Page 34 of Her Billionaire Bossholes

She nods, her expression serious. "I understand that, Jackson. It obviously isn't a former BioCore employee--it's a current one. We have a mole."

I start to laugh, earning a sneeringly cold look from her. "What? Charlie, come on! Project Prometheus isn't even a real thing."

But Charlie doesn't crack a smile. Instead, her eyes narrow to slits as she straightens herself up, her hands now planted firmly on her hips. All I see is raw determination etched upon her features, her brows furrowed and lips pressed into a thin line. And in that moment, despite my initial amusement, I can't help but feel a prickling sensation of unease creeping up my spine.

"Charlie," Caleb interjects, his tone bordering on frustration. "You can't seriously expect us to believe this nonsense. We have security measures in place—"

She cuts him off with a sharp gesture of her hand. "Your security measures have already proven to be completely unreliable. Or have none of you been listening to a word I've said since I got here?"

I lean back in my chair, crossing my arms defiantly. "And what evidence do you have to support this claim? A random post online?"

"Gah! Why aren't any of you listening to me!" She exclaims, looking like she wants to stomp her foot like a frustrated child. "Each of you have admitted to underestimating me, and yet you're doing the same thing you did when I first got here: doubting every word that comes out of my mouth!"

God, she's hot when she's annoyed. Her brows pinched together, those full lips set into a sexy pout. I find myself momentarily distracted by her appearance, noticing for the first time that her dark curls are, for once, freely hanging down her shoulders and back. The way they cascade in loose waves only adds to her allure, accentuating the fire in her eyes as she challenges us.

But it's not just her physical appearance that mesmerizes me; it's the fire within her, the fierce determination that shines through her eyes. In this moment, as frustration radiates off her, she becomes a force to be reckoned with. It's as if an invisible energy surrounds her, demanding attention and respect.

I quickly shake off my admiration and focus on what she's saying. Charlie's frustration is palpable, her words laced with urgency. It dawns on me that maybe there's more to this than meets the eye. Perhaps it's not just her passionate nature that has led her to believe in this alleged mole.

As Charlie speaks, her words hang heavy in the air, sinking into our consciousness. She paces back and forth, her eyes darting between each of us, imploring us to grasp the gravity of the situation. The weight of her argument begins to settle upon us, like an invisible fog that clouds our initial dismissive attitudes.

"You need to take this seriously. I've been digging deep into this and there are far too many pieces that fit together," she insists, hurrying to continue before we can interrupt her again. "It isn't about the fake project or the lies. It's about the genuine information from this company--your company--that is being leaked on the internet where other people can find and take it. Algorithms, details, processes, experiments! All of your competitors can find this stuff just as easily as I did."

Jackson leans back in his chair and rubs his temples wearily. "Look, Charlie," he begins, his voice filled with a mix of frustration and resignation. "I understand your passion for this matter, but let's not blow it out of proportion. We've had minor breaches before, nothing that has ever caused significant harm. And besides, our competitors would need a team of experts to decipher all that information."

Caleb, usually the calm and composed one, shifts uncomfortably in his seat. "Fine. We'll get someone to handle the leaked information. But we aren't in danger like you said. Calm down."

Of course, she does the exact opposite.

29

JACKSON

Charlie grits the words through her teeth, directing them straight at Caleb. "Calm down?"

He sighs. "Charlie-"

"No, Caleb," she barks, her tone dripping with authority. "It's my job to protect the three of you, whether you like it or not! I know having me here isn't exactly ideal for any of you; you have made it crystal clear to me that you don't want or need me. But the board hired me, not you. And I take my job seriously, do you understand? I am committed to fulfilling the job I've been given whether you like it or not."

The words spill from her lips in one breath, and leave the room in a frustrated, stubborn standoff.

"Now," she begins, a bit of that earlier calm seeping back into her voice, "it's time for new rules and protocols to be implemented. We need to address this data breach, and reinforce security measures to make sure it doesn't happen again. As for the mole, they need to be tracked down and confronted. I have some contacts who can easily get that done--at a cost, of course."

Her tone suggests that the necessity of the situation is more than worth whatever this contact of hers expects in payment. Her voice filled with determination, she stands tall in the center of the room, her eyes locking with each of ours. The weight of her words hang heavy in the air.

"Transparency is key," she asserted, her gaze unwavering. "We cannot afford to operate in the shadows any longer. It is imperative that we establish a culture of openness and accountability within our organization. This means clear communication channels, strict access controls, and comprehensive documentation of every action taken."

Caleb leans forward with a scowl. "That seems a bit drastic, Charlie. Be reasonable."

Leo interjects, his voice laced with frustration. "We've always managed just fine without all this extra security nonsense. Why fix something that isn't broken?"

Charlie fixes them both with an unwavering gaze, her eyes burning with conviction. "You admitted already that this isn't the first occurrence. Clearly, something is broken. You are the ones who need to find reason."

"That's enough," I decide boldly, sitting straighter. "I understand your concerns, Charlie, and your commitment, but we have already clearly expressed our disagreement."

Charlie scoffs and shakes her head, exasperated. "Disagreement? This isn't about disagreement, Jackson. This is about the safety and security of your organizations. Of you!" Charlie's face flushes with anger as she clenches her fists.

I lean back in my chair, trying to maintain a calm demeanor despite the rising tension in the room. "Of course I see that, Charlie. There is clearly some confusion about who is in charge here."

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