Rich Girl Mocks The Single Dad Waiter’s English—Then Her Father Calls Him “Boss”
Chapter 2
Amelia laughed when her father said it.
“Dad, he’s a waiter.”
Richard’s expression didn’t change.
“You don’t know that.”
“He’s wearing a waiter uniform.”
“That doesn’t mean anything.”
She frowned.
“What are you talking about?”
Richard looked toward the kitchen.
“Where did you think I got the reservation tonight?”
“From your assistant.”
“No.”
He picked up his wine.
“From him.”
Amelia stared.
“You mean the waiter?”
Richard nodded.
Amelia laughed again.
“You’re being strange.”
“I’ll explain later.”
Daniel returned to the dining room.
He placed a new steak on Amelia’s table.
“Fresh.”
She looked at him.
“Thank you.”
The words sounded unfamiliar coming from her.
Daniel nodded.
“Enjoy.”
He walked away.
Amelia watched him.
There was something different about him.
Not arrogance.
Not insecurity.
He moved as though the room belonged to him.
She noticed another strange thing.
Every employee greeted him.
Not casually.
Respectfully.
The kitchen manager stepped aside when Daniel entered.
The head chef nodded.
Even the hotel general manager, a man Amelia knew had worked for her father for fifteen years, lowered his voice when speaking to Daniel.
She frowned.
Why?
After dinner, Richard stood.
“Amelia.”
“Yes?”
“Come with me.”
“Where?”
“Kitchen.”
She followed.
Daniel was standing beside the service counter, speaking to the chef.
Richard walked straight toward him.
Amelia expected her father to say something formal.
Instead, he stopped in front of Daniel.
Then, in a voice full of respect, he said:
“Boss.”
Amelia froze.
Daniel looked at him.
“Richard.”
The chef immediately stepped away.
Amelia stared between the two men.
“Boss?”
Richard glanced at his daughter.
“She hasn’t figured it out.”
Daniel sighed.
“I noticed.”
Amelia felt her face heat.
“What is going on?”
Daniel looked at her.
His expression was calm.
“Your father works for me.”
She laughed.
“That isn’t funny.”
“I’m not joking.”
Richard pulled out his phone.
He opened a corporate document.
At the top was a logo Amelia recognized.
Bennett Hospitality Group.
Underneath was a legal ownership structure.
The controlling entity belonged to a private investment company.
The beneficial owner was listed as:
Daniel Brooks.
Amelia stared.
“No.”
Daniel didn’t move.
“You own this?”
“The restaurant.”
“Just this restaurant?”
“No.”
Richard answered.
“He owns the group.”
Amelia looked at her father.
“You work for him?”
Richard nodded.
“Technically.”
“Technically?”
Daniel folded his arms.
“I’m the majority owner.”
She looked back at him.
“But you’re a waiter.”
“For now.”
“Why?”
He hesitated.
Then answered,
“Because I wanted to know what my employees see when they think the owner isn’t around.”
Amelia remembered everything she had said.
His English.
The wine.
The jokes.
The way she had spoken to him.
Her face went red.
“You heard all of it.”
“Yes.”
“I didn’t know.”
“I know.”
“I’m sorry.”
Daniel nodded.
“Apology accepted.”
That almost made it worse.
She expected anger.
Instead, he had given her nothing to fight.
Richard sighed.
“Amelia, there’s another reason I wanted you here.”
“What?”
Daniel looked at her father.
Richard nodded.
Daniel said,
“Your father’s company is in trouble.”
Amelia’s expression changed.
“What kind of trouble?”
“Financial.”
“How bad?”
“Bad enough that someone is moving money out of the company.”
Richard looked exhausted.
“We’ve lost nearly twelve million dollars in six months.”
Amelia stared.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You’ve been away.”
“I could have helped.”
Richard looked at her.
“You were busy.”
The answer hurt.
“Busy doing what?”
“Living.”
Silence.
Daniel stepped in.
“The theft is connected to the executive team.”
“Who?”
“We don’t know yet.”
Amelia looked at Daniel.
“And you’re investigating?”
“Yes.”
“As a waiter?”
“Yes.”
She almost smiled.
“That is insane.”
He shrugged.
“It works.”
Then his phone vibrated.
He checked it.
His expression changed.
“What happened?” Richard asked.
Daniel looked at him.
“One of the accounts moved again.”
“How much?”
“Two hundred thousand.”
Richard’s face fell.
“Tonight?”
Daniel nodded.
Then he looked at Amelia.
“Your account was used.”
She froze.
“My account?”
“Yes.”
The room became silent.
Daniel looked at the transfer details.
The money had been moved from a company account into a private account in Amelia’s name.
She hadn’t authorized it.
Someone was framing her.
And suddenly, the girl who had mocked the waiter discovered something far more frightening than his identity.
Someone wanted her to take the blame for a crime worth millions.
