THE BILLIONAIRE’S DAUGHTER FELL IN LOVE WITH HER UBER DRIVER
Chapter 5
Sophia confronted Victor Hale the next morning.
He was Charles Bennett’s chief operating officer.
Fifty-six years old.
Impeccably dressed.
Calm.
Polished.
The kind of man who never raised his voice because he had enough influence to make other people nervous.
Sophia walked into his office without knocking.
“You worked for Atlas Aviation.”
Victor smiled.
“Many years ago.”
“You knew Ethan Carter.”
“I knew hundreds of engineers.”
“You knew him.”
Victor’s smile disappeared.
“Why are you asking?”
“Because my father says Atlas was corrupt.”
Victor leaned back.
“Atlas had management problems.”
“Did you?”
He looked at her.
Sophia placed a copy of Ethan’s old report on his desk.
Victor’s expression changed.
“Where did you get that?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because that document was supposed to be destroyed.”
Sophia stared.
There it was.
The answer she needed.
“You admitted it.”
Victor stood.
“You don’t understand what you’re dealing with.”
“Then explain.”
“You need to stay away from Ethan Carter.”
“No.”
“He isn’t who you think he is.”
“You’ve never met him.”
Victor laughed.
“You think this is a love story?”
Sophia stiffened.
Victor saw it.
“You’re already emotionally involved.”
“That’s none of your business.”
“It becomes my business if your father’s company is exposed.”
Sophia froze.
“What company?”
Victor said nothing.
She stepped closer.
“What did you do?”
Victor looked away.
“Seven years ago, Atlas was on the verge of collapse.”
“And?”
“Bennett Capital had millions invested.”
“And?”
“The board wanted to save the investment.”
Sophia’s voice dropped.
“How?”
Victor didn’t answer.
She understood.
“You falsified records.”
“Not me.”
“Who?”
He remained silent.
Sophia turned to leave.
Victor said,
“It wasn’t your father.”
She stopped.
“Then who?”
“Someone he trusted.”
She turned.
“Who?”
Victor looked at her.
“Gerald Bennett.”
Sophia’s uncle.
Her father’s younger brother.
She had always thought Gerald was merely the charming uncle who attended family dinners and disappeared whenever business became boring.
Victor continued.
“Gerald controlled the aviation investment.”
“Where is he now?”
“Dead.”
Sophia stared.
“When?”
“Three years ago.”
“Car accident.”
Victor nodded.
Sophia’s mind raced.
Then Victor said something even worse.
“Your father found out after Gerald died.”
“And?”
“He tried to bury it.”
“Why?”
“Because exposing Gerald would destroy the family.”
Sophia’s voice trembled.
“And Ethan knows?”
Victor nodded.
“He was the engineer who had the evidence.”
Sophia walked out.
She called Ethan immediately.
“I know about Gerald.”
Silence.
“Where are you?”
“Driving.”
“Can we meet?”
“Yes.”
They met at a quiet park.
Sophia told him everything.
Ethan listened.
Then he said,
“I suspected.”
“You knew my uncle?”
“Once.”
“How?”
“He visited Atlas.”
“Why?”
“He was involved in the restructuring.”
Sophia sat down.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I didn’t know whether your father was involved.”
“Is he?”
“I don’t know.”
Sophia looked at him.
“Do you trust me?”
Ethan smiled sadly.
“I do.”
“Then trust me too.”
He nodded.
“I found another copy of the report.”
Her eyes widened.
“Where?”
“Lily’s old school records box.”
“Why there?”
“Because I needed somewhere nobody would look.”
“Do you still have it?”
“Yes.”
“Then we need to read it.”
Ethan looked at her.
“Are you sure?”
Sophia nodded.
“Yes.”
She didn’t realize that the report wouldn’t just expose her uncle.
It would reveal why her father had spent years trying to control every aspect of her life.
And why Ethan had been pushed out of aviation in the first place.
