Traitor uncovered
1182 Words
Chapter 9
Marie lay sprawled on the floor… half unconscious, with blood dripping from her nostrils and mouth.
Alex rushed to her, his feet pounding heavily against the floor. He dropped to his knees and gathered her fragile body into his arms, his breath loud with panic.
“Marie? What happened? Talk to me.” He urged, his voice trembling as he held her close.
Marie's eyes fluttered open… just enough to catch the fear burning through his.
She shook her head quietly, a weak sob escaping her lips. “He's coming for you, boss. You need to leave. Go far away. Please...”
“He?” Alex's voice rose… half worry, half anger.
“Who's he and what the hell does he want from me?”
“I don't know...” Marie's voice was barely above a whisper. “But he left a note on your desk. He sounded dangerous. He said you took something valuable from him.”
“Something valuable?” Alex echoed, gently lowering her back to the ground. His hands trembled as he reached for the table and grabbed the note. His heart dropped as he read through the words scribbled on the paper.
‘Step down as CEO in the next seventy two hours, or I might be forced to take everything that's so precious to you, little wimp. This is only the beginning.’
He stared at the note over and over again, his mind running wild with thoughts. This looked just exactly like the other numerous letters he had been receiving for the past three days.
And in that moment, something shifted within him. He was starting to believe Marcus might actually be innocent. After all, he had been in his house when all of this happened.
It couldn't be him… and it most definitely wasn't Elena either.
So who the hell was it?
His mind was a mess of its own as the thoughts flooded him like a river.
Just then, Marie said something that made him freeze, her throaty voice slicing through the silence.
“He has the platinum ring too, boss.” She whispered, with a blood-soaked mouth.
As soon as Alex heard the words, he crawled up towards her, looking her dead in the eye.
“What did you just say?” He quizzed, his voice dangerously low. “Tell me it's not true.”
“I… I’m scared, but it is.” She stuttered, nodding weakly. “I have no idea how he got the passcode to your safe… only your most trusted staff have access to the passcode. But he broke in and made away with the ring, the money… everything.”
Alex jumped to his feet, running a hand through his hair as he paced around the room, rage and panic surging through him.
“No, no, no… this can't be.” He choked out, his voice breaking as panic engulfed him. “That ring means the whole world to me. Without it, I'm not even qualified to remain CEO.”
He stumbled to Marie's side, gently taking her hand.
“Please Marie, do you have any idea where he might have gone? We need to find the ring. It's really important.”
He stared at her weak frame one more time, and that's when it finally dawned on him.
She was… gone.
“No. No, no.” He whispered, shaking her lifeless hand, hoping for even the slightest response. “Marie? Marie?”
But it was all useless now.
He sprang to his feet, dashed straight to his desk and grabbed his phone. With trembling hands, he dialed Harlan's number, sucking in a deep breath. the call connected just at the first ring.
Before Harlan could speak, his voice thundered through the line… cold and urgent. “Listen to me, Harlan. Assemble the whole board to the office, now. There's a state of emergency.”
“Mr Wellington? Are you sure you're…”
“Just do as I said, Harlan!” Alex shot back, stopping him right before he could finish. “I need everyone here in one hour.”
He ended the call before Harlan could even get a chance to respond.
—
At exactly one hour, the board gathered at the conference hall, with Alex standing at the far end of the large conference table… his eyes searching everyone's gaze.
His hands were spread out on the table, his hair falling back on his neck as he lifted his chin.
He was silent for what seemed like an eternity, leaving everyone in panic.
Then, he leaned closer into the table, his eyes traveling between them… one after the other.
“Someone here is leaking private information about the Wellington Empire to our enemy.” He muttered, his voice calm but dangerously low… cutting through the heavy silence.
Faint murmurs echoed through the room, each person staring at the other, with the silent question… who could it be?
“This enemy has already infiltrated our company. Worse, he has made away with the platinum ring… the family's most precious heirloom.”
Loud gasps filled the room, everyone's eyes widened like he had just dropped a bombshell.
But no one dared speak. Alex didn't look like he needed anyone's contribution… at least, not yet.
He straightened, crossing his arms, his muscles flexing beneath his fitted shirt.
“I have no words for the traitor yet. What matters now is that the ring is found and returned in forty eight hours. We must find the ring, fast. Time is definitely not on our side.”
He turned around and faced the large floor-to-ceiling windows behind him, backing the whole board. “We're done here for now.” He muttered, his voice cold as ice. “You all may leave.”
As soon as he was done speaking, everyone walked out of the hall… except Harlan and Sophia who stayed back.
They moved towards him slowly, their legs trembling like they might give out.
Before they could get any closer, he turned and pinned his gaze on them.
His expression turned cold the moment he saw them. “Didn’t I ask everyone to leave?” He quizzed, his voice burning with barely contained anger.
Sophia took the lead, stepping forward. “Ummm… we're sorry if we got you upset, boss.” She mumbled, picking her words out carefully. “But there's something you need to see. It's something that might interest you.”
“Interest me?”
“Yes, boss.” Harlan chimed in. “After the meeting with you earlier, we launched an investigation, and we finally discovered the person who has been secretly sabotaging the Wellington Empire.”
Alex's eyes widened, a spark of hope shining between them. “Really? Who's it?”
“Just a minute, boss.” Sophia said and stepped forward, turning on the projector screen right on the wall in front of them.
She played a clip on the screen, and all eyes fixed on it.
Alex watched with keen interest… and his eyes widened the moment he saw him.
“James?”
- Writer
