Five

CHAPTER 5-

The tension in the room was palpable as everyone watched Henderson’s secretary bring up the contract for the villa. The air was thick with anticipation, and a smug smile played on Rachel’s lips as she watched her new boyfriend, Michael, hesitate.

"The villa is not less than fifty million dollars," Henderson announced, his voice dripping with satisfaction. "Are you sure you want to go through with this, Matthew? It’s a hefty price for someone like you."

Michael shifted uncomfortably, his confidence wavering as the reality of the situation began to sink in. Fifty million dollars was an astronomical amount, far beyond anything he had imagined. But as he glanced over at Matthew, he convinced himself that this was all a bluff. Surely, Matthew would back out at the last moment, saving him from having to make such a large purchase.

Yvonne, standing beside Matthew, looked up at him with concern etched across her face. "Matthew, please," she pleaded, her voice barely above a whisper. "You don’t have to do this. You’re still in debt, and you need to pay Rachel her compensation. This… this isn’t worth it."

But Matthew’s expression remained resolute, his eyes fixed on Henderson and the contract that lay on the table. "I’m buying it," he said simply, his voice steady and unwavering.

Henderson’s smirk widened as he handed the contract to Matthew, his gaze flicking over to Michael, who was still grappling with his own uncertainty. "You don’t need to fake it, Donovan," Michael sneered, trying to regain his composure. "You can back out now if you don’t have the money. No one will blame you for admitting you’re out of your league."

Rachel snickered beside him, her arm looped through Michael’s as she boasted, "That’s right, Matthew. Why don’t you be honest for once? Michael is more than capable of buying this villa for us. He’s a real man, not like you."

But Matthew didn’t even flinch at her words. Without a second thought, he picked up the pen and signed his name on the contract, his signature bold and decisive. The room fell silent, the only sound the faint scratching of pen on paper. Matthew then handed the contract to Michael, who hesitated for a moment before steeling himself and signing as well.

As they both finished, Henderson’s secretary stepped forward with a card reader, ready to process the payments. Matthew handed over his black card without hesitation, his expression unreadable as he waited for the transaction to go through.

Michael, on the other hand, felt his palms begin to sweat as he handed over his own card. He kept his eyes on Matthew, still convinced that the other man’s confidence was nothing more than a façade. Rachel, emboldened by her boyfriend’s apparent success, leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, darling," she purred, "for buying the house for me. I knew you were the right man for the job."

But just as the air seemed to fill with their self-satisfied smugness, the secretary returned with a pale expression on her face, her hands trembling slightly as she held up the card reader.

"One payment has been successful," she announced, her voice shaking. "But the other… the other card doesn’t have sufficient funds."

A stunned silence followed her words, and all eyes turned to Matthew and Michael. Rachel’s smile faltered, confusion flickering in her eyes as she looked from the secretary to her boyfriend.

"What do you mean?" Rachel demanded, her voice rising in pitch. "Who doesn’t have the money?"

The secretary swallowed hard, her gaze darting to Michael before she spoke again. "Mr. Donovan’s payment has been processed successfully. But Mr. Michael’s card… it was declined. There isn’t enough money in the account to cover the purchase."

Rachel’s expression quickly twisted into one of horror as she realized what had just happened. "What? No, that can’t be right! Check it again!"

But the truth was already out, and there was no taking it back. Michael’s face had gone ashen, his bravado crumbling as he realized the enormity of his mistake. He had assumed that Matthew was bluffing, that there was no way he could afford such a purchase. But now, it was Michael who had been exposed.

"Call the guards!" Rachel shrieked, desperate to regain some semblance of control. "Get him out of here! He’s trying to humiliate us!"

But before anyone could move, the door to the office flew open, and Henderson’s boss, the head of the company, came rushing in, his face red with anger and panic. He made a beeline for Henderson, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him aside.

"Are you out of your mind?" the boss hissed, his voice barely contained. "Do you know who you’re dealing with? You’ve just made a huge mistake!"

Henderson blinked, confusion and fear mixing in his expression. "What are you talking about?"

The boss glanced nervously at Matthew before turning back to Henderson. "Matthew Donovan isn’t just some random guy. He’s part of the Donovan family—the same family that owns half the city! You’ve just humiliated yourself in front of one of the most powerful men in the country, and you’re going to pay for it!"

Henderson’s face drained of color as the realization hit him. The room was deathly quiet, everyone frozen in place as they processed the gravity of the situation.

Rachel, still clinging to Michael, stared at Matthew in disbelief, her mind struggling to catch up. "This can’t be happening…"

But it was happening, and there was no escaping the consequences. Henderson’s boss turned to Matthew, his expression filled with a mix of fear and respect.

"Mr. Donovan," he said, his voice trembling slightly, "I’m deeply sorry for the way you’ve been treated here today. Rest assured, Henderson will be dealt with immediately."

Matthew didn’t respond at first, his gaze sweeping over the room, taking in the shock and disbelief on their faces. Finally, he looked at Henderson, who was now trembling, his earlier arrogance shattered.

"You’ve underestimated me," Matthew said quietly, his voice carrying a weight that silenced any remaining protests. "And you’ve underestimated what I’m capable of. Let this be a lesson to all of you—never judge someone by what you see on the surface."

With that, Matthew turned and walked out of the office, leaving behind the chaos and the people who had tried to tear him down. He had proven his worth, not just to them, but to himself. And as he stepped out into the daylight, he knew that this was just the beginning of a new chapter in his life—one where he would no longer be underestimated, where he would claim what was rightfully his.

As he made his way down the street, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw a message from Yvonne, asking if he was okay. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he typed out a reply.

"I’m more than okay. Let’s meet up later—I’ve got a lot to tell you."

And with that, Matthew continued on his way, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead, knowing that he was stronger, smarter, and more determined than ever before.