System Revenge: From Trash Boy to Top Boss

Chapter 25

The "Olive Branch," a trendy, sun-drenched restaurant just off campus, boasted a discreet private dining room. Aria smoothed down her dress, a silk number she’d picked up at a boutique last month, and took a deep breath before entering. Inside, Beatrice, Chloe, and Daphne were already seated around a polished wooden table, a trio of forced smiles aimed her way.

"Aria! So glad you could make it," Beatrice chirped, her tone a little too bright. "We were starting to think you’d forgotten about your old friends." Beatrice and the girls planned to act nonchalant, as if there had not betrayed Aria at the party and hoping that she would be too embarrassed to try and confront them.

"Of course not," Aria replied sarcastically, pulling out a chair. "Things have just been… hectic." Aria knew the girls wanted to act like there did not betray her at the bar. She had plan to brush it off  and if there asked for forgiveness, she had also plan on forgiving them. But, until then she will play along with there ignorance game.

Chloe, ever the observant one, raised an eyebrow. "Hectic how? Jet-setting with your billionaire boyfriend?"

"He's not a billionaire," Aria corrected automatically, again playing along as she knew there were referring to Damon sarcastically.

Daphne snorted softly. "Oh, come on, Aria. Everyone’s talking about it. The rise of the rich pauper, Damon Newton … it’s a bit much, isn't it?"

Aria forced a smile. "It's just… different. Damon is unlike any guy I have ever met."

A server arrived, and after a moment of awkward silence, they ordered. As soon as the server left, the atmosphere shifted.

"So," Beatrice began, leaning forward, "tell us everything. What's it like, living the low life?"

"It's… nice," Aria said cautiously, determine to beat the girls at their own game. "But it's not just about the money. Damon's really…"

"Really what?" Chloe interrupted, her eyes narrowed, she was getting annoyed at how nonchalant Aria was to all their taunts. "Really in love with you? Or really in love with showing you off?"

Aria bristled and smirk slightly. "That's not fair, Chloe. Damon cares about me."

"Does he?" Daphne chimed in, swirling the water in her glass. "Or does he just care about having a pretty accessory on his arm? Someone to impress his new friends?"

"He's not like that," Aria insisted, her voice rising slightly. "You don't even know him."

"Don't we?" Beatrice countered, a glint in her eye. "We've heard things, Aria. Rumors. About his past."

"Rumors?" Aria scoffed. "What rumors?"

"Oh, you know," Chloe said vaguely. "Whispers about where he got his money. About his… business dealings."

"Implying what?" Aria challenged, her patience wearing thin.

Daphne leaned back in her chair, a smug look on her face. "Just saying, it all seems a little too good to be true, doesn't it? One minute he's a struggling student, the next he's throwing around money like it's water. It doesn't add up."

"Maybe he won the lottery," Beatrice suggested with a saccharine smile. "That would explain it, wouldn't it? Just a lucky guy."

"Or maybe," Chloe added, her voice laced with malice, "he's not as honest as he seems."

Aria slammed her hand on the table, the silverware rattling. She was willing to play along with the girls stupid antics, but there crossed the line by trying to discredit Damon, "That's enough!" she exclaimed, her eyes flashing. "I'm not going to sit here and listen to you trash-talk Damon. You're just jealous because he's successful and I'm happy."

"Jealous?" Daphne laughed. "Of what? His ill-gotten gains? Your newfound status as a trophy girlfriend?"

"We're just concerned, Aria," Beatrice said, her tone falsely sympathetic. "We don't want to see you get hurt. That why we supported Ernie at the bar, to show you that Damon's playing you."

"He's not playing me!" Aria insisted, her voice trembling. "He loves me. And I love him."

"Love?" Chloe scoffed. "Please. It's just a matter of time before he dumps you for someone prettier, richer, and more… experienced. You're just a placeholder, Aria. Don't you see that?"

Fury welled up in Aria's eyes. She hated this. She hated their condescending tone, their thinly veiled insults, their blatant jealousy. She wanted to defend Damon, to defend herself, but she was outnumbered, overwhelmed. Their taunts where finally getting to her.

"You're wrong," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. "You're all wrong."

"Are we?" Beatrice challenged, leaning closer. "Then prove it, Aria. Prove that Damon's not just using you. Prove that he's not hiding something. Prove that you're not just a social climber who's desperate for attention."

Aria opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. She was trapped, cornered, defeated, after all she really did not know anything about Damon’s private life or how he amassed such wealth in such short time.

"I…" she stammered, her voice barely audible.

"That's what I thought," Daphne said, a triumphant smirk on her face.

Just then, a voice cut through the tension, calm and collected.

"Actually," Damon said, stepping into the room, "I think Aria has proven quite enough."