The stunned silence that followed Aaron's declaration was quickly broken by a chorus of disbelief and anger.
"Are you completely insane?" Brittany snapped, her voice sharp with frustration. "This isn't some joke, Aaron! We're all in serious trouble here, and you're making it worse with your ridiculous fantasies!"
Chad, who had been silent since his humiliation, found his voice again. "Seriously, man, this isn't the time for your pathetic attention-seeking behavior. You're embarrassing yourself and making things harder for everyone else."
"Aaron, please," Jane added, her tone condescending in the way that only former friends could master. "We get it—you're upset about how things turned out for you. But lying about owning hotels isn't going to help anyone right now."
The room erupted in similar criticisms, with people shouting over each other about how Aaron was being selfish, delusional, and making their situation worse. Even some of the people who hadn't actively participated in mocking him earlier were now frustrated with what they saw as his inappropriate behavior during a crisis.
Aaron remained calm amid the chaos, pulling out his phone with deliberate precision. He dialed Natalie's number, and she answered on the first ring.
"Good evening, sir. How can I assist you?"
"I'm at the Grand Meridian Hotel," Aaron said clearly, his voice cutting through the room's commotion. "I'd like to purchase it. How quickly can you make that happen?"
"Certainly, sir. Give me ten minutes."
Aaron hung up and immediately dialed another number. The room had grown quieter as people strained to hear his conversations, though most still assumed he was bluffing or having some kind of breakdown.
"Vivian? It's Aaron. Quick question—do you have someone named Brittany Williams either signed with Acadia or in negotiations for a contract?"
There was a brief pause as Vivian checked her records. "Let me see... yes, there's a Brittany Williams scheduled to sign a modeling contract next week. Why?"
"Cancel it immediately and make sure she's informed of the termination."
"Consider it done. Is there a problem?"
"Nothing I can't handle. Thanks."
As Aaron ended the second call, the ridicule from his former classmates intensified.
"This is pathetic," Malcolm called out. "Are you seriously going to keep pretending to make business calls while we're all facing criminal charges?"
"He's lost his mind," someone else whispered loudly enough for everyone to hear.
Brittany stepped forward, her face flushed with anger. "Aaron, stop this right now! You're making everything worse for all of us! Whatever psychological break you're having, deal with it later!"
But before anyone could continue their criticism, the manager's phone rang. He answered with a clipped, professional tone.
"Yes, this is Manager Stevens... I understand... Are you certain?... The full asking price?... Yes, sir, I'll handle it immediately."
As the manager hung up, his expression had completely transformed. The irritation and skepticism were gone, replaced by a mixture of shock and something approaching awe. He walked directly to Aaron, his posture suddenly deferential.
"Mr. Turner," he said, extending his hand formally, "I'm Robert Stevens, general manager of the Grand Meridian Hotel. I've just been informed by our ownership group that the property has been purchased by Turner Holdings, with you listed as the primary decision-maker. Congratulations on your acquisition, sir."
The room fell into absolute silence. You could have heard a pin drop on the marble floor.
Aaron shook the manager's hand with practiced calm. "Thank you, Robert. I trust the purchase documentation is being handled appropriately?"
"Absolutely, sir. Everything is being processed as we speak. The legal team is finalizing the transfer documents now."
Aaron nodded approvingly. "Since I'm now the owner, I assume the dinner bill is no longer an issue?"
"Of course not, sir. The establishment covers all operational expenses."
Aaron turned toward his former classmates, many of whom were staring at him with their mouths literally hanging open. Chad looked like he was going to be sick. Jane's perfectly composed facade had cracked completely.
"Robert," Aaron said, gesturing toward Eric, Emma, and a few others who hadn't participated in the evening's mockery, "please escort these individuals out. They're free to go."
"Certainly, sir."
As the selected few began to move toward the door, reality crashed down on the remaining people in the room. They finally understood what had just happened, and the implications began to sink in.
"Aaron, please," Chad said, his voice shaking. "We're classmates. Surely you can let us go too?"
"Aaron, this is getting out of hand," Jane added, though her voice lacked its earlier confidence. "You can't seriously be planning to—"
Aaron turned to face them, his expression cold and calculated. "Didn't you all laugh when Brittany was making fun of me? Didn't you call me names, mock my circumstances, treat me like I was beneath your notice?"
He let his gaze move slowly around the room, making eye contact with each person who had participated in the humiliation.
"Why exactly should I help any of you?"
Jane stepped forward desperately. "Because we're classmates! Because we have history together! You shouldn't be so cruel!"
Aaron's laugh was harsh and bitter. "History means nothing to me. Not after what all of you did to me, both tonight and years ago. You had your chance to show basic human decency, and you chose cruelty instead."
"It was just harmless fun!" Brittany protested, her voice rising with panic. "We were just joking around! You're taking this way too seriously!"
Before Aaron could respond, Brittany's phone began ringing. She answered it with trembling hands, her face going pale as she listened to the voice on the other end.
"What do you mean terminated?... But I haven't even signed yet!... This is impossible!... No, please, I need this contract!"
She hung up and stared at Aaron with dawning horror and recognition. For the first time, she truly understood that everything he had claimed was real. He hadn't been lying about owning Acadia Media Group. He really did have the power to destroy her career with a single phone call.
Brittany fell to her knees beside Aaron's chair, tears streaming down her face as she grabbed at his pant leg.
"Please!" she sobbed. "I'm sorry! I didn't know! I thought you were just... I'm so sorry, Aaron! Please forgive me! Please give me back the contract! I'll do anything!"
Aaron looked down at her with cold detachment, feeling no pity for the woman who had spent years spreading vicious rumors about him and had spent this evening trying to publicly humiliate him again.
"Robert," Aaron said, turning back to the manager, "please deal with the remaining guests according to standard hotel policy regarding unpaid bills. I believe you mentioned something about law enforcement and criminal charges?"
"Yes, sir. I'll handle it immediately."
Aaron walked toward the exit, followed by Eric, Emma, and the few others he had chosen to spare. As they reached the door, he could hear the chaos erupting behind them—people begging, arguing, trying to negotiate, and beginning to realize the full consequences of their cruelty.
Outside the hotel, under the elegant streetlights, the small group gathered around Aaron. Most of them were still processing what they had witnessed.
"Aaron," Eric said quietly, "I don't know what to say. That was... incredible."
Emma stepped forward, her expression mixing gratitude with admiration. "Thank you. Not just for getting us out of there, but for putting them all in their place. They had it coming."
Aaron nodded. "They certainly did. After years of treating people like garbage, they finally faced some consequences."
He turned to Emma specifically. "Thank you for standing up for me tonight. It meant more than you probably realize."
Aaron pulled out his phone and handed it to her. "Put your number in there. If you ever need anything—and I mean anything—call me."
Emma entered her contact information with slightly shaking hands. "Aaron, I still can't believe... I mean, you actually bought an entire hotel just to prove a point?"
"Sometimes the point needs to be made clearly," Aaron replied.
As the group began to disperse, Aaron reflected on the evening's events. For years, he had imagined what it would be like to face his high school tormentors with the power to fight back. The reality had been both more satisfying and more hollow than he had expected.
Justice, he realized, was a complicated thing. But tonight, at least, the people who had spent years being cruel to others had finally learned that actions have consequences.
And sometimes, those consequences come with compound interest.