Chapter 337 A Corporate Betrayal
Matthew’s gaze was cool and detached. “Didn’t your discharge instructions include getting more rest?”
“I know my own body best,” Lucas insisted stubbornly.
Matthew replied with a calm edge, “If I recall correctly, you just consumed a medicinal tonic specifically formulated for convalescence. Does that sound like someone in peak health?”
“That broth is restorative–it’s beneficial for anyone, not just the sick,” Lucas argued.
“But she only prepares it for those who are unwell,” Matthew countered pointedly.
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Lucas was momentarily speechless, frustration bubbling up. So, Matthew was just determined to keep him in the “sick person” category, was he?
Damn it, this guy must have shown up specifically to sabotage things!
Matthew shifted his focus to Arabella. “As someone with medical training, you understand his current condition, correct?”
Arabella didn’t overthink it. She looked at Lucas and answered honestly, “You really do need proper rest to recover fully.” “But I genuinely feel fine,” Lucas protested, his heart sinking as he tried to persuade her to let him stay.
“Andy, arrange for a car,” Matthew said, offering no further opportunity for debate.
“Yes, sir,” Andy replied, promptly hailing a taxi for Lucas.
Arabella didn’t object further. She looked at Lucas and said, “Go home and rest properly. I won’t schedule any tutoring sessions for the next few days either. We can resume once you’ve regained your strength.”
“Arabella, I really am okay,” Lucas said, the thought of not seeing her for days making his chest ache. D
“Even if you feel okay, you still need to go home and rest,” Arabella said firmly, placing his bag in the taxi and waiting for him to get
- in.
Seeing there was no room for negotiation, Lucas could only get into the car with a sulky expression.
“Two days of rest and I’ll be good as new. I’ll call you then,” Lucas conceded.
Arabella agreed. “Alright.”
Somewhat mollified, Lucas decided two days was bearable,
He waved to Arabella from the window “I’m off, then ”
“Get plenty of rest,” Arabella reminded him.
As the taxi pulled away, Lucas slumped back against the seat with a heavy sigh, feeling thoroughly wronged and frustrated,
This is all Matthew’s fault. How utterly infuriating!
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Chapter 337 A Corporate Betrayal
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Once Lucas was gone, Arabella turned to Matthew. “Mr. Stewart, I have an urgent situation at my company. I need to leave immediately.”
With that, Arabella got into her car and drove swiftly away from the hospital.
“Mr. Stewart, shall we?” Andy said, opening the car door.
After settling into the back seat, Matthew leaned back, his expression icy.
After a long moment, he instructed, “Find out what’s happening at her company.”
Arabella had seemed genuinely pressed for time.
“Yes, sir,” Andy replied.
The car started and gradually merged into traffic, leaving the hospital behind.
Upon arriving, Arabella went straight to her office.
“Ms. Hamilton,” Chloe greeted her, her face pale. “It happened very suddenly. I’ve already initiated an internal inquiry, but we’re still waiting for initial findings.”
“When was this discovered?” Arabella asked.
About half an hour ago. I contacted you as soon as we confirmed the breach,” Chloe explained truthfully.
Arabella’s tone was cool and direct. “Walk me through the details.”
“Yes,” Chloe replied, immediately launching into the report. “Mr. Clement discovered it first. As he has the master access codes to the secure R&D vault, he went to retrieve some reference materials as usual this morning. He noticed anomalies with the security ogs right away. Upon a physical check, he confirmed that the finalized formula for our cardiac treatment drug–the one in the final stage of development–was missing”
Arabella’s eyes narrowed slightly, her demeanor turning frosty.
A leak of proprietary research was a critical incident. It represented months of intensive work by the entire development team
“So, from the time of the last verified access until discovery, only Mr. Clement had been to the vault?” Arabella frowned. She was confident Bruce wasn’t responsible, but the timeline was concerning
“That’s correct,” Chloe confirmed “Mr Clement performed a thorough inspection Although the intrusion was professionally done, there were clear signs that the vault’s electronic lock had been bypassed.
“So, the working theory is an external breach and theft,” Chloe summarized
Arabella’s gaze sharpened. “The protocol for accessing that vault is highly specific and known only to a handful within the company. If the lock was electronically bypassed, an external actor is a possibility But
Chloe leaned forward. “But what?”
Did Arabella suspect something else?
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Chapter 337 A Corporate Betrayal
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Arabella’s voice grew colder. “R&D is the core of this company, and Mr. Clement is exceedingly meticulous. The likelihood of an outsider successfully penetrating our physical and digital security, locating the correct formula, and extracting it… is statistically very low. Therefore, I believe an internal source is more probable. Redirect part of the investigation to focus on that angle.”
Chloe hesitated. “But all the immediate evidence points to an external breach. Could it really be an insider?”
“Even with our recent expansion and increased foot traffic, our security protocols haven’t lapsed. Do you truly believe an outsider would have had such a clean, targeted opportunity?” Arabella countered.
Moreover, the obvious signs of forced entry felt almost too convenient, like a deliberate misdirection.
Chloe’s face paled further. After a moment of consideration, she nodded. “I understand.”
Arabella gave a firm nod. “Good. Launch the internal investigation immediately. There’s still a chance the data hasn’t been fully exfiltrated. If we can contain it now, we can mitigate the damage.”
Chloe stood straighter. “Yes, right away.”
After watching Chloe hurry out, a dark, calculating glint flashed in Arabella’s eyes.
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