[Hugo's Office]
The sharp tick of the clock echoed in the room, slicing through the tense silence. Hugo sat behind his massive oak desk, flipping through a pile of documents with a furrowed brow. The faint scent of his cigar lingered in the air, half-burned, forgotten, just like his hopes from the last deal.
Losing the Smith contract had been a brutal blow. He had counted on it in fact planned for it. And at the very last moment, Smith had handed it to someone else, leaving Hugo with nothing but regret and a dented reputation.
Now, as he reviewed his company's finances, another unpleasant surprise surfaced. His sharp eyes froze on a figure that didn't make sense. A transaction. Large. Recent.
"There are withdrawals from our secondary accounts last month," he said slowly, his voice calm but his jaw tightening. "But I don't recall authorizing any of them."
He looked up at his assistant, his stare sharp enough to make the man fidget on the spot.
