My Holiday Mate

The Competitor

John POV

After discovering that my boss, Daniel Lawrence, and my Sarah are secretly together, I devised a nefarious plan. Their secret relationship fueled my frustration, adding to other issues, and led me to my decision. For months, I have been trying to get a promotion, but have been consistently overlooked and ignored by the board members and others.

I have come to realize that I will never receive a promotion because of Daniel. Just a week after the initial security breach, I approached numerous competitors of Daniel Lawrence to sell information about his company. Given my access to the password codes, I knew it would be an easy task.

One company distinguished itself from the rest by offering me a higher pay rate for selling Lawrence Cyber Security Corp information than any of its competitors, along with a prestigious leadership position within the organization. This was the Hightech Universal Network Team, commonly known as H.U.N.T.

I have spent several days working closely with Mr. Lucius Lupu, the owner of H.U.N.T., while continuing to work at my job in access management. Mr. Lupu's request was to hack into Lawrence Cyber Security Corp's mainframe and obtain its confidential information.

Initially, I felt apprehensive about undertaking such a risky task, but Mr. Lupu reassured me with a substantial monetary incentive. The fear of getting caught faded away as I was motivated by the generous amount of money he handed me, which overshadowed my concerns.

All Mr. Lupus requested was for me to hack into Daniel's system and monitor his activities closely. I received assistance in hacking Lawrence Cyber Security's infrastructure, as it was a large mainframe that required specialized skills beyond an ordinary person's capabilities.

I successfully restricted all employee access, preventing them from logging into the system. After planting a virus through the hack, I left the building immediately to ensure my actions would not be traced back to me.

I used a burner phone to contact Mr. Lupus and inform him that the task had been completed. Without delay, he called for me to come to his office. The hacking operation and virus infiltration are expected to occupy Daniel and the entire office for quite some time.

They will never suspect me, especially since I plan to submit my resignation letter soon—at least until Mr. Lupu no longer requires me to watch Daniel.

When I arrived at Mr. Lupu's office, I encountered a period of waiting before I was finally called in to see him. After about 30 minutes of waiting, I entered his office. He looked up as I approached and said, "John, excellent work. I’ve heard from my sources that Daniel Lawrence's company will be completely ruined by tomorrow. No one will want to collaborate with them again."

I felt a sense of relief and satisfaction upon hearing that. I responded, "Thank you, Mr. Lupu. Is there anything else I can assist you with?" He looked at me earnestly and said, "I need you to continue working at Lawrence Cyber Security to monitor Daniel closely. Report everything to me personally each day until I give you further instructions."

Why do I have to keep monitoring Daniel after completing my task? I'm ready to leave that dead-end company for good and start working legitimately for Mr. Lupu. I said, "Why am I staying at that job just to watch Daniel? I've done my part in hacking the system."

"You will not question me! Do as I say, or forget about our deal," he yelled fiercely. A flurry of questions began to form in my mind. What is the bad blood between them? "Why is Daniel Lawrence so important to destroy? I asked, my voice trembling slightly.

You are young and inexperienced, unaware of the full complexity of the world around you. There's much more to reality than what you currently perceive. Observe Daniel Lawrence carefully, and you will begin to understand. We, humans, are not alone on this Earth—there are others, unseen or misunderstood, that coexist with us. Now go, leave from my sight," he said. What exactly does he mean when he said, " We are not alone on this earth?

I left Mr. Lupu feeling both drained and confused, uncertainty lingering in my mind as I made my way outside. The moment I stepped into fresh air, my phone suddenly rang, breaking the quiet and pulling me back to reality.

I looked at the screen, expecting a personal message, but it was my job calling. I hesitated for a moment before I took my phone out of my pocket, frustration bubbling up. "What do you want now?" I asked, my tone tinged with annoyance. The voice on the other end was composed but firm: "Mr. Henderson, you are being summoned immediately to the office," HR informed me. I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "Fine," I replied, "I will be there. Just give me a half hour."

Upon arriving at my workplace, I was immediately greeted by a scene of chaos and disorder, far surpassing the turmoil experienced during the previous hack. This is just what he deserves! Daniel's actions in taking my Sarah have finally caught up with him, and I have no sympathy for him.

Finally, you're here, Mr. Henderson. Follow me quickly; it's urgent," Daniel's secretary, Helen, said with a sense of urgency. We ascended the elevator to the IT department floor. As soon as we arrived, I was promptly guided by the IT access manager for further instructions.

I'm unsure exactly how long I stayed after hours at the office, pretending to assist with gaining access to the system but I was exhausted. When I finally arrived home, I could hardly stand.

I didn't bother taking off my shoes or changing my clothes. I simply headed directly to my bed and lay down. However, just as I was about to close my eyes and sleep, I noticed that I had received a text message from Mr. Lupu.

Be prepared for this weekend, as you will be accompanying me on an important mission," he stated. Mr. Lupu is undoubtedly asking quite a lot from me, especially considering I haven't even officially started a position at his company yet. I'm uncertain how much longer I can endure serving as his unofficial assistant.