“Your Translator Is Lying!” — A Waitress Warns a Billionaire Before a German Deal
Chapter 2
Daniel ordered the ballroom doors closed.
Nobody entered.
Nobody left.
The German delegation was moved to a private conference room.
Martin remained outside with security.
Anna stood in the hallway, looking terrified.
Daniel approached her.
“You can go.”
She shook her head.
“I don’t want to.”
“Why?”
“Because I think they’ll come after me.”
Daniel frowned.
“Who?”
Anna looked toward Martin.
“Him.”
Daniel didn’t answer.
He gestured toward a chair.
“Sit.”
Anna sat.
Sarah entered the room with several copies of the contract.
Daniel followed.
“Tell me exactly what you heard.”
Anna took a breath.
“They were in the service corridor about twenty minutes before dinner.”
“Who?”
“Mr. Reinhardt, two other German executives, and your translator.”
“Martin?”
“Yes.”
“What did they say?”
Anna looked nervous.
“I didn’t understand every word.”
“But enough?”
“Yes.”
Daniel waited.
“They were discussing the final contract.”
Sarah leaned forward.
“Did they mention the liability clause?”
“Yes.”
“What did they say?”
Anna closed her eyes, trying to remember.
“They said the English version had been softened.”
Daniel exchanged a glance with Sarah.
“Softened?”
“They said the real German version was dangerous.”
Sarah’s jaw tightened.
“Did Martin know?”
Anna nodded.
“He told them not to worry.”
Daniel’s expression darkened.
“What else?”
Anna looked at him.
“They mentioned your board.”
“My board?”
“They said two people on your board were already cooperating.”
Daniel stood.
“Which two?”
“I don’t know.”
Martin suddenly entered.
“You’ve heard enough.”
Security moved toward him.
Daniel raised his hand.
“Let him speak.”
Martin looked at Anna.
“This woman is lying.”
Anna flinched.
Daniel noticed.
“Why would she lie?”
“She wants attention.”
“She could lose her job.”
Martin shrugged.
“Then she made a foolish decision.”
Daniel stared at him.
“Translate something for me.”
Martin hesitated.
“What?”
Daniel picked up a paragraph from the German contract.
“Read it.”
Martin translated.
Sarah immediately stopped him.
“That isn’t what it says.”
Martin froze.
Daniel looked at him.
“Try again.”
Martin swallowed.
Then he translated the sentence correctly.
Daniel’s eyes hardened.
“You knew.”
Martin didn’t respond.
“You knew exactly what that clause said.”
Martin looked toward the German delegation.
Klaus Reinhardt entered.
He closed the door behind him.
“Mr. Whitmore.”
Daniel turned.
Klaus looked exhausted.
“I owe you an explanation.”
Daniel crossed his arms.
“Start.”
Klaus glanced at Martin.
“Your translator was instructed to misrepresent certain terms.”
Daniel stared.
“By whom?”
Klaus hesitated.
“Your business partner.”
Daniel felt a cold sensation move through him.
“My partner?”
“David Mercer.”
Daniel knew the name.
David had been his closest business partner for eleven years.
They had built Whitmore International together.
Daniel had trusted him more than anyone except his family.
“Why?”
Klaus lowered his voice.
“Because the deal was never supposed to benefit you.”
Daniel said nothing.
Klaus continued.
“Your company would assume the financial risk.”
“And David?”
“He would acquire control after the losses.”
Sarah immediately understood.
“He wants to force a collapse.”
Klaus nodded.
Daniel sat down.
The room suddenly felt smaller.
“How?”
Klaus explained that David had secretly negotiated side agreements with several investors.
If Whitmore International suffered certain regulatory penalties, its stock value would collapse.
Those investors would then buy controlling shares.
Daniel would lose the company.
And David would emerge as the largest shareholder.
Daniel stared at the table.
“What about the German deal?”
Klaus looked at Martin.
“The contract was designed to trigger the collapse.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“Why would you agree to that?”
Klaus looked ashamed.
“Because we were threatened.”
“By whom?”
“David.”
Daniel looked toward Anna.
She had been right.
The translator had lied.
But there was much more behind the lie.
Daniel stood.
“Where is David?”
Sarah checked her phone.
“He’s downstairs.”
Daniel walked toward the door.
Then Anna stopped him.
“There is one more thing.”
Daniel turned.
“What?”
She reached into her apron pocket.
She pulled out a folded piece of paper.
“I found this in the kitchen.”
Daniel opened it.
It contained several numbers and initials.
At the bottom was a handwritten date.
Tomorrow.
Daniel looked at Anna.
“What is this?”
“I don’t know.”
Sarah took the paper.
Her face became serious.
“These are account numbers.”
Daniel stared.
“Whose?”
Sarah looked up.
“Offshore accounts.”
Then she pointed to the initials.
“DM.”
David Mercer.
Daniel slowly folded the paper.
His oldest business partner had apparently been preparing to destroy him.
And the waitress who had uncovered the first lie might be the only reason he still had time to stop it.
