Breaking Billionaire Rules

a's

ssible intensity, the office moved like a machine - pristine, fast, and unrelenting. But under that glossy surface, something was off. I c

trust t

nder from the executive scheduler about being "mindful of tone in strategic environments."

ll on the enc

onymous. No traceable metadata. An

Look deeper. File ref: L

no greeting, no follow

t twi

r where I first saw Ethan Blackwell-the pl

rprises. Here, everyt

rchive search. Nothing. Access denied. Even with my temporary clearanc

tent," a voice

ump

th two cups of coffee. He h

dded, as if we'd known each other longer t

thank him or ask what he really wa

n. You stood your ground earlier. Not man

ntion of Ethan's name. "Was that the

d, he leaned against the corner of my d

entually. "You just passed yours in fro

"And is that a good

e it didn't reach his eyes. "

off the desk

after him

hadn't figured out if I was in the

-

out and the only sounds were the soft clacks of keybo

one - the personal one I

my IP a dozen times, and pulled up a secure c

ed up in

hacking from your

hacking," I replied. "J

You know how many lawsuits

the reference code. She w

et into? It's protected six ways from Sunday. I don't even think B

east find out

"Hmm. There's a breadcrumb trail. Sloppy. Someone tried to bury the audi

pounded

r financials and undisclosed partnerships. That's all I can see. Whoeve

My access was shut down. An a

. This action has been logged

fr

t out of that system now. They're

the window collap

l on the keys. My

s should

warning...

-

we breezed past my desk in her designer heels. Executives w

spoke about the email or the archive.

l lu

I noticed someone watching me. Not dir

-hidden by the glare of the glass. One of Ethan's close advisors - I rememb

proach. He j

lunch quietl

, I had to be careful. Whatever I had touched last night had triggered an

t if I was a thr

-

the couch, laptop forgotten, dinner untouched. The c

e doorway with a bowl

ay?" sh

," I

reful, Isla. Whatever you found in th

"Then why send

wants you to uncover it. Or mayb

ed me. "Do you th

sn't let anything happen in

-

xpression and a restless heart. I didn't know who had sent the mess

dy too deep

nted me exactl

resh envelope sat atop my ke

a single sh

. 8PM. Co