THE SECRET IN THE FOLDER
1333 Words
CHAPTER 8
The Secret in the Folder
ALYA ZANE
The office had never felt this quiet.
Lucas stood in front of my desk, staring at the folder in my hands.
“Give it to me.”
I hesitated.
Then I handed it over.
He opened the folder and scanned the documents.
His jaw tightened.
“Where exactly did you get this?”
“I told you. Ethan gave it to me.”
Lucas looked toward Ethan.
“Why?”
Ethan didn't answer immediately.
“I found it.”
“Where?”
“In the archives.”
Lucas's expression hardened.
“The archives are restricted.”
“I know.”
“Then how did you access them?”
Ethan remained silent.
I looked between them.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Lucas closed the folder.
“Ethan, my office. Now.”
Ethan nodded.
Lucas turned to me.
“You too.”
My stomach dropped.
---
Inside Lucas's office, he placed the folder on his desk.
“I'm going to ask both of you a question.”
He looked at Ethan first.
“Why did you take confidential documents from a restricted area?”
Ethan crossed his arms.
“I didn't take them.”
“Then how did they end up with you?”
“I found them.”
“That's not an answer.”
Ethan sighed.
“I received information that someone was moving documents without authorization. I went to check.”
Lucas stared at him.
“And you decided to hand them to Alya?”
“I needed someone I could trust.”
Lucas's eyes shifted toward me.
I couldn't tell what he was thinking.
“You should have come directly to me,” Lucas said.
“I didn't know who I could trust.”
Silence.
Lucas leaned against his desk.
“There's a reason these documents are restricted.”
“What do they contain?” I asked.
He looked at me.
“Information about an upcoming acquisition.”
My eyes widened.
“If this gets into the wrong hands…”
“The company could lose millions.”
I looked at the folder.
“So someone is leaking information.”
“Yes.”
Lucas's expression was serious.
“And I believe it's someone inside the company.”
---
After Ethan left, I remained in Lucas's office.
“You don't trust him.”
Lucas didn't answer.
“Lucas?”
“I don't trust anyone right now.”
“That includes me?”
He looked at me.
“No.”
His answer was immediate.
“I trust you.”
I looked down.
“Then why did you look at me like that when you saw the folder?”
“Because I was surprised.”
“I thought you suspected me.”
“I would never accuse you without evidence.”
I smiled slightly.
“Good.”
He picked up the folder.
“There's something else.”
“What?”
“The documents contain information that only a few executives have access to.”
“So the person leaking them has to be someone important.”
“Exactly.”
I frowned.
“Do you have any idea who?”
“I have a suspicion.”
“Who?”
Lucas shook his head.
“Not yet.”
---
That afternoon, the office felt different.
Everyone was nervous.
People whispered in corners.
Meetings were suddenly being held behind closed doors.
And Lucas's assistant kept bringing him documents.
At around four, Camille approached my desk.
“Alya.”
“What?”
“You know what's going on?”
“Not completely.”
She lowered her voice.
“People are saying someone is trying to sabotage Lucas.”
I looked around.
“Who?”
“No one knows.”
I sighed.
“Great.”
She looked at me.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah.”
“You don't look okay.”
I smiled.
“I'll be fine.”
But I wasn't.
Something about the situation made me uneasy.
Especially Ethan.
I didn't know why Lucas didn't trust him.
And I didn't know why Ethan had given me the documents instead of Lucas.
There were too many questions.
---
At 7:00 P.M., I received a message.
Lucas: Conference room. Come alone.
I stared at the message.
Come alone?
That sounded serious.
I walked to the conference room.
Lucas was standing beside the table with several documents spread across it.
“You came.”
“You said it was urgent.”
“It is.”
He pointed to the chair.
“Sit.”
I sat.
He placed a document in front of me.
“Look at this.”
I read it.
It was a list of people who had accessed the restricted files.
My eyes moved down the names.
Then stopped.
“Ethan.”
Lucas nodded.
“He accessed the files three days ago.”
“But he said he found them today.”
“Exactly.”
I looked at Lucas.
“Do you think he lied?”
“I don't know.”
“Then why show me this?”
“Because I need your help.”
I stared at him.
“My help?”
“Yes.”
“Why me?”
“Because you notice things other people don't.”
I smiled faintly.
“That's the nicest way anyone has ever called me nosy.”
He laughed.
“I'm serious.”
“So am I.”
For a moment, the tension in the room disappeared.
Then Lucas became serious again.
“I want you to watch Ethan.”
I frowned.
“Watch him?”
“Not spy on him.”
“What's the difference?”
“Observe.”
I shook my head.
“You're asking me to investigate a coworker.”
“I'm asking you to be careful.”
I looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because I don't know who I can trust.”
His voice was quieter now.
I understood.
This wasn't just about business.
Lucas was worried.
And for the first time, I realized how much pressure he was carrying.
“I'll help,” I said.
He nodded.
“Thank you.”
---
We left the conference room together.
The hallway was almost empty.
As we walked toward the elevator, Lucas suddenly stopped.
“What?”
He looked at me.
“Nothing.”
“Then why did you stop?”
He smiled.
“I was just thinking.”
“About?”
“You.”
My heart skipped.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
He looked away.
“Because you're becoming difficult to ignore.”
I froze.
Before I could respond, the elevator doors opened.
Lucas stepped inside.
I followed.
Neither of us spoke.
The doors closed.
For once, I didn't know what to say.
And neither did he.
But the silence between us felt different now.
Not awkward.
Not uncomfortable.
Just... full of something neither of us was ready to name.
---
The next morning, I arrived early.
Ethan wasn't at his desk.
I walked past his office.
The door was slightly open.
I stopped.
Something caught my attention.
A folder was sitting on his desk.
I recognized the logo immediately.
It was the same confidential file Lucas had shown me.
My heart started beating faster.
I looked around.
Nobody was nearby.
I stepped closer.
Then I saw something that made me freeze.
A second document was sitting underneath the folder.
At the top was a name.
LUCAS VILLANO.
I reached for it.
Before I could pick it up, I heard footsteps behind me.
I turned.
Ethan was standing in the doorway.
He looked at me.
Then at the documents.
His expression changed.
“Alya…”
I stepped back.
“What are you doing with these?”
He didn't answer.
“Ethan?”
He closed the door.
“We need to talk.”
My stomach tightened.
“About what?”
He looked at me seriously.
“About Lucas.”
And suddenly, I knew whatever he was about to say...
was going to change everything.
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