Bank Employee Humiliated a Poor Single Dad — Unaware He Owns the Entire Bank
Chapter 3
Daniel returned to the bank twenty minutes later.
Megan was helping a wealthy customer near the private banking section.
She saw Daniel.
Her expression immediately tightened.
“I thought I explained—”
Thomas stepped forward.
“This is Mr. Brooks.”
Megan rolled her eyes.
“I know.”
“No.”
Thomas placed the trust papers on the counter.
“You don’t.”
Megan looked annoyed.
“Sir, if you’re here to complain—”
“I am not here to complain.”
Daniel’s voice was calm.
“I am here to speak with the branch manager.”
Megan crossed her arms.
“She is in a meeting.”
“Then I’ll wait.”
“You’ll be waiting a long time.”
Daniel nodded.
“That’s fine.”
He sat in one of the lobby chairs.
Thomas sat beside him.
Twenty minutes passed.
Then forty.
Then an hour.
Daniel’s phone buzzed.
The hospital.
His appointment deposit was due the next morning.
He closed his eyes.
Thomas noticed.
“You okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t have to pretend with me.”
Daniel looked at the floor.
“My daughter is eight.”
“I know.”
“She thinks I’m good at everything.”
Thomas smiled.
“You probably are.”
“No.”
Daniel shook his head.
“I’m good at pretending I can fix things.”
Thomas said nothing.
Across the lobby, Megan laughed with a coworker.
Then she looked toward Daniel and whispered something.
The coworker looked over.
Both smiled.
Daniel pretended not to notice.
Eventually, the branch manager walked out.
Her name was Rebecca Shaw.
She looked at Thomas.
Then at Daniel.
“Mr. Brooks?”
“Yes.”
“I’m told there is a problem.”
Daniel stood.
“Yes.”
Rebecca looked at Megan.
“What’s the issue?”
Megan answered immediately.
“He applied for a personal loan without sufficient income or assets.”
Rebecca looked at Daniel.
“What assets?”
Daniel placed the certificate on the desk.
Rebecca glanced at it.
Then froze.
Her face went completely pale.
She looked at Thomas.
“Where did you get this?”
Thomas answered.
“It belongs to him.”
Rebecca’s hands began to shake.
“What happened?”
Daniel noticed.
“You know what it is.”
Rebecca looked at him.
“Yes.”
“Then tell me.”
She glanced toward Megan.
“Not here.”
Daniel’s expression hardened.
“Why not?”
Rebecca whispered:
“Because the board needs to be notified.”
Megan laughed.
“The board?”
Rebecca ignored her.
“Mr. Brooks, could you please come into my office?”
Daniel followed.
The door closed.
Rebecca sat down.
“Your father was a remarkable man.”
Daniel remained standing.
“You knew him?”
“Yes.”
“What kind of man was he?”
Rebecca hesitated.
“Very private.”
“Why?”
“Because he believed the bank had lost its way.”
Daniel frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Rebecca opened a drawer.
Inside was an old photograph.
Daniel saw his father standing with the bank’s former chairman.
But there was another person in the photograph.
A woman Daniel didn’t recognize.
Rebecca noticed his expression.
“That woman was your father’s financial partner.”
“Who is she?”
Rebecca looked away.
“Victoria Lang.”
Daniel knew the name.
Everyone in the city did.
Victoria Lang was one of the richest developers in the state.
“She owns half the downtown district.”
“She wanted to buy your father’s shares.”
“Why didn’t he sell?”
Rebecca’s voice dropped.
“Because he discovered what she planned to do with the bank.”
Daniel stared.
“What?”
Rebecca looked toward the door.
“She wanted to turn it into a private lending machine.”
“For developers?”
“Yes.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“She planned to deny loans to small businesses and farmers while financing large developments.”
Daniel felt something inside him change.
“So my father stopped her.”
“Yes.”
“What happened after?”
Rebecca’s eyes filled with fear.
“He died.”
Silence.
Daniel stared.
“My father died of a heart attack.”
“That’s what the report says.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“And what do you think?”
Rebecca looked directly at him.
“I think your father was frightened before he died.”
Daniel’s heart began pounding.
“Of Victoria?”
Rebecca shook her head.
“Not only her.”
“Then who?”
Rebecca whispered:
“Someone inside this bank.”
