Chapter 4
I looked at Edward and almost laughed out loud.
An Ivy League grad? Sophie was so smart, but she couldn't see the physical lock symbol on the projector screen. And he accused me of being at home all day.
"Since you're the genius here," I said, pointing at the password prompt on the screen. "Why don't you unlock it, Miss Lane? Then we can actually start this meeting."
Sophie froze, her eyes darting to Edward for help.
Edward had no clue what the password was. I was the one who set up the security for every piece of equipment in this building.
The mood in the room was suffocating. The investors checked their watches and shuffled in their seats.
"Mr. Grant," one of them said, his voice dripping with annoyance. "If you can't manage to run a simple slide deck, it makes us seriously question the technical competence of your entire operation."
The lead investor stood up and buttoned his jacket.
Edward's face turned red. He shot me a look that promised punishment later. It was a look that said obey me or else."Olivia. The password. Type it in. We will deal with this at home."
Watching him squirm sent a strange rush of satisfaction through me.
I didn't move. I looked at him like he was a bug under a glass.
"Olivia!" He reached out to grab my wrist.
That was when my fingers hit a few keys on the keyboard.
The screen lit up, but it wasn't a business presentation. It was a photograph.
It was a photo of Edward, shirtless and asleep in a hotel bed.
In the corner of the photo, a hand wearing a Cartier bracelet was flashing a peace sign.
That bracelet was the same one wrapped around Sophie's wrist right now.
The room went dead quiet. I could have heard a pin drop.
The photo was blown up on the giant high-definition screen. Every detail was sharp and clear. I could see the dark red mark on Edward's neck.
The investors' mouths fell open. The admin director's remote control hit the floor with a loud crack.
Sophie let out a small shriek, her hand flying to cover the bracelet on her wrist. Her face turned the color of sour milk.
Edward stood there like a statue. For a long moment, his brain seemed to stop working.
Then his face flooded with an ugly shade of purple. Rage, shame, and terror twisted his features.
He lunged for the computer, yanking at the cables.
"Turn it off! Pull the plug, now!" His voice was a wild, desperate roar.
The screen flickered and died.
The room was plunged into a heavy silence, broken only by the sound of Edward's ragged breathing.
"Th-this is a virus!" Edward spun around, his voice shaking as he pointed a trembling finger at me. "This is a hack. Our rivals are trying to sabotage us. Olivia, your laptop must be infected."
He stared at me with wild eyes. The message was clear. "Cover for me. Take the blame. Save the company's image. Do what you always do."
After all, I was the Olivia who loved him more than life itself. I was the one who hid in the shadows to make his star shine brighter.
If this had been yesterday, I might have done it.
I might have said, "Sorry, I clicked a bad link," and swallowed their scorn like a bitter pill.
But as I looked at his twisted face, all I could see was the bottle of pills I flushed down the toilet and the words double hazelnut glowing on a late-night delivery app.
I laughed. It was a soft sound, but in the dead silence of that room, it cut like a knife.
"Mr. Grant, this isn't a virus," I said slowly, pulling the USB drive out and holding it up. "This is a backup. It synced automatically from your private, encrypted 'Memories' folder.
"You told the board that the folder held trade secrets. I guess your definition of 'trade secrets' is a little different from ours. It seems to be mostly photos of Miss Lane."
Edward's face went slack with shock. He never imagined I would expose him like this. I had burned the bridge, salted the earth, and left him standing in the ashes with nowhere to run.
The investors finally understood what they were looking at.
John Warren, the lead investor, let out a cold laugh and picked up his briefcase. "Mr. Grant, I believe this meeting is over.
"We don't invest in founders who can't manage their personal lives, especially when they accidentally show us the evidence during a pitch meeting. And your company's security protocols? Let's say I'm not impressed."
He walked out, and the others followed in a silent line, leaving Edward with his mouth hanging open and no excuse left to give.