“CHEAP MAN!” She Left Her Fiancé For Her Lover—Unaware He Was Heir To A $4B Empire
Chapter 7
Daniel couldn’t speak.
“My what?”
Sophie stared at the photograph.
“Her name is Olivia.”
“Secret daughter?”
“Yes.”
“How do you know?”
“My father used to work with yours.”
Sophie explained that Olivia had appeared at several private corporate events years earlier.
Rumors claimed she was related to Alexander Cole.
But nobody knew how.
Daniel contacted Margaret.
Margaret refused to answer at first.
Then she finally admitted it.
“Your father had another child.”
“Why didn’t he tell me?”
“He was afraid.”
“Of what?”
“Your mother.”
Daniel sat down.
Margaret continued.
“Olivia was born before your father married your mother.”
Daniel stared at the photograph.
“So she isn’t illegitimate in some legal sense.”
“No.”
“Then why hide her?”
“Family politics.”
Daniel felt angry.
Four billion dollars.
A hidden daughter.
A secret trust.
A father who had apparently spent decades making decisions without explaining them.
He flew to meet Olivia.
She lived quietly in Colorado.
She had no interest in the company.
“No,” she said immediately.
“I don’t want your money.”
Daniel smiled.
“I didn’t bring you here for money.”
“Then why?”
“I wanted to know the truth.”
Olivia looked at him.
“Your father loved you.”
“I know.”
“He also loved me.”
Daniel nodded.
“Then why were we hidden from each other?”
“Because he thought the family business would destroy us.”
Daniel frowned.
“What do you mean?”
Olivia explained.
Years earlier, Alexander had discovered the beginnings of the corruption now being uncovered.
He feared that if his children fought over the company, the corrupt executives would exploit them.
So he separated the family.
Daniel was sent away from the business.
Olivia was kept completely outside it.
He had hoped to protect them.
But his secrecy had created new problems.
Daniel looked at Olivia.
“I don’t blame you.”
“I blame him.”
She understood.
They spoke for hours.
Before Daniel left, Olivia gave him something.
A key.
“Your father told me to give you this when you were ready.”
“What does it open?”
“I don’t know.”
The key opened a private archive under Cole Global headquarters.
Inside were decades of documents.
Some concerned business.
Others concerned people.
And one file was marked:
SOPHIE BENNETT
Daniel froze.
He opened it.
Inside was a background investigation.
His father had ordered it before Daniel proposed to Sophie.
The report contained information about Sophie’s family.
Her father’s debts.
Her mother’s investments.
And a series of suspicious financial relationships with Adrian’s family.
Daniel looked at Sophie.
“He knew.”
Sophie started crying.
“Your father knew about me?”
“Yes.”
“Did he think I was using you?”
Daniel didn’t answer.
The file suggested something more disturbing.
Sophie’s family had been under financial pressure for years.
Adrian had helped them.
Her relationship with Adrian may have begun before she ever met Daniel.
Daniel felt a wave of anger.
But Sophie shook her head.
“I wasn’t planning to leave you for him.”
“What changed?”
“I was afraid.”
“Of what?”
“Losing everything.”
She wiped her tears.
“I thought choosing Adrian meant security.”
Daniel stared at her.
“And now?”
“Now I understand I already had something more valuable.”
Their eyes met.
But before either could speak, alarms started ringing throughout the building.
The archive had been hacked.
Someone was stealing the files.
And the person using the system had Daniel’s own security credentials.
