing.
“Right! We can't let any bad guys get to her!” Clara gave Ethan the vital task. “You protect Mom and help her escape. Once I extract the data, I’ll catch up with you guys!”
“Be careful, sis!” Ethan warned, then dramatically clutched his stomach. “Mom! My tummy hurts! Take me to the bathroom now!”
“Just wait, I’m busy!” Fiona said, not even glancing at him, her irritation evident. “Can’t you see I have my hands full?”
“Seriously, you have zero compassion! I’m your son! If you don’t take me soon, I might... I don’t know, have an accident!” He pulled at the hem of a passing woman's dress, looking up at her with wide, desperate eyes. “Please, can you help me get to the restroom?”
Ethan rolled on the chair, clutching his stomach as if in real pain, begging for assistance. The urgency was palpable in the air as Clara hurriedly focused on her task.

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