WHEN BILLIONAIRE COLLIDE

The Frist Betrayal

WHEN BILLIONAIRES COLLIDE

Episode 5 — The First Betrayal

The next morning, Isabella arrived at Sterling International ten minutes before seven.

She stepped into the lobby expecting to find Alexander waiting for her.

He wasn't there.

Her eyebrows pulled together.

That was unusual.

Alexander was never late.

She checked her phone.

No messages.

She called him.

Straight to voicemail.

Something wasn't right.

Isabella walked toward the executive floor.

As soon as she reached the hallway, she noticed several employees whispering.

They stopped talking when they saw her.

"What's happening?" she asked.

One of the employees looked nervous.

"Nothing, Ms. Johnson."

"Don't lie to me."

The employee swallowed.

"Mr. Sterling is in the boardroom."

"With whom?"

Before he could answer, the boardroom doors opened.

Alexander stepped out.

His face was cold.

Behind him were two security officers.

Isabella immediately knew something had happened.

"Alexander."

He looked at her.

"You came."

"You told me to."

"I know."

"What happened?"

Alexander glanced at the employees nearby.

"Not here."

He walked past her.

Isabella followed.

Once they entered his private office, Alexander closed the door.

"Someone accessed confidential files last night."

"Did you find out who?"

His silence answered her.

Isabella's expression changed.

"Who?"

"My CFO."

She stared at him.

"The man you suspected yesterday?"

Alexander nodded.

"He tried to leave the country this morning."

"Did he succeed?"

"No."

Isabella exhaled.

"Then what did he take?"

Alexander placed several documents on his desk.

"Financial projections. Technology plans. And information about our joint government proposal."

Isabella froze.

"Our proposal?"

"Yes."

She picked up the documents.

"If he has these, the government contract could be compromised."

"I know."

"And if the information reaches our competitors—"

"It already has."

Isabella looked at him sharply.

"What?"

Alexander's expression hardened.

"Someone sent an anonymous copy of the documents to the press."

Her heart sank.

"When?"

"Twenty minutes ago."

Isabella immediately checked her phone.

Hundreds of notifications appeared.

Her face went pale.

The headline was already spreading.

STERLING-JOHNSON PARTNERSHIP ACCUSED OF FINANCIAL MANIPULATION.

She looked at Alexander.

"This is bad."

"It's worse."

He handed her another document.

Isabella read it.

Then she looked up.

"They changed the numbers."

"Yes."

"Someone altered our projections."

"And made it look like we deliberately misled the government."

Isabella's hands tightened around the paper.

"They're trying to destroy the partnership."

Alexander nodded.

"Exactly."

For the next three hours, they worked without stopping.

Their lawyers contacted the press.

Their financial teams reviewed every number.

Their security departments investigated the breach.

But the damage was already spreading.

Investors began calling.

Government officials demanded answers.

The company's stock prices started falling.

Isabella stood beside Alexander in the conference room, staring at the screens.

"This was planned."

Alexander looked at her.

"I know."

"They wanted both companies to take the blame."

"Yes."

She turned toward him.

"Who would benefit?"

Alexander's expression became thoughtful.

"Every company competing for the contract."

"That's too many."

"There is one that has been unusually aggressive."

"Which one?"

"Blackstone Technologies."

Isabella frowned.

"They've been trying to acquire government contracts for years."

"And they've lost several to us."

She looked at him.

"Then we need proof."

"We'll get it."

Suddenly, one of the executives rushed into the room.

"Mr. Sterling!"

Alexander turned.

"What?"

"We found something."

He placed a laptop on the table.

"There was an encrypted transfer from our internal system last night."

Alexander stepped closer.

"Where did it go?"

"We traced the connection."

Everyone waited.

The executive looked nervous.

"It came from inside Johnson Group."

The room went silent.

Isabella's face changed.

"What?"

The executive continued.

"The files were accessed using a Johnson Group security credential."

Alexander slowly looked at Isabella.

She stared back at him.

"You think I did this?"

"I didn't say that."

"But you're thinking it."

"Isabella—"

She stepped closer.

"I would never sabotage our own partnership."

"I know."

"Do you?"

Alexander held her gaze.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then he said quietly,

"I believe you."

The words surprised her.

"Then why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because I don't believe everyone around you."

Isabella frowned.

"What does that mean?"

Alexander lowered his voice.

"It means someone inside your company may be involved."

Her heart sank.

"Impossible."

"Is it?"

She didn't answer.

Because suddenly, she remembered something.

One of her senior financial directors had asked unusual questions about the partnership two days earlier.

She hadn't thought anything of it.

Now she wasn't so sure.

"I need to make a call."

Alexander nodded.

She walked away.

But before she reached the door, he stopped her.

"Isabella."

She turned.

"Be careful."

Something about his voice made her pause.

It wasn't the voice of a business partner.

It was the voice of someone genuinely worried about her.

She nodded.

"I will."

That evening, Isabella returned to Johnson Group.

She went directly to the office of her senior financial director.

The room was empty.

She frowned.

His computer was still on.

She approached the desk.

A document was open on the screen.

Her eyes widened.

It was the same financial report that had been leaked.

But there was something else.

At the bottom of the document was a hidden authorization code.

Isabella recognized it immediately.

It belonged to her financial director.

She reached for her phone.

Before she could make the call, she heard footsteps behind her.

She turned.

The man stood in the doorway.

He looked completely calm.

"Ms. Johnson."

Isabella stared at him.

"You leaked the documents."

His expression didn't change.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I know about the authorization code."

For the first time, his face changed.

He stepped inside and closed the door.

"You should have stayed out of this."

Isabella's heartbeat quickened.

"What did you do?"

He smiled.

"You'll find out soon enough."

He reached into his pocket.

Isabella took a step backward.

Then her phone rang.

Alexander.

She answered immediately.

"Alexander?"

His voice came through sharply.

"Isabella, get out of that office."

She looked at the man standing in front of her.

"How did you know?"

"We traced another transfer."

Alexander's voice became urgent.

"He's not working alone."

Isabella's eyes widened.

"Who else is involved?"

There was a pause.

Then Alexander said,

"Someone inside Sterling."

The call ended.

Isabella slowly lowered her phone.

The man in front of her smiled.

And suddenly she realized the betrayal was much bigger than either of them had imagined.

To be continued...