Page 68 of Falling for the Grump Billionaire

Eva

The tension in the room is suffocating. Dominic paces back and forth, his sharp footsteps echoing against the marble floor of his penthouse. His phone buzzes incessantly on the table—calls from shareholders, board members, and crisis managers, all demanding answers he doesn’t have.

“They’re circling like vultures,” I say softly, watching him as he pauses by the floor-to-ceiling windows. His silhouette is rigid against the city skyline, his gaze distant but stormy.

“They smell blood,” Dominic mutters bitterly, his voice low. “And right now, they think it’s mine.”

Another buzz. This time, he grabs the phone, glances at the screen, and slams it back onto the table, the sharp sound cutting through the heavy silence.

“What did they say?” I ask, though I already know the answer.

“They want me to step aside,” he snaps. His tone is clipped, filled with barely contained rage. “Temporarily, of course. For the good of the company.”

The venom in his voice is palpable. Dominic Kane, the man who built Kane Enterprises from the ground up, being forced to step aside? It’s unthinkable. But I know how these people operate. They don’t care about loyalty, innovation, or even ethics. All they care about is stability and the bottom line.

“I won’t let them take it from me,” Dominic says, turning to face me. His blue eyes burn with anger, but beneath the fire, I catch a flicker of something else. Fear.

“They won’t,” I say firmly. “Not if we stop this before it spirals any further.”

I mean every word, but the weight of our situation presses on me like an anvil. The latest data leak has eroded confidence in Kane Enterprises, leaving it vulnerable. Add Conrad’s betrayal and the shadow of Victor Reyes, and we’re staring down an abyss that threatens to swallow everything Dominic has built.

Connecting the Dots

I lose myself in the files pulled from Conrad’s encrypted network, determined to find the piece we’re missing. Hours blur together as I sift through strings of code, emails, and financial records. Adrian’s voice crackles through the speakerphone, updating us as his team works tirelessly.

“Eva,” Adrian says sharply, his voice breaking through my focus. “We’ve found something.”

Dominic looks up from where he’s been sitting, his expression taut. “What is it?”

“There’s a pattern in Conrad’s activity,” Adrian explains. “The IP addresses he used aren’t random. They’re connected to a larger network—Vortex.”

The name sends a chill down my spine. “I’ve heard of them,” I say, dread creeping into my voice. “They’re one of the most notorious cybercrime syndicates in the world. Blackmail, sabotage, espionage—you name it.”

Dominic’s jaw tightens. “And now they’re targeting me.”

Adrian continues, “Vortex doesn’t act alone. They’re known for taking contracts from high-profile clients. The only name we’ve managed to connect to them is Victor Reyes.”

Reyes. The name feels familiar, though I can’t place it. “Who is he?” I ask.

“Former hedge fund manager,” Adrian explains. “He was exposed for running a Ponzi scheme a few years ago. After he went under, he vanished. But there’s evidence he’s been funding groups like Vortex ever since.”

Dominic’s expression darkens. “Why would Reyes come after me?”

“Revenge, maybe,” Adrian offers. “Or greed. Someone like Reyes doesn’t move unless there’s profit involved.”

Dominic exhales sharply, his fists clenching. “This isn’t just about Conrad. Reyes is orchestrating this.”

The Puzzle Takes Shape

As the hours pass, the scope of the betrayal grows. Every file we uncover shows how deeply Conrad was embedded in the company’s operations. Each transaction, each leaked piece of data, points back to Reyes and Vortex.

“Look at these payments,” I say, pointing at the screen. “They’re routed through shell companies tied to Reyes. But they’re staggered—small, frequent, designed to slip through unnoticed.”

Dominic leans over my shoulder, the tension in his body radiating like heat. “And the timing matches every major breach Kane Enterprises has suffered.”

“It’s a coordinated attack,” I say. “Reyes used Conrad to dismantle your company from the inside.”

Dominic’s gaze hardens. “Then we dismantle him.”

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