Chapter 10: The Shadow Behind the Company
Malcolm Reed had spent his entire life believing he understood enemies.
An enemy was someone who stood against you.
Someone who challenged you openly.
Someone whose intentions were clear.
But the person who damaged Reed Automotive had done something far more dangerous.
They had smiled.
They had agreed.
They had stood beside him while quietly changing the company from the inside.
Malcolm stared at the message on his phone.
*You’re looking in the wrong direction. Richard wasn’t the one who changed the system.*
The room remained silent.
Everyone was waiting.
Richard looked at Malcolm.
“What does it say?””
Malcolm didn’t answer immediately.
He looked at Richard.
For years, he had trusted this man.
Richard had been there during expansions.
During negotiations.
During moments when the company almost collapsed.
He had been the person Malcolm called when decisions became too heavy.
And yet, he had hidden things.
Important things.
But now there was a possibility that Richard wasn’t the beginning.
He was only a piece.
“Someone is saying you didn’t create the system.””
Richard frowned.
“What?””
Malcolm turned the phone toward him.
Richard read the message.
His expression changed.
Not fear.
Recognition.
“You know who sent this.””
It wasn’t a question.
Richard looked away.
“Richard.””
The COO remained silent.
Jonathan stepped forward.
“Answer him.””
Richard slowly sat down.
“There are things you don’t know.””
Malcolm almost smiled.
“That seems to be the theme of my life lately.””
Richard looked at him.
“I didn’t create the final version of Priority Access.””
“Then who did?””
Richard hesitated.
And that hesitation told Malcolm everything.
“Who?””
Richard rubbed his forehead.
“Ethan Vale.””
The name meant nothing to Daniel.
But Jonathan reacted immediately.
Malcolm noticed.
“Who is Ethan Vale?””
Jonathan looked serious.
“Someone who should never have had that much influence.””
Richard nodded.
“He joined the company eight years ago.””
“What position?””
“Strategy director.””
Malcolm frowned.
“That’s not high enough to control company-wide systems.””
Richard looked at him.
“Not officially.””
The room went quiet.
“What does that mean?””
Richard sighed.
“Ethan was good at convincing people he was solving problems.””
Malcolm listened.
“He studied customer behavior. Sales patterns. Market trends.””
“And?””
“He started making recommendations.””
Richard looked down.
“At first, they seemed harmless.””
Malcolm walked toward the window.
“Give me an example.””
Richard answered quietly.
“He suggested focusing resources on customers more likely to purchase.””
“That sounds reasonable.””
“Yes.””
Richard looked at him.
“That’s how it started.””
Malcolm understood.
The most dangerous decisions rarely arrived looking dangerous.
They arrived wearing the disguise of efficiency.
“What happened next?””
Richard continued.
“He began creating profiles.””
“Customer profiles?””
“Yes.””
“Based on what?””
Richard hesitated.
“Everything.””
Malcolm’s voice hardened.
“Everything means what?””
“Income. Location. Spending habits.””
A pause.
“And eventually appearance.””
Malcolm closed his eyes briefly.
The same pattern.
The same disease.
A person reduced to a number.
Jonathan looked at Richard.
“And you allowed it.””
Richard nodded.
“Yes.””
The honesty surprised Malcolm.
“Why?””
Richard looked exhausted.
“Because it worked.””
Nobody spoke.
“Sales increased. Conversion rates improved. Executives were happy.””
Richard looked at Malcolm.
“And every time someone questioned it, Ethan showed the numbers.””
Malcolm turned around.
“Numbers.””
Richard nodded.
“Numbers that made people stop asking questions.””
The room became colder.
Because Malcolm understood.
Ethan hadn’t convinced people to abandon humanity.
He had convinced them that humanity was inefficient.
That was much easier.
“Where is he now?””
Richard looked away.
“He left the company.””
“When?””
“Two years ago.””
Malcolm frowned.
“Convenient.””
Richard nodded.
“I thought so too.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“Do we have records?””
Richard looked at him.
“Yes.””
“Then why wasn’t this found during audits?””
Nobody answered.
Malcolm looked at Richard.
“Because someone hid them.””
Richard didn’t deny it.
“I removed some files.””
Daniel looked shocked.
“You deleted evidence?””
“No.””
Richard shook his head.
“I moved them.””
“Why?””
Richard looked at Malcolm.
“Because I thought I was protecting the company.””
Malcolm stared at him.
“You keep using that excuse.””
Richard looked down.
“Because it was true.””
“No.””
Malcolm walked closer.
“It was what you told yourself.””
The words hit Richard.
Because deep down, he knew.
He hadn’t protected the company.
He had protected his own decisions.
Malcolm picked up the folder containing his mother’s documents.
“Find Ethan Vale.””
Daniel nodded.
“We’ll start immediately.””
“No.””
Everyone looked at Malcolm.
“I’ll find him.””
Jonathan frowned.
“Malcolm.””
“I need answers.””
“You need evidence.””
Malcolm looked at him.
“I have enough evidence to know something is wrong.””
Jonathan shook his head.
“And enough anger to make mistakes.””
The room became quiet.
Malcolm didn’t respond.
Because his uncle was right.
He wanted answers.
But he also wanted someone to blame.
And those were not always the same thing.
Later that evening, Malcolm sat alone in his office.
The city lights stretched below him.
The same view he had looked at thousands of times.
But everything felt different.
His company.
His legacy.
His family.
All of it had hidden parts.
His assistant knocked.
“Mr. Reed?””
“Come in.””
She handed him an envelope.
“This was delivered personally.””
Malcolm looked at it.
“No sender?””
“No.””
He opened it.
Inside was a single photograph.
A young Malcolm.
Standing in the old garage.
Beside him was his father.
And beside his father…
Ethan Vale.
Malcolm froze.
That was impossible.
Ethan wasn’t a recent employee.
He had been there before.
Much earlier.
On the back of the photo was a handwritten message.
*You never knew who helped build your empire.*
Malcolm stared at the picture.
Because suddenly the question was no longer:
Who damaged Reed Automotive?
May you like
The question was:
Who had been there from the beginning?
