Alaric watched every move he made. Even when Harry pulled out a folder from his bag and placed it on the table. Whatever it held, Alaric caught a glimpse of a small logo at the bottom right corner.
A barely visible symbol. A company logo in slanted grey-blue text.
And a name beneath it: Astreon Limited.
Alaric's mind clicked.
Astreon Limited...
His eyes scanned the folder before Harry could close it again.
"Just came from another meeting, sir?" he asked casually.
"Oh, yes," Harry answered, slightly flustered.
"With a new client. We're exploring a project on digital assets and lifestyle product expansion."
"I see," Alaric replied, sipping water. "I've heard of Astreon. But... aren't they rather discreet? Not much public info or portfolio, if I'm not mistaken."
Harry gave a tight smile. "Ah, that's just their branding strategy. They prefer to operate quietly."
Alaric nodded. "I understand. But sometimes the quiet ones raise the biggest questions."
Their conversation drifted. Alaric decided to close it simply.
"I believe our partnership ends here, Mr. Harry. Thank you for your time."
He stood, adjusted his coat, and walked out without looking back.
Inside the car, Alaric immediately opened the notes app on his phone. He typed quickly.
Astreon Limited. Check logo code, affiliate companies, ID 0927-XLB. Cross-reference.
He accessed the international data directory—his system linked with privileged access. Within seconds, Astreon Limited appeared.
No major red flags. But something didn't sit right.
The company had direct financial ties to three firms that had been suspected of fronting money laundering operations in the past three years, though never proven legally.
Alaric narrowed his eyes.
Smart. He's keeping it clean... but only on the surface.
Then he spotted one of the three affiliated companies still actively working with two logistics providers in the Pantai Indah Kapuk area.
If I can reach those logistics owners and trace the cross-transactions...
He swiped through the screen. Laying out an investigation plan. Listing key names. Mapping.
Alaric watched the man's every gesture. Even when Harry pulled a folder from his bag and placed it on the table. Its contents were unknown, but Alaric's eyes caught a small logo in the bottom right corner of the folder.
A scarcely visible symbol. A company emblem in italic font, bluish gray.
And a small name was written beneath it: Astreon Limited.
Alaric knew immediately.
Astreon Limited.
His eyes scanned the document before Harry could close it again.
He spoke casually, "Just came from another meeting, sir?"
"Oh, yes," Harry replied, a bit hurriedly.
"With a new client. We're exploring a project in digital assets and expanding lifestyle products."
"I see," Alaric responded as he sipped mineral water. "I've heard of Astreon. But aren't they quite private? Not much publicity or a portfolio, if I'm not mistaken."
Harry forced a smile. "Ah, that's part of their branding strategy. They prefer to work quietly."
Alaric nodded. "I understand. But sometimes it's the quiet ones who raise the most questions."
Their conversation lingered. Alaric decided to end the meeting with a simple statement.
"I think our cooperation ends here, Mr. Harry. Thank you for your time."
He stood, straightened his coat, and walked out without looking back.
In the car, Alaric opened his notes app immediately. He typed quickly.
"Astreon Limited. Check logo code, affiliate companies, number 0927-XLB. Cross-check."
He accessed the international directory—a database his system was linked to under privileged clearance. Within seconds, Astreon Limited appeared.
No glaring red flags. But something felt off.
The company had direct financial ties to three businesses suspected of being money-laundering fronts over the past three years, though none had been legally proven.
Alaric narrowed his eyes.
Cunning. They look clean, but only on the surface.
Then he saw that one of those affiliates was still actively working with two logistics firms in Pantai Indah Kapuk.
If I can contact the logistics owner and uncover cross-transactions…
Alaric swiped through the screen. He drafted an investigation plan. He listed key names. Mapped out possible money flows behind Harry's polite smile.
This move has to be fast. Before he hides everything too deeply.
That day, Jakarta's sky was slightly overcast, but beneath that dim light, Alaric moved with a single purpose.
He wore a light-gray coat over a black turtleneck, projecting calm maturity. His footsteps echoed through the lobby of PT Arvana Drax. A major manufacturing and export company that had just signed a long-term logistics partnership with Astreon Limited.
He wasn't there as the heir of Helix Group. This time, Alaric was there as a private investor and international artisan entrepreneur exploring large-scale manufacturing expansion in Indonesia.
After formal introductions, he was invited into the meeting room with the CEO of PT Arvana, a man in his fifties wearing a neat suit and dressed with a diplomatic smile.
Ragil Sanjaya.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Alaric," Mr. Ragil said as he shook his hand.
"I've been following your business growth since it took off in Japan. My child even bought one of your phone charms from an online marketplace."
Alaric smiled politely. "I'm honored, Mr. Ragil. And that's exactly why I'm here. I'm interested in building a small factory for the Southeast Asia market, and PT Arvana is one of my top candidates as a production partner."
"Of course, we are very open to that," Ragil replied enthusiastically. "Please sit. We can discuss our distribution system or logistics channels."
Alaric sat gracefully and spoke in a calm, measured tone.
"I studied Arvana's operational structure earlier, and your logistics system is well-organized. But I'm curious about one thing, sir."
He took a slow breath, unhurried, before posing his question.
"Are you confident that your current logistics partner has a strong and honest foundation for expansion?"
Ragil frowned slightly. "Are you talking about... Astreon?"
Alaric simply smiled. "I didn't mention any names. But I always believe that large distribution chains often have small vulnerabilities if not regularly inspected."
"Hmm."
Alaric continued in the same calm tone, free of accusation.
"It would be unfortunate if a company as established as PT Arvana was held back by one wrong partnership. I know I'm just a small investor, but if I may suggest—just double-check. You might discover something before it becomes bigger."
Ragil remained silent, his expression serious. "You speak as though you know something."
Alaric shrugged lightly. "I'm just thinking preventively, sir. Better to be late than sorry. These days, many big names fall because they trusted the wrong partner who was too good at hiding their flaws."
Ragil was thoughtful. "Hmm. You're right."
Alaric stood smoothly. "I won't take up more of your time. I hope this meeting can be the start of a good relationship. If I decide to open a factory, you'll be the first person I contact."
Ragil also stood and shook Alaric's hand again. "Thank you for your insight. I'll do a thorough check, even though I believe everything is in order."
"Of course. Checking doesn't mean distrusting. But we might find something off before it's too late."
Alaric left the room calmly. No rush. But behind his walk, he carried the confidence that he had planted a seed of doubt in the mind of the man he had just met.
That afternoon, after Alaric left, Ragil stood by the window for a long time, one hand in his pocket, his gaze fixed on the distance. Alaric's words echoed in his mind.
It would be such a shame if a company of this size was held back by one wrong partner.
Big chains often collapse because of small cracks.
He finally pressed the intercom. "Tia, can you spare five minutes? I want to review all the documents for the Transit Satu project with Astreon."
"Right away, sir."
A few minutes later, his secretary, Tia, arrived carrying a thick folder.
"Sir, these are all the documents related to the logistics procurement and the first shipment from the port to East Warehouse. All handled by Astreon."
Ragil opened it page by page.
Among the documents, he found something that made him squint. A logistics expense sheet with two different invoice numbers. For the same shipment.
"Why are there two invoices?" he muttered.
Tia peered over. "It looks like the first invoice was revised, sir. But the revision wasn't uploaded to our internal audit system. That's odd."
Ragil turned sharply. "Check with the finance team. And also field operations. Confirm whether the goods were actually shipped twice or just once."
"Yes, sir."
Minutes later, Tia returned, speaking into her phone.
"Sir, I just confirmed. The goods were shipped only once, but Astreon recorded two shipments. The revised invoice is also higher than the original expense. It looks like a markup."
Ragil's heart raced slowly.
"Alaric... you were right."
He stood, gazing out the office window now bathed in dusk light. His hand gripped the folder's edge tightly.
"So this is what he meant. This isn't over. I must uncover everything."
The day had passed, but the morning still retained the dampness from last night's rain. But inside PT Arvana Drax's headquarters, the atmosphere was turbulent.
Ragil Sanjaya stood behind his desk, his gaze fixed on the stack of evidence he had compiled. Duplicate invoices. Manipulated expenses. Suspicious emails from Aveston staff.
And a handwritten note from a field manager complaining about unexplained budget shrinkages. Everything neatly compiled in a red-labeled folder.
Without looking away from his desk, he spoke firmly.
"Tia, sort everything out. Complete all the data we have, arrange it chronologically. I don't want a single gap left unseen. Our company must take firm action."