Iâm here now at the café owned by my older brother, Akio. I usually donât come here, but someone texted me, someone who will help me ruin Ruby.
"Have you been here for long?" someone asked.
"Not really. You can sit already, and let's talk."
"Okay, I wonât beat around the bush. Iâm going to help you bring Ruby down. Your brother was my friend, and after he died, there was a huge argument. She dismissed Akio and humiliated him. I donât believe Akio took his own life, I believe Ruby was the one who killed him."
I clenched my fists.
"Your brother was the lead developer of Sedeâs newest project, and because of that, Ruby was eager to get every piece of data from his work. Thatâs why I think she was the one who killed him and stole all his data. Six months from now, the entire world will witness your brotherâs work, and Ruby will be recognized as the developer."
"Iâm planning to make her fall in my own way, and Iâm going to retrieve my brotherâs work. I want to see how her empire crumbles."
"Iâm going to help you."
"Sure."
She raised her cup. "To Rubyâs downfall."
"To Rubyâs downfall."
She smiled, and we toasted.
Itâs possible that my brother didnât commit suicide at all, he was likely killed by Ruby. I will make her pay, and Iâll make sure she has nothing left until she finally decides to disappear from this world.
Upon speaking with Chelsea, the woman who will help me on bringing Ruby's Empire down, she provided me with all the details I need to infiltrate Ruby's empire. Surprisingly, she seems to be a hidden insider within the empire, a silent observer moving in the shadows. I discovered that her husband once worked there, but one day, he mysteriously disappeared without a trace.
Is Ruby a member of a secret organization? Or is there something even more sinister lurking behind her influence? I donât know yet, but one thing is certain, once I get close to her, I will uncover everything. Every secret sheâs been keeping.
Determined, I took Akio's razor and stepped into my bathroom. With each passing moment, my resolve grew stronger. Without hesitation, I began cutting my hair, strands falling to the floor as I transformed my appearance. A boy cut, simple yet effective.
This is my plan. I will apply as an IT intern, working my way up from the lowest ranks. I will earn their trust, blend in, and wait patiently. Until, at last, I am absorbed into the company, securing my place within its core. Step by step, I will climb the ladder until I take Akioâs position.
And when that moment comes, I will make sure to get close to Ruby. Closer than anyone ever has.
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I spent my time studying the company-studying how the world of technology works, how her empire operates. I was fortunate enough to find some of the company's data and files left behind on my brother's desk.
He had abandoned his career as a doctor just to work for this empire. Now, I understand why everyone is so desperate to get into this tech company. There's something bigger at play here, something that makes people abandon everything just to be a part of it.
After taking a shower, I put on the best attire I had.
The secretary had already sent me an email-today was the final interview. The first two interviews with HR were over, and this was the last step. If I passed, I could start working immediately.
I got into my car and drove to the Sedes Quantum Empire. I had already resigned from my previous job, dedicating my full focus to this opportunity. I would make sure that everything my brother had worked for wouldn't fall into the hands of a cunning woman like her.
The drive took almost an hour. As soon as I arrived, the secretary immediately attended to me. I caught sight of Chelsea, an acquaintance from my university days. She gave me a small nod before returning to her work.
Just then, the secretary spoke up, her tone professional and firm.
"Rule number one, Miss Delen," she began. "This empire upholds strict confidentiality. Whatever you see, hear, or witness within these walls must never leave this company. We are the biggest cybersecurity firm in the industry."
I smirked slightly. "Noted, Miss...?"
"Miss Karla."
"Noted, Miss Karla," I repeated politely.
She examined me for a moment before speaking again. "Be careful with what you ask. You've already been accepted. Today, you're just signing contracts and agreements. If your brother were still here, he would be happy to know that you're joining the empire."
But your boss killed him.
And I am here to take back what's his.
I followed her to the elevator, and we ascended to the highest floor of the empire.
"Since you'll be an intern for a while, you'll often be working closely with Miss Espinosa inside her development room."
How fortunate. My chance to get close to her is happening faster than I expected.
As soon as we reached the top floor, we walked straight into a conference room where she was waiting.
The moment my eyes landed on Ruby Espinosa, I felt a fire burn in my chest.
She exuded power, her presence overwhelming.
She was tall, standing at an imposing height, accentuated by four-inch heels. Her black, fitted dress perfectly hugged her Latina curves, giving her an effortlessly elegant yet intimidating aura. Her long, jet-black hair cascaded down her back like silk, framing her sharp features and striking brown eyes. Her lips, painted a deep red, stood out against her otherwise nude makeup, enhancing her natural beauty.
But what caught me the most was the delicate scent of strawberries that lingered in the air-subtle yet commanding, just like her.
She barely acknowledged me as she turned to Karla.
"Karla, you may leave."
"Copy, Ma'am," Karla responded before exiting the room.
The atmosphere grew heavy the moment the door shut. I clenched my fists under the table, restraining myself. I wanted to lunge at her. To wrap my hands around her throat and make her pay. But I needed to stay composed. I needed to get close to her first before I could destroy her.
She picked up my file and read through it, her expression unreadable.
"So, you're Akio's sister?" she finally asked.
I forced a polite smile. "Yes, Ma'am."
She hummed, flipping through my documents. "Interesting. You studied architecture, yet you applied to my company? Your brother finished medicine, yet he entered the world of technology. Why?"
I wanted to scream the truth at her.
I want to kill you. I want to destroy you and this empire you stole from him.
But instead, I kept my voice steady. "I want to continue my brother's legacy here in the empire."
She scoffed, leaning back in her chair. "You won't even measure up to half of what your brother was."
I met her gaze head-on, unfazed. "You'll never know unless you let me prove myself. I might even surpass Akio."
A smirk curled on her lips. "Arrogant. I like that."
She stood up from her chair and strode towards me. The closer she got, the stronger the scent of strawberries became. It was intoxicating, almost suffocating.
She placed a black folder in front of me. "Open it."
I did as she ordered.
"The first page contains your internship agreement.
You'll be under a two-month internship, during which you'll receive a stipend 25,000 dollar rate every two weeks. In those two months, I will personally teach you and familiarize you with how my empire works. We develop Al, we create high-level security systems, and we design cutting-edge software.
During that time, you'll be staying in our intern boot camp."
She turned the page to the contract.
"After the internship, you'll undergo assessments.
Once you pass, you will officially take over your brother's position. Your monthly salary will start at 100,000 dollar rate."
I raised a brow. "That's quite high for a beginner like me."
She tilted her head slightly. "I value my employees' skills and loyalty, Sanae. I make sure they receive more than what they deserve."
And then you steal their work and take all the credit.
Her gaze darkened slightly as she continued. "One rule. Never betray this empire. Betraying my empire means betraying everyone in it-including your brother."
I felt my jaw tighten at the mention of Akio.
Without hesitation, I grabbed the pen and signed the contract.
A satisfied smirk formed on her lips as she retrieved the signed documents. She then handed me an envelope filled with 50,000-a signing bonus. Along with it, she gave me a smartwatch, a sleek laptop, a high-tech pen, and a company-issued note tech (hightech notebook)
"Welcome to Sedes Quantum Empire, Sanae Delen. I hope you'll enjoy your stay."
With that, she turned and walked out of the room, leaving behind only the lingering scent of strawberries.
As I stood there, Karla entered, smiling warmly at me.
"Welcome to our company, Sanae Akio would be happy."
They kept bringing up my brother's name.
And the more I heard them speak of him, the stronger my resolve became.
I will make them pay for what they did to him.