The Secrets of the Empire

Chapter 14: Secrets in the Archives

The glass-walled headquarters of Elite Global Luxury Ventures reflected the afternoon sun, casting glints of light across the bustling streets below. Inside, the air was charged with purpose, employees moving in sync. The towering structure, with its marble floors and modern art adorning the walls, exuded the power and prestige of the Dubois family empire. Yet beneath the polished exterior, Alexandre Dubois felt an uneasy tension growing within him.

It had been days since Monique Dufresne had confided in him her concerns about Henri Lefebvre, the Chief Operations Officer. Alexandre still remembered the way Monique had closed her office door, her fingers trembling just slightly. The suspicion she had shared—that Henri had accessed confidential files after hours and copied them onto a USB drive—had planted a seed of doubt in Alexandre's mind that was hard to ignore. Today, Alexandre intended to water that seed with facts, one way or another.

Alexandre stepped out of his office, the spacious room filled with a mix of his father's legacy and his own subtle touches, and walked down the corridor towards Sophie Laurent's workspace. The office was quieter today; employees were preoccupied with deadlines, eyes glued to their screens, fingers tapping rhythmically on keyboards. The air carried a sense of quiet determination.

He knocked on Sophie's door, the soft sound echoing through the hallway before he entered. Sophie looked up, her efficient demeanor ever-present as she adjusted her glasses. Alexandre had always trusted Sophie. From her unwavering support after his father's death to her consistent dedication to the company, Sophie had proven herself indispensable. He knew she was ambitious, but that didn't bother him—he appreciated her drive. Her intuition and loyalty had become indispensable to Alexandre, and he knew he could rely on her now more than ever.

"Alexandre," she greeted with a smile, motioning for him to take a seat. "What brings you here today?"

Alexandre sat down, leaning forward slightly, his face serious. "I need your help, Sophie. It's about something Monique told me."

Sophie raised her eyebrows, intrigued but cautious. "Monique? What did she say?"

He took a moment, carefully choosing his words. "She has concerns about Henri. She thinks he may have accessed confidential files—late at night, after hours. She saw him copying documents."

Sophie's eyes widened, her lips pressing together in a thin line as she digested this information. "Henri? Are you sure?"

Alexandre nodded. "I trust Monique's judgment. She wouldn't have come to me without a reason. But I need to confirm it. And I need to do it quietly, without drawing too much attention."

Sophie took a deep breath, her gaze thoughtful. "I understand. You think he might be involved in something... dangerous?"

"I don't know yet," Alexandre admitted, his voice laced with frustration. "But I can't ignore it. I need to understand what's going on before things get out of hand."

Sophie nodded, her fingers tapping lightly on the desk. "Alright. I suggest we bring Karim in on this. He's the IT manager, and he can look into system logs without raising suspicions. He's discreet and thorough."

Alexandre smiled, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. It was already the solution he had in mind, but he had hoped Sophie might offer another lead.

He decided to handle it personally. Without waiting, he left Sophie's office and immediately asked Karim to come to his office.

Karim was a tall, bespectacled man with a friendly demeanor. He wore his professionalism effortlessly, with a crisp white shirt and navy blazer. He entered Alexandre's office with a curious expression, clearly unsure why he had been summoned.