No One Could Serve the Foreign Tycoon — Until the Waitress Switched Languages!
Chapter 9
The coastal village was four hours away.
They arrived before sunrise.
It was a place of fishing boats, narrow roads, and weathered houses.
Emma carried her father’s letters against her chest.
They found the address near the cliffs.
An old blue house stood beside the sea.
The door was unlocked.
Emma stepped inside.
A kettle was still warm.
Someone had been there recently.
On the table was a photograph.
Emma picked it up.
Her father.
Older.
His hair gray.
Alive.
She covered her mouth.
Behind her, Alexander whispered:
“He’s here.”
A floorboard creaked.
Emma turned.
A man stood in the doorway.
Daniel Carter.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Emma couldn’t breathe.
Her father looked at her.
His eyes filled with tears.
“Emma.”
She ran.
He caught her.
She buried her face against his chest.
“You’re alive.”
“I am.”
“Why didn’t you come home?”
“Because every road home led them to you.”
She cried harder.
Daniel held her.
“I watched you graduate.”
Emma looked up.
“What?”
“I watched you from across the street.”
“You were there?”
“Many times.”
She hit his chest.
“You let me think you were dead!”
“I had no choice.”
“Yes, you did!”
Daniel accepted her anger.
“I know.”
Alexander stood quietly.
Daniel looked at him.
“You kept your promise.”
Alexander nodded.
“I tried.”
Daniel’s expression darkened.
“Then we don’t have much time.”
He showed them a room filled with files.
Shipping records.
Bank transfers.
Photographs.
Government contracts.
Names.
Black Orchid was far larger than they had imagined.
At the center was Adrian Cross.
But beside Adrian’s name was another.
Victor Carter.
Emma stared.
“My uncle.”
Daniel nodded.
“He wasn’t the leader.”
“Then who was?”
Daniel placed a photograph on the table.
Adrian stood beside a man.
Emma recognized him.
She had seen him countless times.
He was the chairman of the company that had employed her father.
And he had attended Daniel’s funeral.
His name was Richard Hale.
Daniel whispered:
“Richard built Black Orchid.”
Alexander looked stunned.
“Impossible.”
Daniel shook his head.
“That’s what he wanted everyone to believe.”
Then the lights went out.
A gunshot shattered the window.
Daniel pulled Emma to the floor.
Alexander drew a weapon.
Another bullet struck the wall.
Daniel shouted:
“They found us!”
