Alex didn't pull the drive. He couldn't. If he interrupted the transfer now, the encrypted file would corrupt, and his one shot at unraveling the truth would vanish. He forced his breathing to level out as he took a glance at the loading progress bar on the screen creeping at 90% before looking up at Miller.
"Mr. Torredo?" Miller arched an eyebrow.
Miller, a junior security personnel, was a man built like a brick wall. His eyes immediately dropped to the glowing port on the side of the computer.
"You are not supposed to be here Mr. Torredo." Miller's voice was hoarse, his hand resting conspicuously on his heavy utility belt.
Alex didn't flinch. He leaned forward against the desk, partially obscuring the screen with his shoulder, though he knew Miller had already seen the flash drive.
"Preparation doesn't keep office hours, Miller. Especially now that the office is at a critical point in her transition. I'm just trying to make sure we are well prepared."
Miller stepped closer, the heels of his boots clicking ominously on the hardwood. "I meant the Chairman's private office. His office is off-limits. My orders are to report any 'unauthorized access' to him immediately."
He reached for the radio on his shoulder.
"Unauthorized access?" Alex's voice dropped to a smooth, authoritative hum. "As the next CEO, I'm well within my rights to access any documents I need to finalize the transition."
Miller hesitated, his thumb hovering over the talk button. "With all due respect, sir... only the CEO has rights to this office and all documents in it. You are not the CEO. And Mr. Torredo doesn't like people in his office when he is not there, let alone snooping through his computer. I could get in trouble if I don't report this and he finds out."
Alex stood up from the chair, walked up to Miller and looked him dead in the eye.
"You are a real one, Miller." He said softly. "I like to think that when I become the CEO next week, I will have a competent person to make my head of security."
Miller's eyes twitched.
Alex shrugged. "Who is to say a junior personnel can not be promoted to head of security?" He turned to go then stopped. "But that will depend on if I can trust him to be on my side and have my back. Can I trust you Miller?"
He paused, giving Miller a knowing stare.
Miller looked at the computer just as the progress bar hit 100% and the screen went black. Then he looked back at Alex. The silence stretched, thick with the smell of floor wax and tension. Finally, the guard lowered his hand from the radio.
"Of course sir," Miller responded, stepping back.
"I knew you were a man of vision, Miller," Alex replied, snatching the drive and slipping it into his pocket.
***
Alex slipped into the penthouse long after the streets were deserted. The place was pitch-black and smelled of lemon polish. He held his suit jacket over his shoulder and didn't bother with the switches as he guided himself by touch, up the stairs.
As he passed Emily's door, he noticed a thin, golden sliver of light spilling onto the dark wood of the hallway. He stopped. His pulse began to spike. His hand instinctively clamped over the hard drive in his pocket.
He hesitated, then gave a soft knock.
The door opened almost immediately. Emily looked fragile, wrapped in a silk robe that looked too large for her thin frame. zoo eyes were red-rimmed, her face pale.
"What do you want?" she asked, her voice flat.
"Have you been crying?" Alex reached out, but she didn't answer. She just stepped back into the shadows of the room, leaving the door open for him to follow.
Alex closed the door gently behind him.
Emily sat on her bed, her eyes drifting everywhere except for him.
"What do you want?" She sniffed.
He stepped closer, the weight of the flash drive in his pocket feeling like a brick. "I found a folder of your father's transaction with Torredo Global. I don't know what the full detail is yet but -"
"It doesn't matter." Emily didn't even look at it. "Unless it contains the signed contract where Tony agreed to let me go after five years, then I'm stuck."
"But maybe there's something there that can help."
"I don't know why you are doing this but I know better than to trust anyone, especially a Torredo."
"Come on, Emily."
"So what, you want me to believe that you are working against your uncle?"
"I am just trying to do what is right."
"I wish I could believe that. I don't believe anyone anymore," she whispered, her eyes finally meeting him. "Not you, not even the staff. Anyone of you could have taken the contract in my room for all I know."
"I didn't take it, Emily. I swear," he insisted "The staff weren't even there that weekend," He paused, a cold realization washing over him as a memory clicked into place. "Wait. Victoria."
Emily froze.
"She came over to surprise me that night," Alex said. "I saw her slipping out of your room. She claimed she was lost, but…"
The color drained from Emily's face. She didn't scream or demand answers; she just stood there, completely paralyzed.
"Alex," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Please. Just leave."
Alex moved to explain, to apologize for his blindness, but she didn't look up. She just pointed toward the door with a trembling hand. With a heavy nod, he backed out of the room, the flash drive still heavy in his pocket.
***
Alex met Victoria for lunch the next day. The cheerful clatter of the coffee shop was a stark contrast against the storm in his chest. He didn't waste time on small talk.
"That night you came over and went into Emily's room, you stole a file from her safe for my uncle. Didn't you?"
Victoria laughed nervously. "What? What would I need a file from Emily for?"
"Please stop lying. How much did he pay you? How much was her freedom worth?"
Victoria's expression crumbled. "Freedom? What are you talking about?"
"That file you took was the contract that would have made her free to leave Tony."
"Is that what she told you?" she whispered desperately, leaning across the table. "And you believe her?"
Alex maintained a straight face "Why did Tony ask you to get the file?"
"Tony told me Emily had stolen some of the company's documents and plans to use it to take over the company."
"That's not true." Alex shook his head. "And the fact that you were okay with doing something wrong without first confirming the truth, all in the name of protecting your interest, makes me wonder how far you are willing to go to ensure you don't lose your status and power."
"I think the bigger question is why you are choosing a stranger over your uncle… over me…" she snapped at him. "Why are you taking her words over ours?"
"Because you both lied! And I'm not just taking her words. I did my due diligence unlike you." He stood up, the chair scraping harshly against the floor. "We're done, Victoria. This is never going to work."
He turned his back and walked out into the crowded street, leaving her alone with the consequences of her betrayal.
***
Later that afternoon, Alex sat in his dimmed office, the glow of his monitor washing over his face. He was scouring the flash drive, his eyes darting through spreadsheets and scanned memos, desperate to find a soft copy of the contract or a loophole that could save Emily. Then, his phone buzzed harshly against the mahogany desk.
It was an automated internal alert: Urgent Board Meeting. Tomorrow, 8:00 AM.
Alex stared at the glowing text, a cold knot tightening in his chest. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to go wrong.
***
The boardroom was silent as the chairman delivered the verdict: Tony would remain CEO, and Alex would continue to report to him.
And that was it. Alex's hope of returning Lawson holding back to Emily when he becomes the CEO was shattered. As he watched them leave, a part of him was not surprised.
Once the room cleared, Tony leaned back, crossing his arms with a patronizing sigh. "The board is unsure about you, Alex. They see a man who can't even manage his own house."
He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a sharp whisper. "Your failure to finalize the deal with Verizon showed them you aren't ready. If you can't close a deal with the woman who is willing to let you into her bed, how can you lead this company?"
Tony checked his watch. "The board is giving you a final chance to prove your 'capabilities.' You have exactly 48 hours to set things right with Victoria and get that deal back on track. Do it, or you're out for good."
Tony slapped his back lightly. "Make your father and I proud."