System Revenge: From Trash Boy to Top Boss

Chapter 27

With a new wave of sound assailingThe Olive Branch in the wake of Damon's story was already rife with hysteria, but there was a new wave of noise behind the front door. Crowds looked on silently, everyone was paying attention to it. Ernie and his regulars just walked into the club in something different from their usual swaggering glory. They were in matching bright pink aprons with huge glittery letters over them saying "ARIA'S PETS".

The restaurant manager, a nervous-looking man in a slick suit, said hurriedly, and turned them over — clearly giving them directions. Ernie, in the face of barely tolerated anger, tried pulling the apron back, but it didn’t work. His friends didn’t fare much better, just pushing their way to some sort of dignity.

Damon sat back in a quiet pose next to Aria at their table, raising an eyebrow with a faint whiff of fun in his eyes, “Ah, Ernie, ” he said with a voice fast enough to be heard by the majority of the restaurant. “On time. I hope you remember the terms of that little wager? ”

Ernie turned and stared at him with the fists on his jaw, "I haven't forgotten, " he muttered in a low whisper.

“Very good, ” Damon responded with a wide smile. “Because I think it’s time for you and your... squad to be responsible.

He gestured toward the restaurant manager. "If you'll excuse me, please tell everyone exactly what Mr. Ernie here has agreed to.

The manager sputtered and looked vaguely unhappy. “Mr. Ernie and his companions, ” he began reading from a statement drawn up in advance, “have graciously agreed to give gratuitous service to Ms. Aria and her companion, Mr. Damon, for the duration of their lunch, including refilling drinks, clearing plates, and apologizing frankly for their previous transgressions. ”

There was a wee bit of laughter in the restaurant, Ernie's face got darker still if that was possible, his friends seemed to be equally mortified, their eyes crossing the room without making eye contact with anyone.

"Good thing we didn't fucking wait for everyone, " Damon said with an annoying cheer, "rather than having everyone wait. Why don't you apologize to Aria, first? Of course I'm expecting nothing short of a glorious speech from you Ernie.”

Once, Ernie stopped, but his pride was clearly in fighting with his duty. He looked up at Beatrice, Chloe and Daphne, all watching it with that mix of shock and mortified looks. Their expression tended to toughen his resolve.

He took a deep breath, then turned to Aria, his voice grudging. "Aria," he mumbled, "I… I apologize. For… for everything. For the bet, for the lies, for… underestimating you."

"Is that the best you can do, Ernie?" Damon prompted, his eyebrow raised. "I seem to recall you saying some rather… unflattering things about Aria's character. Perhaps you should address those specifically?"

Ernie's face twisted in a grimace. "I was wrong about you, Aria," he said, his voice louder this time. "You're not… you're not a Loser or a social climber. You're a good person. And I was an idiot for spreading those rumors."

"And?" Damon pressed, his smile unwavering. "Anything else you'd like to add?"

Ernie clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. "And… and Damon's not a fraud," he spat out, his voice filled with resentment. "He's… he's legit. I don't know how he made his money, but he did. And I was wrong to doubt him."

Aria, who had been watching the scene with a mixture of amusement and satisfaction, couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for Ernie. He looked utterly miserable, his humiliation complete.

"Thank you, Ernie," she said, her voice surprisingly gentle. "I appreciate the apology."

Damon, however, was not quite finished. "Now then," he said, turning to Ernie's friends. "I believe it's your turn to provide some service. Why don't you start by refilling our drinks? Aria, what would you like?"

Aria hesitated, then smiled. "I'll have a sparkling water, please," she said, her eyes twinkling.

Ernie's friends, looking like they'd rather be anywhere else in the world, shuffled over to the bar, their pink aprons flapping behind them. They returned a few minutes later with the drinks, their hands trembling slightly as they poured them.

"Thank you," Damon said, his voice polite but firm. "Now, why don't you clear those plates? And then perhaps you could offer some appetizers to the other guests? I'm sure they'd appreciate it."

For the next hour, Ernie and his crew were forced to serve the other diners, their humiliation growing with each passing minute. They cleared plates, refilled drinks, and offered appetizers, all while wearing their ridiculous pink aprons and enduring the laughter and jeers of the crowd.

Beatrice, Chloe, and Daphne, who had initially seemed to enjoy Ernie's discomfort, began to look increasingly uneasy as the spectacle dragged on. They realized that their former ally was now the object of ridicule, and that their association with him was not doing them any favors.

The "face slap" moment arrived when Damon, after finishing his meal, summoned Ernie to their table.

"Ernie," he said, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear, "I'm feeling rather generous today. I'm willing to offer you a chance to redeem yourself completely."

Ernie's eyes widened, a flicker of hope in his gaze. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"I mean," Damon replied, his smile widening, "that if you are willing to publicly denounce Beatrice, Chloe, and Daphne for their malicious behavior, I will consider your debt to be paid in full."

Not a sound but enough to drop Ernie's jaw. He stumbled to look at the three women, whose faces were both shocked and furious,. He knew denouncing them was to not only alienate him but ultimately burn his bridges.

But he knew it was also the only way he would be able to get out of this miserable situation, to save as little as possible his reputation.

He took a deep breath and then turned his face to the crowd, where his voice was ringing with conviction now. "I was wrong about Aria, " he said, his eyes gleaming with anger. "And I was wrong about Damon. But I was also wrong about Beatrice, Chloe and Daphne. They aren't my friends. They're just... mean girls. And I'm done being their puppet. "

He turned to the three women with a sarcastic voice. "You are jealous, you are manipulative, you are vindictive -- and I'm ashamed to have ever taken a swig from you. "

A gasp escaped the restaurant and Beatrice, Chloe, and Daphne all stood with their faces twisted in rage.

"You'll regret this, Ernie!" Beatrice screamed, her voice shrill.

"You are dead to us! " Chloe shouted, her eyes twinkling furiously.

"You’ll pay you for this! ' Daphne growled, spitting poisonous liquid.

Ernie simply shrugged an indiscreet expression and a sad face. "I don't care, " he said, a louder sound given by the freeness of his words. "I'm done being afraid of you. "

Damon smiled with a happy look in his eyes. 'Well done, Ernie, ' he said. Realistic voice. 'You earned your freedom. '

He motioned to the manager of the restaurant. "Please take Mr. Ernie and his friends out of here, " he told her firm voice. "And make them never return. "

The manager looked indifferent - it was over, and finally gone - but had ordered Ernie and his team towards the end, and those pink pants swooped behind them as they went. And then when they were just leaving the restaurant, the whole venue shouted " cheers and congratulations ".