Jason's POV
As I stepped into the CEO's floor, I couldn't help but be awestruck. The entire floor screamed power... the sleek interiors, the minimal yet imposing design, the silence that weighed down on you. It was more than just an office; it was a statement. The space reflected his control, his ruthlessness, and the fact that he never tolerated incompetence or betrayal.
I had heard the rumors. Theron Drakos did not believe in second chances. He built an empire by eliminating weaknesses, not fixing them. My throat dried up. And here I was, standing right outside his office after directly messing up with him.
Worse, I didn't even have any proof to clear my name. Isabella had stolen my proposal, and I had nothing to prove it.
Assistant Jane saw me and, for a brief moment, I caught the flicker of sympathy in her gaze before she masked it with professionalism.
"Mr. Brown, he's expecting you," she said, gesturing toward the massive doors.
"Thank you, Ms. White," I replied, forcing confidence into my voice.
I knocked. "May I come in, Boss?"
"Hmmm."
Stepping inside, I met his piercing gaze. Theron Drakos sat behind his desk, exuding an air of control that made even the bravest men think twice before speaking.
"I hear you're one of the best in the sales department," he said without preamble.
I scoffed internally. "I doubt it, sir."
"Is this about what happened today?" He leaned forward slightly, his presence alone making the room feel smaller. "John said you didn't have your proposal... no hard copy, no email record."
"That's not possible. I sent the email as soon as I reached the office today."
"Can you prove it?"
I hesitated. No. When I checked earlier, my sent mail had been deleted. Whoever was behind this played their moves perfectly. In this game of chess, I had been used and discarded like a mere pawn.
"I can't."
Theron studied me for a long moment, as if weighing something.
"Even though I don't tolerate mistakes, you still managed to present the proposal. Yours was good, but Isabella's was great. That doesn't mean you can slack off. Impress me next time."
Wait. Did that mean I wasn't fired? Relief surged through me.
"I won't make the same mistake again, sir," I said, turning to leave.
But something gnawed at me. Did he know? Had he investigated Isabella and found nothing? Was he waiting for me to say something? I wasn't sure, but I couldn't stop myself.
Just as I reached the door, my hand on the knob, I turned back.
"Mr. Drakos, what if I had already submitted my proposal, but someone deleted it?"
His gaze sharpened. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know," I admitted. "I have no evidence, no one to back me up. But I know I sent that email. The proposal was on my laptop. Now it's gone."
"So you're saying someone stole your work?" he asked, his voice unreadable.
"I have no proof. Only doubts."
He watched me for a long moment, his expression unreadable.
"Fine. You can leave."
I had nothing else to say. Sighing, I turned and left, hoping that somehow, he would look into it. But even if he found out the truth, could he really take action against Isabella? Her father would protect her no matter what.
Theron's POV
The moment I entered, Isabella got uncomfortably close, flaunting her assets in a low-cut blouse.
As if that would work on me.
Pathetic.
I didn't even glance at her.
To my surprise, she had volunteered to present her proposal... something she had never done before. And even more shocking? It was good. Too good.
Interesting.
I knew Isabella well. My investigations had shown me everything about her. How she secured deals by seducing elite clients. How she used her connections to cover up failures. She was clever but lacked the actual skills to succeed on her own.
So how did she suddenly manage to impress me today?
I glanced at Jason. His face had turned pale. His reaction was a dead giveaway.
Could it be… she stole his work?
I looked at John, who immediately understood my silent command and discreetly ordered an investigation.
As Isabella continued presenting, I noticed Jason taking notes. Or was he? If it was his proposal, there'd be no reason for notes. He wasn't taking notes... HE was rewriting his entire draft, pretending to note things down. A smirk tugged at my lips. Let's see how good he really is.
Lucas went next. His proposal was decent but wouldn't work for Adkins. Maybe for another project.
Then Jason presented his revised draft. And I smiled slightly.
Impressive. In twenty minutes, he had managed to refine his ideas and present them convincingly. He was clearly talented.
I played along, letting Isabella believe she had won. I even announced that she would lead the project. She left with a smug look on her face. Foolish. She didn't realize I was watching.
Later, when Jason came to my office, I was reviewing security footage or rather, the lack of it. The most crucial moments had mysteriously vanished.
John entered, looking unusually serious. "Boss, is there no way to prove Jason's innocence? That was his hard work."
"I know," I said. "But this wasn't done on a whim. Every detail was planned meticulously. Someone calculated my exact methods and executed their move flawlessly."
John frowned. "As if they know you inside out?"
I lifted my gaze.
He froze. "WAIT. YOU THINK IT'S ME?! How can you suspect me after all these years?"
I sighed. "When did I say I suspect you?"
"You gave me that look!"
I raised an eyebrow. "You can read my thoughts just by looking into my eyes? Impressive. But also wrong."
John exhaled. "Okay, fair. But no one can actually guess what goes on in that cold, expressionless face of yours."
I smirked. "Sounds like you have too much free time. Maybe I should assign you extra work?"
"NO, BOSS. I'm already at maximum capacity," he said, bowing dramatically.
"Jokes aside," I said, returning to the matter at hand, "someone is manipulating Isabella, using her greed and recklessness to their advantage. Find out who."
John nodded. "And Isabella?"
I leaned back. "Let her lead the project. I want to see how she handles a proposal she didn't actually create."
I didn't know that decision was going to be one of the greatest blunders of mine.