After forcing herself to stop overthinking, she got back to work. Lucien was right. She had alot to catch up on and she didn't wanna miss.
Taking a deep breath, she returned to her seat, powered up her computer and started researching the enigmatic Shadow Corporation.
After a few hours of nonstop research, she had gathered some information she could share with him. She wasn't sure if the information she found was exactly what he wanted, but that was all she had.
So she promptly headed to his office to provide feedback on what she had learned.
"Any luck?" He asked as soon as he saw her walk in.
"Yes sir.." Jena replied, placing her laptop on his desk. "Based on the information i've gathered, Shadow Corporation is a well established and prestigious Cyber Security company. They have launched branches in six different countries, but none in America yet. They have partnerships with other top cyber security and network security companies out there. They are also planning to expand their company here in America and have successfully partnered with other network and information security companies here. Oh and their estimated net worth is a staggering 69.9 billion dollars sir, that's a huge one if you ask me. I couldn't find any incriminating reports against them, so it seems their standard haven't been compromised." She finished and let out a job-well-done sigh.
"Sounds more like a competition to me." Was all he said.
"And the CEO?"
"His name is Damon Salvador sir and he has an overall Operations Manager named Riya Reyes. That's all I could find sir. His personal information is strictly confidential and I couldn't access it."
"I've never heard that name before." Lucien said. "If he succeeds in launching a branch here he'll be the only cyber security technician around. That could pose as a threat to Sangco." A flash of fury crossed his face as he spoke.
Lucien was very much aware of the numerous enemies he had out there who sought the downfall of him and his company for ages now. They eagerly anticipated his failure, each of them dying to see him beg for his survival, but he refused to give them that satisfaction. He would never allow them to witness his demise, instead, he would lead them to theirs. His ego was way too high. And his confidence was unwavering.
This sudden arrival of such a renowned corporation raised suspicions for him, especially due to the hidden identity of the owner. It only heightened his sense of skepticism.
But the name he heard didn't match up
and he couldn't remember having an encounter with any one named Salvador. That could only mean that this person must have undergone a name change, displaying remarkable intelligence to erase any trace of their past so effectively.
He could only think of one person who possessed the intellect and connections to execute such a plan.
His half brother,
Leonardo.
But the names were different.
Leonardo was the only person he could think of. They had a major falling out before Leonardo mysteriously vanished years ago. No one knew where he went or how to find him. He just left without a trace. He knew Lucien inside out, and anyone familiar with Lucien would understand that the fastest and most effective way to ruin him would be to dismantle his company.
Many attempted in the past, but none succeeded.
Leonardo, however, was no ordinary person compared to them. He was a Sanderson. And being a Sanderson himself, Lucien knew better than to underestimate the power of a Sanderson, especially one fueled by anger and a thirst for revenge. Lucien understood this all too well, considering his own drive.
He was almost so sure that Leonardo was the mastermind behind the Corporation. But on a second thought, he decided not to draw conclusions yet. Not until he had solid proof.
"Set up a meeting with them tomorrow and gather more information about that Riya Reyes and her boss" He ordered, frankly dismissing his train of thoughts.
Jena looked at him for a while, not knowing what to say. She had noticed the abrupt shift in his demeanor and it made her brows furrow.
She wanted to know his thoughts.
But just as she was about to reply, she got interrupted by the sound of a buzzing cellphone. It was Lucien's.
"What is it?" He answered.
"We need to meet" A woman's voice echoed.
Lucien ended the call and turned to Jena. "Gather all the information you can before I return."
"Alright sir" Jena nodded and left.
She had noticed Lucien's reaction to the information she shared and it didn't really sit well with her. Based on the reaction he gave, she believed that arranging a meeting would be a terrible idea. But he thought oppositely.
While mulling over the situation, she wondered what exactly sparked such a reaction from him. What triggered the sudden change?
The company in question was worth more than Lucien's and she had to admit, he had a point. It did seem like a competition and it didn't make sense for her to be setting a meeting with them. Shouldn't Lucien be declining their proposal instead?
Oh wait! It hit her now.
She had momentarily forgotten who she was dealing with.
'It's Lucien Sanderson we're talking about!' A voice in her head reminded her.
His ego was as big as they come, and the thought of turning down an opportunity, especially to a company that seemed like a threat was simply out of question for him. He was probably thinking that if he declined the proposal, he would risk giving them the satisfaction of thinking they had any power over him.
Jena couldn't help but sigh at how unbelievable he was being.
The curiosity still gnawed at her, but she knew that now was not the time to press for answers. Instead, she needed to focus on gathering as much information as possible before he returned.
. . . .
"Make this quick, okay? I have business to attend to" Lucien commanded, his tone giving a sense of indifference.
"How's the plan with Jena going?" The woman asked, ignoring his grumpiness like she was already used to it.
"It's going well" Lucien replied, scrolling through his phone. He didn't even look at her, it was like she wasn't even there.
But that didn't bother her.
"Any issues so far?" She asked again, her eyes fixed on him, watching him act like she was completely invisible.
"No Jessy everything's fine!!"