Chapter 12 — The Invisible Employee Knows French

Vuong Ky's life is now like hell. Being criticized by the entire company, having her entire bonus cut off—from an "elite female" that everyone admired, she became a foreign object that everyone wanted to avoid. The girls who used to surround her laughed and talked, but now when they saw her shadow they avoided her as if they were avoiding evil. Every day Vuong Ky goes to work, it's like being thrown into a pan of hot oil. Everyone thought that she would proactively quit her job anyway. But no. She gritted her teeth and endured it, going to work on time every day, returning on time, ignoring the whispering glances. It's just—the light in her eyes had long gone out. Instead, there was a sinister gloom and deadly hatred. I knew she was looking at me in the dark, like a poisonous snake, glaring at me with venomous eyes. But I don't have time to worry about her. The project has entered the sprint phase, the final cooperation plan is about to be completed. This is the result of a team's hard work—and a top-secret document that will influence the company's strategy for years to come. I have encrypted this file at the highest level, only saving it on my personal work computer. I know Vuong Ky is still waiting for the opportunity to attack. But I didn't expect—she would be that reckless. That night, because I had to confirm a few details with the French side, I stayed to work more. About 10 hours later, after completing the work, I saved the final plan and turned off the computer. On the way to wash cups, passing by the technical room, I saw Ly Uong still working. He called me back:

“Lam Van,” – he handed me a very small USB, “take this.”

“What gift?” – I'm curious.

“A small software I wrote,” – he said calmly,

"Just plug it into the device, if anyone has unauthorized access, it will automatically activate the webcam, recording all screen operations."

“Just… just in case.”

I stopped. Ly Uong's caution—caused me to immediately raise my guard.

“She… still hasn't stopped?” – I asked.

He didn't answer, just looked at me deeply.

"Thank you." – I took the USB and treasured it as if holding a weapon.

Back at the office, I did exactly as instructed. The program installed in minutes—no icon, no trace, like it never existed. Once finished, I left with peace of mind. Two days later, everything was unusually calm. Vuong Ky was like a shadow in the office—quietly passing by, not showing anything unusual. The project progressed more and more smoothly, causing me to gradually relax my vigilance. Until… Friday afternoon. The company organized fire prevention drills, all employees had to gather in the yard. I locked the door carefully and went down with the crowd. When taking roll call, I suddenly discovered: I didn't see Vuong Ky. Someone said she had a stomachache and went to the bathroom. My heart skipped a beat—a strong feeling of uneasiness welled up. The rehearsal lasts about 20 minutes. As soon as it finished, I was immediately the first to run back to the office. I rushed to the office door—the lock had not been broken. I unlocked it, everything inside was still intact as when I left. I breathed a sigh of relief—I must have been too skeptical. I sat down, opened the computer, intending to review the final plan file before leaving. All… seems fine. Just as I was about to turn off the phone—Ly Uong texted.

“Start the software. View log.”

Heart I missed a beat. I immediately typed the key combination that activated the hidden software. A video window pops up. Recording start time: 5 minutes after rehearsal begins. On the video, my room door was opened by a card. A figure sneaked in. It's Vuong Ky. Her face showed panic - tension - but also crazy excitement. She plugged a USB into my computer—passed the login password, opened the screen. She was very skillful, looking for the folder containing the project documents. When she saw the file I saved, she smiled—a creepy, greedy and smug smile. She copied the entire folder to her USB. Then open a few other files, randomly type a few lines—pretending that the data is corrupted or out of control. Finally, she pulled out the USB, wiped her fingerprints with her sleeve, and then tiptoed out of the room. All—recorded clearly through cameras and computer screens. My blood ran cold. Anger hit me like a tsunami, almost drowning me. This is no longer about job competition. This is theft. Is a criminal act. She wanted to rob me of my efforts. She wanted to use the last moment to push me down the cliff and take everything. I squeezed the mouse tightly, my knuckles showing blue veins. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Then I backed up the entire video to my phone. Vuong Ky—she dug her own grave. Don't blame me... I buried you alive myself.