The Heiress He Underestimated novel Chapter 19

Chapter 19 A Hacker In The Dark

She expected denial. She expected deflection. She was prepared for a cold, calculated lie.

What she did not expect was the brief, stark flash of surprise in his eyes, followed immediately by a deep, weary understanding. It wasn’t the guilt of a man caught. It was the recognition of a familiar problem.

“I see,” he said quietly. He didn’t look away. “And you think it was me.”

“The thought crossed my mind.”

He gave a slow, almost imperceptible nod. “A logical assumption. But an incorrect one.” He reached for the tablet again, his fingers moving swiftly across the screen. “I have no need to steal your research, Elera. I am attempting to buy it. Or rather, to buy the company that owns it.”

He turned the screen towards her. It was a draft proposal for the acquisition of Nethys Medical by a subsidiary of Vex Industries. The offer was staggering, more than generous. It was dated a week prior.

“I began due diligence over a month ago,” he explained, his voice matter–of–fact. “Nethys Medical is the most innovative, secretive player in the field. Their research aligns perfectly with my needs. If I am to have any chance, I need the best tools at my disposal. Owning the company seemed more efficient than courting its anonymous CEO.”

He was telling the truth. She could see it in the clean lines of the proposal, in the lack of guile in his exhausted face. The attacks weren’t from him. They were a response to him. Someone had detected his interest in her company and was trying to get to the research first, or sabotage the deal.

“Who else knows about your interest?” she asked, the tension in her shoulders easing just a fraction, replaced by a new, sharper focus.

“My board. My head of acquisitions. A handful of trusted advisors.” He paused, his gaze turning inward. “And my sister.”

“Would she do something like this?”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify