Jimson had the gall to furrow his brows in concern. “I hope she’s all right… that poor girl.”


    I watched him carefully and decided to test him.


    “She is,” I said tly. “She was found an hour ago.”


    A single blink. No twitch. No shift in weight. Just that same


    damned smug confidence.


    Jimson remained eerily calm.


    Too calm.


    And that told me everything I needed to know.


    Then, suddenly, Jess exploded.


    “Why are you acting like Olivia’s disappearance is the end of the


    world? Are you that scared? Or is it that you care too much?”


    Her voice was high–pitched and hysterical, a mix of rage and


    confusion.


    I didn’t raise my voice. “Do you even know what she was doing


    here? What she found?”


    Jess scoffed. “She’s a secretary. She’s been here forthree days.


    Why would anything she says matter?”


    I walked forward slowly, each word clipped and deliberate. “That secretary uncovered something you’ve failed to detect in two years. She was doingmyjob. She disappeared onmywatch.”


    Jess clenched her fists, her face crumpling with disbelief.


    “You’re insane. You’re–what, in love with that married woman


    now?”


    I looked at her, this woman I once thought might be useful. Now


    I only felt disappointment. “If you’d focused less on appearances


    and more on substance, maybe your brain wouldn’t be so dull.”


    Her lips quivered. “I’m resigning.” Then, louder, “I’ve already


    called Neil. I’m going to let him know how you’re humiliating


    your own people over some outsider.””


    I sighed and rubbed my forehead. Of course she called my


    father. She always cried to him when she couldn’t win on her


    own. “Let me guess. You told him I’m biased. That I’ve lost my


    mind over Olivia.”


    She nodded defiantly. “Yes. Because that’s exactly what this is.


    Favoritism. Obsession.”


    Behind her, Jimson chimed in. “I’m resigning too. I’ve given this


    I’m done.”


    A few other executives nced at each other, looking uncertain


    -some ready to follow Jimson’s lead just to survive the fallout.


    Right then, my phone vibrated. A message from Gai. My father had just called him to ask for my response.


    I took a slow breath, then turned on the speaker. “Father,” I said calmly, “the purpose of this inspection has been achieved. I’ve


    seen what I came here to see. The ones who needed to expose themselves have done so. I have nothing more to add.”


    Jess looked stunned.


    Still, she wasn’t done. “You don’t deny it, do you? That you’re


    obsessed with her? A married woman, no less. What are you


    going to do–fight Ethan for her?”


    My eyes narrowed. “The only reason I care about Olivia is


    because she came here on my behalf. She looked into financials


    thatyoushould’ve been checking. She put herself in danger because this branch is rotten from the inside. You let it happen.”


    “She didn’t tellme,” Jimson shouted, his mask slipping. “She


    didn’t report it toanyoneofficial. She just wanted to show off in front of you!”


    “She didn’t trust you,” I snapped. “And now I understand why!”


    Jimson stepped forward. “Even if she found something–there’s protocol. She should’vee tome! Not go around acting like


    some damned investigator!”


    But before I could reply to Jimson, a weak female voice cut


    through the silence from the doorway, quiet but firm enough to


    freeze every movement in the room.


    “The mole is… Jimson.”


    Olivia’s POV


    The room fell into a stunned silence when I appeared at the


    doorway–soaked, bruised, and barely able to stand. My clothes


    clung to me, dripping saltwater onto the marble floor. The blood


    from my thigh had soaked through the towel I’d tied around it,


    staining it a deep rust–red.


    I met dozens of eyes. Confused. rmed. Guilty.


    Then I saw him.


    Alexander moved first. His face twisted with disbelief, then


    tightened with concern as he strode toward me. “Are you


    alright?” he asked, his voice low but sharp, like he wasn’t sure if


    he believed what he was seeing.


    “I’m lucky I didn’t die,” I answered, my voice hoarse. “That’s the


    best thing I can say right now!”


    His hand reached out to steady me, eyes catching the makeshift


    bandage on my thigh. “You’re bleeding. Let’s get you to the


    hospital first.”


    “It’s okay. Hospital can wait,” I muttered. “I want to finish this


    first.”


    He didn’t argue. Instead, he wrapped an arm around my waist


    and, without hesitation, lifted me off my feet. I wasn’t expecting


    it–his arms were warm and strong, his scent familiar in a way


    that made my chest ache. The room was dead quiet as he slowly


    helped me forward.