Curtis casually reached out his right hand, playfully tugging at her earlobe as he spoke into the phone, "For your daughter-in-law's sake, I'll humor you with a chat. We'll be there in thirty minutes." The timing of the call was a godsend. While walking into the grand facade of VectorVista Bank's headquarters, thoughts of her father once working within these same walls flooded Leanne with a mix of emotions that she couldn't quite place.
Maddox's office starkly contrasted with Curtis', exuding an air of solemnity and depth characteristic of a seasoned executive.
He was at the coffee table, making coffee as Curtis led Leanne in. "Take a seat," he said.
On the table were slices of red velvet cake and coffee specially prepared for them. “Have something to nibble on. We'll grab lunch after we wrap up here."
Leanne replied with a polite, "Thank you, Maddox."
They didn't exclude her from their conversation. Leanne sat quietly on a nearby sofa, finishing half a slice of cake. During a pause in their discussion, she asked, "May I take a look around?" At her question, Curtis glanced her way. "Getting bored?"
Before Maddox could respond, Curtis pressed the intercom to summon the executive assistant, instructing, "Show her around."
Maddox remained calm, sipping his coffee, seemingly unguarded toward her.
The executive assistant, who was respectful and attentive, guided Leanne through the various floors, briefly explaining the company's organizational structure.
VectorVista Bank's headquarters was a labyrinth of departments and subdivisions, each with its responsibilities.
Leanne remained silent most of the time, listening intently and occasionally asking questions, which the executive assistant gladly elaborated on.
The IT department alone spanned three floors. Upon reaching the ninth floor, they stumbled upon a manager from the software engineering division.
Seeing the executive assistant personally giving a tour, the manager approached with familiarity and, realizing she was Curtis' wife, warmed up instantly, offering Leanne a detailed introduction. "This floor houses the software engineering department, responsible for developing and maintaining software systems that keep our bank operational. The floor below is dedicated to cybersecurity, safeguarding our banking information system against hackers and breaches. Essentially, our department is the backbone of customer account security."
Leanne suddenly asked, "What about internal threats? Employees acting in bad faith?"
"Oh, no, no," the manager stuttered, visibly shaken by the question. "VectorVista has the strictest management policies in the industry. Not even I, as a manager, have the authority to tamper with client accounts."
"And the system developers?" Leanne probed further.
"Our current system requires collaborative efforts from multiple departments to operate. Even the engineers who originally designed it would need multiple approvals to change a script, let alone now since they're no longer with us."
As a decade-long veteran in the software development department, the manager confidently recounted the historical details. "But, when he was still here, he had the highest system access as the technical director. Had he wished, perhaps..."
The executive assistant coughed pointedly.
Realizing his blunder, the manager quickly covered his mouth. "Said too much. The system has undergone numerous upgrades since then. No one holds that level of access anymore."
Leanne nodded. "Then it's secure."
Her expression remained unchanged, but her pulse quickened.
The executive assistant received a call. Maddox and Curtis had concluded their business. Leanne followed her back upstairs.
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