Alex hung up the phone, a sly smile spreading across his face. He leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers together as he thought about the conversation he had just had with Nicholas.
It was all going according to plan. Nicholas trusted him completely, and Alex was using that trust to his advantage. He had been secretly working behind the scenes to undermine Nicholas's business, slowly but surely.
Alex's motivation was twofold. He had always felt overshadowed by Nicholas's success, and he resented the fact that Nicholas had never acknowledged his contributions to the company. Plus, he stood to gain a significant amount of money and control if Nicholas's business faltered.
As he sat there, Alex's expression darkened. He had been careful to keep his true intentions hidden, but he knew it wouldn't be long before Nicholas discovered the truth.
But by then, it would be too late.
Alex's phone buzzed again, breaking the silence. It was a text from Rachel, Nicholas's loyal assistant.
"Meeting with the investors is set for 2 pm," she wrote. "Nicholas wants to review the files beforehand."
Alex's smile returned. This was it. This was the moment he had been waiting for.
"I'll take care of it," he replied, his fingers flying across the keyboard as he sent a fake set of files to Rachel's email.
Nicholas was about to find out what it meant to be betrayed by someone he trusted.