He Lent His Laptop to a Girl for an Interview — Unaware She Was the Disguised CEO!
Chapter 3
Ethan had never expected to see the woman from the hotel again.
But there she was.
Standing in the company cafeteria.
Wearing the same gray coat.
He stopped.
She smiled.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
“You work here?”
She nodded.
“I just started.”
He frowned.
“What department?”
“Operations.”
Ethan smiled.
“That explains why I haven’t seen you.”
She held out a hand.
“Olivia.”
He shook it.
“Ethan.”
“I know.”
He laughed.
“Right.”
She looked at him.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Why did you lend me your laptop?”
Ethan shrugged.
“You looked like you needed help.”
“That’s it?”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t worry I might steal it?”
“I did.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“But you still gave it to me.”
“I figured you looked more nervous than dangerous.”
She laughed.
It was the first time Ethan had heard it.
He liked the sound.
Neither realized how quickly they were becoming comfortable around each other.
Olivia asked about his role.
He explained that he managed operational projects across several divisions.
She listened carefully.
Then she asked,
“Do you trust the executive team?”
Ethan paused.
“That’s a dangerous question.”
“Why?”
“Because everyone hears it differently.”
“What does it mean to you?”
He looked at her.
“It means I think some people care more about protecting themselves than protecting the company.”
Olivia became serious.
“I agree.”
Ethan studied her.
“You’ve been here two days.”
“I notice things.”
“So do I.”
Their conversation was interrupted by the CFO.
“Ethan.”
He turned.
“I need the Portside report.”
“It’s on your desk.”
“And the revised numbers?”
“Already sent.”
The CFO looked irritated.
Then he noticed Olivia.
“Who are you?”
“Olivia Parker. New operations analyst.”
He looked at her.
“Good.”
Then he walked away.
Olivia watched him.
“You don’t like him.”
Ethan smiled.
“Was it that obvious?”
“Yes.”
“Trust your instincts.”
She nodded.
Then Ethan received a message.
We need to talk. Tonight.
It came from an old colleague.
The same colleague who had disappeared six months earlier after raising concerns about the company’s finances.
Ethan’s expression changed.
Olivia noticed.
“Everything okay?”
“Not really.”
“What happened?”
“I don’t know yet.”
That evening, Ethan met his former colleague in an underground parking garage.
The man handed him a flash drive.
“Don’t open this on a company computer.”
“What is it?”
“Everything.”
“Everything?”
“The procurement fraud.”
“The shell companies.”
“The fake invoices.”
Ethan stared at him.
“Who is behind it?”
His colleague looked terrified.
“People you see every day.”
He walked away.
Ethan stood alone.
He didn’t know that Olivia was following a separate lead toward the same truth.
And they were about to discover that the corruption went all the way to the top.
