I stared at the shredded contract spread across my desk, my fingers curling into tight fists. What an ugly display of betrayal, right in my own company!
The rage sat heavy in my chest, burning slow and deep. Someone had done this deliberately. Someone wanted to sabotage me.
A heavy silence stretched across the room. Around me, a handful of business partners and executives stood, pretending to be just as surprised as I was. But I wasn't fooled.
Richard Langley leaned forward, sighing dramatically as he shook his head. "What a disaster. Someone clearly doesn't want this deal to happen."
Nathaniel Crowe, quieter but sharper, studied the mess before flicking his gaze to me. "You realize what this means, don't you?" he murmured. "This isn't just about the contract, Maximus. This is a warning."
I knew that.
I knew this wasn't an accident. It wasn't some careless assistant misplacing documents or an intern screwing up. This was war. Someone inside my company had access to these files, and they had the guts to pull this right before signing.
I exhaled sharply through my nose, locking my hands behind my back as I straightened. "This changes nothing," I said, voice cool but firm. "The deal is still happening."
A flicker of interest passed through Crowe's face, but Langley simply chuckled, shaking his head. "Admirable confidence," he said, "but whoever did this might not stop here."
I let the words hang in the air before turning on my heel and walking out.
Let them watch. Let them wonder what my next move would be.
I already knew what I had to do.
I was going to find the traitor.
***
I didn't waste time.
I had Amelia called to my office immediately.
When she walked in, her expression was unreadable, but I could see the stiffness in her shoulders, the careful way she moved—like she was prepared for an attack.
"You called for me, sir?"
I studied her, letting the silence stretch before I spoke. "The Redmont contract was destroyed."
Her brows pinched together. "Destroyed?"
"Yes," I said, my voice sharper now. "And since you were the one overseeing those documents, I'd like you to tell me how that happened."
That was my first idea - to blame both women, watching for who may break.
A flicker of something passed through her face—shock, confusion, or maybe something else—but she was quick to mask it.
"I… I don't know," she said, but there was a slight tremble in her voice. "Sir, I would never—"
"But it happened under your watch."
The words landed heavy. I saw her swallow, saw the way her fingers curled into fists at her sides.
"Sir, please," she tried again. "I can find out who did this. I can—"
And I did give her a chance. Except not so long after, it turned out that she bought my trap and fell right into it - the faking of the hard drive. Of course, I had created a counterfeit hard drive with the contract to look out for who would come to take it.
Then I found it in her coat. It could only be her. It was confirmed. Amelia was leaving!
I had straightened, fixing her with a level stare. "You're fired."
For a moment, she just stood there.
Then, slowly, she exhaled, nodding stiffly. "Understood."
No pleading. No excuses.
That alone made me wonder.
She turned and walked out without another word. I watched her go, my gut still unsettled.
Had I made the right call?
***
Later, I found Kahlan in the lounge, working on her tablet.
She glanced up when she saw me approach, her fingers pausing over the screen.
"Sir," she greeted, her voice carefully neutral.
I didn't waste time. "I owe you an apology."
Kahlan blinked. "For what?"
"For suspecting you," I admitted. "When I found the contract in pieces, I considered every possibility, and for a moment… I thought you might have had something to do with it."
Kahlan looked down at her hands, fingers gripping the edge of her tablet just a little too tightly. She should have looked relieved. Instead, she looked… uneasy.
"Well," she said after a pause, "I guess that's that, then."
Something about her tone felt off. I narrowed my eyes slightly. "You don't sound convinced."
She hesitated. Then, with a sigh, she muttered, "It just feels bad. Amelia worked hard."
I scoffed. "Hard work means nothing if she can't do her job properly."
Kahlan didn't argue. But she also didn't look at me.
I let it slide. I had bigger concerns.
"You should also know," I continued, "that I expected something like this. That's why I had a backup plan."
Kahlan frowned. "What do you mean?"
I smirked. "I planted that contract as bait. The real agreement is still safe. The Redmont deal is happening this afternoon."
Kahlan froze.
Her entire body went rigid. Her breath hitched, fingers tightening around the tablet so hard I thought she might crack the screen.
I arched a brow. "Surprised?"
She opened her mouth, but before she could speak, her phone rang.
She stiffened so fast it was almost unnatural.
I watched as she hesitated—her fingers trembling slightly as she reached for her phone. When she checked the caller ID, she turned pale.
My brow furrowed. "Something wrong?"
She quickly shook her head. "No, it's… it's nothing. I'll be back in a minute."
And just like that, she rushed out, phone pressed to her ear.
I watched her go, my gut twisting.
Something wasn't right.
***
I lingered near the door, arms crossed as I listened.
I couldn't hear everything. But I caught a few words.
"You told me you were done," it was her voice. "You said you weren't interested."
Silence.
Then Kahlan, her voice barely above a whisper. "I—I meant it."
"I'm out."
My entire body locked up.
What the hell?
Kahlan sucked in a sharp breath.
Then the call went dead.
I heard Kahlan exhale shakily, her fingers still gripping the phone.
I took a slow step back, my mind racing.
What exactly had just played out over the phone?
What exactly was this Kahlan woman all about?