Internal Breach.

Rex didn’t realize when curiosity turned into something deeper…something that seemed urgent, and made him restless… almost as though he was obsessed.

One minute, he had been at his desk, flipping through quarterly reports with his usual cold expression. The next, he was standing, already halfway out of his office, his mind replaying the way Gracelyn had walked out earlier.

Something was off.

And Rex hated not knowing what he was doing or why he was doing it.

He wanted to turn back, and mind his business, but thinking about what Gracelyn was up to, got the best of him.

Why was he so attracted to this woman?

By the time he reached the elevator, his jaw was tight, his steps were quick. The doors slid open, and he stepped in, his fingers tapping impatiently against his arm as the numbers counted down.

Ground floor.

The moment he stepped out, a staff member rushed toward him, slightly out of breath.

“Sir—sir! Please, I was just on my way to your office. You need to sign this document, please.”

Rex stopped, irritation flashing across his face. “It can wait. I don’t have time.”

The woman hesitated, clutching the file closer. “I’m sorry, sir, but it cannot wait. It has to be processed today or the shipment gets delayed.”

He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. Of course it couldn’t wait.

Everything about today was just… urgent.

“Give it to me.”

She handed him the document quickly. He flipped it open, scanning with speed. It was a supplier clearance approval for high-value fabrics imported from Italy. The kind of material Gracelyn would used for her premium collections for the Rebirth Collection.

If not signed today, the shipment would be held at the port for another week.

And delays like that didn’t just cost money, they damaged reputation and delay production.

Still, his focus wasn’t on the document.

It was on Gracelyn, who had just stepped out.

He signed swiftly, almost carelessly, and handed it back. “Process it immediately.”

“Yes, sir.”

But he was already walking away.

The staff exchanged glances, confusion flickering between them.

“Did you see that?”

“I’ve never seen him like this…”

“He didn’t even double-check the figures.”

A third voice lowered into a whisper, cautious but curious. “Do you think it’s because of Miss V?”

Silence.

Then a sudden shake of the head. “Don’t start what you can’t finish.”

And just like that, the thought was buried.

But not forgotten. Just buried.

Outside, Rex got into his car, his eyes scanning instinctively.

There.

Gracelyn’s car was just pulling out of the gate.

Without hesitation, he started his engine and followed.

Not too close. Not too far.

Just enough to keep her in sight without raising suspicion.

He couldn’t risk getting caught by her. What would he say?

How would he explain to her…to himself, as well, why he was following her?

His fingers tightened on the steering wheel as he watched her movements.

She was heading somewhere far from the office, and Rex wanted to know where.

“Who are you meeting, Gracelyn…” he murmured under his breath.

Finally, she slowed, signaling before pulling into a small café tucked between two modern buildings.

Rex drove past, then circled back, parking a few feet away where he had a clear line of sight.

His gaze sharpened.

What was she doing here?

Gracelyn stepped out of her car, her expression unreadable, her posture composed but alert. She walked into the café without hesitation, as if she was being timed.

He waited a few seconds before stepping out too, positioning himself where he could observe without being obvious.

Through the glass, he saw her.

Seated alone.

For a moment, he thought if he had heard wrongly.

Maybe she just needed to chill. Away from the environ of the company.

Just as he was contemplating, a man approached her table.

Rex’s eyes narrowed.

The man wore a leather jacket and a face cap pulled low, obscuring most of his features.

Suspicious.

He sat opposite her, his face still obscured.

Seriously.

Gracelyn leaned forward slightly, her brows drawn together as the man slid a set of documents across the table.

Rex couldn’t hear a word.

But he didn’t need to.

The tension in their body language said everything.

It seemed whatever they were discussing was serious.

Inside the café, Gracelyn’s fingers tightened slightly around the document as she flipped through the pages.

Her eyes moved quickly, focusing her attention on them.

And then, there it was.

Her lips pressed into a thin line.

“I knew it,” she said quietly.

The man shifted in his seat. “You see it now?”

She didn’t respond immediately.

Instead, she flipped back a few pages, comparing figures, signatures, supplier codes.

“Look at this,” she said, tapping a section. “These fabric batches are labeled as premium-grade silk… but the thread count doesn’t match industry standards.”

The man leaned in.

“And here,” she continued, her voice dropping, controlled but filled with anger. “The supplier codes have been altered. Subtly. One digit off, but enough to redirect sourcing.”

“They’re swapping materials?” he asked.

“Not just swapping,” she replied. “Downgrading. What’s being delivered to the company is lower quality, but the invoices reflect premium pricing.”

Her eyes darkened.

“They’re pocketing the difference.”

The man nodded slowly. “There’s more.”

She stilled, her brows knitted together.

“Go on.”

He hesitated for a moment, glancing around before reaching into his jacket and pulling out another sheet.

An address.

He slid it toward her.

Gracelyn looked at it, confusion flickering briefly before realization set in.

“A warehouse?”

“Not just any warehouse,” he said. “It’s where the original materials are being diverted to.”

Her grip on the paper tightened.

“So while we receive inferior materials… the real ones are being sold elsewhere.”

“Exactly.”

Silence fell between them.

Gracelyn leaned back slightly, exhaling slowly as she processed everything.

“This would have destroyed L’Ace,” she said finally.

Her voice was calm.

Too calm. She didn’t sound like someone who had discovered a hidden agenda.

“If I hadn’t caught this… the next collection would’ve failed quality checks. Customers would notice. The reviews would drop. The brand reputation…” She shook her head slightly. “It would’ve been over.”

The man watched her carefully. “That’s why I told you it couldn’t wait, the moment I heard it.”

She nodded.

“You did the right thing.”

Then, after a brief pause, she added, “Is there anything else?”

The man hesitated.

That hesitation didn’t go unnoticed.

Gracelyn’s eyes lifted slowly to meet his. “Say it.”

He exhaled.

“The people involved…I think they do the same thing to your partner company.”

Her expression didn’t change.

“I figured.”

He slid the address closer to her. “Be careful.”

She gave a small nod. “I always am.”

Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a small envelope and placed it on the table.

“I’ll send the remaining balance soon.”

He took it, standing up. “You didn’t get this from me.”

“I never do.”

With that, he walked away.

Outside, Rex watched as the man exited first, his movements quick as if he was hiding from someone or something.

Suspicious.

Very suspicious.

His gaze flicked back to the café.

Gracelyn was still inside.

A few minutes later, she signaled for a waiter and ordered a coffee, her demeanor completely composed, as if she hadn’t just uncovered something major.

Rex frowned.

“Who are you…?” he muttered again.

When she finally stepped out, coffee in hand, she paused briefly, her eyes scanning the area.

Rex instinctively leaned back slightly, avoiding direct visibility.

For a second…Just a second, her gaze lingered near his car.

His heartbeat picked up.

Did she notice?

But then she shook her head slightly, as if dismissing the thought, and got into her car.

Only when she drove off did Rex release the breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding.

He waited a few seconds before following again.

Back at the office, Gracelyn moved with urgency.

Her heels clicked against the floor as she walked straight to her workspace, ignoring the curious glances from nearby staff.

Her mind was already working.

Connecting dots.

Building a case.

She was getting there.

She spread the documents across her desk, pulling out the company’s internal records for comparison.

Invoices.

Supplier contracts.

Delivery logs.

Her pen moved quickly across her notepad, jotting down inconsistencies.

“Thread count mismatch…”

“Supplier code alteration…”

“Inflated pricing…”

“Diversion point confirmed…”

Her brows furrowed deeper as the pattern became clearer.

“This isn’t a random case,” she murmured.

“It’s organized.”

She pulled up the department logs.

And there it was.

The source.

The department responsible for sourcing materials and liaising with suppliers.

Procurement and Supply Chain Management.

Her jaw tightened.

The next thing was to find out who was responsible.

She checked the head of the department and staff there.

The same people.

The same ones who bullied, and whispered behind backs.

The same people who made Anna feel small.

Who thought intimidation was power.

Those bullies.

Gracelyn leaned back in her chair, her gaze fixed on the evidence before her.

“So it’s not just attitude…” she said softly.

“It’s theft.”

Her fingers tapped lightly against the desk as a cold, dangerous smile formed on her lips.

Everything made sense now.

The delays.

The inconsistencies.

The subtle decline in material quality she had noticed but couldn’t initially prove.

They had been careful, and clever.

But not careful enough.

She picked up her pen again, scribbling the final note on her pad.

“Internal breach confirmed.”

Then she closed the file slowly, her expression calm, but her eyes blazing with fury.

“They thought no one would notice…”

A soft scoff escaped her lips.

“They really underestimated me.”

Just then, Anna knocked and approached hesitantly. “Miss V, is everything okay?”

Gracelyn looked up at her, her expression softening slightly.

“Tell me, Anna,” she said gently. “The procurement team… do they ever handle materials directly without documentation?”

Anna blinked, surprised by the question. “Sometimes… they say it’s faster that way.”

Gracelyn nodded slowly.

“Of course they do.”

Anna hesitated. “Is something wrong?”

Gracelyn stood up, gathering the documents neatly.

Then she looked at Anna…really looked at her.

“No,” she said quietly.

“Something is finally right.”

Even if she didn’t fully understand it, she nodded.

“I guess you are busy, I will come back later.”

Gracelyn nodded.

Gracelyn walked toward the window, her gaze falling over the company grounds.

She exhaled slowly, her fingers tightening slightly around the file in her hand.

Then, in a low voice, one filled with certainty and authority, she said, “so, they don’t just bully…”

She paused.

Her lips curved slightly.

“They steal.”

“And their time is finally up.”