Chapter 229 The Mole

Chapter 229: Chapter 229 The Mole

?The short text message arrived precisely at 2:17am in the morning.

?Dorian’s smartphone buzzed sharply on top of the nightstand beside him. Truthfully, he was not even asleep when it went off. He had not slept properly for several days in a row now. His mind was constantly consumed by too many things at once, including the frustrating cold war with Veyra, the deep investigation into the Black Triangle, and the missing piece of the meteorite.

?He reached over and picked up the device. The screen glowed bright in the quiet bedroom, displaying a single line of text sent from an unknown number.

?Supply chain. Three days. They know the exact routes.

?Dorian sat up straight in bed. His heart pounded hard against his ribs, and his jaw tightened instantly into a rigid line.

?It was the mole. His hidden contact operating inside the Black Triangle, the man who had been feeding him secret intelligence for several years.

?He tapped out a quick reply. Who is leaking it?

?The response came back almost immediately. Can’t say over text. Too many eyes watching. But it is definitely internal. Someone high up in the ranks. They want to hit the Zeus Group right where it hurts most.

?Dorian’s blood ran ice cold in his veins.

?He swung his legs over the side of the mattress and stood up right away. He walked across the room over to the wide glass window, staring down at the city lights flickering below. The streets outside were empty and dead silent.

?He dialed Kaelen’s personal number.

?The line rang once. Then twice. Then a third time.

?"Sir?" Kaelen’s raspy voice answered over the speaker. He had clearly been fast asleep seconds ago.

?"Wake up right now. We have a massive problem on our hands."

?"What kind of problem, sir?"

?"Someone is planning a major strike against our main supply chain. It is happening in three days, maybe even less."

?There was a brief pause on the line, followed by the sudden sound of rustling bedsheets and bare feet hitting the floor.

?"I will be at your office in twenty minutes, sir."

?"Make it fifteen minutes flat."

?Dorian got dressed in a hurry. He pulled on simple trousers and a black shirt as he made sure he didn’t wake up Veyra, keeping his phone gripped tightly in his right hand as his mind raced in a hundred directions.

?The Zeus Group supply chain was the absolute backbone of his entire business empire. It encompassed massive cargo ships, fleets of trucks, regional warehouses, and major distribution centers across the country. If an enemy wanted to cause serious damage to his empire, that was the exact place they would strike.

?He needed to mobilize his security teams right now. He had to increase patrol shifts and check every single delivery route, every storage warehouse, and every registered driver on the payroll.

?He walked over to his bedroom door, but he stopped dead in his tracks just before turning the knob.

?Veyra.

?She was sleeping quietly on the bed. Or perhaps she was wide awake, too. He honestly did not know for sure. They had barely spoken a word to each other in days. Not in any real, meaningful way.

?He thought about her situation. He remembered her new retail shop, the ongoing structural renovations, and the constant threats she was already facing from all sides.

?Xander Hale. Naya Whitmore. Eleanor.

?She was an easy target for his enemies. In truth, she had always been a target ever since she got involved with his family. But right now, with this fresh threat looming over the Zeus Group, she was far more vulnerable than she had ever been before.

?He pulled out his phone again and dialed Leon’s number.

?Leon answered the incoming call on the very second ring.

?"Sir."

?"Leon. I need you to double Veyra’s security detail immediately."

?There was a short pause on the line. "How many additional men should I assign, sir?"

?"Double it at minimum. Maybe even triple the guards. I want physical eyes on her at all times of the day and night. Everywhere she goes. At the shop site, at the university campus, and right here at the manor."

?"Understood, sir. I will arrange it now."

?"And Leon."

?"Yes, sir?"

?"Do not tell her a single thing about why the extra guards are there."

?Another pause followed, longer this time. "Sir?"

?"She does not need to know about any of this. Not yet. I refuse to frighten her with these threats."

?"With all due respect, sir, she is not a woman who gets easily frightened by anything."

?Dorian’s jaw tightened. "I know that well enough. But I still do not want her dragged into this situation. Not until I figure out more details."

?"Understood, sir. It will be handled quietly."

?Dorian hung up the call.

?He stood alone in the dim room, his phone still clutched in his hand and his heart still pounding hard.

?He kept thinking back to Veyra. He remembered the concerned way she had looked up at him when she came downstairs earlier that day, and the gentle way she had asked if he was doing all right.

?She had been genuinely worried about his well-being. She had even gone to see Wesley to ask questions, trying her best to figure out what was wrong with him.

?And what had he done in return? He had pushed her away. Again.

?Deep down, he did not actually want to push her away from his life. But he simply had no idea how to open up and let her in.

?He walked quietly out of the bedroom and pulled the door shut behind him.

?He instructed Leon to increase Veyra’s security detail without telling her why. He did not want to frighten her.