Page 90 of Decoding Emma

“There was Hugo, Baylor another former employee, Greg Webster, and Lee Milligan.”

I could feel the blood drain out of my face.Good thing I was sitting down.

“Greg and Lee?”I knew Greg wasn’t happy with me working on this project since we were both up for the same promotion, but Lee?

“Yes.”Asher’s fingers tightened around mine.

“But why?”Then it hit me.“Son of a…” I pulled my hand away from Asher and turned to the computer monitors.“This explains so much.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’d noticed someone trying to access our subnet but couldn’t figure out why.”I tapped the monitor showing the access pattern.

“Greg was trying to sabotage your work,” Asher said softly.

“To what end?If he wanted the promotion that bad he could have put in the work.”I really didn’t understand it.Was I that naïve?

“Emma.”Asher cupped my chin and turned my face away from the monitor.“Greg was attempting to sabotage your work here at FI so he could ride in and fix everything.”Asher’s eyes darkened.“He was going to ruin your reputation and make sure you were fired.”

Asher’s words cut to the bone.Now I understood the origin of the phrase ‘stabbed in the back’.Greg was prepared to have me blackballed in the profession I loved and excelled at, because he couldn’t compete with me.“That doesn’t explain why Lee is a part of this.”

“From what Doug said, he wanted to date you, but you rebuffed him.”

I shook my head.“Yes, I told Lee no when he asked me, every time.I had no interest in him.”Well, this sealed the deal.I couldn’t go back to Tri-O-Tech.

“And he took that as a personal insult.”

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath.Assholes.

Asher and his team treated me as an equal instead of the enemy.Time to take these misogynistic assholes down.“We have all the pieces now.”

“We do.”

“Let me get this all copied over with some information.Do you think a meeting with Legal is appropriate?”

“Yes, us, Legal, and John.This can all be turned over to law enforcement and let them take it from there.”Asher dropped a kiss on my forehead.“Are you okay?”

Was I?I wasn’t sure yet.I had to be strong for a little bit longer, then I could allow Asher to hold me while I processed everything.“I’ll be fine.”

“Emma.”

I knew that tone.“Asher, this isn’t the time or place.After we turn all of this over, then we can comfort each other.”

“Promise?”

I bit my lip so I wouldn’t smile.“Yes.”

“All right.”He dropped another kiss on my forehead.“I’ll call the meeting.”

Chapter Forty-One

Asher

I wanted to hold Emma’s hand as we walked into the conference room where John and Nick waited.This was going to be hard on both of us, but I was worried about Emma.

“You have news?”Nick asked.

“Yes.”I held Emma’s chair out for her, once she was seated, I took the chair next to her.