Chapter 7: The Money Trail and the Web of Betrayal

“Check every transaction in Leo’s account. Anything suspicious, I want a report immediately.”

“All transaction data for Leo’s accounts has been handed over to the lawyers. The police are already following up on the evidence provided.”

“Good. Work quickly and professionally. I knew I made the right choice in selecting you as my special team. Before the police move, I want to know everyone behind Leo’s actions.”

Darren ended the call and gazed out the glass window. The overcast sky seemed to mirror his guarded and cold mood.

The next day, the atmosphere at the headquarters of Anugerah Langit Corporation was more subdued than usual. Employees sat at their cubicles, heads down, typing quietly, as if afraid the sound of their keyboards might be too loud. News of Leo’s death still haunted many, and without realizing it, suspicion began spreading among them. Some exchanged glances full of unspoken questions—was there more to it than just an accident?

On the top floor of the building, Darren leaned back in his chair, observing the comings and goings of people through his transparent office window. His sharp gaze occasionally shifted to the monitor in front of him. He had just received a report from his covert team about the investigation into Leo’s accounts.

“There are suspicious transactions in Leo’s accounts,” said a voice over the phone. It was one of Darren’s trusted agents, someone who operated in the shadows, executing his orders silently and without leaving a trace.

“Uncover everything you can and bring it to light. Track the money flow, the assets purchased, and everyone involved. Leave no stone unturned,” Darren responded via a text message on his phone screen.

“We’ve found something. Several corporate accounts in the names of five senior managers. The money flows heavily outwards, most of it used to purchase gold bars. Every transaction leads back to Leo.”

Darren listened in silence, his fingers tapping rhythmically on his mahogany desk. His expression remained calm, but strategies were rapidly forming in his mind.

That afternoon, just as the office started to regain a semblance of normalcy, a major commotion suddenly rocked the headquarters. Police sirens wailed outside the building, followed by the rapid footsteps of officers entering the lobby. Employees were stunned, whispering among themselves, while senior managers tried to remain composed.

“The police! The police are here!” exclaimed a receptionist, hurriedly hanging up her phone.

Several uniformed officers rushed to the main meeting room on the eighth floor. Employees froze in disbelief at the unfolding scene. Within minutes, five senior managers—HR, Marketing, Promotions, Administration, and Finance—were handcuffed in front of everyone.

“This must be a misunderstanding! We were just following orders!” protested the HR manager.

“I don’t know anything about embezzlement… I… I only handle reports,” added the finance manager, desperate to explain.

The police gave them little time to defend themselves. One by one, the managers were escorted out of the building under the shocked gazes of terrified employees. Nadine, who had been appointed as Head Manager just a few weeks earlier, observed calmly from a corner of the room. She knew her position was safe—being newly appointed meant she couldn’t possibly be implicated in this mess.

“Wow, five managers arrested at once… This must be a big deal,” said Iwan, a marketing employee.

“Do you think it’s true? Were they really playing dirty all this time?” Dony, an admin staff member, chimed in.

“I can’t believe it. They seemed like good people,” another employee remarked, shaking their head.

The office fell silent again after the managers were taken away to the police station. Nadine, with her authoritative tone, dismissed the gathering employees and instructed them to return to work.

At the police interrogation room, the five managers sat with pale faces, sweat dripping from their temples. The cramped room felt even more stifling under the investigators’ cold stares.

“You know why you’re here. Explain your roles in this money trail,” the lead investigator began in a flat tone.

The finance manager swallowed hard, searching for the right words. “We... we did receive transfers from Mr. Leo. But it was to buy gold bars. Mr. Leo said it was all for the company’s movable assets.”

“Hmm… Is that so? Now, where are those gold bars?”

“We’ve handed all the gold over to Mr. Leo,” the manager stammered.

“How much gold did you hand over?” the investigator asked again.

The promotions manager stared at the table in front of him. “Hundreds of kilograms,” he muttered.

The interrogation room fell silent for a moment. The investigators exchanged glances, realizing this was just a small piece of a much larger scheme.

“Leo may be dead, but don’t think this ends here. If you cooperate, your sentences might be reduced, or you could even be acquitted if proven innocent. But if you’re hiding anything, and it comes to light later, you’ll face multiple charges!”

The HR Manager’s body trembled. “We don’t know anything else, I swear! We were just doing our jobs…”

The investigators noted every statement, but they knew these managers were just pawns. Outside the interrogation room, a senior officer murmured to his colleague.

“They’re scared, but it’s clear there’s a bigger player behind all this. Leo might have been just a front,” he said, accompanied by a psychologist observing the suspects’ behavior.

“They’re showing signs of fear, but also loyalty. It’s likely they’re covering for someone higher up,” the psychologist added thoughtfully.

That night, in his apartment, Darren gazed out the window, sipping a glass of wine. A faint smile appeared on his lips. Everything was going according to plan. The five managers had started to talk, even if only partially. At least the first step had been taken. Leo’s death, while initially a setback, had merely closed off one path. There were still many others to uncover the mastermind behind it all.

Darren picked up his phone, selecting a contact named Vina before dialing. The call connected after a few moments.

“Mrs. Vina, I want you to appoint me as Head Manager at the headquarters. All my documents as Kemal are ready,” Darren said firmly.

“Mr. Darren, isn’t this too fast and risky? Won’t Baron suspect me?” Vina replied, concern evident in her voice.

“Don’t worry, Mrs. Vina. Baron might suspect you, but not as someone working with Darren to bring him down. He’ll only think you’re playing games with Kemal. And that’s exactly what I want.”

Darren ended the call and lay down on his luxurious bed. He smiled before closing his eyes.

“Tomorrow, the new game begins,” he whispered before drifting off to sleep.