But she wasn't interested in the money.
She was interested in the three investors sitting across from Alexander.
They looked uncomfortable, not amused.
Victoria picked up the card.
“Before I accept your challenge, may I ask a question?”
Alexander smiled.
“Of course.”
“Does the sentence have to be about anything in particular?”
“Anything you like.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.”
Victoria set the card down, straightened her apron, and looked directly at Lin Mei.
Then she switched to fluent Mandarin.
“林女士，很抱歉您今晚必须在这样的环境中讨论这项投资。我想提醒您，在签署任何文件之前，您应该仔细核实这家公司提供的财务报表，因为其中可能存在尚未披露的重大风险。”
Lin Mei's expression changed instantly.
Victoria had said:
“Ms. Lin, I'm sorry you have to discuss this investment in such an environment tonight. Before signing any documents, I would recommend carefully verifying the company's financial statements because they may contain significant undisclosed risks.”
The room fell silent.
Alexander stopped smiling.
Lin Mei slowly placed her chopsticks on the table.
Then she answered Victoria in Mandarin.
“你为什么这么说？你发现了什么？”
Why do you say that? What have you discovered?
Victoria glanced at the folder beside Alexander's elbow.
“I noticed a discrepancy in the project valuation,” she replied in Mandarin. “But I would rather not discuss confidential documents without your permission.”
The youngest executive immediately turned toward Alexander.
“Mr. Pierce,” he said in English, “what discrepancy is she talking about?”
Alexander's face had lost its color.
Because the waitress had not merely proved she could speak Chinese.
She had just raised the one question he had spent six months trying to keep out of the conversation.
Chapter 2: The Secret Hidden in the Numbers
Alexander forced a laugh.
“This is absurd. She's a waitress, not an auditor.”
Victoria stepped back.
“I didn't say I was an auditor.”
“Then explain how you supposedly know anything about my financial statements.”
“Because I worked in international trade finance before I returned home.”
“Doing what? Answering phones?”
Victoria's expression remained calm.
“I reviewed transaction documents, reconciled financial reports, and assisted with cross-border investment assessments.”
Thomas Reed looked at her with renewed interest.
“Where did you work?”
“Eastbridge Advisory in Shanghai.”
Thomas blinked.
“Eastbridge? The firm that handled the Pacific Harbor acquisition?”
“Yes.”
Thomas turned toward Alexander.
“You know Eastbridge was involved in reviewing the original valuation of this project, don't you?”
Alexander didn't answer.
Lin Mei opened the folder in front of her.
“Ms. Hayes, you mentioned a discrepancy. Can you describe what you observed without disclosing anything confidential?”
Victoria hesitated.
She had seen the documents only briefly. She wasn't going to make accusations based on a glance.
“I noticed that the projected revenue from the waterfront development seemed inconsistent with the occupancy assumptions in the summary. I would need to review the underlying figures before drawing a conclusion.”
Lin Mei nodded.
“That's a reasonable answer.”
Alexander interrupted.
“This is a private business meeting. I don't appreciate my employees interfering.”
“I am not your employee,” Victoria said.
The words came out quietly.
For the first time that evening, Alexander had nothing to say.
Victoria worked for the restaurant. She didn't work for him, and he had no authority to dismiss her or order her to remain silent.
Thomas leaned forward.
“Alex, perhaps we should examine the numbers.”
“There is nothing to examine.”
“Then it should take five minutes to demonstrate that.”