The Billionaire's Intern (Maya Thompson) novel Chapter 547

Chapter 277: Crisis Response Protocol

Nearly an hour passed in the blink of an eye.

Inside the executive suite, Damien sat behind his desk, calmly reviewing a stack of documents while James worked quietly at his desk outside the office, sorting through emails, confirming appointments, and finalizing the remainder of the day’s schedule.

The atmosphere remained as composed as ever.

Suddenly, James‘ desk phone rang.

He glanced at the caller ID.

Blackwood Enterprises Taiwan Headquarters.

His gaze instinctively shifted to the clock mounted on the wall.

Exactly one hour had passed since Kenji launched the operation.

Remaining perfectly composed, James answered the call.

“Mr. Blackwood’s office. James Horton speaking.”

“Mr. Horton, Sir,” a frantic voice said from the other end. “We have an emergency. I need to speak with Mr. Blackwood immediately.”

James remained calm.

“Slow down. Tell me exactly what happened.”

“Our headquarters has suffered a cybersecurity breach, and our IT department can’t contain it.”

James‘ expression remained unchanged.

“One moment, please.”

He placed the call on hold before walking to Damien’s office and knocking twice.

“Come in.”

James stepped inside.

“Sir. Taiwan Headquarters is on the line.”

Damien calmly set the document he had been reviewing aside.

“Put them through.”

James crossed the room, transferred the call to the executive telephone, and activated the speaker.

Damien leaned back slightly in his chair.

“Director Tanner.”

“Mr. Blackwood!” the regional director exclaimed, unable to conceal the panic in his voice.” We have a major problem.”

Damien’s expression remained unchanged.

“Report.”

“Approximately thirty minutes ago, every system across our Taiwan headquarters suddenly went offline. Our internal network, financial databases, logistics platform, and communication systems have all been compromised.”

He paused to steady his breathing before continuing.

“Our cybersecurity team has been working nonstop to contain the breach, but every time they isolate one point of entry, another appears somewhere else. We’ve never encountered anything like this before.”

Damien couldn’t help but marvel at the precision of Harper’s plan. Every move had been calculated with astonishing accuracy, every event unfolding exactly when she intended, leaving virtually nothing to chance.

The regional director took another unsteady breath.

“It gets worse, Sir.”

Damien remained silent, signaling for him to continue.

“Several major news outlets have already picked up the story, and the situation is being blown completely out of proportion. They’re reporting that Blackwood Enterprises has suffered a massive cyberattack. The news is spreading rapidly across social media, and we’re already being flooded with calls from investors, business partners, government regulators, and members of the press requesting official statements.”

As if on cue, James‘ phone began vibrating relentlessly.

One notification after another appeared on the screen.

BREAKING NEWS

Blackwood Enterprises Taiwan Headquarters Suffers Suspected Cyberattack

Shares Expected to Open Lower Amid Security Concerns

James silently walked over and held his phone where Damien could read the headlines. After a brief glance, Damien simply gave a small nod.

James locked the screen and slipped the phone back into his pocket.

Everything was unfolding exactly as planned.

“Have we confirmed any data leaks, compromised customer information, or financial losses?

“Damien asked.

“No, Sir,” the regional director replied. “At this point, we haven’t found any evidence of data leaks or financial losses. The attack appears to be targeting our systems rather than our data.”

“And in less than an hour, Viktor Volkov will undoubtedly believe I’ll be spending the next few days putting out fires.”

A faint smile touched his lips.

“Notify Human Resources. Then begin preparing for the media conference. Once I finish the official statement… we’re leaving.”

James gave a firm nod.

“Right away, Sir.”

Without another word, he turned and quietly left the office.

Once the door closed, Damien took out his phone and dialed a familiar number.

The call was answered after the first ring.

“It’s time.”

“I’m on my way, Son,” Dominic replied before ending the call.

The pieces were finally beginning to fall into place.

+25 Points

As every second counted, Blackwood Enterprises shifted seamlessly into crisis–response

mode.

A company–wide memorandum was immediately distributed to every employee, reminding them of their confidentiality obligations and instructing them not to discuss the incident with anyone. All media inquiries were directed exclusively to Corporate Communications, while the Public Relations department worked swiftly to contain the rapidly spreading news.

Shortly after the internal memorandum was distributed, the company announced that CEO Damien Blackwood would be addressing the media.

The announcement drew an immediate response.

The front entrance of Blackwood Enterprises was soon swarmed with reporters, photographers, camera crews, and satellite news vans. Security personnel quickly established designated media areas while ensuring employees and visitors could continue entering and leaving the building without disruption.

Ten minutes before the scheduled press conference, Dominic’s vehicle pulled up to the front entrance of Blackwood Enterprises.

Almost simultaneously, another vehicle came to a stop behind him, and Nicholas stepped out.

Monroe, Hudson, and Cruz were already waiting outside. Their presence wasn’t a coincidence. Knowing they were being watched, they deliberately made themselves visible, allowing Roman to see exactly what they wanted him to see.

The five men exchanged a quiet look of understanding before entering the building together.

Now… all that remained was for Damien Blackwood to take center stage.