“What’s wrong?”She asks, her face immediately creased with worry.“At least take the umbrella by the door!”
“Nothing,” I lie, snatching the umbrella.“Just remembered something important for tomorrow’s launch.”
I’m out the door before she can say anything else, my hands already fumbling for my phone as I dash through the rain to Megan’s car.I try Eve first, cursing when it goes straight to voicemail.She’s probably deep in work mode, phone on silent.
I slide into the car, starting it with shaking hands while dialing Ethan.Water drips from my hair onto the leather seats, but right now I couldn’t care less about Megan’s precious interior.The rain hammers against the windshield as I pull out of the driveway, my mind racing faster than the wipers can clear the glass.
Ethan picks up on the second ring.“Caleb?”
“It’s not Joshua,” I blurt out, navigating through the flooded streets.“The mole.We’ve been looking at the wrong person this whole time.It’s not Joshua.”
There’s a pause, then Ethan’s voice comes back, suddenly sharp with focus.“I know.I’m already on my way to the office.”
“What?How?—”
“Joshua is the nephew of one of the board members.They found out I was investigating him and came clean.He was looking into the leak as well.Get to the office.I’m on my way.”
He ends the call before I can tell him what I’ve discovered.
I try Eve again, gripping the steering wheel tightly as I weave through traffic.Visibility is terrible, the roads slick and hazardous, but I push the car as fast as I dare.Water splashes up from the wheels of other vehicles, momentarily blinding me as I navigate through the downpour.
All this time, we’ve been watching the wrong person.All this time, while we’ve been focused on Joshua and his suspicious behavior, the real threat was right in front of us.My jaw clenches.
I just hope I’m not too late.
Ayawn escapes me as I lean back in my chair, rubbing my tired eyes.The office is eerily quiet tonight outside of the lashing rain outside.Steven stepped outside to call his wife, and Joshua’s holed up somewhere indulging in his cigarette addiction.I’m the only one left on our floor, the harsh fluorescent lights humming above me in the silence.
“I need coffee,” I mutter to myself, pushing away from my desk.Standing up makes me realize just how exhausted I am.The late nights preparing for tomorrow’s Serastra launch have taken their toll.I stretch, feeling the tension in my shoulders, and make my way to the kitchenette.
Outside, rain lashes against the windows, punctuated by occasional flashes of lightning.Thunder rumbles in the distance, matching the weariness in my bones.The storm has been building all evening.At least the forecast said sunny skies for tomorrow.Thank god.The last thing we need is rain during the yacht launch.All those investors in their designer clothes wouldn’t appreciate getting soaked on deck.
I grab my mug from the cupboard and pour steaming coffee from the pot.I open a new bag of coffee grounds, the ones that Caleb stacked here for me, and warmth fills my chest.The thought of Caleb makes me hum happily.These late nights working on the Serastra campaign have left me drained, but every hour spent with him feels like a rush of adrenaline.
I’m actually looking forward to this weekend.He’s taking me shopping to pick up things for the trip he’s planning.And on Sunday, he’s coming over to meet my mother for dinner.The thought makes me both nervous and excited.Things with my mother are slowly working out.Time still has to heal our wounds, but she’s trying and I’m meeting her in the middle.
I stir cream into my coffee and watch the liquid swirl into a caramel color, the spoon clinking against ceramic, filling me with comfort against the nasty weather.As I make my way back to my desk, however, I notice something odd.
Steven’s laptop isn’t fully closed.A sliver of light peeks through the gap, casting a thin blue beam across his desk.
I shouldn’t look.It’s not my business.
And yet...
I hesitate, coffee mug warm against my palm, before curiosity wins out.I set my mug down and flip the laptop open with one finger.The screen brightens to reveal a file transfer window.At first, I think nothing of it—probably just backing up his work.But there’s another window behind it.
An email draft.The message field is blank, but the attachment names catch my eye.My heart stutters as I lean closer.These are our files.Not just any files—the secure ones for tomorrow’s event.The files only Caleb and I have access to.
“What the hell?”I mutter, clicking on one of the attachments.The document opens, and I stare at it, my breath caught in my throat.It’s our venue security protocol, with every detail we painstakingly developed over the last month.
“No,” I whisper, my voice barely audible over the pounding of my heart.“No, that can’t be right.”
I click on another attachment.The guest list.Another click.The vendor contracts.With trembling fingers, I navigate back to the email draft and check the sending address.It’s Steven’s, but not his company account.This one is in a different domain entirely.
“Why would Steven...”I trail off, switching to the file transfer window.He’s copying files from a restricted server directory, one he shouldn’t have access to at all.“No, no, no.”My voice shakes as I click through more files, each one confirming what I don’t want to believe.“Why would he do this?It doesn’t make sense.”
A cold wave of shock washes over me, turning my limbs to lead.I grip the edge of the desk to steady myself as the truth crashes down.“Steven is the mole,” I breathe, the words feeling foreign on my tongue.
My mind reels, scrambling to make sense of this revelation.Not Steven—quiet, unassuming Steven with his family photos, his tired smiles, his coffee-stained ties.Steven, who brings homemade cookies from his wife.Steven, who everyone trusts because he’s so forgettable, so...normal.
