Chapter 121
Ethan Blackwood muttered under his breath, “That’s impossible.”
For the past three years, Isabella Sinclair hadn’t touched a computer. Her phone was some obscure brand no one recognized. How could she possibly know anything about hacking? Alexander Kingsley’s expression remained as cold as ever.
“Some people are so trapped in their own delusions, they can’t see the truth,” Alexander said icily. “Stop embarrassing yourself.”
Isabella merely shrugged, a faint smile playing on her lips.
“Earlier, Mr. Kingsley mentioned that certain individuals weren’t invited to this exchange,” she said smoothly. “And yet, uninvited guests somehow slipped in. Coincidentally, since their arrival, the company has suffered a cyberattack. Suspicious timing, don’t you think?”
Ethan’s temper flared the moment he realized he was being manipulated.
“Stop dragging us into this!” he snapped. “What does this have to do with us?”
Isabella, exhausted by people like Ethan, shot back sharply, “Then why are you lurking around someone else’s company? You slipped in and immediately caused chaos. I have every reason to believe you’re intentionally threatening this company’s security.”
Her gaze flicked to Sophia Kensington, who stood frozen beside Ethan. “And Sophia, I never expected you to stoop so low as to conspire with him. Maybe you’re both after company secrets. After all, you do have history, don’t you?”
Sophia felt the ground vanish beneath her feet. “That’s not true!” she protested, but Alexander’s piercing glare silenced her.
“Leave,” he commanded. “Or I’ll have security remove you.”
Within moments, both Sophia and Ethan were unceremoniously escorted out of the building, their faces burning with humiliation under the curious stares of onlookers.
Outside the Charisma Company, Ethan’s fury only intensified.
“The Kingsleys have gone too far!” he seethed, his fingers trembling with rage. He was a CEO, for heaven’s sake—being treated like some common troublemaker was a direct insult to his dignity.
“If Isabella really handled that cyberattack, why didn’t she say anything?” Sophia whined, clinging to his arm. “She made us misunderstand her!”
Ethan clenched his fists, his jaw tight. “She did it on purpose.”
His gaze lifted to the top floor of the building, his face pale with fury. He longed to knock Alexander off his high horse. It was only because Alexander came from a wealthier family that he thought he could act so superior.
Ethan couldn’t even pinpoint the exact source of his anger. Maybe it was jealousy, frustration at seeing Isabella thrive without him, or the sight of her standing beside a man who clearly outshone him in every way.
“Just wait,” he muttered darkly. “I’ll secure the deal with the Everett Group.”
He swore to himself that he would make Isabella regret ever crossing him.
Meanwhile, representatives from several companies attending the exchange had been led away by staff for a guided tour. They had all sensed Alexander was cleaning house and wisely kept their heads down.
“You should focus on your tasks instead of wasting time on gossip,” Alexander said, his voice colder than winter frost. “Or do you not understand what’s most prohibited in a workplace?”
Marcus Wainwright, the ringleader of the troublemakers, suddenly paled. “Apologies, Mr. Kingsley. We didn’t mean to—”
“Your year-end bonuses are docked,” Alexander cut in sharply.
“Yes, Mr. Kingsley,” Marcus mumbled.
Alexander then turned to Isabella, his expression softening slightly. “Thank you, Miss Sinclair. If the database had been breached, it would have been disastrous.”
His gaze held hers, sincere and weighted. “And your skills are impressive. You even upgraded the firewall. Every hacker I’ve consulted agrees—it’s flawless.”
