Chapter 15

After hanging up, Kathryn cried for a while before going back to her desk. When she reached, her eyes were still red, which prompted one of her colleagues, Janet, to ask in concern, "Ms. Michaels, are you crying?"

"No, no, I'm not!" Kathryn spoke with a serious expression as she shook her head.

Janet nodded and patted her on the shoulder. "If you're stressed, feel free to take some time off."

Everyone in Albert Group knew that working directly under Chris wasn't easy. They might earn more than anyone else in the company, but they were also under more pressure. Only the best of the best were able to work with him without getting depressed.

Kathryn gave Janet a grateful look. "Thanks. I'll go ask for some time off now." If she didn't get the day off, she would probably die of fright soon.

Janet nodded. They exchanged a few more words before she went back to her desk.

Kathryn wrote a letter to request some time off work and took it to Markus' office. She wasn't sure how the restoration was going, but she needed Markus' approval for her time off. Then she would need to inform Chris before she could really leave.

Just as she prepared herself to knock, she suddenly heard Brian's voice through the door. "This has been badly damaged."

"So you can't restore it?" Markus sounded serious.

Kathryn paused and began listening intently.

If Brian couldn't restore it, then that would be great news. However, before she could properly feel relieved, she heard Brian say, "I need more time. Give me three days."

"If you need three days to restore this, that means the culprit is pretty good," Markus said coldly.

Kathryn tensed up. She didn't quite know how to feel. Even if Brian couldn't restore it now, he probably could do it in three days.

Inside the office, Brian sounded amused. "Yeah, they're good."

"Fine. I'll give you three days."

Kathryn turned and went back to her desk. She took out her phone and sent Tally a text message. "No need to come back! Crisis averted for now!"

If Brian said it was hard to restore it, then he probably wouldn't be able to do it. Then again, he was Brian Winchester.

Tally's reply was swift. "Brian couldn't restore it?"

"Yeah," Kathryn replied.

"That's great!" Tally replied. "If he can't restore it, then no one else can."

Tally's confidence was in stark contrast to Kathryn's doubt, but it helped her calm down a little. However, she was still a little nervous, as this wasn't set in stone yet. "He said he needed three days," she replied.

"Don't worry, if he can't do it on the spot, then he probably won't be able to do it at all!" Tally was very confident about this.

After some second thoughts, Kathryn was convinced. After all, Brian was one of the best technicians in the company. If he couldn't do it, then no one else would be able to do it.

"Okay!" Kathryn's next reply was significantly more relaxed.

The conversation ended there. Both of them turned their attention back to their work. It helped Kathryn forget her fear for a moment.

Right before the end of the day, Chris called Markus and Kathryn into his office. Lighting a cigarette, he asked, "How's the investigation going?"

Kathryn didn't say anything. Now that she was less afraid, her expression was also relaxed. Markus, on the other hand, looked serious. "Brian needs another three days."

Hearing that, Chris' hand jerked. He looked at Markus coldly, silently telling him what to do next.

Markus understood immediately. "Black Dickens will be arriving in Harborlean tonight."

Black Dickens? The notorious hacker?

Kathryn stared at Markus, panic rising. Were they really that serious about finding that person?