The conference room slowly emptied, but Marcus remained seated. His fingers tapped silently against the polished table. ‘Acquire Hayes.’ A faint smile tugged at his lips. Then his gaze sharpened. "How did Hayes Corporation manage to get tangled in this mess?"

He leaned back slightly. ‘Was this Evelyn's doing?’ He scoffed quietly. “Impossible.”

"Sir."

His assistant stepped forward cautiously. Marcus didn't look at him. "Pull every piece of information on this leak."

"Yes, sir."

"And—" Marcus paused. "Trace Evelyn Sinclair's movements over the past seventy-two hours—"

His phone rang. Marcus stopped. He glanced at the screen, and his expression changed instantly. Without another word, he stood and walked toward the...