Rich Girl Mocks The Single Dad Waiter’s English—Then Her Father Calls Him “Boss”
Chapter 9
Daniel became completely still.
“Who has her?”
The voice on the phone answered.
Daniel closed his eyes.
“Send the location.”
He ended the call.
Amelia stared.
“What happened?”
“Someone took Emma.”
Her heart dropped.
“Is she hurt?”
“We don’t know.”
“Then go.”
Daniel looked at her.
“You stay here.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
“Amelia.”
“You’re not going alone.”
“This is my daughter.”
“I know.”
“Then don’t make this about you.”
She stepped closer.
“It’s about her.”
He stared at her.
Then nodded.
They drove together.
The location was an abandoned warehouse outside the city.
Daniel entered first.
Amelia followed.
The place was dark.
Empty.
A phone sat on a chair.
The screen displayed a live video.
Emma was sitting in another room.
She looked frightened but unharmed.
Daniel’s breathing changed.
“Emma.”
She looked at the camera.
“Daddy.”
“I’m here.”
A voice came through the speaker.
“Come alone.”
Daniel looked around.
“Who are you?”
“You know.”
“Victor?”
A laugh.
“No.”
The screen changed.
A photograph appeared.
Daniel’s father.
Then Richard Bennett.
Then Victor.
And finally—
Amelia’s mother.
Amelia stepped forward.
“No.”
Her mother had died ten years earlier.
The voice returned.
“Your families have been lying to you for a long time.”
Daniel’s face hardened.
“Let my daughter go.”
“You can have her.”
“What do you want?”
“Amelia’s trust.”
She looked at him.
“Don’t.”
Daniel shook his head.
The voice continued.
“Sign the transfer.”
“No.”
Emma cried.
“Daddy.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
Amelia grabbed his hand.
“Don’t do it.”
He looked at her.
“We’ll get her.”
She nodded.
The lights switched on.
Men appeared.
Daniel moved.
The fight was fast.
He took down the first attacker.
The second.
Then a third.
Amelia ran toward the side room.
She found Emma.
The door was unlocked.
“Come with me.”
Emma grabbed her hand.
“You’re the lady from the restaurant.”
Amelia smiled.
“Your dad hired me.”
Emma laughed through tears.
Daniel entered seconds later.
“Let’s go.”
They escaped through the rear entrance.
A car waited.
The driver was a woman Amelia recognized.
Her mother’s former assistant.
“Get in.”
They did.
Once they were away, Amelia turned.
“How did you know where to find us?”
The woman looked at her.
“Because your mother told me.”
Amelia froze.
“My mother is dead.”
“Yes.”
“She couldn’t have.”
The woman handed her a letter.
“She left this before she died.”
Amelia opened it.
Amelia,
If you’re reading this, then Daniel finally knows.
She looked at Daniel.
“What?”
He shook his head.
The letter continued.
Your father did not betray Daniel’s family.
He protected them.
Amelia’s eyes filled with tears.
Her father had discovered Victor’s plan years ago.
He secretly worked with Daniel’s father.
He transferred assets.
Built the trust.
And created a hidden protection agreement for Amelia.
The suspicious photographs had been taken during those negotiations.
Victor had manipulated them.
“Your father knew Mercer would return,” the woman said.
“He knew they would target you.”
Amelia cried.
“Then why didn’t he tell me?”
“Because he wanted you to have one normal memory of him.”
Daniel looked down.
His father had done the same.
Both families had protected their children by hiding the truth.
But there was more.
The letter’s final paragraph was addressed to Daniel.
Daniel,
If Amelia ever trusts you, tell her the truth I couldn’t.
She doesn’t need a man to protect her fortune.
She needs someone who will protect her right to choose.
Daniel closed his eyes.
Amelia looked at him.
“Your father knew mine.”
“Yes.”
“Your father trusted him.”
“Yes.”
“And your mother knew.”
“Yes.”
She wiped her tears.
“Then all of this was planned.”
“Not all.”
“What wasn’t?”
Daniel looked at her.
“Us.”
She stared.
The word hung in the car.
He looked away.
“I didn’t plan to meet you.”
Her heart raced.
“Neither did I.”
The woman driving smiled faintly.
“You’re going to make the rest of this difficult.”
Daniel looked at her.
“What?”
She said:
“Victor has the original board ledger.”
Daniel’s expression hardened.
Without it, they couldn’t prove the conspiracy.
And Victor knew exactly where it was.
