Arrogant Billionaire Asks Waitress for Financial Advice to Mock Her — What She Says Stuns Him
Chapter 9
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Garrett's face went white. "Those are normal rebalancing transactions," he said quickly. "Standard portfolio management.""Rebalancing means buying and selling," Felicia replied. "You've only sold. $52 million worth in eight months, while telling everyone else to buy."Caroline had returned from her phone call. She stood frozen near the entrance, staring at Garrett with a new expression—not discomfort anymore: horror."Is this true?" she asked. "Garrett, tell me this isn't true.""It's slander!" Garrett snarled. "She's making it up! I'll sue her into oblivion!""For what?" Felicia asked. "Reading public SEC filings out loud?"Another diner, a man in his 60s who'd been listening intently, stood up. "I bought Nexus because of your recommendation," he said, his voice shaking. "I put my retirement savings into it. Are you telling me you were selling the whole time?"Garrett pointed at Felicia. "This woman is nobody! She's a waitress with a chip on her shoulder! You're going to believe her over me?""I'm going to believe the SEC filings," the man said. He sat back down, pulling out his phone.The room was fracturing. Garrett could feel it: his allies retreating, his authority crumbling. He made one last attempt:"Even if any of this were true—which it isn't—it doesn't matter. By Friday, Nexus will be at 160. The stock is solid. The company is sound. And you," he jabbed a finger at Felicia, "will be standing on that chair, apologizing to everyone here."Felicia tilted her head slightly. "You're that confident?""I don't lose. Ever."Felicia nodded slowly. "You know who else said that? Every person whose company you destroyed on the way up. The pension funds you raided, the small businesses you bankrupted. They all thought they wouldn't lose either."Garrett's eyes narrowed. "Business is war. The weak lose. That's not my fault.""No," Felicia agreed. "But what happens next will be."Garrett opened his mouth to respond.And then every phone in the restaurant buzzed at once.The fund manager at Garrett's table looked down at his screen. His face went gray."Oh my God," he whispered.All eyes turned to the CNBC screen on the wall. A red banner had appeared at the bottom:BREAKING: SEC ANNOUNCES FORMAL INVESTIGATION INTO NEXUS TECHNOLOGIES. TRADING HALTED.The anchor's voice filled the silent room:"In a stunning development, the Securities and Exchange Commission has announced a formal investigation into Nexus Technologies for suspected accounting fraud and securities violations..."The stock price on screen was frozen: $142.50. But everyone knew, everyone understood, that when trading resumed, Nexus wouldn't be worth half that. Maybe not even a quarter.Felicia Turner looked at Garrett Whitmore. "Still confident?" she asked.