CHAPTER NINE
1029 Words
Chapter 9: The Hidden Enemy
Isabella sat at her desk, the early morning sun filtering through the massive glass windows of Montgomery Enterprises. She was holding the financial report Olivia had handed her, her fingers gripping the paper tightly. Her mind replayed her conversation with Ethan from the previous night. A traitor inside her company. The very thought sent a chill down her spine.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to think logically. If Gabriel had managed to plant someone within her company, it meant he was already several steps ahead. That couldn’t continue.
Her intercom buzzed. Olivia’s voice came through, steady as always. “Liam is here for the finance update, as you requested.”
Isabella straightened. Liam. The name that had surfaced in the suspicious reports. She had worked with him for years, but now, doubt clouded her trust.
“Send him in,” she said, keeping her voice calm.
Moments later, Liam entered, his expression polite but unreadable. He was in his mid-thirties, sharp and meticulous—a man who rarely made mistakes. He placed a folder on her desk. “The latest numbers, Ms. Montgomery.”
She took the folder but didn’t open it right away. Instead, she studied him. “Thank you, Liam. Sit.”
He hesitated before lowering himself into the chair across from her. His posture was relaxed, but she noticed the slight tension in his shoulders.
“I’ve been going over some financial irregularities,” she said smoothly. “It seems someone has been carefully diverting funds into unauthorized accounts. Small amounts, difficult to trace unless someone knew what to look for.”
Liam’s eyes flickered for a fraction of a second. “That’s concerning. I wasn’t aware of any discrepancies.”
“Really?” Isabella tilted her head. “Because the last three audit reviews were requested by your department.”
His lips parted slightly before he quickly masked his surprise. “I assumed it was standard protocol.”
She leaned forward, keeping her gaze locked onto his. “Standard protocol would mean occasional reviews, not three audits in one quarter.”
A beat of silence. Then, Liam exhaled, his expression shifting into something more composed. “Ms. Montgomery, if you’re implying I had anything to do with this—”
“I’m not implying,” she cut in. “I’m investigating.”
His jaw tightened. “I have always been loyal to this company.”
“Then prove it,” she challenged.
Another pause. Then he leaned back, crossing his arms. “What do you want me to do?”
“Help me find the real culprit,” she said smoothly. “If it’s not you, then someone in your department is feeding Gabriel information. I need someone on the inside.”
A flicker of something unreadable crossed his face. Then, he nodded. “Understood. I’ll discreetly monitor the transactions and report anything unusual.”
She studied him carefully before giving a slow nod. “Good. You’re dismissed.”
As Liam left, Olivia stepped in, raising an eyebrow. “So?”
“I don’t know yet,” Isabella admitted. “But if he’s lying, I’ll find out soon enough.”
That evening, Isabella found herself in the sleek lounge of Carter Enterprises, waiting for Ethan. He had called her over, saying he had something important to share.
When he finally appeared, his expression was unreadable. He slid into the seat across from her, a whiskey glass in hand. “Michael found something.”
Her heart pounded. “Tell me.”
Ethan pulled out his phone, tapping the screen before handing it to her. A series of emails were displayed. “These were flagged as suspicious—internal messages sent to an external, encrypted address. Someone from your finance team has been communicating with an anonymous source.”
She scrolled through the emails, her chest tightening. The language was careful, vague, but the intent was clear. Someone inside Montgomery Enterprises was feeding Gabriel information.
She inhaled sharply. “This confirms it.”
Ethan nodded. “It also means we need to be careful. If they suspect we’re onto them, they’ll cover their tracks.”
Isabella exhaled slowly, trying to steady her thoughts. She had spent years fighting to build her empire, refusing to let anyone take it away from her. Now, Gabriel was trying to destroy everything from the inside out.
No. She wouldn’t let that happen.
She looked up at Ethan, determination burning in her gaze. “Then let’s set a trap.”
The next day, Isabella called an emergency finance meeting. Liam sat on one side of the long conference table, while the rest of the department lined the room.
“I’ve received reports of financial discrepancies,” Isabella began, keeping her tone measured. “As of today, we will be implementing new security measures to monitor all transactions.”
She watched closely, noting the reactions. Some looked surprised, others wary. Liam, however, remained perfectly composed.
“We will also be running a confidential audit,” she continued. “Any unauthorized activity will be reported immediately.”
Liam finally spoke. “Are we expecting to find anything?”
“I intend to find out,” she said coolly.
She saw the slight shift in his expression. If he was guilty, he knew the walls were closing in.
The meeting ended, and as the employees filed out, Olivia leaned toward Isabella. “If Liam’s involved, he won’t wait for us to catch him.”
Isabella nodded. “Which is why we’ll be watching his every move".
Later that night, Isabella sat in her office, reviewing the security footage Olivia had obtained. If Liam was their traitor, he’d make a mistake soon.
Her phone buzzed. A message from Ethan.
"Check your email. I think we have something."
Her heart pounded as she opened her laptop. Ethan had forwarded another flagged email—this one containing an encrypted attachment.
She clicked it, her breath catching.
A transaction. A payment made to an offshore account.
And Liam’s name was all over it.
A slow, cold anger settled in her chest.
She had her answer.
Now, it was time to confront him.
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