Page 28 of Falling for the Grump Billionaire

Adrian’s eyebrows shoot up. “Conrad? Your—”

“My CTO,” I say, cutting him off. “One of the most trusted members of my team.”

The words taste bitter, like acid on my tongue. Conrad has been with Kane Enterprises for nearly a decade. The idea that he could be involved in this—betraying me, betraying everything we’ve built—is unthinkable. Almost.

Adrian doesn’t say a word as we leave the data center. He knows better. I’m seething, every muscle in my body tense as I replay the footage in my mind. It doesn’t make sense. Conrad has always been loyal. If he’s involved, it means one of two things: he’s been compromised, or he’s been lying all along.

Neither option sits well.

As I slide into the driver’s seat, Adrian finally speaks. “What’s the move?”

“Keep this between us,” I reply, my voice cold and precise. “No one else knows until I say so.”

Adrian nods, his jaw tightening. “Understood.”

I grip the steering wheel, my knuckles white. This isn’t just about the breach anymore. If Conrad is involved, the rot goes deeper than I realized. And I have no choice but to dig it out, no matter the cost.

The office is quiet when we return. Adrian disappears into his workspace, leaving me alone. I glance at my phone. Eva’s number is at the top of my recent calls, the silence gnawing at me. I tell myself it’s concern for the investigation, but deep down, I know it’s more.

Before I can overthink it, I dial her number. She answers on the second ring, her voice sharp.

“What?”

“We need to meet,” I say. “Now.”

“What’s happened?”

“Another development,” I reply. “It’s better if I explain in person.”

She sighs, exasperation clear. “Fine. Where?”

“My office,” I say. “Thirty minutes.”

Eva walks into my office like she owns it, her green eyes blazing. She carries her notebook, its frayed edges a testament to her relentless drive.

“You’re lucky I was in the area,” she says, crossing her arms.

“I’ll take luck where I can get it,” I reply dryly, gesturing for her to sit.

She doesn’t. “What’s this about?”

I debate how much to reveal. Every instinct tells me to keep her at arm’s length, but if she’s staying in this, she needs to know.

“I found the breach,” I say finally. “Or rather, the person behind it.”

Her eyes widen. “Who?”

“Conrad,” I reply, the name landing like a blow.

Eva’s face hardens at the mention of Conrad’s name, her arms uncrossing as she drops her notebook onto my desk. The sound echoes in the quiet, a punctuation mark to her disbelief.

“Your CTO?” she repeats, leaning forward slightly. “That’s who’s been sabotaging you?”

“That’s what the evidence points to,” I reply, my voice clipped. “But there’s more going on here. Conrad wouldn’t risk everything without a reason.”

Her green eyes narrow as she processes the information. “If he’s as close to your company as you say, he could have access to sensitive information—data that could cripple Kane Enterprises if it got into the wrong hands.”

I nod. “Exactly. And it’s not just the data. Conrad knows how we operate—our protocols, our weaknesses. If he’s sharing that with someone else, the damage won’t stop with a few leaks.”

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