Chapter 6 The Snake In The Grass

I look into his eyes and see the old sparks, which are unwanted yet irrefutable. For a second longer than required, his frigid gaze hangs on me. Years apart have not lessened the force of his presence. "Kendrick, what's the plan then?", I start, my voice steady. His lips push together, and for a brief second I catch a spark of something, frustration perhaps, before it is replaced by his meticulously managed facade. "It's getting worse, the sabotage," he continues, his voice nearly frigid. Finding the mole is essential. Whoever it is, they've been inside for too long.

Though I can sense my pulse rising, I try to stay composed. "So, we sift through everything, turn over every stone, and hope we find them before they totally destroy you?" He nods, but the way he says it suggests he is concealing more than simply the mole. Kendrick, I'm not doing this for you. This is for the business. You have no idea what it's like to be me, caught between a rock and a hard place, compelled to cooperate with someone I cannot trust. Kendrick leans closer, eyes narrowing. Shouldn't you be here if you don't believe me? His voice is low, menacing. "I don't trust you," I respond plainly, my eyes meeting his with equal intensity. "I have to work, though. I have work to do; so, I am here. Standing with his back to me, he moves towards the window without breaking eye contact. Turning to face me, he grumbles, "It's one of us, Sofia," His voice is strong, his sentences final. One of us is the mole. You have to assist me in determining who it is. His words' weight settles in my chest like a stone. You can't be serious. I am indeed. His voice is icy, methodical. "You can either support me or hinder me." Kendrick and I sit together in his office, both of us sifting through the digital trail that might take us to the mole. Though I don't look, I can sense his gaze on me. Skimming the emails, each one a fragment of a jigsaw just out of grasp. Trying to understand the mayhem, my fingers hover over the mouse. Anything? Kendrick enquires quietly. I look up at him. His normally immaculate suit looks more dishevelled than usual and his sharp jawline is tight. I see the little hand twitch that reveals the anxiety he is attempting to hide. "Nothing that stands out," I say, my voice tinged with annoyance. Our quiet is stifling. I want to believe him; honestly, I do. But every second spent in his company serves as a reminder of why I left all those years ago. Scrolling through the files, something catches my eye: an email hidden in the middle of a conversation, one I'm sure I've seen before. I click on it, breath seizing in my throat. It's a sequence of interactions between Kendrick and another person, something I shouldn't have access to, something that seems... too personal. Who is this? Pointing to the name on the screen, I say "Who is this?" Kendrick's expression turns grave yet he keeps his gaze fixed. "Mason," he adds, his voice strained. "He is," Mason I interrupted him, my heart sinking. "Why is his name appearing here?" Sofia, I told you. Kendrick's voice toughens. "I've told you, Sofia. He is someone I trust." What I observe astonishes me. Mason Though the reality seemed too improbable to comprehend, my thoughts racing trying to grasp what this means. Once more, the sensation of betrayal comes in and settles like a heavy weight on my breast. Kendrick's voice slices through the air before I can speak. "Don't trust him," he warns, eyes gleaming with something darker than I've ever seen before. My head is spinning as I leave the office. The walls of Blackwell Enterprises seem to be closing in on me. Every step I take reverberates in the silent corridors; every one is like a warning I cannot ignore. Minutes, hours, I have no idea how long I have been walking; it doesn't matter. The only thing that counts is the gnawing sensation in the pit of my stomach. The treachery. The falsehoods. Kendrick's hidden truths. I pause before Mason's office. Etched in gold on the glass door, his name is the same one that has been tormenting me all day. I knock once, hard and crisp. A second later the door opens and Mason is there, his smile as lovely as always but his eyes show something colder. "Sofia," he adds, his voice silky, nearly too silky. How can I help you? Crossing the doorway, I enter and my eyes narrow. We have to speak. Mason lifts an eyebrow but stays put. "Regarding?" "About Kendrick," I add, my voice calm but my stomachs roiling. I understand what is happening. I know you've been collaborating with him on something, something I shouldn't know. Mason's expression darkens and I notice the mask break for the first time. "You have no idea what you're walking into, Sofia," he continues, his voice low and threatening. I move closer to make him look at me. Mason, what's happening? Why is Kendrick deceiving me? He doesn't respond immediately; when he does, his voice is softer, nearly defeated. It's not what you believe. Then let me know, please. Speak the truth to me. His eyes twitch with something: shame, fear? It's hard for me to say. But the silence between us extends, dense with unspoken words. At last, he talks. The reality is, you are much over your head. The words freeze me; they strike me like a punch to the stomach. What do you mean? Leaning forward, he brings his face inches from mine. Sofia, you have been played. What about Kendrick? He's been concealing the greatest secret of all. He has been hiding something significant from me; now he is prepared to reveal it. Kendrick replies, his voice deadpan, "You wanted openness." "So, here it is." Sliding a hefty folder over the table, he causes the papers within to rustle as though they hold too dangerous secrets to be whispered. My fingers are rigid at my sides, so I don't touch it right away. His stare's intensity makes me doubt. "I hope you're ready for this," he says quietly. I swallow the lump in my throat and nod. The more I investigate Blackwell Enterprises, the more the walls appear to close in on me. Though I have been ready for treachery, I have never been ready for this. At last, I grab the folder. Its weight feels almost unbearable, as though it were loaded with decades of deception. Every page a step closer to a truth I'm not sure I'm ready to confront, I open it carefully. Inside, I see it, an email chain implicating someone I never thought could be involved running deep. As I read the names and facts, the reality hits me like a blow to the stomach. "Mason," I mumble, the name barely passing my lips. "It's Mason." Kendrick's jaw clenches, his hand grabbing the edge of the table like it's the only thing holding him together. "I never wanted to believe it," he says, his voice barely audible. "But it's true. Mason's been leaking information to our competitors." I lean back in my chair, my mind swirling. "How long has this been going on?" "A long time," Kendrick mutters, his eyes darkened with remorse. "I should've seen it sooner. But I was blinded by loyalty." I feel the weight of the words sink over me like a black fog. Mason, Kendrick's closest buddy and right-hand guy, the one I believed I could rely on... has been fighting against us all along. I shut the folder, my heart pounding in my chest. What now then? Kendrick's eyes flash with near desperation. We now handle him. Before the harm is irreparable. Though my head spins, I slowly nod. What about you? What about your part in all this? He doesn't respond right away. His voice is frigid and sharp when he does, slicing through the strain. You can either go away or assist me in correcting this. But I want you, Sofia. Kendrick is noticeably shaken, his usual cool self slipping as he glances at the stack of documents in front of him. The treachery is personal, deeper than I anticipated. It's difficult to see the guy who previously had everything sorted out suddenly coming apart in front of me. "I never imagined I'd have to do this to someone I regarded as a brother," he says, his voice laden with grief. With my arms crossed, I stare at the table separating us. His remarks struck me more than I had anticipated. Kendrick and Mason, two guys I believed I knew, are nothing like I imagined. What now? I say, a little tremor in my voice. "You're going to reveal him?" "I have to," Kendrick says, his voice firm yet laced with a grief I can't exactly identify. Blackwell Enterprises will fail without me. Everything we have laboured for will go up in smoke if I don't. His words hit me hard and I swallow. This wasn't what I signed up for. I never imagined it would reach this point. But here we go. The man I have worked so hard to avoid is suddenly relying on me in ways I didn't foresee. "You said you didn't want to hurt anyone," I tell him, my voice calm in spite of the tempest inside me. "But look at what we're doing now." It's already too late. Kendrick stands, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "I didn't want this," he says, his voice scratchy. "Whether we like it or not, we are now in this together." I observe him closely. Slumped shoulders suggest the burden of previous errors is too great to carry. Kendrick, I say, "I'm not sure I can keep doing this," my heart caught between the businessman hiding secrets from me and the guy I'm falling for. "You are stronger than you think," he says more gently. Sofia, I need you. More than you will ever understand. I shake my head, attempting to clear the fog in my head. Your trustworthiness is in question. Kendrick steps towards me, eyes blazing. I didn't think you would. But I am requesting you to. Only this once.