Melanie Donaldson had twenty-four hours to produce the smoking gun, and she knew a simple accusation wouldn't suffice. Rhys Kallen didn't want political maneuvering; he wanted unimpeachable data and a confession.
Melanie started by isolating Chloe Vance's pawn, the minor analyst in the Sales division, by escalating the urgency of the Kratos deal. She used the internal communication system to issue a firm directive, seemingly signed by Rhys, demanding that all analysts involved in the Kratos documentation must re-verify their submitted data immediately due to a "critical integrity failure."
Chloe's pawn, realizing the investigation was closing in on his document route, panicked. He immediately sought guidance from the one person he thought could protect him: Chloe Vance.
Melanie had anticipated this. She used a minor IT team member who was secretly loyal to her (a connection she cultivated after the Vasko scandal) to monitor the direct, encrypted chat logs between Chloe and the terrified analyst.
Melanie didn't wait for the proof to be delivered; she created the environment for the final confession. She walked into Chloe's office suite, unannounced, at closing time.
Chloe looked up, maintaining a facade of calm efficiency. "Melanie. Have you resolved the—"
"I have resolved the Debt-to-Equity Swap Ratio, Chloe," Melanie cut in, her voice low and dangerously controlled. "I know it was deliberately manipulated. I know the document passed through your analyst, and I know he took directions from a secure burner account linked to your private laptop."
Chloe's mask twitched, but she scoffed, leaning back. "That's quite a theory, Melanie. Correlation is not causation. I run a sales division, not a cloak-and-dagger operation. You're grasping, desperate to deflect blame for your own negligence. Are you going to run crying to Rhys about a conspiracy?"
"I don't need to cry to Rhys," Melanie countered, pulling out her own phone. "I only need evidence."
She played back a clear audio recording, not of Chloe's direct confession, but of her giving the pawn specific, panicked instructions less than an hour ago to wipe the metadata on the original file route, claiming it was a "confidential error" that could link them both to Vasko's old networks.
The mention of Vasko, the convicted fraudster, was the key. Chloe had tried to cover her tracks by linking the data taint to a conspiracy that no longer existed, confirming the intent was malicious and secretive.
"That recording proves you were actively trying to obstruct an internal integrity review," Melanie stated, her eyes locking onto Chloe's sudden terror.
"That, coupled with the traceable routing from your desk, gives Rhys everything he needs for a termination with immediate cause and a potential civil suit. You didn't just try to damage the deal; you tried to destroy my credibility with the CEO by planting a lie."
Chloe's resistance finally broke. The thought of losing her carefully constructed career over a vindictive plot, and the fear of being dragged into a lawsuit involving Vasko's tainted past, overwhelmed her.
"It was a mistake! A competitive mistake!" Chloe spat, standing up, her hands trembling. "I wanted Rhys to see you weren't untouchable! I wanted him to choose control over sentiment! I wanted him to see you play the ruthless game he loves!"
Melanie didn't let her finish. She had the confession she needed. She stopped the recording.
Melanie walked out and went directly to Rhys's private line. "Meet me in the bunker. Bring the Kratos legal file. It's time to resolve the flaw."
When Rhys arrived, his face was still etched with a cold mixture of fury and doubt. Melanie didn't bother with explanation. She simply placed her phone on the desk and played the recording of Chloe's admission of obstruction and malicious intent.
Rhys listened, motionless. When the recording ended, he didn't look at Melanie; he looked at the falsified number on the screen. The truth was undeniable: the number was a tool, and Chloe was the hand that wielded it. He had doubted Melanie, not the data.
"She used my own fear against us," Rhys muttered, the realization hitting him, he had allowed his deepest insecurity to drive a wedge between himself and the one person he trusted.
Melanie stepped forward, not in triumph, but in pain. "You asked if I was compromised, Rhys. I delivered the proof that I was targeted. The rift you created was based on a lie. The contract is valid, but the trust was fragile."
Rhys finally looked up, the shame and relief warring in his eyes. "Call HR," he commanded, his voice shaking with restrained power. "Terminating Chloe Vance. For cause. Effective immediately. Then..." He stood, closing the physical distance between them. "Then you tell me how to earn back the trust I broke."