The elevator doors closed.
The security officer was standing near the wall stiff.
Kate's phone screen dimmed in her hands, she was still pondering on the last message she received.
You're not the only ones playing
Chris moved first.
"Repeat what you said", he ordered calmly .
The officer was shaking. "The hospital's archives were accessed using your personal authorization code, Sir. I mean from this Private Lounge".
Chris's expression shifted as he was trying to figure out who might have accessed the code.
"Run it again", Chris said.
"We did. The signal traces here". The officer replied quietly.
Kate looked at him.
"You think I did it?", she asked quietly.
"I think someone wants me to think you did it".
The officer glanced between them nervously.
"Should I call internal security?".he asked
"No", Chris replied instantly. "Lock down the network and do not allow any external alerts".
The officer nodded and stepped aside to make the call.
Kate's heart was pounding from the realization of things already taking a different turn.
"If someone used your code, they either cloned it.... Or had access to you", she said slowly.
"But my code isn't even written down" Chris said
"Then it was being observed".
His eyes went dark.
"You're saying someone close?"
"Yes, that's what I am saying", Kate said slowly.
"Do you think it is your mother?", she continued.
He didn't answer but he didn't dismiss it either.
The officer ended the call. "The network has been locked and there is no outgoing signals". He said.
"That's nice. Leave us" , Chris said.
The officer left through the service door.
It was just the two of them, Chris and Kate .
Kate stepped closer.
"Chris"
"If this is you....." his voice dropped.
"It's not", she said softly.
He looked at her carefully.
"You were downstairs when it happened".
"And you went out quickly to get something, right?" She asked.
His eyes flickered.
Neither of them were in the private lounge when it happened.
It means whoever used his code had done it when Chris left the lounge .
"Or your Private Lounge security. Who maintains it?" Kate asked.
"Internal IT does" he said instantly.
"Who do they report to?"
"My mother"
There was silence immediately as if they already know who did it.
Chris walked to his desk again with his fingers moving across another secured panel.
A new screen opened. It was internal surveillance of the hallway footage .
Chris took it back thirty- five minutes earlier.
They both watched in silence .
The footage showed the Private Lounge hallway and it was empty.
Then the feed glitched for three seconds, then returned back to normal.
Chris stood still.
"But that doesn't happen", he muttered.
Kate leaned closer, her shoulder brushing his.
"Hmmmmn... unless someone wanted it to glitch", she replied.
He rewound, paused and zoomed the footage . Then he stopped just before the glitch.
There was a very faint shadow under the camera's angle.
It was a tall figure . The posture looked very familiar.
Chris's breathing slowed dangerously.
"That's impossible "
"Who is it?" she asked, trying to look at the figure like she could know who it is.
He didn't answer immediately.
"The family law ... .yer", he replied .
"Does the family lawyer have access?" Kate asked confusingly.
"He had access".
"Had?"
"I revoked most privileges after the transition".
"But not all?"
Chris didn't reply.
Which meant yes.
"So the lawyer visits your dying father at 11:40 p.m., the will amendment disappears. The visitor's log is edited at 2:10 a.m.And now, someone is using your code to access the hospital's archives".
Chris face became hardened.
"He wouldn't dare".
"Well, unless he's protecting someone".
He didn't respond
Kate turned to him.
"Oh!! This is bigger than your mother just disliking me".
"I know".
"And if the lawyer is still loyal to her ....."
"He won't be after tonight", Chris said coldly.
You could feel the anger in his voice. The possessive authority that has gone was right there in his voice.
His voice didn't sound like the one that is son-like but like the CEO of Cena's Empire.
Kate stepped closer.
"Don't use emotions in confronting him".
He looked at her .
"You think I will lose control?"
"I think you are already close to losing control"
His stare softened slightly.
"And you're still here", he said quietly.
"Yes".
"Even after everything?"
"Yes, I am still here".
His hand moved to her waist again.
"You could walk away, you know", he murmured.
"I don't walk away from puzzles".
He studied her face carefully.
"You're not afraid".
"I am".
He raised his eyebrows in disbelief.
"You are afraid of what?"
"Of wanting you while I'm investigating you". She said softly.
His thumb traced slowly against her hips.
"You think I don't feel that?"
Her pulse jumped .
"Then stop pushing me away".
"I'm not pushing you away".
"But you are threatening to destroy my career", she said calmly.
"That was before"
"Before what?"
He looked at her for a second.
"Before I realized that you might be the only person that isn't lying to me".
There was silence until her phone's vibration broke it.
Chris frowned and answered her call.
"Who is this" he said angrily.
A distorted voice replied.
"You're looking in the wrong place".
Kate stood still.
Chris's eyes jammed her eyes.
"What do you want?" he asked coldly.
"Do you want the truth? "Then stop questioning your mother and start questioning the woman that left the hospital at 2:10 a.m. , the voice said.
The call ended.
Kate's heart pounded really fast.
"There was another woman?" She whispered.
Chris nodded slowly.
"My father's former executive assistant".
"The one your mother hated?"
"Yes".
"And she was there that night?"
"She arrived earlier, but I didn't see her leave" Chris replied with uncertainty.
Kate's mind was racing with thoughts.
"If the log was edited at 2:10 a.m.... "
"That means she was still there, " Chris concluded.
"And if she signed something....."
Chris's expression changed.
"She couldn't sign anything legally".
"Not unless your father authorized it".
There was silence .
Chris knew there was a possibility and it could change everything.
He moved suddenly and grabbed his jacket.
"Where are you going to?" Kate asked .
"To find her".
"At this hour?"
"Yes".
She stepped in front of him.
"Let me go with you"
He looked down at her.
"Kate, this isn't your war to fight".
"It became my war the moment someone started using your code".
"You're staying here", he said authoritatively.
"No, I am not"
"Kate", he shouted.
"No, I say".
He exhaled slowly.
"Ok, Fine. You can come but you will stay behind me".
She had this wicked smile on her face faintly.
"I don't stand behind men".
"Well, tonight you do" Chris said sharply.
Before she could respond to him, the elevator chimed again.
They froze for the third time tonight.
Chris didn't give permission .
The doors slid open slowly and nobody came out from it.
But an envelope was on the elevator floor.
Chris stepped forward cautiously and picked it up.
There was no name, seal or stamp on it .
He opened it and brought out a printed photograph.
It was the hospital corridor with a time stamp on it that shows 2:10 a.m.
And in the image, his father's former executive assistant was standing outside the private room.
But she wasn't alone.
Standing beside her was Elisabeth Cena looking calm, she wasn't grieving but she was watching.
Kate's breath stopped for a while.
Chris stared at the image rigorously.
The time stamp proved one thing clearly that his mother had still been in that hospital wing at 2:10am.
