The week dragged on in a whirlwind of meetings, reports, and phone calls, but Elena couldn't quite shake the nagging feeling about Ethan Carter. The office was alive with its usual rhythm, yet every now and then, she'd catch him doing something that just didn’t fit.

It started with the small things. For one, Ethan seemed incredibly cautious about his workspace. Elena noticed how he always kept his desk immaculate, with every file and document perfectly stacked. That in itself wasn't strange—lots of people liked tidy desks—but the way he would lock his drawer each time he walked away was… meticulous. Almost like he was hiding something. One morning, she passed by his desk on the way to the printer and saw him hurriedly stashing a small USB drive into the drawer, locking it with a soft click before turning to greet her with a casual smile.

“Morning, Elena,” he called out, his eyes gleaming with the usual charm. “Busy day ahead?”

She forced a smile, nodding. “Yeah, you know how it is.” But inside, her curiosity flared. What was on that USB drive?

Then there were the questions. Ethan had a way of steering casual conversations toward company details that didn't quite fit his role. For instance, during a lunch break with some colleagues, he casually asked about the company's budget allocation for the upcoming quarter. It wasn't something a typical sales team member would normally care about. Elena had caught snippets of the conversation from her corner of the break room, and though the other colleagues had laughed it off as friendly curiosity, she found it unsettling.

However, what struck her most was the contrast between his usual easy-going demeanor and his work performance. While Ethan was always joking and effortlessly mingling with everyone, the moment he switched to work mode, he became sharp, almost unnervingly so. Elena watched as he navigated client meetings with precision, tackling every question and objection with ease. It was a stark difference from the casual, laid-back person he appeared to be during coffee breaks. How can someone be so lighthearted one minute and so ruthlessly efficient the next? she thought, a knot forming in her stomach. It didn't add up.

The most striking incident happened on a quiet Tuesday afternoon. Elena had just finished a client call and was heading back to her desk when she overheard Ethan speaking on his phone in a low, serious tone. His back was turned to the corridor, so he hadn't noticed her approaching.

“...Yes, I've made contact… No, not yet. I'll report when the opportunity presents itself,” he murmured, his voice a far cry from the usual upbeat tone he used around the office. There was a pause, as though he were listening intently to whoever was on the other end. “Understood. I'll handle it.”

Elena froze mid-step, her heart pounding. What was he talking about? It sounded so... calculated, almost like a covert operation. She quickly backed away, moving quietly back to her desk, but her mind was racing. Was he talking about a client? Or was it something else entirely?

By the time she sat down, her thoughts were spiraling. No, this is ridiculous, she scolded herself. It could be anything. Maybe he's just involved in some complicated sales deal. But the doubt had already settled, gnawing at the back of her mind.

Later that afternoon, she found herself sorting through the expense reports for the month. Although she was a marketing specialist, she had recently taken on the responsibility of organizing the team's expenses before passing them to the accounting department, a task left unattended since their office manager had departed. As she scanned through the receipts, something caught her eye. Ethan's latest reimbursement request included several items that seemed unrelated to any of his known client meetings—taxi fares to locations that weren’t on his schedule, meals at odd hours, and even a purchase from an electronics store.

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Elena frowned, tapping a finger against her desk. Why would a sales rep need equipment from an electronics store? she wondered. Why was he traveling to places that had nothing to do with the clients listed on his schedule? She couldn't shake the feeling that these expenses were more than just careless spending. They hinted at a pattern, one that didn't quite align with his job.

As the day wore on, she watched him from a distance, studying his interactions. He moved with his usual grace, smiling easily, joking with colleagues, and navigating the room with a natural charm. But now, every move seemed deliberate, every glance calculated.

When Ethan approached her later that day, she decided to test the waters. “Hey, Ethan,” she called, putting on a casual tone. “How's the client list shaping up? I heard you’ve been meeting quite a few lately.”

He turned, offering her that disarming smile of his. “Oh, yeah, just the usual rounds,” he replied smoothly. “Gotta keep up with the client's needs, you know how it is.”

“Sure,” she said, pretending to be engrossed in her computer screen. “So, where were you yesterday afternoon? Must have been a pretty important client meeting.”

He hesitated for just a fraction of a second, so brief that she almost missed it. Then he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Oh, it was one of those long-neglected contacts. Just some casual catch-up.” His eyes flickered to her, watching for her reaction. “Why do you ask?”

“No reason,” she replied lightly, forcing a laugh. “Just curious.”

He nodded, his gaze lingering on her for a moment longer than necessary before he turned back to his desk. Elena felt her heartbeat quicken. He's hiding something, she thought, a chill running down her spine. But what?

As the end of the day approached, Elena sat at her desk, her mind swirling with conflicting thoughts. Ethan's behavior was suspicious, yes, but she had no concrete evidence. And what if she was wrong? Reporting him could ruin his career and possibly hers as well. She bit her lip, recalling Lila's words from the weekend. "You've got a sixth sense, El," her friend had said. "Trust it."

She hated to jump to conclusions. She was never one to act on hunches alone. But what if he really is up to something? Her sense of justice wouldn't let it go. She couldn't ignore the possibility of a threat to the company, even if it was just a feeling in her gut.

Fine, she decided, her resolve hardening. I'll keep an eye on him. Not to accuse him, but to find the truth. If he was innocent, she'd know soon enough. But if he wasn't... well, she had to be sure before taking any action.

With that, she closed her laptop, glancing across the office to where Ethan was packing up for the day. He glanced her way, catching her eye with that charming smile of his. She forced herself to smile back, masking the determination that burned within her.

I'll figure you out, Ethan Carter, she thought, standing up to leave. One way or another.