CHAPTER HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SEVEN

RICHARD’S POV

“Richard, are you sure you’re feeling alright?” Dennis’s voice crackled through the phone, a hint of amusement in his tone. “You know the Van Der Lins aren’t actually in the consortium, right? They’ve been trying to weasel their way in for years, but no luck so far.”

I froze, my finger hovering over the “End Call” button. Wait, what? Had I misheard him? Was this some kind of elaborate joke?

“Dennis, you’re messing with me, right?” I asked, my voice tight.

He chuckled, a low rumble that did little to ease my apprehension. “Son, I wouldn’t joke about something like this. Those consortium spots are like gold dust. People would kill to get their hands on one.”

“Right,” I muttered, feeling a wave of relief wash over me. “Of course. I'm just making sure we were on the same page.”

For a moment, I stood there, phone pressed to my ear, trying to process this unexpected turn of events. The Van Der Lins weren't even in the consortium. They were just wannabes, puffing o