Chapter 36

"You can start by showing that you’re capable of fixing your mistakes," Jeslyn said gently. "A suspension isn’t a death sentence. Leonel just wants you to pause, reflect, and prove that you’re still trustworthy."

Jefran looked up. "How?"

"Take corrective action. Gather all the documents related to the Valchev deal. Trace the money flow. Look for a legal loophole to cancel the contract. If you can show you have the courage to turn this around, Leonel will see it too."

"But… I don’t even know where to start."

Jeslyn paused for a moment, then said firmly, "We can start tonight. I’ll help you work through it. But after that, you have to be brave enough to take responsibility. No hiding behind your father's name or your brother’s shadow."

Jefran fell silent, then slowly nodded. "Okay… tonight."

Jeslyn nodded back with a soft smile.

“I feel calmer now. Thank you for listening to me,” Jefran said sincerely.

"You’re welcome."

"I’ll come by your office later," he offered.

"No need. Once I finish work, I’ll come to yours. Let’s get this settled as soon as possible," Jeslyn replied, and Jefran nodded in agreement.

“Do you think Uncle Dmitri lied to me? He’s been convincing me that Valchev’s company is reliable. He’s even working with them now—said his company is back on its feet thanks to help from Matthew Valchev,” Jefran added.

Jeslyn couldn’t say it aloud, but she had a bad feeling about Uncle Dmitri. Since the first time she met him, something about him made her uncomfortable. Maybe Leonel’s anger and tension with Uncle Dmitri stemmed from already knowing the kind of man he truly was.

“Jes, are you listening?” Jefran’s voice pulled Jeslyn out of her thoughts.

Jeslyn blinked, like she was just returning from somewhere far off. She nodded slightly, then looked at Jefran seriously.

“Sorry, I was just… thinking about something,” she said cautiously. “About Uncle Dmitri—I think you should be more careful, Jef. Sometimes, the friendliest people are the most dangerous. Especially when they’re too eager to gain your trust.”

Jefran frowned. “But he’s family…”

“That’s exactly why you need to be more cautious,” Jeslyn cut in gently. “If he really cared about you, he wouldn’t push you into working with people who could destroy Clovies.”

Jefran fell silent, his eyes starting to show doubt toward the man he once trusted completely.

“Leonel knows something we don’t, Jef,” Jeslyn continued, her voice now barely above a whisper. “I’m sure… this is more than just a project or a business contract. There’s a bigger game being played behind the scenes.”

The wind swept over the rooftop again, carrying with it the metallic scent of tension that weighed heavy in their chests.

“Alright,” Jefran said at last. “I’ll trust you, Jes. Tonight… we uncover everything. And if it turns out Uncle Dmitri’s involved—I’ll be the one to end the partnership.”

Jeslyn nodded slowly. “Good. And Jef…”

“Hm?”

“If you still want to be a leader someday, learn to see who’s truly trustworthy… and who’s just waiting for a chance to stab you in the back.”

After work, Jeslyn walked down the now-quiet office hallway. The dim lights flickered on automatically as she passed. She carried her handbag with confidence, her face calm but focused.

When she reached Jefran’s office, she knocked twice.

Knock knock.

“Come in,” came his voice from inside.

Jeslyn opened the door and saw Jefran already at his desk, surrounded by documents and his open laptop. His eyes looked tired, but his gaze was more alert than before.

“You came,” he said, visibly relieved.

Jeslyn closed the door behind her and stepped in. “I promised, didn’t I?”

She set her bag on the couch and walked over to his desk.

“These are the documents for the Clovies–Valchev partnership. I’ve printed all the digital files too. But… there’s something strange, Jes.” Jefran handed her a stack of papers.

Jeslyn narrowed her eyes, flipping through page after page, reading quickly.

“This—?” she spotted several clauses circled in red marker.

“Some of these points weren’t in the agreement I approved. They changed parts of the contract without telling me. And worst of all—my digital signature is already on it,” Jefran said anxiously.

Jeslyn flipped more pages quickly, scanning every detail. Then she looked up at Jefran, her expression sharp.

“They didn’t just alter the contract, Jef. They trapped you,” Jeslyn muttered, tension growing in her voice. “If we don’t cancel this fast, they’ll gain special rights within Clovies. They could do serious damage.”

Jefran buried his head in his hands, gripping his hair in frustration. “I never agreed to those clauses. They must’ve inserted them after I signed. I swear.”

Jeslyn exhaled deeply, then asked quietly, “Do you still have the original version? The one you saw before signing?”

Jefran nodded. “It was in the ‘Orion Project’ folder on my laptop. But when I checked again… the file’s been replaced. The original’s gone.”

Jeslyn gave a faint, bitter smile. “They’ve covered their tracks. And the only ones who could’ve done that… are insiders. Clovies’ security is too tight for an outsider to tamper with without high-level access.”

Jeslyn slowly looked at Jefran. “We need to check the internal backup servers. Every document revision should’ve been logged. But we’ll need access from the board or the head of IT.”

Jefran looked at her hopefully. “And we can’t ask directly… what if they’re involved too?”

Jeslyn closed the file and set it back on the desk. “I can reach out to someone. An old colleague of my father’s from the cybersecurity division. But we have to be extremely careful. If Valchev catches wind of what we’re doing, we’ll be in danger.”

Jefran stood up, his eyes filled with guilt—but also renewed determination. “I’m ready, Jes. I won’t hide anymore.”

Jeslyn nodded. “Good. But don’t forget, Jef. This isn’t just about your reputation anymore… it’s about survival. Valchev isn’t just corporate mafia. They’ll silence anyone who threatens their power.”

For a moment, silence fell over the room. Only the soft hum of the laptop’s cooling fan could be heard.

Finally, Jeslyn stood and took a deep breath. “Tomorrow morning, we begin investigating the backup servers. Tonight, protect all the data you have. And don’t trust anyone… except me.”

Jefran nodded. “Thank you, Jes… I don’t know what would’ve happened if you hadn’t shown up.”

Jeslyn gave him a small smile, though her eyes remained serious. “We’re not done yet, Jef. This is just the beginning.”

Suddenly, the office door swung open—and Leonel appeared.

“What are you two doing here this late?” he asked, his eyes sharp and filled with suspicion.

Both Jefran and Jeslyn turned to look at him, stunned.

Jeslyn felt a jolt in her chest—like she’d just been caught cheating by the very man she was trying to forget.

***