The Billionaire's Intern (Maya Thompson) novel Chapter 473

A brief silence followed.

Original content from jobnib.com

No one spoke.

Not because there was nothing to say-but because no one had expected that from Monroe of all people.

No one laughed either-mostly because they were still processing it.

The head of security. Built like a wall. Usually unreadable.

And yet, he’d just turned into a full-blown fanboy.

Monroe straightened immediately, clearly embarrassed at getting carried away.

“Sorry, boss.”

Damien gave a faint nod, accepting it without comment, then moved on.

He shifted his attention to James-

But James didn’t move.

He was still staring ahead, tablet in hand, clearly somewhere else entirely.

After years of working with Monroe, even he looked like he was still trying to process what he’d just witnessed.

Ashcroft clicked his tongue and snapped his fingers right in front of his face.

“Hey-Horton,” he said. “You having a heart attack or something?”

James blinked.

Once. Twice.

Then he shook himself out of it, straightening quickly.

“Right. Sorry. I-yes. Okay.”

He exhaled once, regaining composure, then lifted the tablet and tapped the screen a few times.

“A memo was sent out earlier this morning,” he began. “All departments were informed that the boss will be conducting his quarterly walkthrough today.”

He paused briefly, then turned his attention toward Hudson-still wearing Damien’s face.

“You don’t need to worry about being questioned,” James added. “Company protocol is very strict during walkthroughs. Only the boss initiates interaction.”

A tap on the screen.

“Employees aren’t allowed to ask direct questions on the spot. Any concerns or reports have to be submitted through the internal system after the inspection.”

A small beat.

“So for the most part, this will be observational.”

He lowered the tablet slightly.

“We’ll move through selected departments as part of a routine inspection.”

Ashcroft frowned immediately.

“Wait a second,” he cut in. “Walk through the company?”

He turned toward Damien, incredulous.

“D-do you have any idea how massive your company is? Departments, divisions, whatever the hell you call those corporate maze floors-”

He gestured vaguely.

“We’ll hit nightfall before we even make it to the second wing.”

James didn’t react, already tapping through something on his tablet.

“Not quite, Mr. Ashcroft.”

He turned the screen and placed it in front of Damien.

“Quarterly walkthroughs are conducted selectively. We don’t cover the entire company in one go.”

A brief pause.

“Departments are chosen based on performance metrics-either those exceeding expectations or those flagged for review.”

He angled the tablet slightly for everyone to see.

“We’ve already prepared the list for this quarter.”

He paused, swiped the screen once, then continued-

“R&D, PMO, Operations, IT… and Security.”

James lifted his gaze slightly from the tablet.

“This is a make-or-break situation.”

He tapped the screen once, organizing his thoughts.

“These departments either have frequent direct interaction with the boss, or only limited familiarity without regular contact. The purpose of this walkthrough is to test both sides-recognition, response, and behavioral consistency under perceived authority.”

A brief pause.

“Security in particular is critical. Given their training and exposure, they are the least likely to be deceived. Their reactions will heavily influence the overall assessment of this test.”

Dahlia gave a small nod.

Kim hesitated.

Her hands curled slightly at her sides before relaxing again, as if steadying herself. A faint crease

formed between her brows-concern she didn’t bother hiding fast enough.

“Madam…” she said more softly this time. “Are you sure about this?”

The question lingered in the air, heavier than the silence that followed it.

Dahlia didn’t answer immediately.

She inhaled slowly, then exhaled-measured, steady.

A faint tension tightened at the corners of her eyes before she let it go.

“No,” she admitted quietly.

Kim’s expression shifted instantly-subtle, but unmistakable. Her shoulders tensed slightly, and her lips parted as if she wanted to respond, then thought better of it.

Dahlia didn’t look back.

Her gaze remained fixed ahead, but her voice softened just a fraction.

“But I know one thing for certain… nothing stays hidden forever.”

A pause.

“I’d rather control how it comes to light than be caught unprepared when it does.”

Kim lowered her gaze.

Concern flickered across her face-but she didn’t argue. She understood enough not to.

Then-

A phone rang.

Kim answered it quickly, listened, then gave a small nod.

Her expression shifted slightly as she looked up.

“Madam… she’s ready.”

Also Like

Section