Boss undercover series b.., p.42
Boss Undercover Series Bundle, page 42
Jared was still wincing.
“Well, tell her now,” Kyle said, shrugging his shoulders. “I mean, it’ll save you all the hassle, and it will look better than after all that, because, my friend, that’s a big commitment. You’re literally making yourself known to the family. Like you’re literally fucking your big toe in and out with the possibility of future commitment with your girl. And I mean fucking—”
“Kyle, I get the picture,” Zack cut in, silencing Kyle. “But I can’t. I have to focus on the company. That’s a priority—” Then he grabbed a couple of peanuts and shoved them in his mouth.
“And she isn’t?” Jared inputted after nursing the sore area across the back of his head.
“Of course, she is. I just can’t. Not right yet. I have a couple of weeks before the publication of the magazine. And that means time to find out who’s behind those emails and hopefully get my projects back on track. Then…I’ll tell her,” Zack replied.
Jared shrugged his shoulders. “Well, you better get cracking. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen when you do tell her?”
“Death.” Zack froze.
***
Claire
Claire had seen the note on her bedside table. Zack had gone out for an hour. She found herself now unable to sleep. It was half eleven. She had approximately eleven hours till judgment day. And now the nagging thoughts of fear and angst were taking residence again in the pits of her mind. There was no point trying to force herself to sleep. It would be useless. All night she would have temporary insomnia.
Instead, she decided to give Darren a call, wondering how he was doing. As much as she was allowed to be scared for the security of her job, Darren’s actual loss was more derailing than her own. She swiped open her phone as she pinpointed his number and sat up, covers draping across her naked body, listening to the echo of rings. She wasn’t sure he was going to pick up until seventh ring. “Hey, I’m just ringing to check up on you. And…selfishly, I need a friend right now,” she announced, anxiously squeezing her mobile tightly as she anticipated his response. They hadn’t spoken since the first week she’d gotten the email. He had told her how he felt before asking politely if he could spend a week or so without a phone call. It seemed more than overdue, and Claire missed him terribly.
Darren coughed a little before he spoke, his usual energetic voice dead, replaced with a guttural whisper that only made Claire’s heart ache with pain. “I’m okay, Claire. Just—well, tired and…how are you? It’s your meeting tomorrow, isn’t it?”
“Yes. I’m okay. I’m more concerned about you. Have you been eating? Drinking? Have you…gone out of the apartment yet?”
There was a pause on the line. “I’m getting there. Let’s not dwell on me—how are you really feeling, Claire?” he asked.
“Truthfully, I’m scared. I have no idea what they’re going to pitch forward to me tomorrow. I’ve barely slept these past two weeks, and I feel like I won’t get a blink tonight. I just don’t understand why this is happening, but…Darren, you don’t want to hear this. I’m being selfish coming to you with this when—”
“Nonsense, Claire. I’m actually glad you rang up. It helps hearing normality. I want to apologise for being distant the last week. I just really needed some space to—”
“I know. Don’t apologise, Darren,” Claire interjected. “I don’t blame you for wanting space. How…did…” She paused intentionally, fearing the mention of Jonas’s name would break him down.
Darren sighed a little. “I actually went through some of Jonas’s old things that he left at my apartment. I found a list.”
“What did it say?”
“Just about us, really. About our plans. London, stuff like that,” Darren said quietly. “It just proved even more…how Jonas…really loved me. God.” He stopped as he exhaled. “Hearing it said in past tense just doesn’t feel right. He should be here, Claire, and I know I can’t do anything to turn back time, but…god, would I do anything just to have him back.” His tone was getting quieter by the second, and Claire blinked back tears. Darren sounded so dead. It just wasn’t right hearing him sound so defeated, lifeless, and like a stranger. Even before she could get a word in, Darren pushed with another question directed towards her. “So, what about you and Zack?”
Claire held her breath as she attempted to shift away her threatening tears, knowing it would be selfish to cry when he was there on the other line, trying to so hard to keep a brave face on. After what seemed an eternity, she began, “We’re doing fine. Really. I hate speaking about us when—”
“Claire, it’s okay. I want to hear. Please,” Darren interjected, no raise in his voice, still that equal dead tone. It was so right, a part of him had died when Jonas had gone.
Claire sniffled as she found courage to continue, “We’re good. I mean—he’s coming with me to my brother’s wedding.” Her tone piped up a little as she attempted to cut away the dismal atmosphere lingering between them both.
“That’s great. He’ll meet your family then,” Darren said.
“Yeah, he…will. Darren, are you sure you don’t need me to come over?”
“Claire, I’m okay. Just having this phone call is enough for me. I know you have my best interest at heart, babes. But I’m okay.” Just hearing him call her that term of endearment, the one he’d always use day in and day out at work, reminded her just for a second that the old Darren was still there. Not lost. Not lost at sea. Just hidden.
“Okay.”
“Claire, I’m going to go now. I need to continue sorting through…some of his stuff. I’ll call you tomorrow after your meeting. Don’t worry, I’m sure it’s all a misunderstanding,” Darren informed her, then they said their goodbyes before he ended the call. It made her want to cry; the strangle of breath and prickle of hairs across her skin just swarmed wasps of emotion all over her.
She was thankful when she heard the front door click open and then Zack entering the bedroom. He noticed how uneasy she appeared and immediately embraced her in his arms. “You okay?” he muttered against her hair as he sat down on the side of the bed.
“Yeah.”
He smelt of alcohol upon his breath, and it began to entwine with the musky scent of his cologne, indulging all her female hormones into a raging fire. The intense feeling guided her closer towards him, like a silent word of whisper as she hung her arms around his neck. She studied his eyes, holding her breath as she felt his heart hammer against his ribcage. Claire threaded her fingers through his hair as she hungrily kissed his lips. He instantaneously responded with his hands comfortably resting on her hips. He’d only been gone an hour or so, and already her veins were filling with lust once again. Instead, she pulled back, choosing to position herself against his torso as he lay back and willingly accepted that tonight; she just wanted to be held close.
Chapter Two
Zack
Obviously, Zack felt terribly guilty. To think he had the power to turn things around for Claire but choosing instead to remain hidden by the shadows made him feel like a monster. After watching her pace the apartment floor endlessly upon the early hours of the morning, muttering words of encouragement to herself and trying not to have a mental breakdown, it was a wicked play how he obnoxiously pretended alongside, acting as if it wasn’t, he who could end her misery. But as much as Claire was his priority, it was important that he ratted out the mole who was disrupting his projects for sustainability. So, if per se this meeting was her downfall, it would be something he’d be willing to sacrifice. Even if the woman he had confessed he loved was falsely accused.
Claire’s hand squeezed Zack’s one last time before her grip loosened and she headed off into the empty lift. He stood there on the outside, his heart hammering anxiously as the doors slid shut and she disappeared from sight. There was no going back.
Olivia had phoned him earlier to detail the meeting concerning an employee, aka Claire, attending in front of the board over high conspiracy charges against the company. It didn’t take a genius to realise that they were referring to Graves’ tango with the stranger upon his actions of detailing Zack’s plans to Label Works for one, and the many others before that had failed. They just didn’t know it was him. Instead, they were going to make the biggest mistake of their careers sending an innocent employee down for the responsibility of Graves, and that angered Zack. But there was nothing he could do until he sourced out the encrypted soul pulling the strings on Graves and potentially others within the company.
Zack pressed the button to call for the lift. As the CEO, he’d been invited to attend to the meeting, but under the circumstances, it wasn’t possible, therefore he had asked if his presence could remain but through video call and without the picture. It wasn’t questioned nor was Zack Chase’s presence after Olivia had recorded his attendance to work as late due to a dentist appointment. The convenience of dentist appointments. Graves wouldn’t be sniffling at his back.
The doors slid open, and he entered, pressing the number to highest floor. A few other souls joined him in the shaft as they took turns to jab in their floor numbers. Soon, I won’t be seen as invisible, Zack thought. His eyes studied each employee discreetly. Each face would soon recognise Zack and reject their recognition of his father once the publicity was out. But then a certain someone will know. And how would that go down? Zack ignored the thought, knowing the answer to that already.
After, stopping more than several times, Zack finally reached his floor. Olivia was at her desk as he passed, quickly following him like a sheep as she waited accordingly for his instructions. The office looked like it had gained a bit of residence from the specks of dust growing on the surface of the desk, but other than that, it remained the same. He headed for his chair and opened his laptop, dashing the cursor quickly to Skype and ensuring the live video of himself sitting there wouldn’t be projected within the board’s room. It was ten, still another fifteen minutes until it started. He couldn’t help but wonder how Claire must be feeling. Scared? Anxious? Annoyed? Angry? Not that he could blame her. Part of him wondered how Graves had convinced the board under the suspicions of conspiracy.
Olivia stood by, holding her notepad. “Mr. Benson, we have all the prominent members of the board attending except Mr. Johnson and Mrs. Oswald. They’ve had to answer to attend to another one of our establishments elsewhere. But,” she flicked a page over, “the rest will be making a decision upon Miss Claire Winter, an employee within marketing and sales who has been suspended over conspiracy,” she read aloud. “Sir, I don’t mean to pry,” she added, a hint of curiosity embedded within her tone. “But if we know Mr. Graves is our perpetrator, why are we not…pressing him instead?”
Zack swallowed, feeling sweat glisten on his forehead. It was a good question. But his intentions were also logical. “I want to black-mail Mr. Graves into revealing his accomplice. But to do that, I must have him think he is in the clear. Then I’ll worm him in. And find out hopefully who he is working for. We have the emails that clearly put him at fault, but I want the other person. The one behind all of this,” he explained honestly, knowing his wicked play was costing a valuable employee but also his girlfriend.
Olivia nodded. “I see. How do you plan on getting Mr. Graves to reveal his accomplice…when he doesn’t know who this person is himself?”
Another good question. “I haven’t exactly decided that yet. I’m sort of running on a whim. But somehow, I’m going to have Mr. Graves rat him out for me. But for now, he thinks he’s in the clear,” Zack replied, feeling a little less confident.
Their attention was alerted to the incoming notification upon his screen. Zack accepted the Skype call, where it immediately transferred him to a live video of the meeting room. There were a few members of the board sitting around the long conference table, conferring in high discussion already. These were the judges of Claire’s fate.
Someone at the head of the table began to address the group. He was a plump, short man dressed head to toe in a navy blue tailored suit. Each member quietened as they drew their complete attention like magnets towards him.
“Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please. Be aware that Mr. Benson will be listening in on this meeting today. But full powers will be granted to the board concerning our decision,” the man said, the audio sounding like it was being projected from inside a can.
There was complete silence in the room. The man continued. “It’s the nineteenth of October two thousand and sixteen.” He glanced towards his wristwatch. “The time is ten thirty-three. We call upon Miss Claire Winter.” Then he cleared his throat, walking across to his right and out of sight towards where Zack could only presume was the door.
The man returned, attending to his own unclaimed seat, whilst Claire slowly walked towards the head of the table and stood behind the empty chair. She resumed standing until some other voice ushered her to politely sit. She complied obediently. Zack felt sick to the core. Her facial features were enough to show him that she was scared like she just seen a ghost. This was completely unfair and cruel. But getting the information on whoever was manipulating Graves was just more important at this time. She would get this all back.
“Miss Winter, you’ve been called to the board upon inquest concerning evidence revealed two weeks ago relating to your inconspicuous motives towards damaging the company’s investment that have now just been brought into light. Do you accept?” It was the same deep, gruff voice from the short, plump man who addressed Claire. As he had spoken, her face had completely turned pale. She was startled. Zack couldn’t even begin to imagine what she was feeling. What are they talking about? This makes no sense. I haven’t done anything. The countless questions he could only assume were piling up high. At any point, she could be on the brink of tears or filling with anger. He was not to know.
She seemed to remain steady as she responded. “I deny this accusation. I have no idea what I’m being accused of. My intentions for this company are nowhere near malicious. What evidence has been provided to the board to account me as the perpetrator?”
Zack leaned in closer. He could almost sense Olivia edging closer as she stood by watching the laptop screen. There was a pause for four seconds or so until the same man who Zack was starting to believe was the main leading force of the board spoke in reply to her statement.
“Miss Winter, the evidence we’ve collected has numerous exchanges across email between yourself and some other who we believe to be outside contact, conspiring against the company. You’ve revealed and evidently manipulated data from previous projects before that seemed focused on Mr Benson’s plans for sustainable homes. This all comes under your email address. Could you explain?”
One of the female members passed over a couple sheets of paper stapled together to which Zack could only presume was the fatal evidence that Graves must have issued to account Claire as responsible. Her eyes told it all. She looked gobsmacked, utterly cofounded. This was hard to watch.
“This—this isn’t me. I-I never sent these emails,” she objected, shaking her head as she flicked through the sheets, desperately trying to make sense of it all.
“This is so wrong,” he heard Olivia mutter to herself. He couldn’t have agreed with her more. It didn’t even seem right intruding on the discussion.
“But Miss Winter, it’s your email. These were found in the server associated to your name, so we cannot even begin to suggest that they’ve been manipulated. So, what are you trying to say? Has someone else sent them from yours?” the leading figure suggested. “I mean, please.” He chuckled dryly, causing a few to stir and join in. “The evidence is right there.”
Claire shook her head. “But this isn’t me. Someone must have. I have no intentions of disrupting the company. I fully supported these projects. I’ve put time and effort! I consistently smash targets. Why would I threaten my career for this?”
“That’s what we would like to know. After all, you’re right. Your record is good, so please enlighten the board, Miss Winter, why you decided to conspire. Who is this other contact you’re conferring with? Do they work at another company? Why target specific projects?” The man clasped his hands together. His authority oozed within his voice.
Claire frowned. “It’s not me! Please, I have no idea of this. These aren’t mine. You have to believe me. I wouldn’t do this!” Her plea was useless; even Zack could see how the board ignored it like litter being carelessly discarded on a pavement. They had the evidence, evidence that was just too strong to be argued against. Zack wasn’t surprised. Graves had done his work; his outside help had ensured that an innocent employee was about to be sent down.
But couldn’t Zack do something? Couldn’t he just speak? Save her? But the cost. The cost was far too great. It was killing him doing nothing, but his intentions had to stand for something.
“Miss Winter, I think we’ve heard enough. We appreciate your defence, but I think you need to accept your responsibility. Whatever motivated you clearly had gotten the best of you. As the board, we had to decide, a decision we already made even before this meeting. The evidence stands, you’re to blame. So, as it stands, we’re going to have to dismiss you, Miss Winter—”
“What? No, I-I didn’t do anything,” Claire interjected, fear drowning clearly within her face. Zack sighed as he rubbed his forehead, unable to watch any longer. He closed the laptop lid and sunk back into his chair.
Olivia was quiet.
“This is unacceptable, but for now, we must focus on drawing out this outside contact,” he announced, knowing he was trying to justify his lack of support. There was only Olivia within the room. It seemed more appropriate to suggest he was addressing himself.
“Understood, sir. Is there anything else I can do or can I be excused please?” she said quietly, looking down to her black flats.
