Joong's POV
Joong took a deep breath before hitting dial on the phone. He had a plan, but even he couldn't help the slight buzz of nervous energy in his stomach. This wasn't just any callâit was to the enemy, the fraud team at Mosaic Insurance. And he knew exactly who he was hoping to reach.
The phone rang twice. Then a steady voice answered.
"Mosaic Insurance, Fraud Department. Zee speaking."
Joong froze for a moment. His gut tensed. Zee? The name sounded vaguely familiar, but it clicked quicklyâthis was the one who handled high-profile cases. The one who had earned a reputation for cracking down on fraud with unrelenting precision. The very person who had probably already noticed the same patterns Joong had.
He cleared his throat. "Uh, yes. Hello, my name's Joong from Sownpo Insurance. I'm looking into a claim involving one of your clients, Thanapon Wichai."
There was a slight pause on the other end, the kind that felt deliberate. Zee was probably assessing whether Joong was worth his time.
"Thanapon Wichai, you say?" Zee's tone was professional, but there was an edge to itâan undertone of someone who had already heard the name one too many times. "What exactly are you investigating?"
Joong leaned back in his chair, keeping his voice steady. "I'm looking into an accident he was involved in, along with another partyâNattapong Rattanakorn." He emphasized the name, hoping it would spark something. "I believe there might be a connection between the two claims. Something... suspicious."
There was another pause. Joong could almost hear Zee's mind working behind the silence, no doubt weighing the risk of giving out information. But Joong wasn't some rookie investigator. He knew how to navigate these waters. If he had to play it cool, he would.
"Suspicious?" Zee's voice became slightly more cautious. "Go on."
Joong let out a slow breath, sticking to the facts. "I've been going through the claims on both sides. Nattapong filed for severe injuries after a rear-end collision, and so did Thanapon. The injuries don't seem to align with the level of impact in the crash, and both menâboth of themâpurchased very high injury coverage just months before the accident. I also noticed some financial patternsâsimilar deposits and withdrawalsâthat don't seem entirely coincidental. There's a chance these two may have staged the entire thing together."
He could feel the tension building on the other end of the line, the silence thickening as Zee absorbed the information. Then, with a voice that was both controlled and sharp, Zee spoke again.
"I'll look into it. But I'm not sure you've got all the details, Joong. There's a reason we're investigating this on our side too."
Joong's heart skipped a beat, the realization hitting him like a ton of bricks. "You're already looking into it?"
"Of course we are." Zee's tone had a layer of confidence that sent a shiver down Joong's spine. "This isn't the first time I've seen this kind of setup. But if you've got the same hunch as I do, it's not just the claims that will be exposed."
Joong swallowed. "So, what now?"
There was a long pause before Zee spoke again, his voice low, almost teasing. "Now, we see if our instincts line up. And if they do... we might just have more than one fraudster to catch."
Joong's grip tightened on the phone. He had expected the call to be tense, but not like this. This was more than just a caseâit was a game now. And Zee? Zee was someone who played to win.
"I'll keep you posted, Joong." Zee added, his voice cold, calculating. "But be careful. You're not the only one who can connect the dots."
Before Joong could respond, the line clicked dead.
He stared at the phone for a moment, the words echoing in his mind.
Zee. A name that now had more weight to it. The last thing Joong expected was for the person across from him to be someone so sharp, so dangerous.
This was no longer just about exposing fraud. This was about proving who was the better investigatorâand Joong had a feeling it was going to get a whole lot more complicated than he ever anticipated.
Zee's POV
Zee set the phone down slowly, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Joong.
The young investigator from Sownpo Insurance had caught on far quicker than Zee had expected. He was sharpâsharper than most rookies, not intimidated by the challenge of dealing with a seasoned pro like him.
Zee leaned back in his chair, running his fingers over his chin as he replayed the conversation in his mind. There was something about Joong's voice that piqued his interestâcalm, measured, yet undeniably confident. He didn't approach Zee with the usual mix of caution or forced professionalism that most junior agents did. No, Joong had been bold. He'd thrown the gauntlet down, and Zee had felt the challenge in every word.
The case was becoming more complicated by the second. It wasn't just about Thanapon and Nattapong anymore. They had both filed suspicious claims, yes, but now it seemed the investigators were part of the equation too. Zee had thought he'd be the one to uncover the fraud first, to pull the thread and watch it all unravel. Instead, Joong had made the first move.
Zee's eyes flickered to his computer screen, the files on Thanapon and Nattapong still open in front of him. Everything in those files confirmed his suspicionsâbut now the question was: How much did Joong know?
He didn't want to admit it, but he was impressed. Most agents would've waited for the company to take the lead before acting, but Joong had reached out directly. That kind of initiative, that willingness to step outside the lines, was a trait Zee could respect. Maybe even admire.
Zee drummed his fingers against his desk again, contemplating his next steps. He couldn't let Joong get the upper hand. The moment he had any indication that Sownpo was making the same connections, Zee needed to stay ahead. He would play this carefully, see how much Joong could reveal without him giving too much away.
And then, when the time was right, Zee would close in.
He rubbed the back of his neck, his thoughts turning to the bigger picture. Joong had mentioned the patterns in the financial transactionsâthe suspicious withdrawals and deposits between Nattapong and Thanapon. Zee had already noted those, but now he would need to go deeper, check for more connections between the two.
But that would take time, and Zee knew that Joong wouldn't wait. The guy had already shown that he was willing to get his hands dirty. He wouldn't rest until he had concrete proof. And that made him a threatânot just to the fraudsters, but to Zee's pride as well.
The sudden ring of his phone cut through his thoughts, snapping him back to the present.
Zee grabbed it without hesitation. "Zee," he answered, his voice clipped.
"Zee," the voice on the other end said, "I've pulled the financials on Thanapon and Nattapong. There's a clear link between the two accounts. You should take a look at it."
Zee's lips curled into a tight smile. It was Joong. And despite himself, Zee was curious to see where this would go.
"I'm aware of the link," Zee replied, his tone still cool. "But you're right, Joong. It's time to dig deeper."
Joong's voice took on a slightly challenging tone. "And how do you suggest we do that?"
Zee chuckled softly. "Carefully. No one's going to get to the bottom of this if we move too fast. But you're rightâwe've got a lot of digging to do."
The call ended with the faintest click, and Zee set the phone down once more, leaning back in his chair.
He was intrigued now.
Joong was proving to be more than just a worthy adversary. He was a rivalâsomeone Zee couldn't help but want to outmaneuver. But the more Zee thought about it, the more he realized there was something else there tooâsomething that made the chase even more exciting.
The game was on. And Zee? Zee always played to win.