Chapter 44

Under the cover of night, I slipped into Sterling Enterprises’ restricted records room. The break-in was almost too easy security was lax, and the files were meticulously organized. I scanned the digital archive, quickly spotting what I needed: the confidential reports on the Victory acquisition, neatly categorized under high-priority mergers. Using the dim glow of my tablet screen, muted by a privacy filter, I crouched in the shadows and scrolled through the documents one by one. As I read, a cold shiver ran down my spine. My hands tightened around the device, and before I realized it, silent tears streaked down my face.