A Man Saved a Female CEO’s Life One Night—Then Walked Into Her Company for an Interview the Very Next Morning
Chapter 5
The investigation became secret.
Only Victoria, Ethan, the company’s general counsel, and security chief Marcus Reed knew about the fraudulent shipments.
Everyone else continued working normally.
Victoria instructed Ethan to keep doing his job.
“Why me?” he asked.
“Because whoever is doing this doesn’t suspect you.”
“They know I saved you.”
“They know that.”
“Then they suspect me.”
“Not yet.”
Ethan frowned.
Victoria lowered her voice.
“You’re new. You have no alliances here.”
“So I’m useful.”
“Yes.”
He nodded.
“I can work with that.”
For the next two weeks, Ethan quietly mapped the company’s shipping system.
He compared purchase orders.
Delivery times.
Warehouse records.
Vendor payments.
Something kept bothering him.
The fake shipments weren’t random.
They occurred on specific nights.
Usually between midnight and 3:00 a.m.
Ethan checked security logs.
The cameras had been turned off during those hours.
Not all cameras.
Only cameras covering one section of the underground loading dock.
He brought the information to Marcus.
“Who has access?”
Marcus frowned.
“Six people.”
“Who?”
Marcus listed them.
Two security supervisors.
A warehouse manager.
A procurement director.
An IT administrator.
And the COO, Thomas Avery.
Ethan recognized the name.
Thomas had been with Halston Technologies for fifteen years.
He was one of Victoria’s father’s closest friends.
He was also the man everyone expected to become CEO before Victoria inherited the position.
That evening, Ethan saw Thomas leaving the executive floor.
Thomas stopped.
“You’re Ethan Carter.”
“Yes.”
“I’ve heard about you.”
Ethan smiled.
“I’ve been here three weeks.”
Thomas laughed.
“You’re the man who saved Victoria.”
“Yes.”
“Hero stories spread quickly.”
Ethan didn’t answer.
Thomas stepped closer.
“You should be careful.”
“About what?”
“People here don’t always appreciate outsiders.”
Then he walked away.
Ethan watched him disappear into the elevator.
Something about the conversation bothered him.
That night, Ethan stayed late.
He returned to the loading dock.
The warehouse was nearly empty.
He examined the security cameras.
Then he noticed a small gap behind one of the panels.
A hidden access point.
He photographed it.
Suddenly, the lights went out.
Ethan froze.
A metallic sound came from behind him.
He turned.
A figure moved between the shelves.
“Who’s there?”
No answer.
Ethan reached for his phone.
The figure ran.
Ethan chased him.
They moved through the warehouse.
Ethan nearly caught him near the emergency exit.
Then the attacker threw something at him.
A metal toolbox struck Ethan’s shoulder.
He fell.
By the time he stood, the man was gone.
But something had fallen from his pocket.
A keycard.
Ethan picked it up.
The name printed on it was clear.
Thomas Avery — Chief Operating Officer.
Ethan stared.
It could have been planted.
But it could also be the evidence they needed.
He immediately called Victoria.
She answered.
“What happened?”
“I found something.”
“What?”
“Thomas Avery’s keycard.”
Silence.
“Where are you?”
“Loading dock.”
“Leave immediately.”
“Why?”
“Because Thomas is standing outside my office right now.”
Ethan’s heart stopped.
He looked toward the warehouse entrance.
A shadow appeared behind the glass.
Then the lights came back on.
Nobody was there.
Ethan tightened his grip around the keycard.
For the first time, he realized someone might be trying to frame Thomas.
And if that was true, the real enemy was much closer than anyone believed.
