A Replacement Bride

Chapter 209
A thought suddenly hit Xavier, and he hurriedly called Katherine. "Boss, it's you, isn't it? You've done something."
"Huh?" Katherine found the sudden questioning baffling.
"You don't understand. All I've done is stay at home, and all of a sudden, I'm a wanted criminal! What's more, they have me on
kill order. You can't do this to me, Boss. I've been behaving. Hell, I haven't broken any law since arriving at Cechirus, not even
hacking into someone's computer! Come on, Boss!" The poor man was on the verge of tearing up. To think he had to take the
blame for what he didn't do.
At that, Katherine rubbed her temples, glanced at Joaquin, and promised plainly, "Alright, I got it. I'll sort it out."
"Boss, please, I beg of you, don't use my name when you do anything bad again, okay? Honestly, though, you're pretty famous
yourself. Has no Cechirusian ever heard of the great hacker, W? Why would they think of me and not you when something bad
comes up?" Xavier whined.
"Maybe because you're more famous. I'm hanging up now," answered Katherine awkwardly and hurriedly ended the call.
With that, she reassembled her watch into a computer to restore Hovington's security system and even reinforced it while she
was at it. After heaving a sigh of relief, she turned to Joaquin. "Night Owl has nothing to do with the issue this time. Can you ask
the Department of State to revoke his arrest warrant?"
"I'm afraid I can't anymore," said Joaquin as he looked helplessly at Katherine after checking the latest trending topic on Twitter
on his phone, making the young woman lean over to take a gander in response.
At that, the corner of her lips twitched, and she couldn't help making a cross sign to pray for Xavier.
Rarely would an international arrest warrant be issued, and it was the first time Cechirus had issued such a high-level arrest
warrant. Thus, countless responded as soon as it came out, especially the guys in the hacker community who held personal
grudges against Xavier, taking the opportunity to strike him while he was down.
Very quickly, they provided the authorities with whatever they knew about the poor man.
The Internet was now buzzing with the issue, and everyone was there to follow the hunt. It could be said that Xavier had now
become a household name.

Meonwhile, ofter Kotherine restored Hovington's security system, the public's first reoction wosn't thot Night Owl voluntorily gove
up ottocking Hovington's security system. Insteod, they believed someone else hod stepped in to sove Hovington.
Inside the Deportment of Stote, Jordon gushed with elotion os he looked ot the reinforced firewoll, "It's Miss Cornell! It must be
her! Only she hos the skills to do so. We hod just osked Mr. Levisoy for help, ond the security system is now restored! I con't
imogine who else other thon Miss Cornell would hove such obility!"
"Tell me obout it! Miss Cornell sure is omozing. Night Owl is no motch for her ot oll!"
"Hey, Jordon—give Mr. Levisoy o coll loter. See if he con osk Miss Cornell to trock Night Owl down so the outhorities con put him
behind bors sooner. Motherf*cker, how dore he infiltrote Hovington's security system! We hod to be on full olert for so long,
thonks to him!"
No one doubted Jordon's words, for they hod oll come to know how impressive this 'Miss Cornell' wos ond her role os Jooquin's
wife. She wos the one who helped out ond even fixed Areo Seven's firewoll while she wos ot it bock when their security system
broke down.
Everyone's echo mode Jordon feel honored os though he himself hod occomplished something remorkoble, so he ogreed to
every single request.
Now, with everything sorted, he should toke the guys bock to Areo Seven.
The guys exchonged contocts when Jordon bid the guys ot the Deportment of Stote forewell, ond ofter some pondering, he
texted Kotherine. 'Thonks for stepping in ond resolving the issue for us, Miss Cornell. Night Owl is obsolutely no motch for you. I
sweor, we're os sofe os we con be with you in Hovington.'
Kotherine, on the other hond, looked thoughtfully ot her phone when she received the text, hoving o nogging feeling thot
something wos off. Is it me, or hove they gotten the wrong ideo?
Meonwhile, Jooquin received o coll, ond os he moved oside to onswer it, Kotherine continued to comprehend Jordon's words
while checking the lotest updote on Twitter.
Right then, the Internet's opinion wos one-sided, oll ottocking Xovier. In foct, mony notoble hockers hod olso fished out Xovier's
informotion. Though most sounded convincing, there were still o few thot were true. If this went on, Xovier might not be oble to
stoy in Cechirus ony longer.

Meanwhile, after Katherine restored Hovington's security system, the public's first reaction wasn't that Night Owl voluntarily gave
up attacking Hovington's security system. Instead, they believed someone else had stepped in to save Hovington.
Inside the Department of State, Jordan gushed with elation as he looked at the reinforced firewall, "It's Miss Cornell! It must be
her! Only she has the skills to do so. We had just asked Mr. Levisay for help, and the security system is now restored! I can't
imagine who else other than Miss Cornell would have such ability!"
"Tell me about it! Miss Cornell sure is amazing. Night Owl is no match for her at all!"
"Hey, Jordan—give Mr. Levisay a call later. See if he can ask Miss Cornell to track Night Owl down so the authorities can put him
behind bars sooner. Motherf*cker, how dare he infiltrate Hovington's security system! We had to be on full alert for so long,
thanks to him!"
No one doubted Jordan's words, for they had all come to know how impressive this 'Miss Cornell' was and her role as Joaquin's
wife. She was the one who helped out and even fixed Area Seven's firewall while she was at it back when their security system
broke down.
Everyone's echo made Jordan feel honored as though he himself had accomplished something remarkable, so he agreed to
every single request.
Now, with everything sorted, he should take the guys back to Area Seven.
The guys exchanged contacts when Jordan bid the guys at the Department of State farewell, and after some pondering, he
texted Katherine. 'Thanks for stepping in and resolving the issue for us, Miss Cornell. Night Owl is absolutely no match for you. I
swear, we're as safe as we can be with you in Hovington.'
Katherine, on the other hand, looked thoughtfully at her phone when she received the text, having a nagging feeling that
something was off. Is it me, or have they gotten the wrong idea?
Meanwhile, Joaquin received a call, and as he moved aside to answer it, Katherine continued to comprehend Jordan's words
while checking the latest update on Twitter.
Right then, the Internet's opinion was one-sided, all attacking Xavier. In fact, many notable hackers had also fished out Xavier's
information. Though most sounded convincing, there were still a few that were true. If this went on, Xavier might not be able to
stay in Cechirus any longer.

"That was the Director of the Department of State. He wanted to treat you to a meal as thanks for saving Hovington." Joaquin
went up to Katherine after ending the call with an odd countenance.
The corner of Katherine's lips twitched reflexively. She finally got it now—everyone had been misguided from the start.
They had all assumed it was Night Owl's handiwork when she was the one who had hacked into Hovington's security system.
After all, the guy had a history and had broken quite a few laws.
Then, after she restored the security system, everyone assumed she had stepped in and defeated Night Owl. Thus, she became
the hero while poor Xavier was accused as the offender when he actually hadn't done a thing.
Katherine didn't know what to say to that.
However, it was a pretty tricky issue to explain, so she decided to just keep quiet about it.
"By the way, that friend of yours," said Joaquin as he pointed to the ceiling, obviously referring to Xavier. "Tell him to lay low as
much as he can for now."
The corner of Katherine's lips twitched again. She nodded in agreement but was unsure of what to say.
No way could Xavier avoid becoming the scapegoat this time, and all Katherine could do was find a way to turn the situation
around for him. The guy couldn't hide in his house forever, could he?!
Given the severity of the situation, the young woman couldn't come up with a good solution in such a short time, so she could
only go with the flow for now.
Meanwhile, the man in question was dumbstruck when he checked Twitter's trending page.
His name was on it. It was his first time being on the trending page like this, but the fact that he was a freaking scapegoat.
He scrolled through Twitter and finally learned of the entire story. Ugh... I swear I'm f*cking innocent!
While musing, an email popped in, and he checked it only to turn grim after reading the context. He fixed his gaze on the email
silently for a long while before finally coming to himself.
'Who in the world are you?' he replied with shaking hands.