CHOSEN AS THE TRILLIONAIRE'S HEIR

BACK TO SCHOOL IN GRAND STYLE

The next day was quite an eventful day for Ellis, as it was the day chosen by Mr Cyrus to announce him as his new son and the chosen heir of the Royale family wealth. That day, a press conference was held in the extravagant hall of the Royale mansion. Preparations had been made and the cushions occupying the space in the living room were moved out for the conference, leaving enough space for the media reporters that would occupy the place. Mr Cyrus had put a call to media platforms, calling their attention to his announcement. He knew that they would pay attention to him because any news that had to do with the Royale family was taken very seriously in the city. 

Later that day, the media reporters flocked into the Royale mansion and took recordings of Mr Cyrus as he spoke. The whole Royale family were present at the press conference, and they were seated behind the decorated podium where Mr Cyrus stood to give his speech.

Mr Cyrus cleared his throat before he began, "Good day, ladies and gentlemen. Trust that you are all well? My name, as you know, is Mr Cyrus Royale of the Royale family. My reason for calling this conference this morning, is to announce to the general public, my chosen heir." He paused to look at the press men. 

Mr Cyrus had made sure to connect the press conference to Ellis's school, so that his classmates could see what was going on. The students were made to watch the conference and they saw Mr Cyrus as he spoke through the big television screen in the school's multipurpose hall, and wondered what the press conference was all about. They couldn’t recognise him as their former janitor because he was no longer wearing his disguise.

Mr Cyrus continued.

"Over the years, I have watched the behaviors and characters of my children enough to know who exactly took after me. I have looked from Marcus who is my first child, to his sister the second, and finally to the third and last child. Now, while I mean no offense, I have also noticed that leaving the legacy of the Royale family wealth in the hands of Marcus would cause a lot of trouble for the family when I am gone. As for my daughter, she would have made a very good heir, but her husband is her hindrance. As for my last son and child, he knows better than expecting to be chosen as the heir." 

Mr Cyrus paused again. Whispers were already filling the room, as the press men and the members of the Royale family murmured amongst themselves. Even in the big multipurpose hall where the student watched the conference, whispers and murmurs filled the air. If Mr Cyrus did not want to make any of his children the heir to his wealth, who then did he want? Maybe a grandchild. Not everyone believed the rumour that Ellis was a Royale now.

But Mr Cyrus continued, and this time he sent everyone into a big shock that took them quite a while to absorb. 

"And because I wanted an upright heir to my wealth, I disguised myself as the janitor at the school owned by my family."

A wave of wows went round the big multipurpose hall in the school. Both teachers and students were more than surprised. So, the janitor whom everybody including teachers made fun of, was the owner of the school? So, Mr Cyrus the janitor was Mr Cyrus Royale? 

Mr Cyrus continued. "And while I was there, I encountered a lot of bullying and insults and it really opened my eyes. But there was only one child who did not bully me. Only one who helped me with cleaning whenever he sensed I was too tired to continue. And that child happened to be the poorest child in the whole of the school. He was bullied all the time by his classmates and students from different classes just because he was poor. But although he was poor, this child had a heart of gold that not even one of his counterparts at school had. And because I saw how good he was towards me and even to the people who bullied him, I decided to make him my heir.  Ladies and gentlemen, please help me welcome my chosen heir, Ellis Royale!" Mr Cyrus declared and a round of applause came from the press men in the room. 

Mr Cyrus's family clapped reluctantly as Ellis made it to the podium to join him. As Ellis stood in front of the press men and on the podium, his classmates at school were shocked.

Ellis? When did Ellis become a Royale? Now they understood how Emily and Jordan could have been humiliated so badly just a day ago at the mall. Ellis was rich now.

"Can you please tell the press what other values you found in Ellis that piqued your interest, apart from the fact that he was good to you?"  A reporter asked.

"I always saw students try to steal food from the vending machines in the school. The only child I had never seen try that or be involved in some other shenanigan was Ellis. That is integrity, and that was one of the values that made me take interest in him. Some other time, I entrusted some money into Ellis's hands and when I asked for the money again about two weeks later, Ellis produced the money immediately, right in front of me. That is trust. That is another great value that made me interested in Ellis."

Another reporter asked, "What then is your plan for the inheritance? Are your children happy with your new choice?"

Mr Cyrus smiled. He knew he needed to use his tact for this one. 

"Well, the plan for the inheritance has not changed at all. I will give each of my children and grandchildren a part of my wealth. The only difference when it comes to Ellis is that he is going to keep running the family business so as to be able to keep my legacy on when I pass away. Everybody's inheritance just as I have laid it out in my will remains the same. As for them liking my decision, I think it would be best if they all come together in harmony to make everything work out for the good of the family with Ellis. However, if any of them has any concerns that I would need to know about, they can summon my attention to it."

"But does this now make Ellis more special than his siblings? Wouldn't he now have an upper hand against his siblings? He’s adopted, right?"

"Of course the heir carries a special responsibility, but that does not make him a better human than another person. You know, power can get in the head of the person holding it. If Ellis lets this position get to him, then he is in fact not a good human. His responsibility now is to carry the family along especially when I am gone. I have seen the potential in him and I know that he can do it."

Another press man raised his hand and Mr Cyrus nodded. 

"Mr Ellis. What do you have to say?" 

Mr Cyrus adjusted for Ellis to take his stand on the stage. 

"Fate can favour one overnight and the person you think is nobody can become somebody by the time you wake up from your sleep. In all you do, do not look down on the people around you. Everybody is great in their own way."

***

The next day, Ellis went to school in his new and expensive designer shirt which he wore over his expensive denim pants and sneakers, in his new car, a different one from the one he used to shop. When the car rolled up to the school's parking lot, a guard came down to open the door for Ellis. 

His entrance into the hallway leading to his class was quite the dramatic one, as everyone in the hallways stood to watch the new Ellis in awe. He wore the newest and limited model of the latest sneakers in town, that not even Jordan, the supposedly richest student on campus, had been able to buy. Jaws dropped, watching as he made his entrance into class.