She Was Just a Beautiful Food Vendor… Until a Rich Businessman Set His Eyes on Her—And This Happened
Chapter 3
Maya didn’t trust Alexander.
She didn’t dislike him.
But she didn’t trust him.
Rich men had a way of making promises that ordinary people couldn’t afford to believe.
So when Alexander offered to help her open a restaurant, she immediately refused.
“No.”
“You didn’t hear the proposal.”
“I don’t need to.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want someone buying my dream.”
Alexander leaned against the side of the cart.
“I’m not trying to buy it.”
“Then what are you trying to do?”
“Invest.”
“Why?”
He looked at her.
“Because your food is good.”
Maya laughed.
“That’s it?”
“No.”
He paused.
“I also think you have something this city needs.”
She folded her arms.
“What?”
“People who still care.”
Maya didn’t know what to say.
Alexander offered her a partnership.
He would provide the capital.
She would control the kitchen and menu.
They would split ownership.
Maya would have complete creative control.
It sounded perfect.
Which was exactly why she didn’t trust it.
“What’s the catch?”
“There isn’t one.”
“There’s always a catch.”
Alexander smiled.
“Then take your time.”
He left his card.
Maya put it in her wallet.
She didn’t call him.
For two weeks.
Then one night, her younger brother Noah came home with an envelope.
“Someone left this at the cart.”
Maya opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
Her father’s old restaurant.
Taken from across the street.
On the back, someone had written:
Your father knew why they wanted him gone.
Maya’s hands became cold.
She stared at the photograph.
“Noah.”
“What?”
“Where did you get this?”
“I told you. Someone left it.”
She immediately called Alexander.
He answered on the second ring.
“Are you okay?”
“I got something.”
“What?”
She sent him a photograph.
There was a long silence.
Then Alexander said:
“Where did you get this?”
“Someone left it at my cart.”
“Don’t show anyone else.”
“Why?”
“Because I think I know what it means.”
The next morning, Alexander arrived at Maya’s apartment.
He brought Daniel.
He also brought a folder.
Inside were documents from the original sale of the restaurant building.
Maya looked at them.
“What am I looking at?”
“Your father’s lease.”
She read it.
Then she noticed something.
“The lease still had three years left.”
“Yes.”
“But he was evicted.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
Alexander pointed toward a clause.
“The building was declared unsafe.”
Maya looked up.
“Was it?”
“According to the report.”
“Was it actually unsafe?”
Alexander shook his head.
“We don’t know.”
Maya stared at him.
“You’re telling me your company may have forced my father out?”
“Not my company.”
“Your company.”
Alexander didn’t argue.
He understood.
The distinction didn’t matter to her.
Then Daniel placed another document on the table.
“This is the original inspection report.”
Maya read it.
Then she saw something strange.
The signature belonged to a city inspector.
But the date was wrong.
The inspection had supposedly happened two days before the inspector died.
Maya looked up.
“What is this?”
Alexander’s expression became serious.
“We don’t know yet.”
Maya looked at him.
“Then find out.”
Alexander nodded.
“I will.”
For the first time, Maya realized something.
Alexander wasn’t simply trying to get closer to her.
He was investigating his own company.
And if the documents were real, someone had spent years hiding the truth.
