Chapter 15 The Rat Was Found Out
Byron didn’t stop his footsteps as he made his way straight to the elevator. Once he left, the tension in the room seemed to dissipate, and everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.
“Where is Mr. Crawford going? He didn’t ask Miss Holland or you to accompany him,” Liam whispered.
“To pick up Miss Ross at the airport,” came the reply.
“His fiancée?” someone asked.
“Hmm,” Liam confirmed.
A brief silence followed. Then, someone muttered, “It’s really unfair to Miss Newton.”
Liam, his expression serious, immediately shot back, “Lena, never say that again. If anyone who dislikes you hears it, you’ll lose your job!”
Lena quickly fell silent.
Byron’s car arrived at the exclusive parking space on the lower ground floor. He got in, his mind a mess of thoughts. He seldom drove, and this car—his car—was mostly used by Athena. However, it didn’t feel like hers anymore. There was nothing of hers in the car now, nothing to remind him of her.
It was strange—despite the absence of her belongings, Byron could still smell her scent, a faint, unique fragrance that lingered. At first, he had assumed it was perfume, but over time, he had realized that even after a shower, Athena always smelled like that.
Was she sick? Did she need to take medicine? The thought gnawed at him, but he quickly dismissed it as irritation swelled within him.
Just as he was about to start the car, a group of people walked past. Among them were Athena, Eric from the sales department, and a few others he didn’t recognize. Byron couldn’t help but notice Athena’s indifferent expression as she looked sideways and gave him a slight nod.
Something was different about her. She was colder, more distant. Byron recalled what Gideon had told him—Athena had accused him of bullying her. The thought made his heart sink. He waved at the others outside dismissively, signaling them to leave, then started the car.
As he drove away, Byron caught a glimpse of Athena through the rearview mirror. She seemed thinner than before, and something about her appearance struck him with a sense of unease. How could she not be ill if she had gotten so thin?
Eric, on the other hand, felt a sense of relief as Byron drove off. He turned to Athena and asked, “Miss Newton, does Mr. Crawford know you got the deal with Maxwell Electronics back?”
“Yes,” Athena replied casually. “He was there when I spoke with Mr. Maxwell.”
The others exchanged subtle glances. From the way things had looked, it seemed like Byron had secretly helped Athena. But if the rumors were true—if he had really dumped her—then why was he still involved in her business?
Esme, who had been on edge all day, regretted her actions. She had no idea that Athena still had Byron as her backer. If she had known, she never would have dared to challenge Athena.
Athena, though, wasn’t interested in explaining anything. She wasn’t feeling well due to a lack of sleep and food, and she simply wanted to get through the day.
“Miss Newton, are you okay?” Esme asked, noticing Athena’s pale complexion.
“I’m fine,” Athena answered, heading toward the car.
The contract signing took place at four in the afternoon. To everyone’s surprise, Maxwell Electronics agreed to increase their investment by one-third. Athena had modified the terms, and the company had recognized that it was necessary to raise the stakes to make everything perfect.
Eric, impressed, gave Athena a thumbs-up. “Miss Newton, you really pulled this off. Since you’re no longer in the Office of the President, why don’t you join the sales department?”
Before Athena could respond, a deep voice interrupted.
“The sales department of Imbe Group can’t compare to Maxwell Electronics,” the voice said.
Everyone turned around, stunned. Eric was particularly shocked, wondering who this person was who dared to poach Athena from him. But when he saw the person’s face, his shock turned to fear.
“Mr. Maxwell! What are you doing here?” Eric stammered.
“This is my company. Can’t I come here?” Brad Maxwell replied with a warm smile, walking toward Athena. “Athena, you’re not planning to stay at Imbe Group, are you?”
“Yeah, I’ve already submitted my resignation,” Athena replied.
Brad’s kind demeanor reminded Athena of her grandfather. “That’s great! I’m actually in need of a vice president for the planning department. What do you say?”
Everyone in the room was shocked. They couldn’t believe that Brad was offering Athena such a high position without hesitation. Eric, unable to openly compete with Brad, could only stare, anxious.
Athena smiled. “Thank you for the offer, Mr. Maxwell, but I don’t plan to stay in Girard City.”
“You don’t have to decide right away,” Brad said with a shrug. “Think it over. Even if you don’t want to stay in Girard City, Maxwell Electronics has branches all over the world. You can work for us no matter where you are.”
He handed her a personal business card. “Take your time. Let me know what you decide.”
Athena took the card, her thoughts already in motion. She had made up her mind to leave Girard City. Her time here had been full of complications, especially with Byron. It was time for a fresh start, and Brad’s offer seemed like the right opportunity to rebuild her life.
“I’ll think it over, Mr. Maxwell. Thank you for your understanding,” she replied, slipping the card into her pocket.
As Brad entered the meeting room, the rest of the sales department lingered in disbelief. Esme, though, couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration for Athena, despite their past conflicts. Athena had handled herself with grace, and Esme couldn’t help but see her in a new light.
“Are you really leaving Girard City?” Esme asked, trying to hide her curiosity.
“Hmm,” Athena nodded, her decision already made.
She had come to realize that her understanding of Byron was too one-sided. With the baby on the way, staying in Girard City no longer made sense. She couldn’t continue living in the shadow of the past.
The sales team, though still processing the news, returned to the company in high spirits, the deal with Maxwell Electronics successfully signed. Eric had hoped to celebrate, but Athena had other plans.
“There’s still something we need to resolve before we celebrate,” she said, her voice firm.
Everyone’s excitement quickly faded, knowing exactly what she meant: the traitor in their midst.
“Miss Newton, since the contract is signed, can’t we just celebrate first?” Dylan asked, his voice dripping with false cheer.
“I’m not a member of the sales department,” Athena said bluntly. “It’s not appropriate for me to join your celebration until we resolve this matter.”
The room fell silent as they realized what she was about to do.
Athena turned to them with a hard look. “I know what’s on your minds. You’re united and care for one another, but you shouldn’t have let me take the fall. I don’t tolerate being blackened like this, and I won’t stay silent. I’ll find the person responsible and make sure they face severe consequences.”
Eric’s face hardened. He knew she was talking about the mole in the department, but he hadn’t expected her to call everyone out like this.
Dylan, thinking he could avoid suspicion, sneered, “Miss Newton, you signed off on the data! Even Mr. Crawford said you should take responsibility!”
Athena locked eyes with him, unflinching. “Dylan, you thought you were being clever and covering your tracks, didn’t you?”
Dylan’s confidence quickly faltered. “W-What are you talking about?”
“The bank account number 3467 opened in Swiss Bank—does it belong to your mother?” Athena asked, her voice low and dangerous.
Dylan froze, realizing he had been caught.
“Last month, on the 8th, 9th, and 11th, Mr. Turner from Foster Company transferred three million dollars into this account,” Athena continued, her gaze unwavering. “Coincidentally, I handed over the datasheet to the project department on the 8th.”
Foster Company, Imbe Group’s biggest competitor, had tried to sabotage the deal with Maxwell Electronics. Dylan had been their pawn, and Athena had uncovered his betrayal.
Dylan’s face drained of color, his confidence shattered. The truth was out, and there was no way to escape the consequences now.