My Twin... The Hacker?
Her eyes sparkled with mischief and determination.
"No apology, no flash drive. Hmph! And don't forget—you'd owe me one. I might call it in when you least expect it."
She declared, her tone both petulant and playful.
Victoria let out a long-suffering sigh, her expression a blend of exasperation and fondness.
"Our little sister here is actually a little computer genius" she explained, her voice lowered conspiratorially.
"I asked her to hack into your company to gather incriminating evidence that you can use to cleanse your company."
Brandon's jaw dropped, his eyes widening in disbelief.
"Wait, what?" he sputtered, his gaze darting between his sisters.
"A hacker?!"
Victoria's elegant shoulders rose in a casual shrug, her palms turning upward in a gesture of feigned innocence.
"I was just as surprised as you are," she said, her voice smooth and controlled.
"But her hacking abilities was the main reason we managed to take down the Donoghues so quickly."
Bailey stuck out her tongue, a impish grin spreading across her face.
"Hehe~ I'm one of the best in the world!"
She boasted, puffing out her chest with pride.
Her eyes narrowed playfully as she added, "But you don't get to know more unless you say sorry and promise me that favor!"
Bailey's pout transformed into a mischievous grin.
She twirled the small object - a flash drive, Brandon now realized - between her fingers.
"What can I say, B? I'm full of surprises."
Memories of the Donoghue family's downfall flashed through his mind - their company stocks plummeting, the damning evidence, scandalous photos splashed across tabloids, and even intimate videos leaked online.
'No wonder,' Brandon thought, his eyes widening. 'The sex tapes, the financial records, the private emails... it was all Bailey's doing?!'
'Christ,' he mused, 'I should've known when I saw the lines of code on her screen.'
Suddenly, a disturbing thought struck him. Brandon turned to Bailey, his expression a mix of disbelief and horror.
"Wait," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
"That means... you watched those videos?"
Bailey's mischievous grin faltered for a moment, replaced by a look of genuine confusion.
"Videos? What videos?"
"You know... the, uh, Donoghue, dominatrix..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Bailey's eyes widened in horror.
She lunged forward, her hand clamping over Brandon's mouth with lightning speed.
Her face turned a deep shade of crimson.
"M-Mmph!"
Brandon's muffled protest was cut short by Bailey's firm grip.
Victoria observed the scene with amusement, a soft chuckle escaping her lips. However, her expression quickly shifted back to that of the responsible eldest sister. She straightened her posture and cleared her throat.
"Settle down, you two!"
Victoria's voice carried a note of authority.
"This is neither the time nor the place for such antics. Do we need to set up another etiquette course?"
Bailey's hand slowly dropped from Brandon's mouth. She retreated to her seat, her face still burning with embarrassment.
"Hmph!"
With a dramatic huff, she folded her arms tightly across her chest and turned her head away, her lower lip jutting out in a pronounced pout.
Brandon shook his head, a wry smile tugging at his lips.
"So, that drive..."
"Contains everything you need to clean house at BMG," Victoria finished for him.
"Video evidence, financial records, emails, recorded conversations - the works."
Brandon felt a surge of gratitude towards his sisters.
They had his back, even when he didn't know he needed it.
He turned to Bailey, his expression softening.
"I'm sorry for not inviting the best twin sister in the world to tea," he said, his tone sincere.
"And I promise I owe you one. A big one."
Bailey's face lit up with triumph.
"Hmph! You're lucky I love you."
She tossed the flash drive to Brandon, who caught it deftly.
=========
[ BMG Headquarters — The Next Day ]
The tension in the BMG executive boardroom was palpable. Plush leather chairs surrounded an imposing mahogany table, but the luxurious setting did little to ease the anxiety of those present.
The executives sat in uncomfortable silence, occasionally glancing at the empty chair at the head of the table.
Derrick's patience finally snapped.
*THUD! *
He slammed his fist on the table, causing several others to jump.
"This is ridiculous! Who does this kid think he is, making us wait like this?"
Fred nodded vigorously.
"Agreed. We're not his puppets to be summoned at will."
Julian, ever the strategist, leaned forward.
His eyes darted around the room as he spoke in a low, urgent tone.
"Listen, we need to present a united front here. Jessie, Andre, all of you – we're in this together, right?"
Jessie's eyes flashed with contempt.
"Leave me out of your rubbish, Julian. I'm here to do my job, not play your games."
Andre, slouched in his chair, fixed Julian with a cool stare.
"Karma's a bitch, ain't it?" he drawled, a hint of satisfaction in his voice.
Derrick, his face flushed with anger, jabbed a finger at the CFO.
"And you! Why've you been so quiet this whole time? Got nothing to say for yourself?"
The CFO sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping.
"I'm just praying for the best at this point," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.
The rest of the executives watched the exchange silently, unwilling to align themselves with either faction.
The atmosphere grew heavier with each passing moment, the uncertainty of what was to come weighing on everyone's minds.
Suddenly the heavy door swung open with a smooth, silent glide and the room fell silent.
Brandon's footsteps echoed in the hushed room, each step measured, deliberate.
His navy suit caught the light just right, his sharp jawline set in an expression that gave nothing away.
Gordon followed close behind, his presence steady and reassuring.
Brandon's eyes swept across the room, taking in each face with a cool, appraising gaze.
He reached the head of the table, his fingers trailing along the polished wood.
With a fluid motion, he unbuttoned his jacket and lowered himself into the chair.
The leather creaked softly as he settled in, his posture relaxed yet commanding.
His eyes, sharp and penetrating, locked onto each executive in turn.
The silence stretched, thick with tension.
Brandon's lips curved into a small, enigmatic smile that never quite reached his eyes.
'This is where it all begins. It won't be easy, but nothing worth doing ever is. Let's see what I'm really made of,' he thought, a mix of determination and excitement coursing through him.
'Time to earn my crown'