Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 251

Chapter 251

Nathaniel’s POV

Peter’s call came at two in the afternoon on a Tuesday that had started out like any other. I was reviewing the fourth-quarter numbers when Margaret transferred him over, mentioning only that the Franconian sounded particularly serious” today.

“Nathaniel, we need to talk.” Peter’s voice dropped any sense of polite formality. “We have a problem.”

A knot tightened in my stomach. Peter was never this direct unless something was seriously wrong.

“What happened?”

“Details of our supply contract leaked,” he said bluntly. “Specific information about margins, exclusive terms, performance clauses. Things that could seriously damage us if they got to our competitors or other partners.’

My blood ran cold.

“What kind of information, exactly?”

“Enough for someone to map our pricing strategy for the next two years.” Peter let out a heavy sigh. “Nathaniel, you know I trust Kensington. That’s why I’m calling you directly instead of looping in our lawyers. But I need to know how this happened.”

I closed my eyes, already imagining the storm this was going to unleash internally.

“I’ll look into it immediately. Do you have any idea where or how the information surfaced?”

“It reached one of our smaller partners through channels we can’t fully trace. They mentioned they’d ‘heard around the market’ about specific details that were only in the confidential document.”

“Peter, you have my word we’ll find out what happened,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “And we’ll make sure it never happens again.”

“I know, Nathaniel. That’s why I’m giving you the chance to handle this internally before it becomes a bigger problem.”

When I hung up, my hands were shaking slightly. A breach of this scale wasn’t just serious—it was potentially devastating for the company’s reputation. If it had been with less understanding partners than Peter, we’d already be staring down multimillion-dollar lawsuits.

I called IT immediately and requested an urgent trace of every access to the document in question. The answer came two hours later, and my entire world caved in.

“Mr. Carter.” James from internal audit stood in my doorway, his expression grim. “We found something you need to see.”

The report he set on my desk was clear: five accesses to the Franconian confidential document, all traced to Annabelle Bennett’s login. The last access had been made the previous Friday, well outside business hours.

“Are you sure this data is accurate?” I asked, still hoping there’d been some mistake.

“We checked three times, sir. The logging system is reliable.”

Looking at the report, a part of me wanted to shred the pages and pretend none of it existed. Annie wouldn’t do this. I knew her character, her integrity, her commitment to the company. But the data was undeniable, and I couldn’t just look the other way.

Within an hour, Margaret was arranging an emergency board meeting. It was protocol for a security breach, and I had no choice but to follow procedure-no matter what I felt personally.

The boardroom always intimidated me a little. Today, the atmosphere felt even more suffocating.

Alexandra arrived fifteen minutes early, flawless as ever in a white blazer that made her dark hair stand out. The smile she gave me when she walked in was almost… satisfied.

“Nathaniel,” she said, settling into her chair with practiced elegance. “What a terrible situation. I hope we manage to resolve it quickly.”

Something in her tone dug under my skin, but before I could unpack it, Gwen walked in, followed by the rest of the board.

I laid everything out: Peter’s call, the leak of the confidential information, the trace pointing to Annie’s login. I tried to keep my voice even and professional, but every word felt like a betrayal.

“Are the records conclusive?” asked Elena Rodriguez, our external advisor specializing in compliance.

“According to internal audit, yes,” I answered reluctantly.

That’s when Alexandra leaned forward, slipping into that predatory posture I knew all too well.

“It’s a very delicate situation,” she said, dripping false concern. “Especially considering that Ms. Bennett has… closeness with certain members of upper management.”

My blood boiled, but Gwen beat me to it.

“Alexandra, what exactly are you implying?” Gwen’s sharp voice sliced through the room.

“Only that maybe Annabelle used her… special position to access information she normally wouldn’t have,” Alexandra said, choosing each word with surgical precision. “We all know the rumors, Gwen. And now we have evidence that confidential documents were accessed irregularly.”

“That’s ridiculous.” Gwen slammed her hand on the table. “Annie has always been one of our most professional, dedicated employees. These insinuations are completely unfounded.”

“Are the system logs unfounded too?” Alexandra countered with that icy smile. “Because what I see here are facts, not speculation.”

The walk to my office felt endless. I closed the door behind us and turned to face her, searching for words that didn’t exist.

“There’s been an incident,” I started, hesitant. “Confidential information from the Franconian contract was leaked.”

I saw the genuine confusion in her eyes morph into alarm.

“What do you mean ‘leaked’?”

“Internal details reached third parties. The trace…” I swallowed hard. “The trace shows the access came from your login.’

Annie went pale, but her voice stayed steady.

“I didn’t access any confidential document outside my scope. You know that.”

“I know,” I said immediately. “But the board… they voted for your temporary suspension until the audit is complete.”

The silence that followed felt crushing. I watched her process the news, her expression shifting from shock to fury.

“Alexandra,” she said finally, her voice low but certain. “She orchestrated this, didn’t she?”

I couldn’t deny it. The truth was all over my face.

Annie squared her shoulders, and I saw the strength in her-the same strength that had impressed me since the

moment we met.

“Well,” she said with a calm that stunned me, “at least now we know how far she’s willing to go to get rid of me.

“Annie, I’m going to find out what really happened,” I promised. “I’ll—”

“You’ll what?” she cut in, stepping closer. “Fight the entire board? Put your own position at risk for me?”

The question hung between us, heavy with everything we weren’t saying. Because we both knew the answer.

I would risk everything for her.