IN-HOUSE ENEMIES
754 Words
CHAPTER 4
Maria barely slept. Again.
The words from the dinner haunted her.
She’s just the bait.
The next morning, she confronted Steve.
“I heard something. Last night. Blake and Stone—”
He cut her off. “I know.”
“You knew they were planning something?”
“I needed someone they wouldn’t suspect.”
Maria stared at him.
“So I’m bait?”
He looked at her carefully. “You’re more than that. You’re my proof.”
She couldn’t believe it.
“I could’ve been hurt!”
“But you weren’t,” he replied calmly. “You were perfect.”
She walked out, shaking with anger.
Later that night, her phone rang again.
“Hello?”
No one answered.
Then a voice whispered,
“You’re in deeper than you think.”
The line went dead.
Maria sat in silence.
She didn’t know that Vanessa was outside her door… listening.
Monday brought a fresh headache.
A new intern had joined the department.
His name was Jayden Knox. Tall, confident, stylish. His smile was too wide. His charm was too smooth.
Vanessa adored him instantly.
Maria, on the other hand, felt something was off.
Jayden asked too many questions. Watched everyone too closely. Especially her.
Later that day, Steve called Maria into his office.
“You’re not to speak to Jayden. At all.”
“Why not?”
“He’s working for someone else.”
“Then why is he here?”
“To watch me.”
Maria blinked. “Sir… this is getting insane.”
He sighed. “Welcome to corporate warfare.”
Just as she turned to leave, Steve said, “Maria.”
She stopped.
“I trust you more than I trust myself.”
She looked at him.
But before she could respond, the fire alarm went off.
Sirens blared.
Panic erupted.
And someone whispered in the hallway…
“Get her out now. She knows too much.”
I really trust."
Maria’s voice was small. "You trust me?"
"More than anyone."
He looked tired for the first time.
"They’re trying to take me down, Maria. Everything I built."
Maria whispered, "Why?"
He looked into her eyes.
"Because I know secrets that can destroy them."
Suddenly, his phone buzzed.
He glanced at the screen.
"Vanessa just accessed Project X. Without my code."
Maria stared at the smoke drifting through the hallway. Alarms wailed. Staff rushed in every direction.
"Everyone outside! Move, move!"
But something felt wrong.
This wasn’t a real fire.
She smelled no smoke. Only heard panic.
Vanessa grabbed her arm. "Maria, we have to go!"
But Maria hesitated. "Where’s Mr. Benson?"
Vanessa didn’t answer.
That’s when Maria noticed Jayden—the intern—sneaking toward the executive wing.
She slipped away from the crowd and followed him.
Jayden paused outside Steve’s office and typed something into a panel beside the bookshelf. The wall clicked.
A hidden door opened.
Maria gasped softly.
A trap door.
Jayden entered. Maria followed quietly.
What she saw inside made her freeze.
Monitors lined the wall. Financial records. Surveillance feeds. Secret files labeled "PROJECT X."
Jayden pulled out a flash drive and began copying.
Maria’s phone buzzed.
She fumbled to silence it.
Jayden turned, eyes locking on her.
"You shouldn’t be here."
Maria turned to run.
But he blocked the exit.
"You just made a huge mistake."
Maria sat in a chair, hands trembling. She was inside Steve’s private vault room. Jayden paced.
"What did you see?" he asked.
Maria stayed silent.
He slammed his hand on the desk. "Answer me!"
"Nothing," she lied. "Just some screens. I didn’t understand anything."
He stared at her for a long time.
Then the wall slid open again.
Steve Benson walked in.
Jayden stepped back. "Sir—"
"Leave," Steve said coldly.
Jayden froze. "I was just—"
"Now."
Jayden left without another word.
Maria stood, shaking. "I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to—"
Steve raised a hand. "You followed your instinct. That’s why I chose you."
He walked to the panel and locked it.
"Jayden is digging. He works for someone inside the company. But he doesn’t know who I really trust."
Maria’s voice was small. "You trust me?"
"More than anyone."
He looked tired for the first time.
"They’re trying to take me down, Maria. Everything I built."
Maria whispered, "Why?"
He looked into her eyes.
"Because I know secrets that can destroy them."
Suddenly, his phone buzzed.
He glanced at the screen.
"Vanessa just accessed Project X. Without my code."
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