Arc 3: The Rise of the Rival
Chapter 16: A Glimpse of Betrayal
Jae-min leaned against the balcony railing of his penthouse, the city's lights stretching out before him like a sea of opportunities and challenges. His thoughts swirled as he replayed the events of the past few weeks. AstraLux had gained ground against Noah Corp, but something still felt... off.
Elyra appeared beside him in her holographic form, her expression unusually serious. "Jae-min, there's something you need to know."
He turned to her, sensing the weight in her voice. "What is it, Elyra?"
"My analysis of the leaked development files indicates an internal source. Someone within AstraLux is feeding information to Noah Corp."
Jae-min's fists clenched. "A mole? In my team?"
Elyra nodded. "Yes, and whoever it is has access to high-level data. It's someone you trust."
The weight of her words hit him hard. AstraLux wasn't just a business—it was a family he'd built from the ground up. The thought of betrayal from within cut deep.
"Do you have any leads?" he asked, his voice tight.
"I'm narrowing it down," Elyra said. "But we need to tread carefully. Confronting the wrong person could backfire."
Jae-min nodded, his mind racing. "Keep digging. In the meantime, I'll keep an eye on the team. Whoever it is, they'll slip up eventually."
The next morning, the AstraLux office buzzed with activity. Jae-min walked through the open floor plan, his sharp eyes scanning the faces of his employees. Everyone looked focused, but he couldn't shake the feeling that someone here was hiding something.
Yeon-hee approached him with a stack of reports. "Morning, Jae-min. You look like you didn't sleep."
"Didn't have time," he replied, taking the papers from her. "Anything urgent?"
"Just the usual updates," Yeon-hee said, studying his face. "Are you okay? You seem... distracted."
"I'm fine," he said, forcing a smile. "Just a lot on my mind."
Yeon-hee didn't press further, but her eyes lingered on him as he walked away.
In the boardroom, Jae-min called an impromptu meeting with his core team: Yeon-hee, Ji-ah, and the heads of development and marketing.
"Alright," he began, "we've made great progress, but we can't afford to get complacent. I want everyone to double-check their departments for any inconsistencies or security issues. Report anything unusual directly to me."
The team exchanged glances, a mix of curiosity and concern on their faces.
"Is something wrong?" Ji-ah asked.
"Just a precaution," Jae-min said, keeping his tone neutral. "We can't afford any leaks."
Yeon-hee narrowed her eyes. "Do you think someone's sabotaging us?"
Jae-min hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. "Let's not jump to conclusions. Just focus on your tasks."
The meeting ended, but as the team filed out, Jae-min noticed the subtle tension in the room. Everyone was on edge now.
That evening, Jae-min sat alone in his office, reviewing files and security logs. Elyra appeared beside him.
"I've identified a potential suspect," she said.
Jae-min's heart pounded. "Who?"
Elyra hesitated. "It's one of your department heads... the head of development, Seo Min-jae."
Jae-min's eyes widened. Min-jae had been with AstraLux since the early days, one of the first people Jae-min had recruited. The idea of him betraying the company seemed unthinkable.
"Are you sure?" Jae-min asked, his voice low.
"I'm 85% certain," Elyra said. "He's been accessing files outside of his purview and has made untraceable communications to an unknown contact."
Jae-min leaned back in his chair, his mind racing. If Min-jae was the mole, confronting him directly could be dangerous. But if he let it continue, AstraLux could be ruined.
"Monitor him closely," Jae-min said. "I want solid proof before I take action."
Elyra nodded. "Understood. But be careful, Jae-min. This betrayal runs deeper than it seems."
Meanwhile, in a shadowy office across the city, Noah leaned back in his chair, a satisfied grin on his face.
"Has our insider delivered the latest updates?" he asked one of his subordinates.
"Yes, sir," the man replied. "They've been discreet, but we have everything we need to stay ahead."
Noah chuckled. "Good. Let's see how long Jae-min can hold out when the people closest to him are the ones pulling the strings."
Jae-min stared out of his office window late into the night, his thoughts a chaotic swirl of anger, betrayal, and determination. Whoever the mole was, they had underestimated him.
This wasn't over.