Chapter 8: Slap to the Face

"Holden Duffus!!!" In the driver's seat, Juliana Letherdale felt like she was about to explode. "Are you out of your mind? What were you thinking? Do you even know who Gunner Ferdinando is? How did you dare take that kind of risk to save him? What if something had gone wrong?" Holden scratched his head and gave her a dopey grin. "But nothing did go wrong, right?" "You-!" Juliana jabbed a finger at him, shaking with fury. "That was luck! Luck won't keep bailing you out forever. Yesterday it was like this, and today it's like this again. Are you trying to drive me to an early grave?" Holden muttered under his breath, "The real question is… what does any of that have to do with you? Why are you so mad?" He said it quietly, but Juliana still heard every word. She stared at him like she couldn't believe it. "What did you just say?" "What does it have to do with me?" "What does it have to do with you?" Juliana's voice shot up. "You're my brother-in-law! If something happens to you, especially if you offend monsters like Showyer Group or the Ferdinando family, you think that won't affect me?" "You think it won't affect my sister?" "Did water get into your brain?" she snapped. "I was right there and you still dared to stir up that kind of trouble. If I hadn't been there, would you have gone straight to the moon? Huh?" Holden rubbed at his ears, half-deaf from her shouting, and forced out a bitter smile. "Alright, alright. I get it. I was wrong, okay? But I'm fine. Can we drop it?" "You…" Before she could finish, Holden's phone rang. He pulled it out, and his expression froze. It was his mother-in-law. After a beat, he answered quickly. "Hello, Mom…" "Come to the company right away. Your uncle has something to discuss with you!" Holden opened his mouth, but the call had already ended. He shook his head with a helpless chuckle. So much for going to see his little sister today. Besides, when he treated Gunner Ferdinando earlier, the scripture had already warned him his spiritual power was running low. Even if he went, it probably wouldn't help. Once he sorted that out, he stopped rushing it. Juliana didn't feel like scolding him anymore. Curiosity replaced the anger in her eyes. "Why did Mom call you?" "It's nothing. She told me to go to the company. Said my uncle wants to see me." "Your uncle?" Juliana curled her lip. She clearly didn't like that uncle of theirs. "What does he want with you?" What else? His two sons had obviously run crying to him. Holden had no intention of telling Juliana what happened earlier. "No idea." She shot him a suspicious look, but she didn't press. Instead, she drove straight for their company. Letherdale Brewery wasn't far from Showyer Group. In less than fifteen minutes, Juliana's red Four Rings pulled up outside Soaring Dragon Venture Tower. After they got out, Holden went up alone to the sixteenth floor. The Letherdale family's offices were rented there. The moment he stepped inside, the receptionist saw it was Holden. She started to stand, then immediately sat back down and rolled her eyes for good measure. Holden had long since gotten used to it. He ignored the strange looks from the other employees and headed straight for Damian Letherdale's office. He swept his gaze across the room and muttered to himself. Everyone's here, huh? Aya Showyer saw him arrive. She forced down her irritation and said, "Boss, he's here. Say what you need to say." Damian's temper flared the instant he remembered what his sons had told him. He glared at Holden. "What is it? Why don't you ask your 'wonderful son-in-law'?" The way Damian stressed "wonderful son-in-law" made Aya's brow twitch, but she held it in. She turned to Holden instead. "Holden, what happened?" Holden spread his hands, innocent as could be. "Mom, I honestly don't know what Uncle is talking about." Bang! Damian slammed his palm onto the desk. "Still pretending? Talk! Did you go to Showyer Group's headquarters today or not?" Holden glanced at the two brothers standing behind Damian, both staring at him with poison in their eyes. The corner of Holden's mouth lifted. "Yeah. So?" "So?" Damian's voice rose. "You're asking me 'so'? Do you have any idea how big a disaster you caused? Huh?" "What kind of place do you think Showyer Group's headquarters is? Somewhere a useless piece of trash like you can just stroll into?" "You want to make a scene at home, fine. But you ran over there and caused trouble on their turf. What were you trying to do?" He smacked the desk again and again, shaking with rage. "Do you even know the Letherdale family worked for nearly five years for Showyer Group's order? Your brothers poured a fortune into it, finally built the right connections, and they finally got the other side to agree to meet today." "And because you made a scene, you ruined all of it!" Damian roared. "And you still have the nerve to act confused? Are you trying to destroy the Letherdale family?" "What?" Aside from Amari Letherdale and Randy Letherdale, everyone else gasped. Darren Letherdale's face hardened. "Holden. What's going on?" Holden shrugged. "Didn't I say it last night? I went to see Chairman Showyer to talk about a liquor partnership for you." "A partnership?" Randy's face twisted into exaggerated disbelief, like he'd just heard the funniest joke in the world. "Listen to him. He went to talk partnership with them. Does he think he's worthy?" "You're still denying it?" Randy turned to Darren and Aya, righteous fury painted across his face. "Uncle, Aunt, you don't know. Today, Boss and I set up a meeting with Showyer Group's Procurement Department manager to discuss the contract. And then Holden showed up." "The second he walked in, he started yelling that he wanted to see Chairman Showyer!" "Who does he think Chairman Showyer is? Someone you can meet just because you feel like it?" "Boss and I were terrified he'd cause a catastrophe, so we tried to stop him. He wouldn't listen. He only got louder." "And that brought out Chairman Showyer's assistant, Serena Lapwood, Miss Lapwood!" Randy shot Holden a venomous look and kept going. "Miss Lapwood even gave him a chance. She told him to leave immediately. And what did he do? He went completely insane. Right in front of Assistant Lapwood, he swaggered around claiming he was Showyer Group's VIP, that he could see Chairman Showyer whenever he wanted, and that she needed to take him to Chairman Showyer's office on the spot!" "Aunt, think about it. What kind of place is Showyer Group's headquarters? Everyone coming and going is a big shot. He made that kind of scene in front of all those people. How could Assistant Lapwood just let it slide?" Randy snapped his head toward Aya. "In the end, they had him dragged out and tossed onto the street. Boss and I got thrown out too. And Assistant Lapwood personally put the Letherdale family on Showyer Group's blacklist. We're never allowed to step into any of their properties again." "Our cooperation with them is finished. Completely finished!" Aya had never believed Holden really knew Kyla Showyer. Hearing this, she looked like she might burst a lung. "Holden! This is what you call helping the Letherdale family? Were you trying to kill us on purpose?" Darren's expression was just as ugly, but Jayla Letherdale couldn't believe Holden would do something like that. She forced herself to speak up. "Mom, we haven't cleared anything up yet. Let's hear what Holden has to say…" Seeing his father-in-law and mother-in-law basically swallowing the brothers' story whole, Holden let out a wry laugh. "Dad, Mom, don't listen to their nonsense. That's not what happened at all. Chairman Showyer already agreed to give the Letherdale family a chance. As long as our liquor quality holds up-" "Bullshit!" Amari barked and cut him off. He looked around the room, voice dripping with contempt. "Everyone heard that, right? He can even say something like that with a straight face. Holden, are you actually insane?" "Or have you told lies for so long that you started believing your own garbage?" Amari sneered. "Who do you think you are? You're a useless piece of trash, you know that?" To make himself sound more convincing, Amari lifted his chin and announced arrogantly, "Uncle, Jayla, I'll say it right here. If Holden really has the ability to get Showyer Group's liquor order for the Letherdale family, I'll kneel and kowtow to him in public and apologize!" "Yeah," Randy piled on immediately. "If he can get it, I'll kowtow too!" They had no idea what kind of dumb luck Holden had to actually know Kyla Showyer, but they didn't believe for a second he could land an order worth tens of millions. Knowing someone was one thing. Getting them to hand you that kind of profit was another. If Holden truly had that kind of pull, why would he still be a live-in son-in-law in the Letherdale family? Holden studied everyone's faces, then looked at the two brothers wearing smug satisfaction like crowns. He suddenly laughed. It was almost impressive. The most believable lies always carried nine parts truth and one part poison. If he hadn't been the one standing in the middle of it, he might have believed them too. Because in the Letherdale family's eyes, he was a nobody. A failure. A joke. Only… He looked at the brothers with an amused glint. "You're sure? If I get the order, you'll kowtow and apologize to me?" At his expression, and remembering how Serena Lapwood had treated him, both brothers felt their stomachs drop. A cold panic crept in. But they had already drawn the bow. There was no taking the arrow back. Amari forced himself to stand firm. "Holden! What are you trying to do? You still haven't caused enough trouble? Don't forget, because of you, the Letherdale family got put on Showyer Group's blacklist!" "If you dare step into their headquarters again, can you handle the consequences?" "Enough!" Darren snapped as well. "Holden, stop talking." Holden spread his hands, still playing innocent. "But Dad, it really isn't what they said." "Then what is it?" Damian thundered. "Are you going to tell me the troublemakers were Amari and Randy?" "Are you going to tell me we wronged you?" Holden nodded, face serious. "Yes. They were the ones who made the scene." "And one more thing," he added evenly. "The ones blacklisted were only the two of them, not the entire Letherdale family." Damian stared at him, then actually laughed from sheer anger. "Good. Good! Even at a time like this, you're still talking tough." He turned away with a vicious wave of his hand. "Fine. I can't control you. Darren, handle your own business." Darren was trembling with anger. He shot Holden a cold look and was about to speak when Jayla's phone rang. The ringtone cut through the room. Every pair of eyes swung toward her. Jayla pulled out her phone. It was an unfamiliar number. She hesitated, about to reject it, when Holden caught sight of the digits over her shoulder and smiled. "Answer it. Otherwise, this won't get cleared up today." Everyone else frowned, their looks toward Holden growing darker. Only Jayla, after a moment's hesitation, accepted the call. "Hello. Is this Miss Jayla Letherdale?" Jayla glanced at Holden, startled. "Yes. Who is this?" "Hello, Miss Letherdale. This is the Procurement Department at Showyer Group. Our company is considering changing a batch of liquor suppliers. We'd like to review your products. If it's convenient, please bring your samples and quotation sheet to Showyer Group tomorrow morning. We can discuss the details in person." Jayla's eyes flew wide. She stared at Holden like she'd never seen him before. The voice on the other end prompted her again, and she finally snapped out of it. "Yes, of course. I'll be there." After she hung up, she still looked dazed, like her mind couldn't catch up with what she'd heard. Darren frowned. "Jayla, what happened?" Jayla's gaze drifted to Holden. Her lips parted, but she hesitated before she finally managed, "That call was from Showyer Group." "Showyer Group?" Damian tensed immediately. "Why would they call? Are they coming to hold us accountable?" "Holden! You useless piece of trash!" Amari cried, acting heartbroken. "You really did drag the Letherdale family into hell!" Randy was even more frantic. He pointed at Holden's face and cursed, "Trash, you have to go to Showyer Group and kneel to Miss Serena Lapwood, apologize, beg her forgiveness, and have her lift the sanctions on the Letherdale family. Otherwise, we'll make you pay!" Watching the farce unfold, Jayla's expression cooled by the second. When she spoke, her voice was icy. "Showyer Group wasn't calling to hold us accountable." She paused, then continued slowly as shock rippled through the room. "They want to talk cooperation with me." Another beat. "Liquor cooperation." Fear. Shock. Disbelief. How was that possible? Showyer Group actually agreed to this useless man's request? How? He was just a good-for-nothing live-in son-in-law from some branch of the family. How did he even meet Kyla Showyer? How did he get her to agree? "Impossible!" Amari roared, panic turning into rage. "Fake. This has to be fake! Holden, you actually dared to hire someone to pretend to be Showyer Group management. What are you trying to do?" "Yeah, exactly!" Randy shouted. "Who do you think you are? Showyer Group is Midcoast's top-tier conglomerate! You're just the Letherdale family's useless live-in son-in-law. You're garbage. How could you do what the Letherdale family couldn't accomplish in five years? Fake. It's definitely fake!" Hearing his sons' conclusion, Damian believed it too. His face darkened further, his tone turning glacial. "Holden. Is this fun to you? Are you trying to get Jayla thrown out again?" "Who do you think you're fooling?" "Even now you won't admit it?" The three of them talked over one another, each accusation sharper than the last. Jayla's chest tightened, and it wasn't just her. Darren and Aya looked at Holden with open disgust. This man was hopeless. Even at this point, he still refused to wake up. Holden took in their expressions one by one. He shook his head. He wasn't angry. He only smiled faintly. "Whether it's real or fake isn't something you three get to decide by running your mouths." "Jayla," he said, calm and steady, "that call came from a landline. Look up the number online and you'll know." "What?" The two brothers went paler, their panic deepening. Jayla hesitated, then opened her browser and searched. A moment later, she lifted her head slowly, staring at Holden in stunned disbelief. Aya couldn't take it anymore. "Jayla, well? Was it real?" Damian scoffed, still clinging to his certainty. "How could it be real? You're dreaming if you think that trash Holden really knows Chairman Showyer. Ridiculous." "Mom…" Jayla murmured, still shaken. "It's real. That number really is Showyer Group Procurement Department's public contact line." "That's impossible!" Damian froze, then snatched Jayla's phone. He checked the information on the official website, then compared it carefully with the call log. It matched perfectly. Exactly the same. How could that be? Seeing Damian's ghost-struck expression, Aya didn't even need to look at the screen to know the result. Thinking of the sarcasm and ridicule Damian's family had thrown at them earlier, she couldn't resist twisting the knife. "Oh? Didn't you say Showyer Group blacklisted the Letherdale family?" "Then why are they calling to talk cooperation with us?" "What's going on, huh? I can't seem to understand it." Jayla's gaze swept coldly over her two cousins. "Mom, isn't it obvious? Holden was right. The ones who caused trouble were them. And the ones Showyer Group targeted were only those two. It has nothing to do with our side of the Letherdale family." "You… you-!" Damian had never taken this kind of humiliation in front of Darren's family. But the facts were right there, and it was obvious his sons had lied. His face flushed red. Trembling with rage, he didn't say another word. He simply turned and slapped Amari and Randy across the face, one after the other. Smack! Smack! "Animals! Is this what I taught you?" he roared. "You won't learn anything good, but you learned how to act like trash?" "Useless bastards. Embarrassing. Trash! Trash!" Amari and Randy clutched their cheeks in silence. At this point, there was nothing left to argue. The more they spoke, the more they would humiliate themselves. They lowered their eyes, but the hatred burning there only thickened. Damian kept spitting out "trash," and it wasn't clear whether he meant his sons or whether he was taking the chance to insult Holden too. Holden didn't care. He was used to this family's way of doing things. But he wasn't about to let them off so easily. He looked at the brothers and asked, "Who was it that said if I could get this order for the Letherdale family, you'd kowtow and apologize to me?" Amari jerked his head up. Five red finger marks stood out on his cheek, twisting his face into something ugly. "Holden! Don't push your luck!" Smack! Damian backhanded him again. "Enough!" Then Damian turned a gloomy stare on Holden, his words slow and heavy. "The contract isn't signed yet. Aren't you celebrating a little too early?" "You want to slap me in the face?" he said coldly. "Then wait until everything is finalized." With that, he shot his two worthless sons one more furious glare. "What are you standing around for? Haven't you embarrassed yourselves enough?" He turned and stormed out.