Chapter 7: The Phantom Employee
Location: Leo's Office, Midnight
The office was dimly lit, the only light coming from the desk lamp that cast shadows on stacks of files scattered across the table. Marco entered, holding a folder, his face a mixture of confusion and urgency.
"Boss, you're not going to believe this," Marco said, placing the file on the desk.
Leo glanced up, his piercing eyes locking onto Marco. "What now?"
Marco slid the file closer. "I ran a check on Kai, like you asked. Background, affiliations, addresses—it's all... empty."
Leo's brow furrowed as he opened the file. Page after page contained nothing but basic information: a name, an address, a birthdate. No employment history, no connections, nothing substantial.
"It's like he doesn't exist," Marco said, his voice tense. "But that's not the weirdest part."
Leo's eyes narrowed. "What is it?"
Marco hesitated before continuing, "Kai isn't just some random guy. He's listed as an employee in your company."
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The Shocking Revelation
Leo's expression hardened. "What?"
Marco nodded. "The payroll records confirm it. He's been working as a mid-level analyst for the past two years. Quiet, never caused any trouble. Just another face in the crowd."
Leo slammed the file shut, his mind racing. "How did I miss this? Why would someone like him—if he's really involved in all this—work in my company?"
"It doesn't add up," Marco admitted. "But maybe that's the point. He's been hiding in plain sight."
Leo leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled under his chin. "Find out everything you can about his time here. I want to know who hired him, who he reports to, every detail. No one gets into my company without me knowing."
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Kai's True Intentions
Location: Kai's Apartment
Kai sat in his living room, the dim glow of his laptop illuminating his calm face. On the screen was a detailed map of Leo's company—every department, every office, every name.
He sipped his tea, a faint smile playing on his lips. Working in Leo's company had been a calculated move, a way to observe and control without drawing attention.
His phone buzzed with a message:
"They're digging into your file."
Kai's fingers flew across the keyboard as he replied:
"Let them. There's nothing to find."
He leaned back, his mind already ten steps ahead. Leo was starting to connect the dots, but by the time he figured out the truth, it would be too late.
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Leo's Growing Suspicion
The next morning, Leo walked through his company's main lobby, his eyes scanning the employees bustling around him. Any one of them could be working for Kai—or worse, helping him stay hidden.
He made his way to the HR department, where Marco was already waiting with a stack of personnel files.
"We pulled everything on Kai," Marco said. "Here's what we've got."
Leo flipped through the documents. They were meticulously clean, almost too perfect.
"Too clean," Leo muttered. "Nobody has a spotless record like this. He's covering his tracks."
Marco nodded. "What's the move, boss?"
Leo's eyes darkened. "We play along. If Kai wants to act like he's just an employee, we'll let him. But I want surveillance on him 24/7. Every move, every word—report it back to me."
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Kai's Advantage
As Leo tightened the net around Kai, Kai remained steps ahead. His calm demeanor at work, his polite interactions with colleagues, and his unassuming nature all played into his cover.
But beneath the surface, he was always watching, always calculating.
And as the game between them intensified, one thing became clear: this wasn't just a battle of power—it was a battle of minds.
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