Chapter 3: The Name Behind the Restaurant
I thought I had misunderstood him.
The noise of the restaurant seemed to disappear.
The music faded.
The conversations faded.
Even the sound of plates moving in the kitchen disappeared.
I only heard one sentence.
“My mother just assaulted the person who has been paying her salary.””
I stared at Daniel.
“What does that mean?””
Victoria’s expression changed instantly.
“Daniel.””
But he didn’t look at her.
He looked at me.
“Emily, what is your last name?””
The question confused me.
“Carter.””
He nodded slowly.
“And your father’s name?””
My chest tightened.
“Michael Carter.””
Daniel looked at his phone again.
Then at me.
“Your father founded Bellavita.””
I felt like the floor moved beneath me.
“That’s impossible.””
Daniel showed me the screen.
There was an old photograph attached.
A man standing outside the original Bellavita restaurant twenty-five years earlier.
My father.
I recognized him immediately.
Even though the photo was old.
Even though I hadn’t seen him in years.
“That restaurant was my father’s,” I whispered.
Daniel nodded.
“Your father built this company before he passed away.””
I shook my head.
“No. My father left us with debt.””
Daniel looked surprised.
“What?””
I laughed quietly.
A painful laugh.
“That’s what I was told.””
The room suddenly felt colder.
My father had died when I was seventeen.
After that, my mother spent years telling me he had failed. That his restaurant dream had collapsed. That there was nothing left except bills.
I believed her.
Because why wouldn’t I?
She was my mother.
Daniel lowered his voice.
“Emily, Bellavita didn’t fail.””
I looked at him.
“Then what happened?””
Before he could answer, Victoria stepped between us.
“Daniel, stop.””
Her voice was no longer arrogant.
It was nervous.
That scared me more.
“You don’t understand what you’re doing.””
Daniel looked at her.
“I understand exactly what I’m doing.””
Victoria glanced around.
“You’re going to believe her?””
Daniel’s face hardened.
“I’m going to believe the documents.””
Richard suddenly looked terrified.
“Mr. Whitmore, this is all a misunderstanding.””
Daniel turned toward him.
“Is it?””
Richard swallowed.
“I had no idea.””
“No idea about what?””
Silence.
Daniel stepped closer.
“About who Emily Carter is?””
Richard looked away.
That answer was enough.
I felt my stomach twist.
“You knew?””
Richard didn’t respond.
“Richard,” I said.
He finally looked at me.
And the guilt on his face told me everything.
“I was told to keep you away from certain information.””
My hands became cold.
“By who?””
Nobody answered.
But I already knew.
I looked at Victoria.
The woman who had slapped me.
The woman who had watched me clean up a mess she created.
The woman who had acted like I was beneath her.
Daniel slowly turned toward his mother.
“Tell her.””
Victoria remained silent.
“Tell her what you did.””
Her face hardened again.
“I protected this company.””
I almost laughed.
“Protected it from me?””
She looked at me.
“You don’t understand business.””
“No,” I said quietly.
“I understand being lied to.””
The young customer filming everything lowered his phone slightly.
The entire restaurant was watching.
Victoria stepped closer.
“You have no idea what your father left behind.””
Daniel interrupted.
“Actually, she doesn’t.””
He looked at me.
“But she’s about to.””
My heartbeat increased.
“What are you saying?””
Daniel took a breath.
“Your father didn’t leave you debt.””
He paused.
“He left you ownership.””
I stared at him.
The words didn’t make sense.
“Ownership of what?””
Daniel looked around the restaurant.
“This.””
I looked at the expensive walls.
The marble floor.
The tables where wealthy customers ate meals that cost more than my weekly groceries.
All this time…
I had been serving inside my own family’s restaurant.
And nobody told me.
Victoria suddenly grabbed her purse.
“I’m leaving.””
Daniel blocked her path.
“No.””
She stared at him.
“Move.””
“No.””
Her eyes narrowed.
“You would choose her over your own mother?””
Daniel’s expression was calm.
“I’m choosing the truth.””
For the first time, Victoria looked afraid.
Then her phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
A few seconds later, the color drained from her face.
She answered.
“Hello?””
She listened.
Then her eyes slowly moved toward me.
Everyone noticed.
“Who is it?”” Daniel asked.
Victoria didn’t answer.
She ended the call.
Then she whispered one sentence.
May you like
And the entire restaurant went silent.
“Your father is alive.””
