Adrian noticed it in the numbers first. At first glance, it looked like a routine delay. Nothing serious. Nothing worth panicking over but Adrian had built his reputation on precision. On control. On knowing when something was even ‘slightly’ off and this… was off.
“Sir,” Marcus said carefully over the phone, “we’re still experiencing issues with the primary accounts.”
Adrian leaned back in his chair, his fingers tightening slightly around the pen in his hand. “Still?” he repeated.
“Yes, sir. It’s not resolving.”
A pause. Then Adrian’s tone sharpened. “Which accounts?”
Another hesitation. “That’s the problem,” Marcus admitted. “It’s… multiple. Operational, investment, and two offshore portfolios.”
Silence. Adrian straightened slowly. “That’s impossible.”
“We thought so too,” Marcus
