CHAPTER EIGHT
1210 Words
The clock read 7:42 PM.
Emily stood in front of the mirror in her office, adjusting the sleeve of her blazer. Her movements were calm, precise.
Tonight could change everything for her.
Behind her, Daniel leaned against the desk, arms crossed, watching her closely.
“You still have time to cancel,” he said.
Emily didn’t look at him.
“No.”
Daniel exhaled.
“At least let me come with you.”
She shook her head.
“I already told you. If this person wanted an audience, they would have asked for one.”
“And if they wanted to isolate you?”
Emily finally turned, meeting his gaze.
“Then I’ll deal with it.”
Daniel pushed himself off the desk, frustration flickering across his face.
“You’re walking into a situation with no information, no backup, and no guarantee this isn’t connected to Gael.”
Emily stepped closer, her voice steady.
“And if I don’t go, I lose the only lead I have on who helped him.”
That stopped him.
And for a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Daniel nodded reluctantly.
“Fine. But we don’t waste the rest of the night. Before you go, we make our move.”
Emily’s expression sharpened.
“Chen and Patel.”
Daniel grabbed his phone.
“I’ll call Patel. You take Chen.”
Emily nodded once and picked up her phone.
The call connected after two rings.
“Ms. Carter,” Mr. Chen’s voice came through, cautious. “I wasn’t expecting to hear from you tonight.”
“I won’t take much of your time,” Emily said calmly. “I just wanted to ask you one question.”
There was a pause
Then he said to her ,”Go ahead.”
Emily walked slowly toward the window, and her tone measured.
“If the investigation proves there were inconsistencies in the financial reports… would that affect your vote?”
Silence stretched on the other end.
“Inconsistencies?” Chen repeated carefully.
Emily didn’t answer directly.
“I’m asking because decisions are being made too quickly… and it tends to favor the wrong people.”
Chen exhaled slowly.
“Okay,so are you suggesting something?” He asked.
“Yes, I’m suggesting,” Emily replied, “that not everything is as clear as it seems.”
There is a longer pause this time.
Finally—
“I’ll… review everything again before the vote.”
Emily allowed herself a small, unseen smile.
“That’s all I’m asking.”
The call ended.
Across the room, Daniel lowered his phone.
“Patel’s nervous,” he said. “Didn’t say much, but he didn’t sound confident about Gael either.”
Emily nodded.
“That’s enough.”
Daniel frowned slightly.
“That’s it?”
“For now,” she said. “We don’t push. We let doubt grow on its own.”
Daniel studied her.
“You’re turning them without confronting them.”
“I’m reminding them to think,” Emily corrected.
Her phone buzzed again.
This time, a location appeared.
Riverside Café. 8 PM.
Daniel stepped closer.
“That’s public.”
“Which means they don’t want attention,”
Emily said.
“Or they want witnesses.”
Emily picked up her bag.
“Either way, I’m going.”
Daniel’s voice lowered.
“Call me the second anything feels off.”
Emily nodded.
“I will.”
The café was quiet.
Too quiet.
Soft music played in the background, and only a few tables were occupied. The dim lighting cast long shadows across the room, making it harder to read faces clearly.
Emily stepped inside, her eyes scanning the space immediately.
Every instinct she had was alert.
She walked further in, heels clicking softly against the floor.
“Emily Carter.”
The voice came from the corner.
Emily turned and she froze immediately.
A man sat at the table, partially hidden by shadow. As he leaned forward, his face became clearer.
Recognition hit instantly.
“You,” she said quietly.
He gave a faint, uneasy smile.
“Yeah… didn’t expect it to be me, did you?”
Emily walked toward him slowly, every step controlled.
“No,” she admitted.
“Sit,” he said. “We don’t have much time.”
She didn’t sit immediately.
“Start talking.”
He leaned back slightly, glancing around before lowering his voice.
“I was there when it started.”
Emily’s eyes narrowed.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean,” he said, “Gael didn’t do this alone.”
Emily’s chest tightened, but her expression still remained calm.
“I know that already.”
He shook his head.
“No. You don’t.” he replied confidently.
Then he leaned forward.
“The documents you signed? The ones that gave him partial control?”
Emily didn’t move.
“They weren’t just legal agreements,” he continued. “They were modified. Adjusted before they reached you.”
Emily’s voice dropped.
“That’s not possible.”
“It is,” he said firmly. “Because I saw it happen.”
Emily slowly pulled out the chair and sat down.
“Who?” she asked.
The man hesitated.
And for the first time, fear crossed his face.
“If I tell you,” he said quietly, “I’m putting myself at risk.”
Emily held his gaze, unwavering.
“You already did the moment you contacted me.”
Then—
“I’ll give you something first,” he said, sliding a small flash drive across the table.
Emily stared at it.
“What is it?”
“Proof,” he replied. “Not everything. But enough to make the board question him.”
Emily didn’t touch it immediately.
“And the name?”
The man leaned back again.
“You’ll get it.”
“When?”Emily asked.
“When I know you can actually use it.”
Emily’s eyes hardened slightly.
“You’re asking me to trust you.”
He let out a short breath.
“No. I’m asking you to survive this long enough to expose him.”
Emily picked up the flash drive slowly.
This was the first real crack.
The first real piece of truth that could change everything.
She looked back at him.
“If this is a trap—”
“It’s not,” he said quickly. “I’m trying to fix a mistake.”
Emily studied his face carefully.
Then she stood.
“Then you better hope this is real.”
She turned and walked away without another word.
Behind her, the man didn’t follow.
Didn’t call out.
He just sat there… watching her leave.
Emily stepped into the street, and the night air felt colder.
A lot of thoughts were running through her mind when her phone buzzed
Daniel.
She answered immediately.
“I’m fine,” she said before he could speak.
“Did you get anything?” he asked.
Emily looked ahead, her expression unreadable.
“Yes.”
“What?”
Her voice was calm.
“Something enough to make them doubt him.”
She ended the call.
And as she walked toward her car, one thought settled clearly in her mind,
Gael’s plan wasn’t flawless.
And tonight….
She just found the first crack in it.
- Writer
