Fated to the Ruthless CEO

Devlin and Amber are on their way to the investors’ meeting. It was another emergency meeting that Devlin had to attend. He needs to explain to the investors the status of his company, especially the financial aspect. While he has no problem seeking additional funds to bolster the company’s financial standing, he is determined to avoid depleting the wealth he inherited from his late grandmother. His ultimate goal is to resolve the issues permanently.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I assure you that right now I have expert and dedicated investigators who are doing their jobs to finally solve all the issues in this company once and for all. I can’t give you more details right now regarding the investigation, but I can assure you that we will find our mastermind before the set deadline.” Devlin said with finality.

Everyone was talking at once when he took his seat. He was clear that he would not answer any questions right now regarding the internal investigation. He just wanted to assure the investors that the company had enough funds to recover. They just needed to make sure that no news would come out from their internal issues.

He looked around at everyone. He saw the dissatisfied look from some investors. He understood them since their money was also at stake. He couldn’t show any weakness right now amidst all this chaos.

As Devlin scanned the room, he noticed Sarah Griffin raising her hand. She is one of those long-standing and most vocal investors. She had a reputation for being relentless when it came to holding the company accountable.

Sarah spoke up, her voice measured but filled with concern. “Mr. Wesley, I appreciate your assurance, but we need more than just promises. I commended you for how you turned around the company five years ago. However, this time is different. Inflation rate is extremely high. Another let down in the company would mean huge trouble this time.” Sarah spoke with conviction.

“And what do you have in mind, Ms. Griffin?” Devlin asked casually with his serious look. He can’t be deterred by no one especially now that they are getting close to the end.

“Well, we need transparency. We want to know updates of your investigation.” Her statement made Devlin’s face more serious.

“Rest assured that as soon as we have substantial progress or any significant updates, we will communicate them to all our stakeholders promptly. Our goal is to resolve this as swiftly as possible while ensuring a thorough investigation. So for now, let our investigators do their job.” He looked at everyone’s faces right now.

The room fell into a brief silence as Ms. Griffin nodded, seemingly satisfied with Devlin’s response. Other investors exchanged glances, and a sense of cautious optimism began to fill the room. It was clear that Devlin’s commitment to transparency had resonated with many.

And just like in the past, Devlin knew he had to strike a balance between reassurance and accountability, and he was determined to steer the company through these difficult times while maintaining the trust of its investors.

On the other hand, Abby was busy discussing with Agent Smith about her own investigation.

“I am so glad that you shared such crucial information with me for our investigation,” Agent Smith acknowledged. “Now that we have the mastermind’s name, we can start to narrow down our investigation. But we also need to uncover his network of accomplices within the company. I’m certain he’s had several confidantes who aided him. By speaking to these individuals, we can gather insights into what motivated this trusted man to target Mr. Wesley and his company.

Abby nodded in agreement, her eyes reflecting the seriousness of their task. “You’re absolutely right. We should not waste any time.”

“We should continue this discussion together with my team. It’s high time we devise a solid plan to apprehend this individual. He’s proven to be incredibly cunning, but I am confident that it is a matter of time now that we will catch him.” Agent Smith declared. They stood up to go to the room where all Agent Smith’s team were busy with their investigation.

Agent Smith turned to his team, addressing them with conviction. “Everyone, I want to introduce you to Ms. Abby, who’s going to be a valuable asset to our investigation. I’ve had the privilege of working alongside her in the past, and I can vouch for her exceptional skills. Abby pursed her lips, not wanting to contradict his statement. She felt the weight of everyone’s eyes on her.

To them, they saw a beautiful, confident woman in her mid-20s, dressed in a sharp, formal office suit. Her soft features and slender body might have led some to doubt what she could do.

Agent Smith, sensing the hushed conversations from his team, offered a subtle but confident smile to the team. He knows that Abby has nothing to prove to no one. She is one of the best agents he has ever known.

“Just for your information everyone,” Agent Smith declared, addressing his team members. “Ms. Abby has just provided me with the name of the culprit that we are looking for. I want each and every one of you to get to work, as it’s going to be a very long day.” he gestured to a nearby chair and pulled it out for Abby, a gesture of appreciation for her valuable contribution.

As soon as Agent Smith began outlining his plan, the room buzzed with activity. People hastily grabbed their notepads, laptops, and communication devices, eager to execute the mission. The atmosphere was electric with a sense of urgency and determination.

It was Abby who briefed everyone as to the identity of their mastermind. She took the stand and started her impromptu presentation.

“I have been following this guy for more than a week now. So far, I haven’t seen any serious evidence that would link him to our case but I found tidbits of information that led me to him. That is enough reason to dig more deeper on him.

A team member chimed in while Abby was about to finish her report, “Do we have any information of any known associates?”

Abby, who had taken her seat, spoke up confidently. “I’ve been working on profiling his associates. We might finally have the breakthrough we’ve been waiting for.”

A seasoned field agent added, “Let’s coordinate with the local authorities and set up surveillance teams. We need to ensure every possible exit point is covered if ever our guy would think of escaping.”

Agent Smith nodded in agreement. “Good idea. Let’s get in touch with our contacts and assemble the teams. Time is of the essence.”

The room was abuzz with activity as the team quickly divided tasks, gathered necessary equipment, and set their plan into motion. It was clear that everyone was dedicated to bringing their mastermind to justice, and they were ready for the challenging day ahead.

An hour had passed when two of the team members returned, having just concluded their interrogation of the employees in the accounting department. They entered the room, carrying a stack of files that were in dire need of Agent Smith’s scrutiny.

As they settled at the table, Agent Smith wasted no time in getting straight to the point. He turned his inquisitive gaze toward them and asked, “Did either of you stumble upon anything essential to our investigation?”

The first team member, Jane, began with their findings, “Well, during our interviews, we found out a rather peculiar pattern. It appears that a substantial number of employees within the accounting department have been terminated from their positions over the years.” She paused for a moment, allowing the gravity of this revelation to sink in.

Dave, the other team member, chimed in, “That’s right. The individuals we spoke to earlier were, for the most part, relatively recent additions to the department. In fact, the most tenured employee among them has only been with the company for a mere two years. The rest were predominantly brought on board just last year.”

Agent Smith leaned forward, his expression deep in thought. “That’s very interesting,’ he murmured, processing this new information. “Could there be a connection between these frequent terminations and our current investigation?” He looked around at everyone but he looked at Abby for a few moments.

The room fell silent as everyone contemplated this possibility, fully aware that they were now on the cusp of uncovering a significant piece of the puzzle.

Abby interrupted, her curiosity piqued. “Do you happen to know who is in charge of the hiring and termination process?”

Jane replied with a hint of hesitation, “Well, they all go through the HR department for the preliminary interviews and reviews.”

Abby’s interest deepened as she probed further, “But what about the final interviews and the approval of their hiring? I’m guessing it must be someone else other than Mr. Wesley?”

Jane and her colleague exchanged knowing glances before revealing, “Actually, that responsibility lies with someone in the financial department.”

Abby’s eyes widened in astonishment. She couldn’t fathom the level of trust Devlin had placed in this individual . She shook her head in disbelief.

Meanwhile, Devlin’s meeting with the investors was about to end. He was elated by how smoothly the meeting had gone. The investors had unanimously expressed their support for him despite the current issues.

“Congratulations! You were absolutely brilliant in there,” Amber exclaimed proudly as they sat together in the car.

“Thank you, wife,” Devlin replied, his eyes sparkling with gratitude. “Having you there by my side made all the difference. Your presence gives me the confidence to face everyone.”

A warm smile graced Amber’s lips as she gazed at her husband. “I love you,” she whispered, leaning in for a quick, affectionate kiss.

Devlin couldn’t resist playfully teasing her. “Hey, that’s not how you do it,” he said with a mischievous grin, pulling her gently closer. He leaned in and planted a passionate, lingering kiss on her lips. When he finally pulled away, Amber’s eyes remained closed, her cheeks flushed.

Devlin chuckled softly at her response. “You’re blushing, wife,” he teased, his fingers gently tracing her cheek. Amber could only roll her eyes at him, but her smile gave away her true feelings.

“You should be hungry by now, wife. Want to have a lunch date with me?” Devlin asked while giving her a wink. She could not resist her soft giggles.

“I am definitely starving.” She simply smiled at him.