?Chapter 1424:


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    Before she could study what she had uncovered, her phone began to vibrate on the desk. Not a call — the sharp, rhythmic pulse of a warning. Someone was drawing near.


    A jolt of fear shot through her. She reacted faster than thought. She shut theputer screen without hesitation and, with steady hands, pulled the USB drive free. The soft click that followed seemed far louder than it should have in the quiet office.


    Kiley rose from her chair, picked up her phone, and moved toward the tall window, making it appear as though she were mid-conversation. She held the phone close to her ear while her gaze stayed fixed on the alert disyed on the screen.


    That alert came from the defense system she had set up on her very first day as CEO of Cooper Group. Raegan had questioned the need for it back then, wondering what would happen if she ever triggered it by mistake. In truth, the system worked through infrared detectors that sensed unusual movement in the surrounding environment. Under normal circumstances, if the rm triggered identally, Kiley could disable it through her phone without trouble.


    All the while, a tiny red dot — marking the intruder — crept steadily toward the office door.


    Kiley narrowed her eyes and kept her voice level. “How useless can you get? Must I spell out everything for you? Hold a press conference first thing tomorrow morning. Gather what we need to speak to the survivors and calm them down. We must show the public that we were the ones harmed. And investigate the source of the fire — this incident has ced us in a difficult light, and we need to brace ourselves for the rumors that will follow.”


    For several minutes she maintained the performance, her voice steady and unhurried, but the red dot refused to move.


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