CEO Made Her Nephew Lead Mechanic Over a Single Dad—Then the Whole Crew Walked Out
Chapter 7
Claire spent the next two days investigating in silence.
She didn’t tell Tyler.
She didn’t tell the board.
She didn’t even tell Mason everything.
She searched old financial records.
Insurance claims.
Vehicle maintenance logs.
Emails.
Private legal settlements.
The pattern slowly emerged.
Every suspicious incident connected to one thing.
A group of shell companies.
And all of them eventually traced back to a private investment fund.
The fund was controlled by Nathan Bennett.
Claire’s uncle.
Tyler’s father.
He was supposed to be retired.
But he was still receiving money.
Claire confronted him at his home.
“You’ve been taking money from Bennett Automotive.”
Nathan looked surprised.
“Careful.”
“You’ve been hiding transactions.”
“I’ve invested in businesses.”
“Using company money.”
He smiled.
“You sound like your father.”
Claire’s expression changed.
“Don’t mention him.”
Nathan poured coffee.
“Why not?”
“Because I’m asking about stolen funds.”
“Nothing was stolen.”
“Then explain the accounts.”
Nathan smiled.
“Your father understood something you don’t.”
“What?”
“Family protects family.”
Claire stared.
“Did you sabotage Mason?”
Nathan frowned.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Did you alter the accident report?”
“No.”
“Did you tell Tyler to push Mason out?”
Nathan stood.
“Tyler is my son.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
Nathan’s voice hardened.
“Your company survived because people like me made hard decisions.”
Claire stepped closer.
“You nearly destroyed it.”
He smiled.
“Companies can be rebuilt.”
“And people?”
His expression changed.
Claire turned and walked away.
That night, she returned to the garage.
Tyler was there alone.
He looked up.
“Uncle Nathan called you.”
“Your father?”
“Yes.”
“What did he say?”
“He said you were asking questions.”
Claire froze.
“About what?”
Tyler stared at her.
“About Mason.”
“Why?”
He hesitated.
Then quietly said,
“Because Mason knows.”
Claire’s heart dropped.
“Knows what?”
Tyler looked away.
“The accident.”
She stepped closer.
“What does Mason know?”
“I don’t know everything.”
“But you know something.”
Tyler rubbed his face.
“My father told me to get Mason out.”
“Why?”
“Because he had copies of the original report.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
Claire studied him.
For the first time, Tyler looked afraid.
“You didn’t want Mason to be lead mechanic.”
“I wanted you to be.”
“That isn’t the whole truth.”
“No.”
Claire waited.
Tyler swallowed.
“My father said if Mason ever looked too closely, he would expose all of us.”
“All of us?”
Tyler looked at her.
“You.”
Claire felt the room tilt.
“What did I do?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why?”
“Because your father signed the original deal.”
Claire stared.
Her father.
The company founder.
The man she had idolized.
What deal?
Tyler continued.
“He agreed to pay Nathan to bury the accident.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
Claire stepped back.
“My father was nearly killed.”
“I know.”
“And he buried it?”
Tyler nodded.
“Because he was protecting someone.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
Claire left the garage in shock.
Then she called Mason.
He answered immediately.
“What happened?”
“I found out you had copies.”
“Copies of what?”
“The original brake report.”
Silence.
“Do you still have them?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“I kept them safe.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I thought you’d destroy them.”
Claire closed her eyes.
“I wouldn’t.”
“You did once.”
That hurt.
She whispered,
“I know.”
Then she asked the question that frightened her most.
“What did my father do?”
Mason took a long breath.
“I don’t know.”
“But you suspected?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“Six years.”
Claire’s voice broke.
“And you stayed.”
“I stayed because people needed the work.”
“And because you had a family to feed.”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I know.”
They ended the call.
Claire sat alone in her office.
Her father had left her an empire.
Her uncle had nearly corrupted it.
Her nephew had been used.
And the mechanic she had humiliated might be the only person who knew what really happened.
She opened her father’s private records.
One final file appeared.
PROJECT HAWK
She clicked it.
Inside was one sentence.
If Mason Cole ever leaves, the truth leaves with him.
