Chapter 18: The Truth Behind the Login

I barely slept.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the suspension letter lying on the kitchen counter.

By seven the next morning, I was already standing in Adrian's penthouse kitchen with a mug of coffee that had long since gone cold.

"You haven't taken a single sip," Adrian said as he walked in.

"I forgot I was holding it."

"Understandable."

He loosened his tie before pouring himself a cup.

"Today's the day," he said.

"You sound confident."

"Because I am."

"What if the badge logs don't tell us anything?"

"They will."

"How can you be so sure?"

He looked at me with a calm smile.

"Because people lie."

"Systems usually don't."

An hour later, Adrian and Nora entered Carter Global through the executive entrance while Lily and I waited at a nearby café across the street.

Officially, I wasn't allowed inside the building.

Unofficially, I was watching everything unfold through Nora's constant updates.

My phone buzzed.

Nora: "We're meeting security now."

Five minutes later.

Nora: "Badge logs exist."

Another message.

"Something's wrong."

My heart immediately started racing.

"What happened?" I typed.

Before Nora could reply, my phone rang.

"Emma," Adrian said.

"Come to the underground parking garage."

"I'm suspended."

"I know."

"Then..."

"Trust me."

Twenty minutes later, Lily dropped me near the executive parking entrance.

Adrian was already waiting.

"Come on."

"Are you sure this is okay?"

"Not remotely."

"Then why are we doing it?"

"Because someone inside this building framed you."

"And I'm done playing by their rules."

He led me through a private service corridor until we reached the security control room.

The head of building security, Mr. Collins, greeted Adrian with a nod.

"Morning, sir."

"Morning."

"Everything ready?"

"Yes."

Mr. Collins looked at me.

"Miss Hayes."

"Good morning."

"Let's see what we have."

He pulled up the building access records.

"Server floor."

"Date of leak."

"Between 10 p.m. and midnight."

A list appeared on screen.

Only four people had entered.

The overnight systems engineer.

The cleaning supervisor.

One IT administrator.

And...

I frowned.

"That's impossible."

"What?" Adrian asked.

"My badge."

Entry recorded: Emma Hayes.

11:39 p.m.

"But I wasn't here."

"We know," Adrian said.

"Look at the exit log."

Mr. Collins scrolled further.

Everyone had an exit record.

Except one.

"Emma Hayes."

"No exit?" I whispered.

"Exactly," Adrian replied.

"Which means someone used your badge to enter... but never used it to leave."

"How is that possible?"

"Unless..."

Nora finished the sentence.

"...they left using someone else's badge."

Silence filled the room.

"Can we match the timestamps?" Adrian asked.

"Already doing it," Mr. Collins replied.

A few seconds later another report appeared.

"Interesting..."

"What?"

"The IT administrator left exactly thirty-two seconds after Emma's badge disappeared from the system."

"Who was the administrator?" Adrian asked.

Mr. Collins enlarged the screen.

Employee:

Victor Hale.

Senior IT Infrastructure Manager.

I frowned.

"I've seen him before."

"Everyone has," Nora said.

"He's been here for nine years."

"Does he have administrator privileges?" Adrian asked.

"Full access."

"Including password resets?"

"Yes."

My eyes widened.

"He could've reset my password."

"Yes."

"Deleted the approval record."

"Yes."

"Copied my credentials."

"Yes."

"And leaked the files."

"Possibly."

Adrian folded his arms.

"We're close."

"Not close enough," Mr. Collins interrupted.

"Why?"

"This is circumstantial."

"We need proof he actually transferred the documents."

Before anyone could respond, Nora's laptop chimed.

"Guys..."

"What?"

"Corporate Communications just sent over the reporter's email history."

"Anything useful?"

"Very."

She opened the attachment.

"Reporter Ryan Brooks received anonymous emails."

"From Victor?" I asked.

"No."

"They're anonymous."

"Then?"

"But whoever sent them forgot to remove one attachment's metadata."

"Meaning?" Adrian asked.

Nora smiled for the first time all morning.

"The document was created on Victor Hale's workstation."

Nobody spoke.

"That's it," I whispered.

"That's our proof."

"Not yet," Adrian replied.

"Metadata can be challenged."

"Then what do we need?"

"A confession."

"You think he'll admit it?"

"No."

"Then?"

Adrian looked toward the glass wall overlooking the security office.

"We'll make him think we already know everything."

"That's risky," Nora said.

"It's necessary."

An hour later, Victor Hale was called to Executive Conference Room B.

Officially, it was a routine cybersecurity review.

Unofficially...

It was a trap.

Through the one-way observation glass, I watched Victor walk in.

Mid-forties.

Perfectly pressed suit.

Calm expression.

Too calm.

Adrian entered moments later carrying only one folder.

He placed it on the table without opening it.

"Morning, Victor."

"Morning, sir."

"Take a seat."

"Of course."

"I only have one question."

Victor smiled politely.

"Anything."

Adrian leaned forward.

"Why did you use Emma Hayes to steal the Morrison files?"

Victor's smile disappeared.

Only for a fraction of a second.

But it was enough.

Adrian saw it.

I saw it.

Nora saw it.

Victor recovered almost instantly.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Really?"

Adrian slowly opened the folder.

"That's interesting..."

"Because this folder says otherwise."

Victor stared at it.

His confidence faltered.

The problem?

The folder was completely empty.

Adrian had been bluffing.

And judging by the fear in Victor's eyes...

The bluff had worked.