Rich Girl Mocks The Single Dad Waiter’s English—Then Her Father Calls Him “Boss”
Chapter 7
Victor sat quietly while Daniel questioned him.
He answered everything.
Too easily.
That bothered Daniel.
“I understand Mercer Capital has acquired several Bennett suppliers.”
Victor nodded.
“Correct.”
“Why?”
“Market opportunity.”
“That’s not an answer.”
Victor smiled.
“You know the business.”
“So do you.”
“Yes.”
“Then you know this isn’t normal.”
Victor leaned back.
“I never said it was.”
Amelia watched them.
Their conversation sounded less like a business meeting and more like two men playing chess.
Finally Daniel turned to her.
“Leave.”
She frowned.
“Why?”
“This part isn’t for you.”
She stood.
“No.”
Victor smiled.
“She has a right to know.”
Daniel looked at him.
Victor continued.
“Tell her.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
Amelia stared.
“What?”
Victor looked at her.
“Your father didn’t invite you home because he missed you.”
Her heart sank.
“He brought you here because you’re part of the ownership structure.”
She looked at Richard.
“Is that true?”
Richard nodded slowly.
“You inherited your grandmother’s trust.”
“What trust?”
“A private holding company.”
Amelia stared.
“How much?”
“Eight hundred million dollars.”
She couldn’t breathe.
Daniel said nothing.
Victor smiled.
“And whoever controls that trust controls the largest block of Bennett Hospitality.”
Amelia looked at Daniel.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because someone would use it against you.”
Victor laughed.
“Someone already did.”
Amelia turned.
“What does that mean?”
Victor leaned forward.
“The reason your account was used was to activate the trust’s fraud clause.”
Daniel’s expression changed.
“What fraud clause?”
Victor smiled.
“Exactly.”
Amelia stared.
She understood.
If she were accused of fraud, her voting rights could be suspended.
Then control would pass to the next beneficiary.
Her brother.
Ethan.
She looked at him.
“No.”
Ethan shook his head.
“I didn’t know.”
Daniel stood.
“Neither did I.”
Victor smiled.
“That is why Mercer needed both siblings divided.”
Daniel looked at him.
“Who told you about the clause?”
Victor didn’t answer.
Daniel walked toward him.
“Who?”
Victor’s smile disappeared.
“Your father.”
Richard froze.
“My father?”
Victor nodded.
“Your grandfather created Mercer.”
Daniel stared.
That was impossible.
His own father had died fifteen years earlier.
But Victor explained.
Years ago, Daniel’s father had created a private investment network designed to acquire struggling businesses.
When Daniel took over, he dismantled it.
Victor didn’t.
He expanded it.
He turned it into Mercer Capital.
Daniel had thought his father was simply a businessman.
He had been wrong.
Amelia looked at Daniel.
“So this started before you.”
“Yes.”
“And you knew?”
“No.”
Victor smiled.
“That’s the problem with inheriting an empire.”
“You inherit secrets too.”
Daniel stared at him.
“Why are you telling us this?”
“Because I want something.”
“What?”
“Control.”
“Of the company?”
“No.”
Victor looked at Amelia.
“Of the trust.”
Amelia’s voice hardened.
“You’re not getting it.”
Victor smiled.
“We’ll see.”
He left.
The room remained silent.
Richard looked at Daniel.
“This is my fault.”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
Amelia looked at him.
“How do we stop him?”
Daniel answered,
“We find the original trust documents.”
“Where?”
“Your grandmother’s estate.”
Amelia nodded.
“I’ll go.”
Daniel looked at her.
“I’m coming.”
She smiled faintly.
“You don’t trust me alone.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because every time you’re alone, someone tries to ruin your life.”
She laughed.
“That sounds personal.”
“It is.”
She looked at him.
Their eyes met.
Then Richard interrupted.
“I hate to ruin whatever this is.”
Amelia stepped back.
“What?”
Richard smiled.
“You two have been staring at each other for ten minutes.”
Daniel looked away.
Amelia’s cheeks warmed.
“This isn’t anything.”
Richard smiled.
“Not yet.”
They drove to the grandmother’s estate that afternoon.
The house had been closed for years.
Dust covered the furniture.
Amelia opened an old cabinet.
Inside was a photograph.
Her grandmother stood beside Daniel’s father.
And behind them was a young Daniel.
She stared.
“You knew my family as a child.”
Daniel nodded.
“Your father and my father were business partners.”
“Then you knew my grandmother.”
“Yes.”
“She knew you.”
“Yes.”
She looked at the photograph.
“Then this isn’t just about money.”
Daniel stared at the picture.
“No.”
“It never was.”
He looked at her.
And she saw something in his eyes she hadn’t seen before.
Fear.
