THE UNDERDOG BILLIONAIRE

CHAPTER 9

Dominic leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching Grandma White with a calm expression. “You don’t have to like me, Grandma, but I’m the reason you’re now members of the Empire of Commerce.”

Gregory let out a loud laugh, clapping his hands mockingly. “You? Dominic, are you drunk? Or are you just delusional?”

“I’m neither,” Dominic replied coolly. “I’m just stating facts.”

Gregory shook his head, smirking as he turned to the others. “This guy… I fired him just last week! Jobless and still full of shit. What do you think he’s doing now, flipping burgers?”

The room erupted into snickers. Grandma White narrowed her eyes at Dominic. “So, you’re not only jobless, but you’ve also turned into a liar. Perfect. I knew you were no good.”

“I’m not lying,” Dominic said, his voice steady. “You can confirm it yourselves.”

Grandma White snorted. “Oh, please. Why don’t you save yourself the embarrassment and shut up your dirty lying mouth!”

“You’ve got some nerve,” Gregory snapped, stepping closer. “You’re jobless, Dominic. Jobless. What the hell could you possibly do for anyone?”

The room fell silent, save for Grandma White’s derisive laugh. “He’s right, you know,” she sneered. “You’re nothing but dead weight. In fact, I want you out of this house tonight. You’re no longer welcome here. Pack your things, Dominic, and get the hell out.”

Sophia gasped. “Grandma, you can’t just throw him out—”

“Stay out of this, Sophia!” Grandma White barked, cutting her off. “This freeloader has been a burden for far too long. He’s nothing but a useless leech!”

Dominic pushed off the wall and walked to the center of the room, his gaze steady as it swept over everyone. “Before you throw me out,” he said, his voice calm but laced with steel, “why don’t you confirm who really helped you? Call Gregory’s dad. Ask him yourself.”

Sophia glanced nervously at Dominic, her voice hesitant. “Dominic… maybe it’s best if you stop. Just—just let it go.”

Dominic gave her a calm look. “I’m not the one making a fool of myself.”

“Oh, shut up!” Grandma White snapped. “Do you think we’re stupid? Gregory’s father did this for us.”

Dominic shrugged. “Then call him. Confirm it.”

Gregory’s smirk faltered. “What kind of stupid game is this?”

“It’s not a game,” Dominic said, holding his gaze. “You want the truth? Call him.”

The challenge hung in the air. Gregory’s confident smirk faltered for a second, but he quickly recovered. “Fine. Let’s settle this right now.” He pulled out his phone. “I’ll call my dad. He’ll set the record straight.”

Dominic’s lips twitched into a faint smile. “Please do.”

Gregory shot him a glare, then dialed the number. He put the phone on loudspeaker, puffing out his chest as it rang. The room fell silent, all eyes on Gregory.

“Hello?” Mr. Callahan’s deep voice answered.

“Dad, hey!” Gregory said, his tone overly cheerful. “I just wanted to thank you for helping the White family get into the Empire of Commerce. They’re really grateful.”

There was a long pause on the other end. “What the hell are you talking about?” Mr. Callahan barked, his voice sharp.

Gregory blinked, glancing around nervously. “Uh… you know. I asked you to pull some strings for them.”

“I didn’t do a damn thing,” Mr. Callahan snapped. “And while we’re on the subject, why the hell has our family been removed from the Empire of Commerce?”

The entire room stiffened. Gregory’s face turned ghostly white. “Wait… what? Removed? What do you mean?”

“You heard me!” Mr. Callahan shouted. “Our membership is gone! Do you have any idea what this means for us?”

“But, Dad—”

“Shut up, Gregory!” Mr. Callahan roared. “You’ve embarrassed me enough. Fix this mess, or don’t bother calling me again!”

The line went dead. The sound of the call disconnecting echoed in the deafening silence that followed.

Gregory stood frozen, his phone still in his hand. He looked like he’d just been hit by a truck. The smug confidence drained from his face, replaced by sheer panic.

Grandma White was the first to break the silence. “What… what did he mean, removed?” Her voice quivered, her earlier arrogance now replaced with uncertainty.

Dominic stepped forward, his expression unreadable. “Sounds like someone’s not as connected as they thought.”

For a moment, no one moved or spoke. The weight of what they’d just heard hung heavy in the air. Dominic’s expression didn’t change, but a small, almost imperceptible smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Sophia was the first to break the silence. “Wait… does that mean… Dominic…?”

Her words hung in the air, unfinished but understood. She turned to look at him, her eyes searching his face for answers.

Grandma White cleared her throat, her voice shaky. “This… this doesn’t prove anything. Maybe it was someone else. Maybe—”

“It was me,” Dominic said simply. His tone wasn’t boastful, just matter-of-fact. “I told you.”

Gregory, still reeling, pointed a trembling finger at him. “You— You’re lying! You must have done something shady! That’s why my family got kicked out!”

“I didn’t do anything shady,” Dominic replied evenly. “I just made a decision. And your family didn’t meet the standards.”

“Y-you!” Gregory stammered, pointing a trembling finger at Dominic.

Dominic raised an eyebrow.

“You son of a bitch!” Gregory shouted, his face red with anger. “You think you’re so clever, don’t you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Dominic said with a casual shrug. “Maybe the Empire of Commerce just doesn’t like freeloaders.”

Grandma White’s mouth opened and closed, struggling to form words. She looked at Gregory, then back at Dominic. “Wait… could it really be him?”

Sophia’s eyes darted between the two men, confusion and doubt clouding her expression. “Dominic… is it true? Did you…?”

Dominic met her gaze, his voice calm. “I told you I had connections.”

Sophia’s lips parted, but no words came out. She looked down, trying to process what she’d just heard.

Gregory, meanwhile, was fuming. “This is bullshit! There’s no way you have that kind of power.”

“You just heard your dad,” Dominic said, tilting his head. “Do you need him to repeat it?”

The family sat in stunned silence, the weight of the situation finally sinking in. Grandma White, who had spent the entire morning tearing Dominic apart, now looked at him with a mix of disbelief and unease.

“Dominic,” she said slowly, her voice unsteady. “If what you’re saying is true…”

“It is,” Dominic cut her off. “And for the record, I don’t appreciate being called useless. I did this for Sophia, not for you.”

Grandma White flinched at his words. The once-dominant matriarch now seemed small, her confidence shaken.

Gregory, still desperate to salvage his pride, jabbed a finger at Dominic. “You’re nothing but a liar. I’ll prove it.”

Dominic smirked. “Go ahead. Call the Empire of Commerce. Ask them.”

Gregory hesitated, his hand hovering over his phone. He glanced at Grandma White, who avoided his gaze.

“What’s the matter?” Dominic asked, his tone mocking. “Scared of the truth?”