ANDREAS : THE HIDDEN MILLIONAIRE’S SON-IN-LAW

-6-

“Don’t be kidding, Sbastian. How could a poor husband and wife afford to buy a Chinese painting from the old dynasty that even antique collectors couldn’t afford, let alone him?”

“But it’s real, Mr. Bowie. I am an observer of several works of art and I once saw this painting at an exhibition in China which was exhibited directly by the painter, and indeed this is his painting, and this is the painter’s signature.”

“Cindy and I even flew to China to get the autograph directly from the painter.” Andreas answered proudly.

Mr. Bowie still couldn’t believe it, he even remained silent like an idiot in his seat. Apart from Andreas, was is possible that Mr. Bowie believed that the painting was genuine. But Andreas? It was absolutely impossible and improbable, something that Mr. Bowie’s brain could never comprehend.

“No way, where did you get the money to fly straight to China, scavenger?”

“Even when you asked for a painting that had an unreasonable price, you didn’t ask me and Cindy if we got that much money from. So why is it that when we have succeeded in bringing the painting according to what you want, do you suspect us? I really don’t understand.”

“You ….”

“If you don’t believe whether a painting is genuine or fake, there is a certificate, purchase receipt and several photos of the painter directly, you can evaluate it or you can even call an expert researcher to prove whether the painting is genuine or fake, I’ve already paid twice the price of the painting, I hope you can keep it well in your room. Display it right in front of your room, so that at least when you go to bed and wake up you will remember me and Cindy, that the painting you wanted most all this time was not your biological children getting it, but… us.”

Mr. Bowie was really annoyed, he wanted to smash the glass in front of him. However, he didn’t want to look defeated in front of Andreas and Cindy. Meanwhile Cindy was satisfied with her husband’s cool attitude, for the first time in his life her husband was able to make the family who had always looked down on him fall silent without being able to say anything.

“Oh yes, I wanted to tell you that Cindy and I have moved house. I hope you can come to enjoy dinner at our house the day after tomorrow, I will send you the address, and I hope that no one from the Bowie family and the extended Bowie family will be absent.”

“Do you think your little hut is enough to accommodate all of us? In fact, yesterday Ineke and I arrived, it was very cramped, smelly, dirty, messy and everything really didn’t feel like home. Then, what will you serve us? You’ll give us one slice of bread?” Mondy mocked.

“Didn’t Andreas tell you that he and Cindy have moved into a new house, Mondy? So stop mocking them.” Ineke said. “Even though we don’t know under which bridge, or which garbage dump will be their new home, we should at least honor their invitation, right?” Ineke grinned, but Andreas wasn’t provoked at all. He actually smiled at Ineke’s subtle teasing.

“I hope everyone in this house brings a piece of cloth so that you can sit safely and without being exposed to viruses or germs from Andreas’ house, and the most important thing is to bring your own food along with cutlery. Because I’m sure, poor Andreas and Cindy will never have clean cutlery, because they are washed from dirty river water, and they only have one piece of bread every day.”

Everyone at the dining table looked disgusted, reluctant and unwilling to accept Andreas’ offer of an invitation to dinner. But here Andreas didn’t care about their expressions of disgust and disdain.

“Yes, please bring whatever you want. I am happy if you will come, we will welcome you with joy.”

Andreas immediately asked Cindy to leave. Before the two of them actually left Bowie’s residence, Cindy immediately grabbed Andreas’ body.

“You know, Andreas, today you are really very cool. I didn’t expect you to be able to silence the Bowie family’s mouths so perfectly. In fact, look at how Dad couldn’t say anything in front of us.”

“You know, Cindy. That’s all just the beginning, from now on I will make sure that your family can never insult us from any side.”

*****

“Dad, didn’t Andreas write his home address wrong?” Mondy asked as he looked carefully at the address of Andreas and Cindy’s new house.

“What do you mean?”

“This district is a district located in the city center, Dad, and I don’t think the houses there are small. Most of those who can afford to buy houses there are officials, top artists and international businessmen.”

“What are you saying, Mondy? Do you think that after the absurd thing with Andreas taking that expensive painting, Andreas now has a house in that luxury district? Do not be crazy! It’s possible if he builds a small hut on the edge of the district.”

“However, what Mondy said is true, Uncle. I tried to trace the complete address of Andreas’ house, it pointed to a very luxurious house. I don’t know whether this is true or not, what is clear is that on the internet this house is one of the most luxurious houses in our country.”

“Tsk! Do you guys think it’s possible?” Mr. Bowie still couldn’t believe it.

“Never mind, what’s wrong with you guys? Don’t we already know that Andreas is a scavenger? Forget about the painting, and now let’s go back to thinking about whether it is possible for a scavenger to be able to buy a luxury house whose price is definitely more than billions of dollars?” Mrs. Bowie finally spoke.

Everyone was silent, until the car got closer and closer to a district and this of course made them gasp in amazement. How could it not be, the houses there had buildings that were not small, the entire building was luxurious and magnificent with a very large yard.

The cars belonging to the Bowie family also stopped right at a house with a towering iron fence. Everyone in the three luxury cars were equally silent, they seemed confused, why did they have to stop there? Because it was impossible for Andreas to have a house there, right?

“Why are we stopping here, driver?” asked Mr. Bowie, whose car happened to be at the front.

“The route we are taking by making this address the destination is here, sir. Even the address, district and house number are the same.”

“Don’t be crazy, maybe your map is wrong!” argued Mr. Bowie.

“Come down for a moment and make sure first, I’m sure a house this big has security guards, right?”

“Alright, Mrs. Bowie.”

The Bowie family’s driver got off, he spoke briefly to the security guard guarding the luxury house. Then he immediately came and got into the car again, the high gate opened, showing how magnificent and luxurious the house was. Bowie’s extended family cackled in awe with their mouths agape.

“Why is the fancy gate open, driver?”

“We have arrived, Mr. Bowie. This is the home of Mr. Andreas Lewis and Mrs. Cindy Lewis.”