Chapter 8 #3
Ethan sits behind his massive mahogany desk, looking every inch the intimidating CEO in his perfectly tailored charcoal suit.
His dark hair is slicked back without a strand out of place, and his amber eyes hold that cold calculation that’s made competitors wet themselves.
At six feet tall with his trim beard and sharp features, he commands the room even when he’s sitting down.
Jake sprawls across the leather couch against the wall, looking perfectly at ease despite being in his brother’s domain.
My older brother is the complete opposite of Ethan.
Where Ethan is all sharp edges and controlled intensity, Jake radiates casual confidence.
His expensive suit is slightly rumpled, his dark hair mussed like he’s been running his hands through it, and his tie is loosened.
His hazel eyes sparkle with amusement. He may be Ethan’s twin but you’d never know it from looking at them.
The only thing they share is their height and their terrifying competence in the corporate world.
Jake’s made a name for himself as one of the most ruthless corporate lawyers in the city, though he hides it behind an easy smile and relaxed demeanor. There’s a grin playing at the corners of his mouth even now that immediately puts me on edge.
“How’s the investigation going?” Ethan asks without preamble.
“Well, I’ve been assigned to the Serastra project, which you already know, so…”
“So?” Ethan gives me an expectant look. “I need an update.”
“That’s the only update I have,” I throw myself into his visitor’s chair, stretching my legs and getting comfortable. “These things take time. You know that.”
“There’s a lot riding on this project, Caleb.” Ethan gives me a stern look.
I roll my eyes. “Relax, Ethan. I’m handling it.”
“Don’t be ungrateful, Caleb. Six months ago, Ethan would have been shouting all this at you. At least he’s asking nicely,” Jake laughs.
I study Ethan. “True. Natalie has really domesticated you, hasn’t she? You’re all bark and no bite now.”
“He’s got bite, but no teeth.” Jakes laughs at his own joke while Ethan looks between the two of us.
“If I were you, I’d be less concerned with your little clown routine and more concerned about the CCTV footage from the New Years party you two threw at Mom and Dad’s place,” Ethan says calmly.
My eyes narrow. “What footage?”
“The one where you took out Dad’s limited edition from the garage for a joyride and then crashed it into the garage door.” Ethan has a cool smile on his face as he watches the two of us.
Jake and I immediately stop snickering.
“You wouldn’t,” I glare at him. “I wiped the cameras. How did you get—?”
“I have my ways.” My older brother just studies me. “What were you saying about me being domesticated again?”
“Me?” I blink innocently, knowing when I have been beaten. “Did I say domesticated? I meant more business-savvy. Right Jake?”
“That’s what I heard.” Jake grins. “Now about that footage you’re talking about.”
“I’m not deleting it,” Ethan says nonchalantly. “I’m sure I’ll need it in the future.”
“You can’t do that!” I scowl before looking at Jake. “That’s illegal. You’re the lawyer! Do something!”
Jake shrugs. “He’s got more dirt on me than what's on that video. Leave me out of it.”
I glare at Ethan, knowing that if Dad gets a hold of that footage, he’ll kill me. Then a thought occurs to me, and I begin to smile. “Fine. I’ll just ask Natalie to help me. She likes me.”
“Leave my fiancée out of this,” Ethan snaps.
“Why?” I say mockingly. “She’s the only one who can control you.”
Ethan’s eyes narrow. “Never mind. Stop wasting time. I need to show you something.”
He taps his screen, and I walk around his desk. He seems to have a video paused. On closer inspection, I realize it’s the hallway on the seventh floor. I glance at Ethan, and he hits play.
The timestamp is ten at night. A member of the janitorial staff wheels in his cart.
His face is covered with a ball cap. He leaves the cart in the hallway and goes inside the office I share with Eve and the others.
Time moves along, but he doesn’t come out.
Then an hour later, he emerges, pocketing something, and walking down the hallway to the emergency exit that leads to the stairs.
The cart remains untouched.
I frown at the scene. “When was this?”
“Wednesday night,” Ethan replies grimly. “Someone from the security office flagged the video, and I just heard about it this morning.”
“What about the footage from inside the office?” I ask, and in response, Ethan pulls up another video. On hitting play, it shows the man entering the office and pointing something towards the camera. The screen turns dark.
“What the hell was that?”
“I don’t know,” Ethan says, his voice tight. “I already asked the janitorial staff. According to them, the floor was scheduled to be cleaned at eleven. Whoever this person was, he knew of the schedule.”
Silence fills the room after his words, and I let out a gust of air. “He definitely took something. We have so much crucial information, guest lists, vendor lists. Everything is locked up under passwords, but I have a feeling it’s not as safe as we thought.”
Ethan gives me a grim look. “The launch is in three months. I want it to be smooth, Caleb.”
“I know.”
“What is going on here?” Natalie’s voice breaks the tension just as the door opens.
Ethan immediately minimizes the screen, and I realise he doesn’t want Natalie to know of this. I wonder why.
“Ethan?” She gives him a curious look.
I immediately turn to her, putting on my most pitiful expression. “Ethan’s trying to get me in trouble with our father. He’s got a video.”
“Oh, the Ferrari video?” Natalie chuckles. “I can’t believe you crashed it into the garage door. How drunk were you two?”
“I wasn’t the one driving,” Jake points out lazily. “Caleb wanted to get more beer.”
“You know about the video?” I gape at Natalie.
“Of course. I was the one who told him it could be good leverage against you two.”
Ethan gets to his feet, his hands in his pockets. “Well, I suppose complaining to my fiancée is no longer an option.”
Natalie glances at him, looking surprised. “You’re actually blackmailing them with it? I was just joking.”
He grazes her cheek with his knuckles, his voice lowering several octaves. “Your word is law.”
I watch my brother and gag loudly. “Get a room.”
“You get out,” is Ethan’s retort.
Natalie bats his hand away, her cheeks a pinkish hue. “I’m not here to flirt. I wanted to give you the list of candidates for the new finance head. We also have a prenatal checkup in the evening, so we need to leave early.”
Ethan is about to say something when Jake jumps at the opportunity. “I can take you, Natalie. I mean, as the Godfather of your and Ethan’s kid, I should be helping out—”
“You’re not the Godfather.” Natalie blinks. “Who told you you are?”
Jake grins. “I dare you to name a better candidate than me.”
“Nick.” Natalie doesn’t skip a beat. “You and Caleb are out of the running. I’m not having lunatics who crash cars into garage doors looking after my baby.”
Jake sighs. “I told you I wasn’t driving.”
She just rolls her eyes at him. “You let Caleb get behind the wheel. Besides, I know all about your little bet with Ethan. Not happening.”
“You tattled?” Jake hisses at his twin, offended. Ethan shrugs.
“Anyway.” Natalie looks at me.“How’s your investigation going?”
I make a face and sprawl into the chair across from Ethan’s desk, deliberately casual. “The investigation’s going fine. I got assigned to the Serastra 70 project with Eve Lopez, so whoever tries to leak the campaign data will have to go through both of us.”
“Who’s Eve Lopez?” Jake asks when Natalie raises her brows.
“His college mate. The two don’t get along.”
Jake straightens up, a glint in his eyes. “There’s somebody immune to your charm, Caleb? Is she the reason you’re working so hard these days?”
His words and the casual tone he’s using has me narrowing my eyes. I tilt my head to the side to look at him. “What’re you talking about?”
“How do you know Caleb’s working hard?” Ethan questions him.
Jake just shrugs. “He’s putting in overtime.”
“I don’t put in overt—” I cut myself off, freezing. Jake’s watching me, a sly smile on his face.
There’s no way…
“I was catching up on some work last Friday,” Jake grins at me. “And Caleb’s location was showing him in the building—”
“My location?” I sit up straight. “Are you tracking my phone?”
My brother shrugs. “I track all your phones.”
Ethan frowns. “What?”
Jake doesn’t look repentant in the least. “It’s a fun little hobby I have.”
“Which is probably illegal.” Natalie points out.
“I don’t track your phone, Natalie,” Jake beams at her. “I respect your boundaries.”
“But not your siblings’?” Natalie asks slowly.
“Apparently not,” Ethan says slowly.
I take out my phone. “That’s not creepy at all.”
“What I was saying was,” Jake continues, “that I saw Caleb hard at work. Around midnight. Slaving away.”
I press my lips together, knowing exactly what he must have seen.
“Yes, well,” I clear my throat. “I like to give a hundred percent when Ethan hires me for his little tasks.”
“You’re nothing if not professional,” Jake drawls, the corner of his lips twitching. “You make me want to strive to be as dedicated.”
Asshole.
Getting to my feet, I walk over to him and pat him on the shoulder. “You’ll get there eventually.”
Jake sneers at me. “I can only hope.”
“I don’t know what the two of you are up to now, but I want that mole found, Caleb.”
“I’m working on it.” I head out of the office, knowing that if I stay, Jake’s going to let slip something from my Friday escapade. Before leaving the room, I meet Ethan’s gaze and give a small nod.
I’ll look into this matter.
Making my way to the seventh floor, I aim straight for the vending machine, my stomach growling after that meeting. The machine eats my dollar twice before finally dispensing a bag of pretzels and a Coke. Nothing like processed carbs and caffeine to fuel the afternoon.
As I’m walking back toward our desks, the elevator dings, and Eve steps out, specks of glitter still in her hair. She’s smiling, a smug look on her face which has my hackles rising. More so when she beams at me as if we don’t hate each other.
The woman is up to something. She settles at her desk and places the paperbag in a drawer, locking it. Our eyes meet once again, and I just know she’s planning something.
And I have a bad feeling about it.