The CEO’s Jet Broke Down Again — Her Assistant Whispered, “I Think She Just Wants the Mechanic Back”
Chapter 7
The answer came from a detail neither of them noticed at first.
The recording had been edited.
Mason discovered digital cuts between phrases.
“It’s reconstructed,” he said.
Ava stared.
“Someone took his old recordings.”
“And built a conversation.”
“To make it sound like he planned this.”
Mason nodded.
Ava sat down.
For the first time since the jet explosion, she looked exhausted.
“My father trusted Victor.”
“Maybe.”
“You don’t believe that.”
“I believe your father trusted him once.”
Ava looked at him.
“What’s the difference?”
“People can change.”
She looked down.
“Like me?”
Mason didn’t answer.
She gave a small smile.
“That’s fair.”
They continued searching.
Eventually, they found an old personnel file.
Mason’s.
His eyes narrowed.
Inside was a recommendation letter from Ava’s father.
Mason Reed is to be retained as long as possible. He has unusual intuition regarding mechanical failures.
Ava looked at him.
“You knew my father?”
“Briefly.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because he asked me not to.”
“Why?”
Mason hesitated.
“He believed someone inside the company was stealing technology.”
Ava stared.
“He hired me to watch the aircraft systems.”
“Without telling me?”
“You were eighteen when I first met him.”
She blinked.
“You knew me before I became CEO?”
“I saw you twice.”
She remembered nothing.
Mason smiled faintly.
“You were carrying three books and yelling at your father because he made you late for college.”
Ava laughed softly.
“I did that.”
“I know.”
The memory softened the tension.
But then the door behind them opened.
Victor Hall walked in.
Ava immediately stood.
“What are you doing here?”
Victor held up his hands.
“I came alone.”
Mason stepped between them.
Victor looked at him.
“You always were suspicious.”
Mason replied, “You always gave me reasons.”
Victor sighed.
“You don’t understand what you’re uncovering.”
“Then explain it.”
Victor looked at Ava.
“Your father wasn’t the mastermind.”
Ava froze.
“Who was?”
Victor swallowed.
“Your father was trying to stop them.”
“Who?”
Victor reached into his coat.
Mason tensed.
But Victor pulled out a small drive.
“He kept this hidden.”
Ava took it.
“Why give it to me now?”
“Because they’re done waiting.”
Mason frowned.
“Who are they?”
Victor looked toward the window.
“Three people on your board.”
Ava’s face went pale.
Victor continued.
“They’ve been using Meridian to steal from the company for years.”
“Why the jet?”
“To scare you into selling the aviation division.”
Mason stared.
“And me?”
Victor looked at him.
“They knew you were the one person who could identify the sabotage.”
Ava’s voice trembled.
“Then why tell us?”
Victor’s expression changed.
“Because I helped them.”
Silence.
“I helped them,” he repeated. “But six months ago, I realized they were planning to make you take the blame.”
Ava stepped back.
“You’re saying you were involved?”
“Yes.”
Mason looked at him with disgust.
“Then why should we trust you?”
Victor met his eyes.
“You shouldn’t.”
He placed the drive on the table.
“You should trust the evidence.”
Then he walked away.
Mason looked at Ava.
And neither realized that one of the board members had been listening from the hallway.
