She Thought He Was a Poor Taxi Driver… He Was a Billionaire, but Why Was He Hiding His Identity?
Chapter 2
Rachel didn’t sleep well.
Her manager had warned her that senior executives were unhappy with her latest audit.
She had expected criticism.
She hadn’t expected a direct summons from the company’s new chairman.
At nine the next morning, she stood outside Ethan’s office.
“Mr. Cole will see you now.”
Rachel walked in.
She froze.
The man behind the desk looked vaguely familiar.
Not because she knew him.
Because of his eyes.
“Have we met?”
Ethan smiled.
“Possibly.”
She couldn’t place him.
“What did you want to discuss?”
He pointed to the chair.
“Your audit.”
Rachel sat.
“I stand by it.”
“So do I.”
She looked surprised.
“You reviewed the account?”
“Yes.”
“I was told I was wrong.”
“You weren’t.”
Rachel stared at him.
“Then why am I being blamed?”
Ethan leaned back.
“Because you found something someone doesn’t want found.”
Her expression changed.
“What did I find?”
“Money leaving the company through four shell vendors.”
Rachel nodded.
“I knew it.”
“Who told you to stop?”
“My supervisor.”
“Why?”
“He said the board was handling it.”
Ethan watched her carefully.
“Did you believe him?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Rachel studied him.
“You don’t look like the man I expected.”
Ethan smiled.
“What did you expect?”
“Someone older.”
He laughed softly.
“I’m thirty-nine.”
“I thought you were fifty.”
“That’s concerning.”
She smiled despite herself.
Then she noticed the watch.
She had seen that watch before.
In the taxi.
Her eyes widened.
“Wait.”
Ethan remained calm.
“You…”
She stood.
“You were my taxi driver.”
Ethan nodded.
Rachel stared at him.
“You’re the chairman?”
“Yes.”
She laughed in disbelief.
“You drove me from the airport.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted to see how people reacted to someone they thought was ordinary.”
She shook her head.
“You’re unbelievable.”
“Probably.”
“Do you do this often?”
“Sometimes.”
“That’s strange.”
“Yes.”
She sat again.
“Why hide your identity?”
Ethan’s expression became serious.
“Because people behave differently when they know who I am.”
Rachel nodded.
“That makes sense.”
“It also means I learn things I wouldn’t otherwise learn.”
He slid a document toward her.
“Your audit is correct.”
She read it.
“These transfers…”
“Were authorized by someone at the executive level.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know yet.”
Rachel looked up.
“Then why involve me?”
“Because you noticed them.”
“I just did my job.”
“You did it when it was inconvenient.”
She smiled.
“That’s what compliance is for.”
Ethan’s expression softened.
He had expected intelligence.
He hadn’t expected honesty.
“I want you to continue the investigation.”
Rachel hesitated.
“Will I be protected?”
“Yes.”
“From whom?”
He didn’t answer.
That worried her.
The next week, they worked together.
Ethan remained careful.
He never revealed the full investigation.
Rachel followed financial trails.
Ethan followed executive behavior.
They found payments.
False invoices.
Unusual consulting agreements.
The trail led to one man.
Graham Walker.
Chief Operating Officer.
Graham had been with the company for twelve years.
He was respected.
Powerful.
Trusted.
Rachel didn’t believe it.
“Could he really be doing this?”
Ethan nodded.
“People don’t need to be monsters to become corrupt.”
“What do they need?”
“An excuse.”
Rachel looked at him.
“You’ve thought about this a lot.”
“I’ve seen it.”
Then Rachel asked the question Ethan hadn’t expected.
“Why do I feel like you already knew I was honest before we started?”
Ethan smiled.
“Maybe I was lucky.”
She didn’t believe him.
And Ethan realized his biggest problem wasn’t the investigation.
It was that he was beginning to like her.
