Chapter 222

Gabriel slowly looked around the conference room.

His curious eyes moved from one face to another, watching carefully, checking every single person seated at the long table. He was waiting to see who would reach for a phone, who would panic, er who would react strangely.

But what he saw shocked him. Almost everyone was typing on their iPads.

He watched how fingers moved across screens. Some people leaned forward slightly, fully focused. While others tapped slowly, likely deep in thought. It confused Gabriel completely. This was not what he had expected.

This was not how he imagined the trap would work.

His chest tightened slightly.

What was happening?

Had he misjudged them?

Just then, a beautiful woman with long black hair stood up. Her hair was putted back neatly into a tight bun, making her sharp features even more noticeable. She held her iPad firmly in her hands, adjusted her posture, and looked directly at Gabriel.

She opened her mouth and began to speak.

She spoke clearly and confidently, explaining her thoughts about the missing funds. She suggested possible loopholes, errors, and ways the money could have been moved without being noticed. Her voice was calm and professional, and her ideas made sense.

As soon as she began speaking, Gabriel’s phone chimed.

The sound was soft, but in the quiet room, it was loud enough.

The phone vibrated on the table in front of him. But Gabriel did not move. He didn’t even reach for it.

He did not even glance at it once. Instead, he kept his eyes on the room.

While the woman continued speaking, Gabriel noticed something that surprised him even more. The others were listening to her, nodding occasionally, and at the same time, they were still typing on their iPads.

They were so focused, and they were fully engaged.

This only confused him further.

The woman finished speaking and slowly sat back down. A soft murmur passed through the room as a few people nodded in agreement.

Gabriel’s phone buzzed again.

Still, he ignored it.

Then he turned his attention to the man seated at the endof the table.

“Chief,” Gabriel said calmly, his voice cutting through the room, “what can you say to this matter?”

The bald man flinched

He cleared his throat, as though Gabriel’s voice had pulled him out of a very deep and uncomfortable thought. His fingers fumbled with his iPad. His hands trembled slightly.

Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

And this was despite the strong air-conditioning cooling the room. Slowly, he stood up.

When he began to speak, his voice was steady. His words were not rushed. Each sentence came out clear and well-formed, almost too perfect. It sounded practiced, as if he had repeated the explanation many times in his head.

It did not feel natural. Not like the woman who spoke before him.

Gabriel watched him closely, his eyes narrowing just a little.

This man was the most trusted senior accountant in the room. He had worked with the company long before Gabriel took over the family business. He had seen generations of leadership. He had earned his place.

Gabriel trusted him.He had always been calm. Loyal. Careful, So why was he acting this way now?

Something felt wrong.

But Gabriel said nothing. He shifted his focus back to the room. One thing was clear in his mind.

He was going to get through this today.

No one threatened his family and walked away free.

One after another, almost everyone shared their opinions.

Some suggested that the company’s security had been hacked. Others believed someone was transferring money into an unknown account through hidden channels.

Gabriel remembered Carl’s call.

That was why he had traveled all the way to the Nether-Kingdom. And it was why he had paid heavily for a customized security product that was still not ready.

Something was off. Something was fishy.

Just then, the conference room door opened.

Three large men dressed in black, walked inside. Their heavy steps echoed softly on the floor. Their presence alone made the room colder. Fear spread instantly amongst the people.

Some people stiffened. While the others stopped typing.

Stone looked around once before speaking. But Gabrielspoke first.

“I’m sorry,” Gabriel said calmly, his voice steady, “I forgot to mention something.”

Then he paused.

“But before I continue, please place your cell phones and all other devices on the table in front of you.”

Shock filled the room.

People stared at one another, confused and alarmed.

“Sir,” Mr. William, one of the accountants, spoke nervously, “why? Are you suspecting us?”

Gabriel did not respond to him.

His eyes remained fixed on their movements.

Stone and the men moved quickly, walking around the room. One by one, they collected phones, tablets, and devices from everyone.

A large bowl was placed on the table and all the devices were dropped inside. Only then did Gabriel pick up his own phone.

He unlocked it.

The screen showed multiple notifications from an unknown number.

Gabriel tapped the first message. And it was a warning.Another threat. A slow smile spread across his face. He placed the phone back on the table.

He did not need to read the rest, for he already knew.

Someone had been playing with his mind.

And now, that person was in this room. And he knew that that person could not get away with it.

At least, not today.

Whoever the person is, that person was about to know the other side of Gabriel Wyndham.