THE BILLIONAIRE’S DAUGHTER FELL IN LOVE WITH HER UBER DRIVER
Chapter 10
The following months were brutal.
Bennett Capital faced investigations.
Atlas executives were arrested.
Victor Hale was charged.
Daniel cooperated.
Charles testified.
Sophia testified.
Ethan testified.
The aviation industry learned what had happened.
The old maintenance fraud became national news.
So did the billionaire’s daughter who had fallen in love with her former father’s Uber-hired stranger.
The headlines were ridiculous.
Sophia ignored them.
Ethan hated them.
Lily loved them.
“Dad, you’re famous.”
“Unfortunately.”
She laughed.
Sophia became closer to Lily.
Not as a replacement for anyone.
Simply as someone who cared.
One evening, Lily sat between them on the couch.
“Are you staying?”
Sophia looked at Ethan.
He smiled.
“She means you.”
Sophia smiled.
“Yes.”
Lily nodded.
“Good.”
Sophia’s heart melted.
But their relationship was not simple.
Sophia had inherited a life of wealth.
Ethan had spent years struggling to pay bills.
She owned a penthouse.
He rented an apartment.
She could buy almost anything.
He fixed things instead of replacing them.
They argued about money.
Often.
One evening, Sophia offered to pay off Ethan’s remaining medical debts.
He refused.
She got angry.
“Why won’t you let me help?”
“Because I don’t want you to become my provider.”
“I want to be your partner.”
“I know.”
“Then let me act like one.”
Ethan shook his head.
“This isn’t about pride.”
“Then what?”
“I need to know I can stand beside you without owing you.”
Sophia went quiet.
Finally she said,
“Then don’t owe me.”
She opened a bank statement.
“Let’s build something together.”
Ethan frowned.
“What?”
“A company.”
“For aviation safety.”
He stared.
“You want to start a business with me?”
“Yes.”
“You have no experience.”
“I have investors.”
He laughed.
“That isn’t the same thing.”
“I have determination.”
“That might be worse.”
She smiled.
Together they founded Carter Aviation Safety Consulting.
Ethan handled technical operations.
Sophia handled finance and strategy.
The company started with four employees.
Then twelve.
Then forty.
Airlines hired them to audit maintenance systems.
They found problems.
They reported them.
They didn’t hide anything.
Their reputation grew.
One evening, Sophia returned home after a long meeting.
Ethan was cooking.
“What’s that?”
“Dinner.”
She looked at the pan.
“That can’t be healthy.”
“It isn’t.”
She laughed.
“Lily asleep?”
“Yes.”
Sophia kissed him.
Then noticed a small envelope on the counter.
“What is that?”
Ethan smiled.
“Your name is on it.”
She opened it.
Inside was an invitation.
A charity event.
The host was Charles Bennett.
Sophia looked surprised.
“Dad invited us.”
“You going?”
“Yes.”
Ethan smiled.
“Then I guess I have to wear a suit.”
She laughed.
“You look good in suits.”
“Are you flirting with your boyfriend?”
“Yes.”
He kissed her again.
She rested her head against his chest.
“I never imagined this.”
“What?”
“A life like this.”
“Me neither.”
She looked up.
“Would you have believed me if someone told you two years ago you’d fall in love with a billionaire’s daughter?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I’d have thought I was dreaming.”
Sophia smiled.
“I’d have thought the same.”
Then her phone buzzed.
An email.
Subject:
ATLAS — FINAL EVIDENCE.
Sophia opened it.
There was one attachment.
A scanned maintenance record.
Signed by Gerald Bennett.
But beneath his signature was another.
A name neither of them recognized.
Sophia looked at Ethan.
“Who is Robert Kane?”
Ethan’s expression changed.
“I know that name.”
“From where?”
“My first engineering job.”
He stared at the document.
“He was the executive who hired me.”
“Where is he now?”
Ethan swallowed.
“Bennett Capital’s newest board advisor.”
