Chapter 4
I hadn't seen my uncle Victor in nearly two years.
Growing up, I had thought he was the funniest man in the family.
He brought expensive birthday gifts.
He made everyone laugh at Thanksgiving.
He taught me how to ride a bicycle when my father was traveling.
But after my mother died, something changed.
Victor started treating my father's company as though it belonged to him.
He questioned every decision.
He complained that my father trusted outsiders more than family.
And whenever I visited the office, I noticed the same thing.
He smiled when my father was watching.
Then became a different person when he wasn't.
“Why would Diane call Uncle Victor?” I asked.
My father stared through the window.
“Because he oversees the regional resort operations committee.”
I frowned.
“I thought he handled commercial investments.”
“He took on additional responsibilities last year.”
“Who approved that?”
My father looked at me.
“I did.”
The answer settled heavily between us.
Samuel stepped closer.
“We should consider whether Mr. Victor Bennett has a conflict of interest in the investigation.”
My father nodded.
“Preserve the records. No exceptions.”
I adjusted Hope's blanket.
“Dad, do you think Uncle Victor knows about the complaints?”
“I don't know.”
But his expression told me he feared the answer.
An hour later, Victor arrived.
I watched him enter the private conference room carrying a leather portfolio.
His silver watch flashed under the lights.
He smiled when he saw me.
“Nia! Sweetheart!”
He stepped forward, arms open.
I didn't move.
His smile faltered.
“I heard there was a little misunderstanding.”
My father answered.
“A mother and her newborn were threatened with removal from one of our hotels.”
Victor gave a small sigh.
“Jonathan, let's not turn a customer-service problem into a family crisis.”
My father's face hardened.
“The customer was my daughter.”
Victor glanced at me.
“Of course. And Diane should have handled things better.”
“Better?” I repeated.
He turned.
“Nia, nobody is defending what happened.”
“Then why are you calling it a misunderstanding?”
His smile disappeared.
“Because these situations often have two sides.”
I felt my face growing hot.
“Are you suggesting I did something wrong?”
“No, sweetheart.”
“Stop calling me that.”
Victor looked genuinely surprised.
I continued.
“She kicked my suitcase. She refused to check my reservation. Security threatened to remove me while I held Hope.”
He glanced at the baby.
“I'm sure emotions were running high.”
I stared at him.
I had spent years making excuses for Victor's arrogance.
Not anymore.
“Who appointed Diane?” I asked.
He blinked.
“What?”
“Who gave her the acting general manager position?”
Victor looked toward my father.
“Jonathan, is this really necessary?”
My father didn't answer for him.
Victor cleared his throat.
“I recommended her.”
Samuel made a note.
“And were you aware of the prior guest complaints?”
Victor's jaw tightened.
“That's privileged internal information.”
My father leaned forward.
“Answer him.”
Victor stared at his brother.
“Yes, I was aware of certain allegations.”
“What did you do?”
“I reviewed them.”
“And?”
“I found insufficient evidence.”
Samuel looked up.
“Even though multiple reservation records were altered?”
Victor shrugged.
“I can't speak to the technical details.”
“Then perhaps you shouldn't have closed those complaints,” my father said.
Victor's expression changed.
I recognized it.
The charming uncle was disappearing.
In his place stood the man I had occasionally glimpsed at family dinners.
Cold.
Impatient.
Angry when questioned.
“You've been away from daily operations for years,” Victor said. “I've been protecting this company's profitability.”
My father leaned back.
“By allowing paying guests to be mistreated?”
Victor's eyes flashed.
“By keeping standards.”
I felt my heart drop.
There it was.
The same word Diane had used.
Standards.
As though certain people were less worthy of dignity.
“Standards for whom?” I asked.
Victor ignored me.
My father didn't.
“Answer my daughter.”
Victor exhaled sharply.
“You want the truth? Luxury guests pay for an environment. They expect exclusivity.”
I stared at him.
“So I wasn't exclusive enough?”
He looked at my dress.
Then my shoulder bag.
“Nia, you deliberately avoid looking like someone from this family.”
My mouth fell open.
He continued.
“You drive an old car, live in an ordinary apartment, and refuse every opportunity your father offers. You can't be surprised when people don't recognize your status.”
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
Then I laughed.
A terrible, disbelieving laugh.
“So if I'd walked in wearing diamonds, she would have treated me differently?”
Victor spread his hands.
“Presentation matters.”
My father slammed his palm against the table.
“Enough!”
Hope startled.
I immediately rocked her.
My father looked horrified.
“I'm sorry, baby.”
I whispered to Hope until she settled.
Then I turned toward Victor.
“You think kindness is something people have to purchase.”
He said nothing.
“And you think my daughter should grow up believing that.”
“Don't twist my words.”
“I don't have to.”
Samuel's phone vibrated.
He read the message.
Then placed his tablet on the table.
“We have confirmation that several complaints were closed through an account assigned to Mr. Victor Bennett's office.”
Victor stiffened.
“That proves nothing.”
Samuel continued.
“Some involved refunds approved internally but never issued to guests.”
My father stood.
“Explain.”
Victor's face turned red.
“Jonathan, I'm not discussing sensitive financial matters in front of your daughter.”
I stood too.
“Your daughter?”
He blinked.
“My niece,” he corrected.
“No. You said it exactly the way you meant it.”
My father looked at Samuel.
“Freeze Victor's administrative access pending an independent review.”
Victor stared at him.
“You can't be serious.”
“I'm completely serious.”
“We're brothers!”
My father held his gaze.
“And I trusted you.”
Victor's voice rose.
“After everything I've done for this company?”
My father answered quietly.
“That's exactly what we're going to investigate.”
Victor grabbed his portfolio.
“You're making a mistake.”
He turned toward the door.
Then stopped beside me.
His voice dropped.
“You have no idea what you've started.”
I held Hope a little closer.
“Neither do you.”
He walked out.
Minutes later, Emily arrived with her laptop.
She looked exhausted.
Samuel helped her connect it to the conference room monitor.
“I found something,” she whispered.
A spreadsheet appeared.
Rows of names.
Dates.
Reservations.
Refund amounts.
Then another column.
A strange two-letter code.
VR.
I pointed toward it.
“What does that mean?”
Emily swallowed.
“Victor Review.”
My father moved closer.
Emily clicked another file.
I watched hundreds of entries appear.
May you like
Then she whispered something that made my entire body turn cold.
“Mr. Bennett, I think they've been doing this for years.”
