Whos Behind It

Chapter 2: Veiled Intrigues and Dangerous Turns

After Liu Yue knocked on the door and entered Manager Zhao's office, she was met with a barrage of criticism. Manager Zhao accused her of having a lax work attitude, hiding in the storage room during work hours, and even suspected her of attempting to steal company secrets.

Liu Yue tried to explain, but Manager Zhao wouldn't listen, and finally told her to go back and reflect on her actions.

Back at her desk, Liu Yue grew more and more uneasy.

She hadn't yet figured out what was going on between Wang Qiang and Li Cheng, and now she was suddenly being reprimanded by Manager Zhao. There had to be a connection.

She decided to take the initiative and check the project's core files.

Early the next day, Liu Yue went to the records room, but Secretary Zhou stood guard at the door like a gatekeeper, saying that core files required the department manager's signature to view.

Liu Yue went to ask Manager Zhao for his signature, but he refused on the grounds of her "bad attitude" from the previous day.

Liu Yue felt her frustration rising—this was clearly just to make things difficult for her!

She returned to the office to find Zhang Ling and Wang Qiang animatedly talking to their colleagues. When they saw her return, they stopped their conversation and gave her knowing smiles.

"Hey, did you hear? Someone tried to sneak a look at the project's core files and got blocked by Secretary Zhou!" Zhang Ling said with mock sweetness.

"Tsk tsk, you really can't judge a book by its cover. Who would've thought someone who seemed so honest would do something like that!" Wang Qiang added.

The surrounding colleagues began to whisper among themselves, casting sidelong glances at Liu Yue. She felt as if she'd been stripped naked and thrown into the street—embarrassed and angry.

With only three days left until the project review, if she still couldn't access the core files, her project proposal would be incomplete, and she would surely be eliminated.

Liu Yue took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm.

No, she couldn't give up just like that!

She had to find a way to get her hands on those core files!

Suddenly, Liu Yue remembered a company regulation: any employee had the right to access non-confidential files as long as they applied through the administration department.

Her eyes glinted, and a slight smile played on her lips. She headed straight for the administration department.

The receptionist looked puzzled at Liu Yue's application. Technically, there was nothing wrong with it, so she had no choice but to grant Liu Yue access.

With the permission in hand, Liu Yue went straight to the company's archives, where non-confidential file copies were stored.

Although these weren't the most up-to-date core files, they were enough for her purposes.

In the vast archive, Liu Yue began combing through the documents like an archaeologist.

Her patience paid off—she finally found a copy of the data she needed.

It was like discovering a new continent. Her eyes lit up, and she eagerly began her research.

"Finally, I've got you!" she muttered under her breath, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she pulled up the project budget, checking each line meticulously.

Suddenly, Manager Zhao stormed in, Secretary Zhou following with a triumphant smirk.

"Liu Yue! How dare you bypass Secretary Zhou and access project files without permission!" Manager Zhao's voice nearly shook the ceiling. "Do you have any regard for company rules? Do you respect me as your manager?"

Liu Yue's heart sank. She knew this was trouble.

She looked up, her expression innocent. "Manager Zhao, I followed company policy and applied through the administration department for access to non-confidential copies. I didn't break any rules."

"Excuses!" Manager Zhao pointed a finger at her. "You found a loophole! Do you realize the kind of damage your behavior could cause the company?"

"Damage? What damage, Manager Zhao?" Liu Yue countered. "Are there hidden clauses in company policy that I should know about?"

Manager Zhao was rendered speechless, his face darkening.

"I'm warning you, Liu Yue—if this happens again, pack your things and leave!" He glared at her before turning to leave.

Secretary Zhou gave Liu Yue a similarly meaningful look, her lips curling into a cold smile before she followed Manager Zhao out.

Watching them leave, Liu Yue felt a mix of emotions.

She knew she had thoroughly offended both Manager Zhao and Secretary Zhou, and the days ahead would be tough.

But she had no regrets. Deep down, she felt she was closing in on the truth.

Taking a deep breath, she returned to studying the files.

Suddenly, her eyes narrowed, her fingers pausing on the screen, and a smile curled at her lips.

"Ah, so that's how it is..." Liu Yue stared at the computer screen, her fingers flying across the keyboard, typing lines of code that flashed like a triumphant symphony.

"Hah, you think you can outplay me? Think again!" Liu Yue smiled with satisfaction. She had found evidence of Wang Qiang's fraudulent bookkeeping. The evidence was clear, and she was ready to catch him red-handed.

She compiled the evidence into a detailed report, encrypted it, and planned to use it to deliver a crushing blow to Wang Qiang at the right time.

Just as Liu Yue was about to print the report, Zhang Ling sauntered over, her smile full of fake sweetness.

"Oh my, Liu, working overtime, are we? Such dedication!" Zhang Ling pretended to be concerned, her eyes darting around suspiciously, clearly up to no good.

Liu Yue forced a smile. "You too, Sister Zhang. Why are you still here so late?" But inwardly, she stayed alert—this woman wasn't trustworthy, and if she was being overly friendly, it was definitely with bad intentions.

Seeing that Liu Yue wasn't taking the bait, Zhang Ling dropped the act, her tone turning mocking. "Some people just love pretending to be important. I wonder if they even have the skills to back it up." With that, she strutted away, leaving Liu Yue alone in the office.

Liu Yue watched Zhang Ling's retreating figure and sneered. "Oh, the real show is yet to come!" She turned back to her computer, ready to print the report, only to find the screen suddenly went black. An ear-piercing alarm blared.

"What the...?" Liu Yue's heart sank, a sense of foreboding sweeping over her.

She tried restarting the computer, but it remained unresponsive. The screen displayed a chilling message: "System files missing. Please reinstall."

Liu Yue instantly realized what had happened—it was Zhang Ling!

That woman had planted a virus on her computer!

All her hard work, gone...

Liu Yue stood abruptly, her fists clenched so tightly her nails dug into her palms. She gritted her teeth. "Zhang Ling, you're going to pay for this!"

Suddenly, the office door swung open, and Jiang Yu stood there, a bouquet of vibrant roses in his hand and a mischievous smile on his face. "Surprise! My sweet wife, did you miss me?"

Seeing Jiang Yu, Liu Yue's rage subsided instantly, but she didn't let it show. Instead, she pretended to be angry. "What are you doing here? Come to laugh at me?"

Jiang Yu walked over and handed her the roses, his voice gentle. "How could I? I'm here to pick you up from work." Noticing her troubled expression, he asked with concern, "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Liu Yue took a deep breath, trying to suppress her anger. "Nothing, just a small problem." She didn't want Jiang Yu to worry, nor did she want him involved in this office drama.

Jiang Yu looked at her with a hint of doubt. He felt she was hiding something.

He gently pulled her into his arms, whispering in her ear, "Remember, Liu Yue, no matter what happens, I'm always here for you."

Leaning into Jiang Yu's embrace, feeling the warmth of his arms, Liu Yue was touched.

She looked up at him, her eyes resolute. "Jiang Yu, I..."

"Shh—" Jiang Yu placed a finger on her lips, interrupting her. "I know what you're going to say. You don't have to explain."

At that moment, the office lights flickered a few times and then went out completely.

The entire office plunged into darkness, with only the faint moonlight filtering through the windows.

"What happened?" Liu Yue gasped, grabbing Jiang Yu's hand tightly.

Jiang Yu held her close, his eyes vigilant. "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

Suddenly, a sinister voice echoed through the darkness. "Hehehe... looks like we have a good show tonight..." The eerie sound sent chills down Liu Yue's spine, her hands clammy with sweat.

Jiang Yu shielded Liu Yue, scanning the room warily.

In the darkness, it felt as though a pair of eyes were watching them, making one's skin crawl.

"Who's there?!" Jiang Yu shouted sternly.

Only suffocating silence answered him.

Suddenly, the lights flickered back on, and everything returned to normal, as if the darkness and the sinister voice had been nothing more than an illusion.

"What was that? Just now..." Liu Yue asked, still shaken.

Jiang Yu shook his head. "I don't know. Maybe it was an electrical issue." Although he said that, doubt lingered in his mind—things were not that simple.

Liu Yue took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

The data on her computer was gone, but she wasn't about to give up. She decided to recreate it from memory.

After all, she was a woman with a photographic memory!

Jiang Yu watched her work with a heavy heart.

He walked over and gently massaged her shoulders. "Don't push yourself too hard. Make sure to rest."

Liu Yue gave him a sweet smile. "Don't worry, this is nothing! I am going to be the queen of the pirates!"

Jiang Yu, infected by her optimism, also smiled. "That's my feisty wife—always so confident!"

Time ticked by, and with her incredible memory, Liu Yue managed to restore most of the lost data.

In fact, during the process, she even discovered new clues indicating that not only were Zhang Ling and Wang Qiang falsifying accounts, but they were also colluding with competitors, selling company secrets!

"Well, Zhang Ling, Wang Qiang—you two sure are bold!" Liu Yue fumed. She decided to submit this evidence to the company's higher-ups so that they would receive their just punishment.

Just then, Jiang Yu's phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID, and his expression immediately turned serious.

"What's wrong?" Liu Yue noticed the change in his demeanor and asked with concern.

Jiang Yu hung up the call, took a deep breath, and looked at Liu Yue, speaking slowly. "I just got word—Manager Zhao is going to conduct an early review of the project tomorrow..."