chapter 6

Adrian

I stood immediately.

"What do you mean they cannot identify it? We have an entire cybersecurity department."

"They are working on it, sir, but the attack is spreading faster than they expected."

Before he could say anything else, my laptop screen flickered. A warning appeared, followed by several system errors. The company dashboard froze, and I lost access to the security monitoring application.

My jaw tightened.

Someone had breached our network.

"How long has this been happening?" I demanded.

"About seven minutes, sir."

"And you are only telling me now?"

"The initial alerts appeared to be routine errors. The team realized it was an attack when multiple systems began shutting down."

I grabbed my phone.

"Tell the technical team to preserve the logs, isolate the affected systems, and follow the emergency response procedure. I want to know how the attacker entered our network, and I want an update as soon as they have one."

"Yes, sir."

I ended the call and looked at Marcus.

"Where are the three shortlisted candidates?"

"They are in the final screening office, sir."

"Good. Take me there."

We hurried down the corridor and entered the assessment room.

Sonia Lawrence and the two other candidates immediately stood up.

I looked at all three of them.

"Our company is experiencing a cybersecurity attack. Several systems have been compromised, and our technical team is working to contain the situation. You have all claimed to possess the skills required for this position. Now I want you to demonstrate them."

The two women exchanged nervous glances.

I continued, "You will receive diagnostic records from the affected environment. Identify the likely entry point, explain what is happening, and recommend a safe response. You are not authorized to make changes to our live systems. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir," they replied.

I turned toward Marcus.

"Provide them with the approved diagnostic environment and the latest available records."

He nodded and distributed the access details.

The candidates sat down and began working.

The first woman opened several diagnostic tools, but within minutes, she looked confused. The second repeatedly switched between reports, her fingers trembling above the keyboard.

Sonia, however, took her time examining the records.

She compared timestamps, reviewed the access logs, and studied the unusual network activity before typing anything.

I stood behind the candidates, watching their progress.

The first woman finally turned toward me.

"Mr. Sterling, I think we should shut down the affected systems immediately."

"Why?"

"Because the attacker is interfering with them."

"That is obvious. What evidence have you found that supports your proposed action, and how will you ensure that you do not destroy information needed to investigate the breach?"

She stared at me without answering.

The second candidate looked close to tears.

"I'm sorry, sir. I have not identified the problem yet."

"Then I suggest you concentrate on the information in front of you instead of apologizing."

I turned away, my irritation growing.

Then Sonia spoke.

"Mr. Sterling, I believe the attacker is using a compromised service account."

I faced her.

"Explain your conclusion."

She turned her laptop slightly toward me.

"The account has permissions that appear broader than its intended function. The access logs show unusual requests beginning shortly before the first system failures. The activity then spreads to connected services, suggesting that the attacker may be exploiting the account's existing permissions to move through the network."

I examined the records.

"How do you intend to stop it?"

"First, I would preserve the relevant logs and confirm the scope of the intrusion. Then I would have the authorized team restrict the compromised account and isolate the affected services. We should also investigate the other systems the account could access because stopping the current activity does not necessarily mean the attacker has lost every route into the network."

I studied her face.

"Can you identify the source?"

"I am checking it now, sir."

She returned to her laptop and examined the connection records. A few minutes later, she opened another report and traced the suspicious activity to an external address.

"I have identified a likely source of the traffic," she said. "However, I cannot confirm that it identifies the person responsible. The attacker may be routing the connection through other infrastructure."

"Can you establish whether confidential files have been accessed?"

"Not conclusively from these records alone, sir. We need to examine the affected systems and determine whether any sensitive information was accessed or transferred. I would not want to claim that our data is safe without evidence."

I looked at her for several seconds.

She was careful, analytical, and honest about the limits of her findings. Most importantly, she had not panicked when the pressure increased.

I turned toward Marcus.

"Send her findings to the cybersecurity team immediately. They should verify the compromised account, preserve the evidence, and begin containment."

Marcus made the call.

Within minutes, an update arrived. The technical team had confirmed that the account Sonia identified was involved in the suspicious activity. They were restricting its access and investigating the affected systems.

The attack had not been fully resolved, but we finally had a credible lead.

I looked at Sonia again.

"Your recommendations for preventing a repeat incident?"

"The company should review the permissions assigned to its service accounts, remove unnecessary access, and strengthen monitoring for unusual behavior. Once the immediate threat is contained, I would also recommend a broader security audit to determine why the existing controls failed to detect the activity earlier."

I nodded.

"That will be all."

The two other candidates looked at me anxiously.

I turned toward them first.

"Thank you for attending. Unfortunately, neither of you has demonstrated the level of technical competence this position requires. Human Resources will contact you with the outcome."

They gathered their belongings and left without arguing.

Sonia remained beside the table, waiting for my decision.

I closed the assessment file.

"Ms. Lawrence, you are hired."

Her eyes widened.

"Are you serious, Mr. Sterling?"

I raised an eyebrow.

"Do I look like a man who makes jokes about employment offers?"

She immediately straightened.

"No, sir. I am sorry. I was simply surprised."

"You demonstrated the technical judgment we need. Human Resources will send you a formal offer with your salary, responsibilities, and start date. Do not mistake this opportunity for permission to become complacent. I expect results from everyone who works for me."

"I understand, sir. I will work hard to prove that you made the right decision."

"I do not need promises. I need results."

"You will have them, Mr. Sterling."

For the first time, I noticed a hint of determination replacing the nervousness in her eyes.

"Good. You may leave now."

She picked up her handbag.

"Thank you for giving me this opportunity, sir. I will not disappoint you."

"We will see about that."

She gave me a polite nod and walked out.

I watched the door close, then returned to my office.

I had hired her because she was qualified. Her appearance had nothing to do with my decision, and I had no intention of allowing personal curiosity to interfere with my judgment.

Still, I found myself remembering the way she had studied the diagnostic records, the calmness with which she had explained her findings, and the determination in her voice when she promised to prove herself.

I dismissed the thoughts and returned to work.

A few minutes later, Marcus entered with an update.

"Sir, the technical team has contained the immediate threat. They are still investigating the breach, but the affected systems are beginning to stabilize."

"Good. I want a complete report when they finish."

"Yes, sir. There is also some additional information about Ms. Lawrence's employment history. Her previous contributions to Bennett Innovations appear to have been more substantial than her résumé suggests."

I looked up.

"Explain."

"She worked on several of the company's security systems and software infrastructure. Some of those systems are still in use today."

I considered the information.

"Then make sure her offer reflects the responsibilities she will be expected to handle. I will not hire a senior specialist and pay her as though she were inexperienced."

"Understood, sir."

Marcus hesitated before adding, "Her divorce from Nathan Bennett was finalized recently. I thought you should know in case the connection creates a conflict of interest."

"It does not. We hired her because of her qualifications. Her marriage is none of our concern."

"Of course, sir."

After he left, I glanced at the closed assessment file on my desk.

Sonia Lawrence.

I had no reason to think about her beyond the work she would do for my company. I had no intention of becoming another man who allowed a woman's appearance to influence his decisions.

Yet, for reasons I could not explain, I had a feeling that hiring Sonia Lawrence would bring changes I had not planned for.

I did not like surprises.

And I certainly did not like losing control.

Unfortunately, I had just hired a woman who might one day challenge both.