From Darkness to Light: Darwin's Rise

Chapter 0015

14

Trevor's face began to pale as the waiter caught the keys tossed so casually by Darwin. The girls seemed to notice this shift as well, their laughter trailing off uncertainly.

"That's impossible!" sputtered Trevor. But doubt was creeping into his voice.

The girls exchanged uneasy glances. "There must be some mistake," said Britney weakly.

"No way..." breathed Trixie, her eyes moving between Darwin and the keys in the waiter's hand. "You really weren't lying?"

Darwin simply smiled calmly. "No need to prove anything, as I said. But it seems the truth has revealed itself now, wouldn't you agree?"

Nick, who had been watching with a shocked expression, let out a low whistle. "Blimey Darwin, when were you going to tell me you owned a Rolls?!"

"It's a long story man," Darwin replied smoothly.

The waiter walked away, leaving an uncomfortable silence. Trevor turned angrily to Darwin, he seemed to have found his voice again, though it shook slightly.

"Alright.. alright, what's the real story here? You must have rented that car as some pathetic stunt."

Darwin smiled quietly. "Believe what you want Trevor, but the car is mine."

"I don't believe it," snapped Trevor. But inside, a seed of uncertainty had taken root. What if Darwin was telling the truth? Could Darwin be big shot? No way!!!!

But the certainty in his tone was wavering. His companions had noticed it too, and were beginning to shift their attention away from Trevor and towards the more promising Darwin.

"Doesn't look rented to me," purred Britney, eyeing Darwin appraisingly. "I think our Trevor has been telling fibs to impress us all night. While CEO Darwin has been keeping secrets!"

Trevor spluttered indignantly but the girls were no longer listening. Jessica sidled up to Darwin with a flirtatious grin. "Well, if you really are so successful, maybe you could take me for a ride in that fancy car?"

Britney joined in, draping herself on Darwin's arm. "And maybe afterwards, you could buy us drinks at that new club downtown?"

Darwin politely disentangled himself. "I think I'll pass, ladies." He had lost interest in this conversation.

Trevor watched the exchange, a muscle working in his jaw. Inside, his mind raced. What if Darwin really was wealthy? It would destroy Trevor's image as the most powerful man there.

"He's lying, I tell you!" Trevor shouted. But now even his friends looked unconvinced.

Nick leaned in quietly. "Mate, maybe you should drop it. What if he really is loaded?"

An idea came to Trevor. "Alright Darwin, if you're so rich, prove it. Show us your bank statement right now."

Darwin sighed. "I don't need to prove anything. But since you won't believe me otherwise..." He pulled out his phone and opened his banking app.

Gasps arose from the group as they saw the long string of zeros in Darwin's account. Trevor went pale. It was all true - Darwin was wealthy beyond imagination.

Thinking fast, Trevor grabbed Nick. "He must have won the lottery! Yeah, that's it. Lucky idiot hit the jackpot!"

Nick nodded slowly, still in shock. Darwin smiled to himself. Seeing Trevor's face like this was priceless.

Darwin turned and called a waiter. "Waiter, the bill if you please," said Darwin politely. The waiter returned with the check folder and handed it to Darwin. "One thousand dollars, sir."

Darwin nodded calmly and pulled out his card. "Indeed. And please, add a generous tip for your excellent service this evening." He signed the receipt and handed it back with a smile.

"Well, I think I'll be going now," said Darwin before walking away, leaving the dumbfounded group behind. Trevor fumed in humiliation as the girls turned to fawn over Darwin and his wealth. His empire of the club had crumbled in an instant.

****

Darwin sauntered away from the astounded group, a smirk playing on his lips. Trevor stood there, red-faced and fuming, his ego bruised. Despite the satisfaction of outsmarting Trevor, Darwin's thoughts quickly shifted to the immense fortune now at his disposal.

"Remember, spend it all," his mother's words echoed in his mind. Climbing into his car, he glanced at the dashboard. Only a thousand dollars spent from the staggering thirty million in his account.

Darwin mused to himself as he gripped the steering wheel of the Rolls Royce, "This is far too conspicuous for my liking. A less flashy vehicle would serve my purposes better." He steered towards a nearby car shop.

After some minutes, he pulled up outside a luxury car dealership called 'Prestige Imports'. Darwin stepped out of the Rolls and immediately felt out of place. The lot was filled with flashy sports cars and extravagant SUVs. His more modest outfit drew curious looks from the salespeople.

A slickly dressed man approached Darwin. "Good evening sir, how can I help you today?" He glanced at Darwin's clothes with thinly veiled disdain.

Darwin took a deep breath. "I'm interested in purchasing a new BMW, perhaps an A8."

The salesman raised an eyebrow skeptically. "A BMW, you say? Might I suggest something with a little more...panache? To match your apparent tastes?" He gestured mockingly at Darwin's shirt.

A spark of anger flared in Darwin but he remained calm. "The A8 will be sufficient, thank you. May I take a look?"

With a shrug, the salesman led Darwin to a black A8. As Darwin inspected it, he overheard two other customers snickering nearby. "Look at that loser trying to play with the big boys. Bet he couldn't afford the oil change."

Darwin's face burned but he said nothing. The salesman smirked. "So, do you have your financing in order sir? This is a six figure vehicle after all."

Darwin met the man's gaze levelly. "Money won't be an issue. I'll take it."

The salesman let out a mocking laugh. "You? Buy this car? I think perhaps you've had too much sun, sir. Tell me, are you the Queen of England as well?"

Darwin's eyes flashed angrily but he struggled to remain calm. Inside, his fists were clenched tightly. This pompous fool would not get the better of him.

"I'm quite serious," Darwin replied in an even tone. "Now, do you have the paperwork so I can finalize the purchase?"

The salesman scoffed. "Paperwork? For you? I think it's time you ran along home now, before you hurt yourself with all this pretending." He smirked at his other customers, who chuckled rudely.

A flush rose in Darwin's cheeks but he held the man's mocking gaze. "The only one pretending here is you. Let's finish this transaction, or I'll take my business elsewhere."

Seeing Darwin wasn't rising to the bait, the salesman's smile faded. "Listen here mate, I don't know what kind of game you're playing but you're wasting my time. Why don't you scurry off back to whatever hole you crawled out of?"

By now Darwin was shaking with anger inside. How dare this pompous fool treat him this way, when he had more money than the man could ever dream of?