Episode 5 — Whispers in the Code
Morning light poured through the glass crown of K-Tech Dynamics, igniting the logo above the atrium like an emblem of power. Whispered conversations coagulated into clusters as employees exchanged rumors in low tones. The story had spread like wildfire: Kelvin Grey had finally been seen with his daughter. The hidden child everyone had only ever imagined now had a name — Purity — and the internet could not stop talking.
Even at the company, where they had seen Kelvin bring a covered child once before, no one had ever glimpsed her face. They only knew fragments: a mother who died in childbirth, a father whose grief hardened into a fortress, a daughter kept from the public eye. Now the rumor mill ran wild. Purity was said to be resuming school, and that morning every corridor buzzed with speculation.
Ben nudged Charity. "They say she aced every entrance test. The boss let her choose which school to attend."
Charity stroked her chin. "Of course. You can't help but inherit those genes — we all know how brilliant Sir is."
"Peace says she's cute," Jacob added with a grin. "But why hide a perfect child? Maybe she's… special." He dropped his voice so only the nearest colleagues could hear.
"Shhh," Charity warned. "You know how Sir hates people talking about his daughter. We'd be fools to risk our jobs for gossip."
Across the floor, the private elevator whispered open and Kelvin stepped out. Silence fell like a curtain. Every footfall along the marble corridor sounded precise, like a metronome keeping time with the tension in the room. His suit was impeccable; his face, a practiced mask of calm. The boardroom's TV panels flickered to life, displaying the morning's headlines about Purity Grey. Kelvin glanced once and set his tablet down with deliberate calm.
"Are all board members present?" he asked in the same even tone he used to steer the company.
"Yes, sir," his secretary replied, voice trembling. "They are waiting."
Ten executives sat around the long glass table, each carrying the same mixture of loyalty and unease that Kelvin's meetings always produced. In this place, silence could mean fierce concentration — or doom. Kelvin rewarded brilliance and removed obstacles without ceremony. He had little patience for sloppiness; his team knew it well. Today they had prepared not only to meet but to be judged.
He took his seat at the head of the table. "You all may sit." His voice sliced through the anxious hush. "I called this meeting about Butech Global. They called last week requesting collaboration. After due diligence, I made an offer and acquired the company. The purpose of this meeting is to decide the focus of our new branch. I propose a medical science lab — a facility dedicated to diagnostics and human well-being. Thoughts?"
Hands shifted. Director Lillian Cho, head of R&D, was first. "Sir, a medical lab leverages our tech strengths and delivers social value. It's a sound long-term investment."
Marcus Flynn, Director of Finance, adjusted his glasses. "It's expensive, but with grants and public goodwill it could secure stable returns. I support it."
Aisha Bello, head of Partnerships, folded her hands. "Regulatory hoops exist, but the brand reputation would soar. I vote yes."
Daniel Park of Operations hesitated. "We'll need talent, labs, and strict oversight. Logistically complex, but synergy is there. I'm in favor."
Hannah Ortiz in Client Relations smiled thinly. "It will soften our image. Stakeholders will approve." She voted yes.
Omar Singh in Logistics stamped his note: more warehouses needed, yes. Rachel Meyers, Security, added, "We'll need upgraded protocols for medical-grade data. I support the move but require resources." Tomás Alvarez in Marketing saw the narrative potential. Evelyn Reed, Legal, spoke in measured tones about meticulous clearances and contingencies. One by one the votes landed.
Kelvin nodded as hands went up. "Medical science lab it is." He let them work through budgets, timelines, and hiring plans. With his signature, the conversation turned outward to enterprise instead of inward to rumor, and the immediate pressure in the room eased.
Back at the mansion, Purity's morning was quiet and electric. She'd been awake most of the night, fingers stained with schematic ink and small metal filings. She loved the hum of creation; the house at night had always been her lab. For three days she'd tinkered with a tiny companion robot — a toy built from scraps and memory of her father's workshop. At dawn she'd finally finished. Exhausted, she slept until midmorning.
By ten she sat at the study window with holographic volumes drifting before her. Her long silver-brown hair shimmered in the light. Anita hovered nearby with the soft, maternal smile that had soothed Purity since infancy.
"You've been reading since dawn," Anita observed, smoothing an apron hem. "Aren't you tired, sweetheart?"
Purity's eyes lifted — bright and precise. "No, Nanny. I wanted to study robotics. Father says knowledge is protection. If I'm going to school, I must use my time wisely."
Anita's face softened. "You sound more like him every day. You look like your mother too — I can't help but think she'd be proud."
Purity patted the robot's head. "I want friends, Nanny. Lessons I can manage. It's fitting in that I'm nervous about."
Anita's smile hid concern. "We'll make sure you're ready."
The serenity cracked when Andrew arrived in Kelvin's office with a tablet and a report-heavy expression. "Sir, I tracked the upload," he said. "The leak traces back to Butech Global's internal network. The uploader confessed — he was hired by the former CEO before our acquisition. He was paid to publish Purity's image and stir trouble to weaken you."
Kelvin's features hardened like tempered steel. "So it was a provocation," he said quietly. "They gambled on exposure to force my hand."
Andrew's voice tightened. "He named the former CEO."
Kelvin moved to the window and looked out across a city he'd helped shape. "When I bought them I offered a chance to salvage the company. He chose treachery." His jaw clenched. "I will take everything from him — quietly and legally. Cripple his capacity to harm. We will not give these people spectacle."
Andrew bowed. "Understood. I'll prepare options."
As the sun dipped, Purity wandered the private garden. Manicured hedges sighed; drones hummed like tiny bees. She reached for a white blossom and, to her astonishment, the petal unfurled under her fingertips, glowing faintly as if responding.
"What was that?" she whispered.