Disguised Boss Ordered Coffee in His Own Bar — Then Froze at the Waitress’s 3 Words!
Chapter 3
Adrian didn’t sleep that night.
He returned to his penthouse at 4:00 a.m. and called his private investigator.
“Run everything on Mia Bennett.”
The investigator hesitated.
“Everything?”
“Yes.”
“Employment history?”
“Yes.”
“Family?”
“Yes.”
“And her brother?”
“Especially him.”
By breakfast, Adrian had a preliminary report.
Mia Bennett had worked at the Blue Lantern for eleven months.
No criminal record.
No unusual financial activity.
No connections to known competitors.
Her brother, Lucas Bennett, was a junior accountant for Cole Hospitality.
Three weeks earlier, he had reported unauthorized transfers.
Two days later, he disappeared.
Adrian stared at the screen.
That was too close to be coincidence.
Then he saw something else.
Lucas had sent an email to corporate compliance shortly before disappearing.
The subject line was:
I know where the money is going.
Adrian opened the attachment.
One spreadsheet.
Hundreds of transactions.
Money was leaving Cole Hospitality through fake vendor accounts.
But the money didn’t stop there.
It was moving into a private investment company.
Northstar Capital.
Adrian recognized the name.
He had approved a small acquisition six months earlier.
The company had been recommended by Victor Crane.
Adrian’s stomach tightened.
He hadn’t thought twice about it.
Now he did.
Someone inside his own organization was stealing millions.
Possibly someone close enough to know every decision he made.
That afternoon, Adrian went back to the Blue Lantern.
He changed his appearance again.
Different jacket.
Baseball cap.
No expensive shoes.
Mia recognized him anyway.
“You came back.”
“I like your coffee.”
She laughed.
“You’re lying.”
“Yes.”
She smiled.
Then her expression became serious.
“Lucas called me again.”
Adrian stopped.
“When?”
“Last night.”
“What did he say?”
“He said he was hiding.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
“What else?”
She hesitated.
“He said I shouldn’t trust anyone with the name Cole.”
Adrian felt the words like a punch.
“Why?”
“He wouldn’t explain.”
Adrian leaned closer.
“Mia.”
She looked at him.
“There are secrets in this company,” she whispered.
He wanted to tell her that he knew.
Instead he asked:
“Do you trust me?”
She stared.
“Not yet.”
“Fair.”
A loud crash came from the kitchen.
Mia turned.
A glass had shattered.
A dishwasher stood frozen.
Rick Halston walked in.
He looked at Adrian.
“What are you doing here again?”
Adrian shrugged.
“Coffee.”
Rick stared.
“You’ve been here three days in a row.”
“Good coffee.”
Rick didn’t smile.
“Some customers drink coffee. Others ask too many questions.”
Mia stepped between them.
“He’s a customer.”
Rick leaned toward her.
“Then serve him.”
He walked away.
Adrian watched him disappear.
Then Mia whispered:
“He knows.”
“Knows what?”
“That you’ve been asking questions.”
Adrian said nothing.
She looked at him.
“Who are you really?”
Before he could answer, Rick shouted from across the room.
“Mia!”
She walked away.
Adrian’s phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
He answered.
A distorted voice spoke.
“Leave the bar.”
Adrian remained silent.
“Do you hear me?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t belong there.”
Adrian’s voice hardened.
“Who are you?”
The caller laughed.
“You’re already too late.”
The call ended.
A second message arrived immediately.
A photograph.
Adrian opened it.
It showed Mia standing beside Lucas.
But the photograph wasn’t recent.
It had been taken years earlier.
In front of a farmhouse.
Someone had circled Lucas’s face.
Then another message appeared.
Ask her what happened to her mother.
Adrian looked at Mia.
She was laughing with a customer.
He felt suddenly uneasy.
Because if someone wanted him to doubt her, they had probably prepared more than one secret.
