unrivaled

chapter 36

Jin sat, exhausted, struggling to focus on the report in front of him.

He did not hear the knock on the door and was startled when JK stepped inside. He knew immediately something was terribly wrong by the look on his face.

Jin jumped to his feet and met him halfway, grabbing his arms.

"Dae?" he asked, panic creeping up on him.

He drew a deep breath as the young man shook his head.

Looking at Jin, fear and worry in his eyes, Jungkook whispered "Lyra".

Jin just stood blinking at him, trying to understand the worry.

"Lyra? Ms.Min?" Jin looked out at the desk where the young woman had just returned from lunch, a frown creasing her face when she saw JK.

Jin nodded at her to get back to work and shut the door, pointing at JK to take a seat.

They sat in silence as JungKook organized his thoughts. Finally he straightened and looked his mentor in the eye and gave his report.

"We were finally able to trace the encrypted data on the emails, and that led to more information on the stolen documents." He explained. "Both came from inside our company."

Jin cursed, suddenly seeing where this was going.

"We were able to pinpoint the location of the breach. It came from your office Jin." He said quietly.

"My office? Explain," Jin demanded.

"The data trail indicates the documents were taken from one of the two computers in this office. Yours.....or Lyra's," JK's face was tight, his emotions tightly held in check.

He watched as Jin recalled the same details he had already put together, the misplaced files, her presence in Jin's office when he was not there, her constant mistakes and her nervous behavior.

Anger and disappointment flooded Jin. He had come to like the timid girl. Hell, she had even made it a record ten days without tears. Now this. This could ruin him.

"What else do you know?" Jin asked.

"Not much at this point. They will come when I call to take her in for questioning," JK paused, his voice suddenly thick with emotion, " I will tell her when I am finished here."

Suddenly, he was on his feet pacing.

"Jin! I don't believe she did this! Please..." JK pleaded.

Jin looked at the young man and saw him as serious as he had ever been. His heart was in his eyes and the request he was afraid to make hung in the air between them.

Jin nodded and walked to his desk and took out an envelope he kept hidden there.

Walking back to his friend, he handed him the envelope and said, "effective as soon as you leave this office, you are on paid administrative leave. Any action you take will be private and not acknowledged by KimCom. Any expenses not covered by the card in your hand are your own responsibility."

JK opened the envelope to find a black card with an unlimited credit limit.

He started to speak but Jin shook his head.

"I understand," the young man stated as he started for the door.

"Let's find the real culprit if it is not her. I need for this to be over," Jin directed.

JK shook his head to acknowledge his concerns then turned his attention to Lyra.

"One more thing, while you are officially off duty," Jin asked," I need you to look into Namjoon's wife's death. Was there an autopsy? See if you can find doctor's visits close to the time she died."

JK nodded, "anything in particular I am looking for?" JK asked.

Jin thought a moment then responded. "I suspect there is nothing to find. I just want to check on some things."

JungKook nodded. He understood. Usually proving something false was the much more difficult task. He was facing that for Lyra and was determined to help her.

He would do as Jin asked, but Lyra was his priority right now.

His mind set, he turned to leave and Jin clapped him on the back. That gave him the boost of faith he badly needed right then.

He squared his shoulders and went to tell Lyra that he knew what she had been hiding from him.

Jin watched through his blinds as JK approached the girl.

Jin could not hear the words he spoke, but he could see her face, and he watched her crumble at the words JungKook spoke.

He watched as JK, who he still regarded as that gangly boy from their first meeting, gathered her in his arms and soothed her as he explained what was going to happen.

Jin was wrong, he decided. Somewhere along the way Kookie had grown into his own man, strong and true and capable. Lyra was lucky to have him by her side. So was Jin.

He turned away, partly to give them the privacy they needed in these last few minutes before everything changed.

He also turned away because it was just too damn hard to see.

It was too hard to watch her turn to him for comfort, to see him brace himself to shoulder her pain, and his own too.

His missed Dae.

His heart ached that she chose to leave rather than turn to him for comfort and protection.

He did not want JK's heart to be broken, but he was glad they had these answers. Soon, maybe soon Dae would come back.

He sank into his desk chair and closing his eyes, he began to fear what shambles he would be in when she did return.

He could see no positive outcome from this.

It really did not matter if Lyra was prosecuted for the leak or if JungKook found another culprit.

Ultimately the fault would fall on Jin.

He did not know if he was strong enough anymore to hold off the attacks sure to come.

Now more than ever he needed Dae. He needed her to tangle her hands in his hair and gently kiss him and rock all his cares away.

And then the chilling truth hit him.

If KimCom was implicated publicly in this breach he would be disgraced. Dae could never be associated with this failure.

He could lose her forever.

That was an outcome he could not bear.

Because I said I might update tonight!! Are we turning toward resolution? Or more heartache?

I love Jin and JK's relationship.

And what will happen with JK and Lyra??? Food for thought for a couple of days💜💜💜💜

Thank you for your encouragement!! It means the world to me!!!!