Kapitel 10: THE FAILED TRAP

MARK JAMES'S POV

"Why the fuck did brother hire Eli Marks? Did the security team we hired the other day start following him? What were their findings? " I demanded from Bruno Dirk who was my assistant. I had been concerned about Eli being part of Armand Inc and what made it worse was he was hired as brother's Secretary without Jessel Ting and I vetting him.

"You know your brother well. He is a private person and never shares his plans. What happened during the family dinner? The security team reported that he had dinner at his mother's the other day, attending Senator Liam's fundraiser, then went to the club with Chairman Armand and finally went home. "Bruno responded with a frustrated tone.

"He brushed it off and remained tight-lipped even after I informed our Aunties. They scolded him but, in the end, he walked off unscathed and the rest of us remained silent. Jessel Ting has been trying to get intel about Eli Marks, but nothing seems off. I am afraid that Gregory Marks will use him to attack us "I muttered.

"Chairman Armand is meticulous, and he will investigate this attack and draw Beatrice Kyle out until she confesses." Bruno cursed and then added "The hacker I hired is careful and never leaves a trail. "

I dialed my brother's extension from the IP phone on my desk, and he connected the call after the first ring.

"Armand, I warned you about hiring him. The reports from the IT team indicate that he was the one who left his machine overnight and they hacked the system through it." I spoke up.

"Who in the IT team reported such garbage to you?" He growled over the phone and my breath hitched in shock as I never expected such a response from him.

"Armand, the IT team is thorough and would never be wrong about their findings. The hack was traced to Eli's laptop "I responded.

"You know how much I hate sloppiness. Consult with Max before you make such a report to me next time. "He disconnected the call.

"What did he say?" Bruno asked with anxiety.

"Armand knows that Eli was set up and did not believe a word I said. I might have sold myself out by making the call "I whispered.

"Go to the seventh floor and find out what Caleb and Maurice are doing. Give me a brief once done "I instructed Bruno.

He nodded and rushed out of my office as my mind raced and my heart pounded with a mix of disbelief and frustration. The plan I had so carefully crafted, the web of deceit I had spun, has unraveled spectacularly but the failure was a bitter pill, leaving a sour taste in my mouth. I felt the weight of it pressing down on me, a crushing disappointment that settled heavily in my chest.

My hands were trembling slightly, and I could not help but run them through my hair, tugging at the strands in frustration. Eli was a danger to the company, and I wondered why Armand hired him and wanted to protect the son of the man who had been targeting Armand Inc. for years.

I glance around the room; the walls are closing in as if they are echoing my failure. My thoughts are a jumble, filled with the sting of my ineptitude. The plan, once so precise and calculated, now feels like a tangled mess of missteps and misjudgments and I knew that Armand would visit my office sooner rather than later. I stare blankly at the floor, trying to gather my thoughts and figure out how to salvage whatever myself.

The buzzing on my phone jolted me from my thoughts and the caller ID was Jessel Ting. I connected the call, and she yelled over the phone "Mark, what did you do?"

"What do you mean" I feigned innocence in my response.

"Do you think Armand will let you off? You better be ready to face him. This time you messed up "Jessel responded and disconnected the call even before I could utter a word.

Bruno was back two hours later, and he narrated how Beatrice had been questioned and Max had taken her away from the office plus her laptop. The spy Bruno sent informed him that they had disappeared without a trace and Max had come back to the office alone and had a meeting with Caleb and Maurice about the attempted hack and measure on how to cub it. He then left the seventh floor for the executive office to brief Armand on his findings.

"Do you think they were able to trace the hack?" I wondered.

"I doubt it. If they did, Chairman Armand would have been in your office, questioning if you were involved. "Bruno explained.

"He will come. I expect it "I huffed in frustration.

Three hours later, just as I was about to leave the office Armand walked in without knocking and slowly approached my desk. I braced myself for what was about to come and stood up to listen to him.

"Mark, do you have anything to do with the person who attempted to hack our servers and frame Eli?" His voice was sharp and cutting, and it grated against my nerves like nails on a chalkboard.

"No" I responded.

"Mark, I hate liars and people who challenge my bottom line "He responded.

"What do you mean by that Armand?" My voice rose in defense.

"You have been with me for so long to know that unhanded methods irk me the most. I hired Eli because he is a professional and you should trust my decision. Armand Inc is not where it is because I was emotional or made decisions that compromised it."

"Are you accusing me of hacking Armand Inc, just to frame that bastard?" I tried to keep my voice steady, but the frustration seeped through, making my tone harsher than intended. My fists clenched at my sides, and I reminded myself to breathe deeply, to keep my temper in check despite the way his words pushed my buttons. I saw the anger in Armand's eyes reflecting the same fire I had within me.

"This is my last warning to you "His voice was laced with a coldness I had never heard before and then he turned and left my office, leaving the door open.