Craved by the Wrong Volkov-Chapter 261: Raphael’s move

Braelyn’s POV

A new company was truly targeting Volkov Apex. It sounded absurd... but no one in that room was laughing.

Raphael stood at the head of the table, fingers braced lightly against the polished surface of the table. He stood straight with a terrifyingly calm expression not like a man whose world was about to crumble.

"This isn’t a market fluctuation," he continued evenly. "but a calculated attack." A quiet chill crept up my spine.

"Just this morning," he said, tapping a remote. The screen behind him lit up with charts and red downward arrows. "Two major contracts were pulled from under us at the final stage of negotiation."

A murmur rippled through the room. Disbelief was evident on everyone’s face. Even Lucien had a subtle frown, as if he was just learning of this. He was probably secretly proud of his work.

"They didn’t just outbid us," Raphael added. "They undercut us by margins that suggest they knew our internal numbers." Silence dropped like a guillotine. My stomach twisted, the sound of that wasn’t funny.

"That’s not all, it was confirmed this morning they are bidding on every single deal connected to Volkov Apex," he went on. "Every partner, sector, division with proposals that dismantle our stand like they know our exact blind spots..That is not a coincidence."

He let that sit."It is strategy." he deadpanned.

My gaze drifted, almost against my will, to Lucien. He was leaning back in his chair, one ankle resting over his knee, fingers loosely folded over the table. He was calmly listening to Raphael completely engrossed like he wanted to see how much Raphael had deduced

My pulse thudded, he was terrifying. I was glad I wasn’t his enemy.

Raphael exhaled slowly. "Which means one thing." He didn’t say it directly, but the implication was loud enough to shake the walls. "An insider is leaking company secrets.."

The words landed heavily. Eyes began shifting, it felt absurd but the doubt had been sown, Executives glanced at one another as their suspicions grew.. I swallowed and then I noticed something that made my heart skip, not everyone in this room was a shareholder.

Some faces... didn’t belong here, legal representatives, external auditors, compliance officers. People who knew figures that can ruin Volkov Apex

This wasn’t just a meeting, Raphael was making his move.

Raphael straightened his posture then adjusted his cuffs.."New Horizon hasn’t just been bidding against us," he said. "They’ve been expanding aggressively. Acquiring mid-level firms, absorbing supply chains, positioning themselves."

He paused. "If my instincts are correct... their end goal is simple." His gaze swept the room.

"They intend to destabilise Volkov Apex... then buy what’s left. This feels like a long grudge. For an unknown reason, we are facing their wrath after years of planning. "

Shock hit me like cold water. How could I forget Lucien wasn’t the only genius here? It was subtle but Lucien smiled recognising a rival.

Raphael saw through his strategy, it was a bit late because he probably never imagined New Horizon would be such a hassle to handle.

An older executive down the table let out a dry scoff drawing everyone’s attention. "With all due respect Mr Volkov," he said, adjusting his glasses, "this sounds like fear talking. Volkov Apex has survived for decades. No start-up can ’destabilise’ us."

A few hesitant nods followed, Raphael smiled he probably saw this coming. "This isn’t just any start-up," he said softly. "Just a start-up wouldn’t cause this much loss. Not only are they getting bids but they are delivering them."

The room quieted. "We’re dealing with Killian Orlov." Raphael quietly said. The name tasted like venom on his tongue.

The name dropped like a bomb in the conference room. Some people shifted in their seats. "A man who took a bankrupt logistics firm and turned it into a multinational conglomerate in five years," Raphael continued. "A man who doesn’t compete... he consumes."

Silence followed. It felt like Raphael was praising Killian with a true sense of admiration.

The executive who’d spoken earlier shifted uncomfortably. "Reputation is one thing," he muttered. "That doesn’t mean..."

The conference room doors burst open, cutting off his words. The sound cracked through the tension like a gunshot. Everyone turned to the door. Men in dark suits and badges stepped inside. "Anti-Corruption Enforcement," one of them announced sharply.

Chaos exploded immediately. How dare they enter without permission?! Most of them probably thought so. I was stunned and amused at the play. This is absolutely entertaining.

"What is the meaning of this?!" someone barked..The officers moved with purpose, they didn’t bat an eye and walked straight toward the very executive who had just challenged Raphael.

My breath caught. No fucking way? My eyes went wide. "What ...wait..there must be a mistake!" the man stammered, rising halfway from his chair.

"There is no mistake," the officer said coldly. "You are under investigation for corporate espionage, bribery, and illegal sale of trade secrets."

The room went dead silent. They pulled his arms behind his back and slammed him against the table. His wrists were immediately cuffed. Ronan the chairman watched without batting an eye.

"I didn’t... this is ridiculous! Mr Volkov. say something!" he shouted, face drained of colour. Raphael didn’t move instead he looked bored like he couldn’t wait for this to be over.

The man struggled, but it was useless. He was dragged out, protests echoing down the corridor until the doors shut again. Silence swallowed us whole. My hands went cold.

Raphael looked around the table, his voice remained steady. "He was flagged during an internal compliance sweep," he said. "Evidence confirms he’s been leaking sensitive data."

Raphael remained calm as his gaze swept the room. It was a sharp warning that this war wasn’t just from the outside but also inside.

"We will find every mole," Raphael added quietly. "I suggest full cooperation."

Silence fell on everyone once again.

The room was terrified that there were moles in the company but I was terrified at Lucien’s method. The realisation he didn’t make his moves directly but used others

My gut told me even the moles had no idea who they were working for. They had no idea they were just pawns in a twisted revenge game.