Chapter 277: Crisis Response Protocol
Nearly an hour passed in the blink of an eye.
+25 Points
Inside the executive suite, Damien sat behind his desk, calmly reviewing a stack of documents while James worked quietly at his desk outside the office, sorting through emails, confirming appointments, and finalizing the remainder of the day’s schedule.
The atmosphere remained as composed as ever.
Suddenly, James‘ desk phone rang.
He glanced at the caller ID.
Blackwood Enterprises Taiwan Headquarters.
His gaze instinctively shifted to the clock mounted on the wall.
Exactly one hour had passed since Kenji launched the operation.
Remaining perfectly composed, James answered the call.
“Mr. Blackwood’s office. James Horton speaking.”
“Mr. Horton, Sir,” a frantic voice said from the other end. “We have an emergency. I need to speak with Mr. Blackwood immediately.”
James remained calm.
“Slow down. Tell me exactly what happened.”
“Our headquarters has suffered a cybersecurity breach, and our IT department can’t contain it.”
James‘ expression remained unchanged.
“One moment, please.”
He placed the call on hold before walking to Damien’s office and knocking twice.
“Come in.”
James stepped inside.
“Sir. Taiwan Headquarters is on the line.”
Damien calmly set the document he had been reviewing aside.
1/5
< Chapter 277: Crisis Response Protocol
“Put them through.”
+25 Points
James crossed the room, transferred the call to the executive telephone, and activated the
speaker.
Damien leaned back slightly in his chair.
“Director Tanner.”
“Mr. Blackwood!” the regional director exclaimed, unable to conceal the panic in his voice.” We have a major problem.”
Damien’s expression remained unchanged.
“Report.”
“Approximately thirty minutes ago, every system across our Taiwan headquarters suddenly went offline. Our internal network, financial databases, logistics platform, and communication systems have all been compromised.”
He paused to steady his breathing before continuing.
”
“Our cybersecurity team has been working nonstop to contain the breach, but every time they isolate one point of entry, another appears somewhere else. We’ve never encountered anything like this before.”
Damien couldn’t help but marvel at the precision of Harper’s plan. Every move had been calculated with astonishing accuracy, every event unfolding exactly when she intended, leaving virtually nothing to chance.
The regional director took another unsteady breath.
“It gets worse, Sir.”
Damien remained silent, signaling for him to continue.
“Several major news outlets have already picked up the story, and the situation is being blown completely out of proportion. They’re reporting that Blackwood Enterprises has suffered a massive cyberattack. The news is spreading rapidly across social media, and we’re already being flooded with calls from investors, business partners, government regulators, and members of the press requesting official statements.”
As if on cue, James‘ phone began vibrating relentlessly.
One notification after another appeared on the screen.
BREAKING NEWS
Chapter 277: Crisis Response Protocol
Blackwood Enterprises Taiwan Headquarters Suffers Suspected Cyberattack
Shares Expected to Open Lower Amid Security Concerns
+25 Points
James silently walked over and held his phone where Damien could read the headlines. After a brief glance, Damien simply gave a small nod.
James locked the screen and slipped the phone back into his pocket.
Everything was unfolding exactly as planned.
“Have we confirmed any data leaks, compromised customer information, or financial losses?
“Damien asked.
“No, Sir,” the regional director replied. “At this point, we haven’t found any evidence of data leaks or financial losses. The attack appears to be targeting our systems rather than our data.”
Damien nodded once.
“Then, as of this moment, we don’t have a crisis.”
The regional director was caught off guard, momentarily questioning whether he had heard Damien correctly. Faced with a situation that seemed to be spiraling out of control, the CEO’s calm response was the last thing he had expected.
For a brief moment, he found himself wondering if he had overreacted–if perhaps the situation wasn’t as catastrophic as he had believed.
He hesitated.
“Sir… I’m sorry. Did you just say we don’t have a crisis?”
“Director Tanner,” Damien replied evenly, “as far as everyone else is concerned, we have a system outage and an ongoing investigation. Nothing more. Do not allow anyone to speculate beyond the confirmed facts.”
The regional director swallowed hard.
“Yes, Sir.”
“Activate Crisis Response Protocol Alpha. Isolate every affected server from the global network, suspend all nonessential external access, and have your cybersecurity team preserve every system log. I want updates every thirty minutes, regardless of whether there’s
any progress.”
“Understood.”
+25 Points Damien’s calm authority eased the knot that had been tightening in the regional director’s chest. The panic that had threatened to overwhelm him moments ago gradually gave way to a renewed sense of direction. “Keep everything under control,” Damien said. “I’ll be there soon.” “Yes, Mr. Blackwood,” Director Tanner replied without hesitation. Just as he was about to end the call, Damien spoke again. “One more thing.” “Yes, Sir?” “No employee is to speak to the media. All inquiries are to go through Corporate Communications. Anyone who violates that directive will be dealt with accordingly. I’ll issue an official statement within the next thirty minutes.” “I’ll make sure of it, Sir.” Only after receiving his final instructions did Director Tanner end the call. Silence settled over the office once again. James looked toward Damien. “Everything happened exactly as planned, Sir.” Damien rose from his chair and walked toward the floor–to–ceiling windows overlooking the city below. His reflection stared back at him through the glass. “And in less than an hour, Viktor Volkov will undoubtedly believe I’ll be spending the next few days putting out fires.” A faint smile touched his lips. “Notify Human Resources. Then begin preparing for the media conference. Once I finish the official statement… we’re leaving.” James gave a firm nod. “Right away, Sir.” Without another word, he turned and quietly left the office. Once the door closed, Damien took out his phone and dialed a familiar number. The call was answered after the first ring. 4/5 “It’s time.” “I’m on my way, Son,” Dominic replied before ending the call. The pieces were finally beginning to fall into place. +25 Points As every second counted, Blackwood Enterprises shifted seamlessly into crisis–response mode. A company–wide memorandum was immediately distributed to every employee, reminding them of their confidentiality obligations and instructing them not to discuss the incident with anyone. All media inquiries were directed exclusively to Corporate Communications, while the Public Relations department worked swiftly to contain the rapidly spreading news. Shortly after the internal memorandum was distributed, the company announced that CEO Damien Blackwood would be addressing the media. The announcement drew an immediate response. The front entrance of Blackwood Enterprises was soon swarmed with reporters, photographers, camera crews, and satellite news vans. Security personnel quickly established designated media areas while ensuring employees and visitors could continue entering and leaving the building without disruption. Ten minutes before the scheduled press conference, Dominic’s vehicle pulled up to the front entrance of Blackwood Enterprises. Almost simultaneously, another vehicle came to a stop behind him, and Nicholas stepped out. Monroe, Hudson, and Cruz were already waiting outside. Their presence wasn’t a coincidence. Knowing they were being watched, they deliberately made themselves visible, allowing Roman to see exactly what they wanted him to see. The five men exchanged a quiet look of understanding before entering the building together. Now… all that remained was for Damien Blackwood to take center stage. 9 Comments LUCK DRAW > Vote Cedella Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.