Chapter 7 · Hidden Marriage, Stolen Dreams, Now I Checkmate the CEO

The three-day deadline from the legal department had come and gone. I hadn't turned in the USB drive.

The next morning, when I got to work, there was a cardboard box sitting on my desk.

Nina was standing nearby, her face dark. "Your desk got moved. Sunny said you can't stay in the core area while you're under investigation, so now you're in the storage room behind the lobby on the first floor."

I stared at the box. Inside were my water bottle, a couple of books, and a cactus. "Who moved my stuff?"

"The admin team. They came super early and did it. They even cleared out your personal locker."

I picked up the box and headed downstairs.

The storage room was at the end of the hallway behind the lobby, right next to where the cleaning lady kept her mops.

Inside, there was a folding table and a plastic chair, and on the table sat a computer the company had phased out five years ago.

Nina followed me down and paused in the doorway. "Sofia, are you really going to take this?"

I set the cactus in the corner of the table. "It's not about taking it. I'm waiting."

"Waiting for what?"

"Waiting for everyone to think I've already lost."

Nina looked at me for a few seconds, then turned and walked away.

At noon, Sunny came down to the first floor.

She slowed down as she passed the storage room, glancing inside.

I was sitting at the folding table, sorting through files on the old computer.

"Sofia." Sunny stopped in the doorway. "Sorry you have to put up with this. Once the investigation's over, I'll have someone move you back."

I didn't look up. "No need, Sunny. It's quiet here. Good for getting work done."

She stood there for a couple more seconds, then let out a little laugh and walked away.

At two in the afternoon, I got an email in my personal inbox.

It was from Harrison Group HR.

It read: [Ms. Summers, Mr. Harrison would like to meet with you this Friday. If you're available, please reply with a time and place.]

I stared at the email, my fingers hovering over the keyboard for a long time. Then I closed my inbox.

It wasn't the right time.

If I jumped ship now, Theo would pin the leak on me for sure. I had to deal with Sunny's trap first before I could make my move.

*****

At eight o'clock that night, I was still sitting in the storage room. Most people had already left the building.

I heard two people talking in the hallway. Sunny's voice was unmistakable, and she was talking to Brian from legal.

"Brian, when's that investigation report coming out?" Sunny asked.

"Ms. Smith, it's tough. Sofia won't hand over the USB drive, so we're unable to build a case without it," Brian replied.

"Then process it under the non-cooperation clause," Sunny said calmly. "Company policy states that employees who refuse to cooperate with internal investigations may be subject to immediate termination."

"Well," Brian paused. "Ms. Smith, Sofia's been here three years, and she's got history with Mr. Ludwig."

"Brian," Sunny cut him off. "Theo gave me full authority on this. Follow protocol."

Their footsteps faded away.

I sat in the storage room, the curtains open. In the glass door at the end of the hallway, I could see Sunny's silhouette as she walked away, her steps steady and deliberate, each footfall echoing on the marble floor.

I finished the cold coffee in my hand, then pulled out my phone and brought up the photo of Zack's business card.

I hesitated for a few seconds. Then I put my phone away.

It wasn't time to make that call yet. But it was coming soon.

*****

On the third day, an anonymous post appeared on the company's internal forum. The title read: [Who Really Designed the Ludwig Group's Core Chip?]

The post didn't mention any names, but laid out a timeline.

In 2021, the Ludwig Group's first-gen high-frequency chip was finished. The design team? One person. My employee ID was the only one on the docs. In 2022, the second-gen chip passed client review. The lead designer? Still my employee ID.

By 2023, the Ludwig Group landed the biggest chip manufacturing deal in Sableton. The signature block on the design plan? My employee ID again.

The last line of the post read: [The true architect behind these projects is now stuck in the storage room on the first floor.]

The post was taken down from the internal forum in less than two hours, but screenshots were already all over the place.

Nina sent me the screenshot with a message: [I didn't post it, but I know who did. It's Henry, the guy who changed your permissions. His conscience is eating him alive.]

I didn't reply.

Chapter 7

The three-day deadline from the legal department had come and gone. I hadn't turned in the USB drive.

The next morning, when I got to work, there was a cardboard box sitting on my desk.

I stared at the box. Inside were my water bottle, a couple of books, and a cactus. "Who moved my stuff?"

"The admin team. They came super early and did it. They even cleared out your personal locker."

I picked up the box and headed downstairs.

The storage room was at the end of the hallway behind the lobby, right next to where the cleaning lady kept her mops.

Inside, there was a folding table and a plastic chair, and on the table sat a computer the company had phased out five years ago.

Nina followed me down and paused in the doorway. "Sofia, are you really going to take this?"

I set the cactus in the corner of the table. "It's not about taking it. I'm waiting."

"Waiting for what?"

"Waiting for everyone to think I've already lost."

Nina looked at me for a few seconds, then turned and walked away.

At noon, Sunny came down to the first floor.

She slowed down as she passed the storage room, glancing inside.

I was sitting at the folding table, sorting through files on the old computer.

"Sofia." Sunny stopped in the doorway. "Sorry you have to put up with this. Once the investigation's over, I'll have someone move you back."

I didn't look up. "No need, Sunny. It's quiet here. Good for getting work done."

She stood there for a couple more seconds, then let out a little laugh and walked away.

At two in the afternoon, I got an email in my personal inbox.

It was from Harrison Group HR.

It read: [Ms. Summers, Mr. Harrison would like to meet with you this Friday. If you're available, please reply with a time and place.]

I stared at the email, my fingers hovering over the keyboard for a long time. Then I closed my inbox.

It wasn't the right time.

If I jumped ship now, Theo would pin the leak on me for sure. I had to deal with Sunny's trap first before I could make my move.

*****

At eight o'clock that night, I was still sitting in the storage room. Most people had already left the building.

I heard two people talking in the hallway. Sunny's voice was unmistakable, and she was talking to Brian from legal.

"Brian, when's that investigation report coming out?" Sunny asked.

"Ms. Smith, it's tough. Sofia won't hand over the USB drive, so we're unable to build a case without it," Brian replied.

"Well," Brian paused. "Ms. Smith, Sofia's been here three years, and she's got history with Mr. Ludwig."

"Brian," Sunny cut him off. "Theo gave me full authority on this. Follow protocol."

Their footsteps faded away.

I finished the cold coffee in my hand, then pulled out my phone and brought up the photo of Zack's business card.

I hesitated for a few seconds. Then I put my phone away.

It wasn't time to make that call yet. But it was coming soon.

*****

On the third day, an anonymous post appeared on the company's internal forum. The title read: [Who Really Designed the Ludwig Group's Core Chip?]

The post didn't mention any names, but laid out a timeline.

By 2023, the Ludwig Group landed the biggest chip manufacturing deal in Sableton. The signature block on the design plan? My employee ID again.

The last line of the post read: [The true architect behind these projects is now stuck in the storage room on the first floor.]

The post was taken down from the internal forum in less than two hours, but screenshots were already all over the place.

Nina sent me the screenshot with a message: [I didn't post it, but I know who did. It's Henry, the guy who changed your permissions. His conscience is eating him alive.]

I didn't reply.