Rebecca spent the next hours going through the files.
Fortunately, when she was younger, she always spent time with her mother while she went through company files.
Her father died early, the burden of the company falling on her mother then.
Though Rebecca's brain was fuzzy, it was enough to arrange these files by order, and also draft summaries.
The only downside?
She couldn't get it done before afternoon—lunch time.
Her eyes flickered briefly to the watch around her wrist, and her brows furrowed deeply.
She was slow... too slow.
But that didn't mean she couldn't put up a fight. She knew someone was targeting. But who was, she had no idea.
Wait... she could point out someone.
Her eyes discreetly scanned the room, and her eyes took in her environment, an unfriendly environment nonetheless.
None were willing to help her. She stuck out like a sore thumb.
This only made the fire in her blood rage—fiercely. A strong urge to disappoint these people who deemed she was a failure blazed in her.
And so, she got busy.
The clock ticked.
The people got bored watching her flip the papers. They all returned to their respective duties.
When the clock struck at 12pm, Rebecca closed the last folder with a small, victorious smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
She stretched, rubbing her sore neck.
Two minutes later, the woman who she later found out was addressed as Raina after accidentally listening to two female staff members, strutted in with squared shoulders.
Her chin was lifted up to the sky as though she looked down on the people present in the office. And maybe she did. No one would ever know.
"Rebecca," she called once she got to Rebecca's desk, her voice a bit high-pitched.
Rebecca instinctively winced, but she still forced a smile.
"Are you done?" She demanded, arms folded, staring at Rebecca with a not-so-concealed hostility.
All workers turned, interested in seeing how this would play out.
"All done." Rebecca nodded in response.
All eyes widened at her words.
Some even exchanged glances—curious and disbelieving glances.
"D-done?" Raina repeated, stuttering. Her eyes were filled with shock which she didn't bother to hide.
Rebecca didn't respond. Instead, one brow raised as she stared at Raina.
Raina snatched the stack of files from the table.
She opened one, and she was knocked out with the details.
Her fingers stiffened slightly as her eyes skimmed through the page.
It was clear, concise and... accurate.
Raina's expression darkened.
"Impossible." She murmured against her breath.
She flipped to another file.
Then another.
Her movements became faster and sharper.
The more she read, the darker her face became.
Rebecca leaned back into the chair, watching her quietly, her fingers tapping lightly against the table.
"Is there a problem?" She asked calmly.
Raina snapped the file shut.
"No."
But her tone betrayed her.
Around them, murmurs began to rise.
"She actually did it?"
"All of them?"
"That is not possible."
"How long did it take you?" Raina probed, sizing her up.
Rebecca tilted her head slightly. "A few hours."
Her words were honest.
Raina's lips pressed into a thin line.
"You're telling me you understood all that?" She pressed.
Rebecca met her gaze without flinching.
"I didn't say I understood everything." Her words came out soft, calm, just like her. "I just did what you asked me to do."
A few staff members exchanged glances.
That answer was... clever.
Raina's nails dug into her palms.
For a brief moment, something ugly flashed in her eyes.
Then—
She smiled.
But this time... it was different.
A sharp and calculating look flashed.
"Good." She said slowly. "Since you're so capable..."
Rebecca's eyes narrowed slightly.
"...let's move on to the next task."
A chill ran through the air at her words.
Even the onlookers straightened unconsciously.
Raina leaned forward slightly, placing another file on the table.
No. It wasn't a file. It was a contract... thick, sealed and official.
"This," she tapped it lightly, "is a pending deal with one of our major partners."
Rebecca's gaze dropped to it.
And back to Raina who had a calculating smile.
"And?"
"I want you to review it," Raina continued smoothly, "and prepare a report highlighting any risks or inconsistencies."
There was a slight pause.
Then she added—almost lazily.
"It's worth fifty million dollars."
The surrounding onlookers all drew in a sharp breath as the entire office fell into silence.
The air was filled with thick and palpable tension.
Everyone knew what this meant..
This wasn't just ordinary onboarding.
It was a setup.
Rebecca didn't move neither did she speak.
Her fingers rested lightly on the edge of the contract.
Her mind blanked for a second.
Fifty million dollars.
Her mind replayed Raina's words over and over again.
Was she trying to set her up to fail?
Or worse—
To take the fall.
Slowly, Rebecca looked up and her gaze met Raina's.
Then, she smiled softly, without a hint of fear in her eyes.
"Alright."
The single word dropped like a stone in still water, sending ripples across the water.
The staff all looked at Rebecca as though she had grown two heads, or perhaps gone crazy. Maybe... she has. Not just in the way they thought it was.
Raina, on the other hand, blinked.
"You accept?" She asked, unable to hide her suprise.
Rebecca pulled the contract towards herself and gave a small nod. "Yes."
Then she added calmly, "but if I find something wrong..." her eyes lifted, locking onto Raina's, "...I'll report it directly to Mr Vance."
Now it was time for Raina to stiffen.
The room went dead silent.
The smile on Raina's face froze for half a second as her heart beat against her chest rapidly, before she forced it back.
But Rebecca saw the hesitation that flickered in her eyes.
And that was enough for her.
Rebecca lowered her gaze backto the contract.
The office noise returned. But it was softer now, like no one wanted to disturb what was about to unfold.
Raina stood on one side, hands folded as though waiting for Rebecca to make a fool of herself.
Rebecca calmly took her seat as she flipped it open.
Page one was packed with legal jargon which was dense and intimidating.
Her brows creased slightly as she flipped to the next and the next.
At first... nothing stood out.
It looked perfectly normal. Numbers, clauses and more numbers.
Her fingers stopped just as she was about to flip to the next page.
Her eyes narrowed slightly as she whispered under her breath. "Wait."
There was a clause—so small it could be overlooked without a second glance.
A clause buried halfway through page seven.
She read it over and over again.
Her grip tightened slightly on the paper. That wasn't right.
Her eyes flickered to the figures attached to it. Then back to the clause.
A cold realization crept up her spine.
This wasn't a mistake..It was deliberate.
Rebecca leaned back slightly, her gaze unfocused for a brief second as her mind raced.
If this went through—
Vance Empire wouldn't just lose money.
They would bleed it—slowly, quietly and... legally.
Her lips pressed into a thin line.
"Interesting…"