Chapter 12

Sylvester sat at his desk, staring at the computer screen with a growing sense of unease. The numbers weren't adding up. His accounts were usually perfectly balanced, but something felt off today. It wasn't a major discrepancy, just enough to prick at his mind and distract him from the task at hand.

He leaned back in his leather chair, running a hand through his tousled hair, trying to shake the feeling. Maybe it was nothing. He had been on edge lately, his mind juggling too many things at once. The deal with Derek, the fallout from their last encounter, and the fact that he still couldn’t get Melinda to return his calls—it all gnawed at him, creating an ever-present tension. Still, something about this moment felt different.

His phone rang, the sharp sound cutting through his thoughts. Sylvester glanced at the caller ID, his brow furrowing when he saw it was from his bank. It wasn’t a number he recognized, but it bore the familiar prefix of the institution. His heartbeat quickened as he picked it up, apprehension coiling in his chest.

“Sylvester speaking,” he answered, trying to keep his tone casual.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Sylvester,” the voice on the other end said, calm but with an edge of urgency. “This is Julie from the fraud department at Sovereign National Bank. I’m calling to inform you that there has been suspicious activity on your account.”

Sylvester's stomach dropped. His free hand immediately gripped the armrest of his chair. “Suspicious activity? What kind of activity are we talking about?”

Julie cleared her throat. “We’ve detected several unauthorized attempts to access your account over the last 24 hours. The activity appears to be from an external source attempting to gain control of your funds.”

Sylvester’s mind raced. “An external source? From where?”

“We're still investigating the origin of the attempts, but from what we’ve gathered, it appears to be a coordinated effort from multiple locations. It seems someone may have obtained partial access to your account information, though they haven’t fully breached it yet.”

Sylvester gritted his teeth, anger simmering beneath his growing anxiety. “But they haven’t succeeded?”

“No, sir. We have blocked your account to prevent any further unauthorized access. However, this also means that your account will be temporarily inaccessible to you as well, for your protection.”

Sylvester bolted upright in his chair. “Blocked? What do you mean blocked? I need access to that account!”

“I understand this is frustrating,” Julie said, her voice maintaining a calm, professional tone. “But we had to take immediate action to secure your funds. Right now, no one can access your account, not even yourself.”

His pulse quickened, a sharp spike of frustration rising in his chest. “How long is this going to take? I’ve got transactions lined up, bills to pay. I can’t afford for my account to be frozen!”

“We are doing everything we can to resolve this matter as quickly as possible, Mr. Sylvester. I assure you, our team is working around the clock to ensure that your funds remain secure and that your account is restored as soon as possible.”

Sylvester rubbed his temples, trying to keep his cool. He couldn’t afford any disruptions, not now. His dealings with Derek were already teetering on a razor’s edge, and the last thing he needed was a financial setback. His funds were the lifeblood of everything he had going on, and the idea that someone might be trying to drain them—possibly even ruin him—set his teeth on edge.

“And what am I supposed to do in the meantime?” Sylvester asked, his voice strained. “I’ve got deals in progress. I can’t wait around while your team takes their time.”

“I understand your concerns,” Julie said patiently. “We recommend that you monitor your other accounts closely, and we also suggest changing any related passwords, especially those tied to your email or other financial platforms. Our security team will be in contact with you as soon as there are updates on the situation. In the meantime, your account is fully protected.”

Sylvester leaned forward, staring out the window at the city skyline. The bright afternoon sun seemed at odds with the dark cloud that had settled over him. He was supposed to have control over everything. His life, his business, his money—it all flowed like clockwork, and now, this?

“Protected,” Sylvester muttered under his breath. “For how long?”

“Usually, these investigations take no more than 48 hours,” Julie replied. “But as a precaution, we will keep the account locked until we are certain that the threat has been neutralized.”

“Forty-eight hours?” Sylvester’s voice rose, incredulous. “I don’t have forty-eight hours! You need to unlock this now.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Sylvester,” Julie said firmly but sympathetically. “I understand this is a difficult situation, but I assure you, this action was necessary to prevent further potential losses. We will keep you updated throughout the process.”

Sylvester clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white. The thought of his account being frozen, even for a day, sent a jolt of fear through him. Whoever was behind this knew what they were doing, and the fact that they had gotten this far unsettled him more than he cared to admit.

“And there’s nothing I can do to expedite this?” Sylvester asked, though he already knew the answer.

“Unfortunately, no. Our team is working as quickly as possible, and rushing the process could jeopardize the security of your account. We need to be thorough.”

He let out a slow, frustrated exhale. “Fine. But you’d better keep me updated.”

“Of course, Mr. Sylvester. You will receive notifications as soon as there is progress, and one of our senior security analysts will reach out to you personally once the investigation has concluded.”

Sylvester nodded to himself, though the gesture did little to soothe the tension coiling in his gut. “Thank you,” he said, though his tone lacked gratitude. “I’ll be expecting a call soon.”

Julie’s voice softened, as if sensing his frustration. “We understand the gravity of the situation, Mr. Sylvester. We will do everything we can to ensure your account is restored safely. In the meantime, if you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to contact us.”

Sylvester ended the call and set the phone down on his desk, staring at it as if it held all the answers he desperately needed. He felt an uncomfortable pressure building in his chest, his frustration mounting with every passing second. He had always been in control, but this… this was something else entirely. The idea that someone had gotten close enough to threaten his financial empire sent a ripple of fear through him, though he refused to acknowledge it fully.

He stood up and paced the room, his thoughts running wild. Could it be Derek? Someone working for him?

The timing was suspicious. Derek had been pushing harder lately, testing boundaries, and maybe he had found a way to strike where it hurt most. Sylvester didn’t like to consider himself paranoid, but in his line of work, trust was a rare commodity. And now, with this breach, the cracks in his carefully constructed world were beginning to show.

He moved to the window, glaring out at the city below, his mind running through the possibilities. He wasn’t just a businessman. His deals weren’t the kind you could walk away from without consequences. He had made enemies—plenty of them. But this? Whoever was behind the hacking attempt wasn’t just trying to hurt him financially; they were making a statement. They were showing him that even his fortress of wealth wasn’t impenetrable.

Sylvester’s phone buzzed, interrupting his thoughts. For a brief moment, his heart skipped a beat, thinking it was the bank calling back with more bad news. But when he glanced at the screen, he saw it was a message from his assistant, Marcus.

**“Meeting at 4. Need to discuss the Westfield deal.”**

He ignored it, his mind too focused on the bank situation to care about the next business deal. What good was a meeting when his funds were frozen, and he couldn’t move a single cent? The Westfield deal wouldn’t matter if he couldn’t get this sorted out.

Sylvester walked back to his desk and sat down heavily, his hands resting on the polished wood. He pulled his laptop closer, logging into his other accounts, checking each one with a fine-tooth comb. So far, nothing seemed out of place, but that didn’t calm him. He could feel the pressure mounting. Whoever was trying to hack his account wasn’t done. They’d be back, and he needed to be ready.

Suddenly, a thought struck him. He couldn’t rely on the bank’s security alone. He needed to take matters into his own hands. Sylvester reached for his phone again and dialed a number he hadn’t used in a while. It rang twice before a deep, familiar voice answered.

“Yeah?”

“Vincent,” Sylvester said, his voice low. “I’ve got a problem, and I need it handled.”

There was a pause on the other end. “What kind of problem?”

“A breach. Someone’s trying to hack into my accounts. Sovereign National’s got them locked down for now, but I need to know who’s behind it.”

Vincent let out a low whistle. “Someone trying to hit you? That’s bold.”

“Yeah, it is,” Sylvester said, his voice tight. “And I don’t have time to wait for the bank’s investigation. I need names, locations, everything. Can you get on it?”

Vincent didn’t hesitate. “I can look into it, but you know this’ll take time. Whoever’s pulling this off isn’t some small-time hacker. If they’ve gotten this close to your accounts, they know what they’re doing.”

“I don’t care how long it takes,” Sylvester growled. “I want to know who’s behind this, and I want them dealt with.”

Vincent was silent for a moment, then spoke again, his voice more serious. “Alright. I’ll put my best guy on it. But you’d better be ready for what we find. If someone’s coming after you, this might be bigger than just your accounts.”

Sylvester’s grip tightened on the phone. “I don’t care what it is. I just want it stopped.”

“Consider it done,” Vincent replied. “I’ll be in touch when we’ve got something.”

Sylvester hung up, the knot in his stomach tightening even further. He had called in favors before, but never for something like this. Whoever was behind this was playing a dangerous game, and Sylvester wasn’t about to lose. Not like this.

He glanced at the clock. The minutes seemed to crawl, each tick reminding him that his funds were out of reach. He felt powerless, a sensation he wasn’t used to. His entire empire relied on precision, on being able to control every aspect of his life. And now, he was at the mercy of hackers and security protocols, a position he despised.

Another buzz from his phone. This time, it was a notification from the bank.

**“We are still investigating the suspicious activity on your account. Please rest assured that your funds are secure, and we will provide an update within 24 hours. We apologize for the inconvenience.”**

Sylvester scoffed. Inconvenience? This wasn’t an inconvenience—it was a threat to everything he had built. He tossed the phone onto his desk and leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes. He needed a plan, something to put him back in control. But right now, all he could do was wait. And he hated waiting.

The minutes dragged on, each one filled with the weight of uncertainty. He knew that calling Vincent would stir things up. If this was Derek’s doing, if the attack was linked to their ongoing rivalry, things could escalate quickly. And that was something Sylvester wasn’t entirely ready for, not with his financial lifeline frozen. But he also knew that backing down wasn’t an option.

As the hours passed, his mind kept returning to one thought: **Whoever did this knows me. They know my vulnerabilities.** Sylvester couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t just a random attack. This was personal. The walls were closing in, and for the first time in a long time, he felt like a cornered animal.