CHAPTER 5 MOCKED

Victor Donovan looked at the police chief with disgust as he groveled in fear and desperation, asking for forgiveness. 

He gestured for Matthew to step forward, and he did the same, ignoring the pathetic cries of the corrupt chief.

The doctor escorted Matthew out with respect, his respectful demeanor seemed very odd to Matthew, especially after the hostile environment they were leaving behind. 

They collected Mathew’s belongings: a mobile phone and a watch. 

Matthew looked down at his car washing uniform with complicated emotions before picking up his old watch and mobile phone. He had been fired from his job, and had barely $50 in his account… 

What was he going to do now? Where was he even going to go? And how was he going to pay this lawyer's f*e?!

Matthew stepped outside the police station, but before he could ask anything, Mr. Donovan led him towards a sleek, luxury car. 

"Please, get in." Victor Donovan opened the door for Matthew.

He settled into the plush seat, the unfamiliar luxury making him feel uncomfortable and extremely out of place. Victor Donovan himself took the driver's seat as Matthew looked around the car, his gaze stopping at the high-tech dashboard in front of him.

All this was so far from the life he knew, where he didn't even get to wash such limited edition luxury vehicles at the car wash!

With this realization, everything about his bail procedure started to seem even more bizarre, and Matthew couldn't control his curiosity any longer. 

"Who are you, and why are you helping me?" Matthew asked, breaking the silence as they turned on the highway. "Is this some sort of charity or—"

Donovan shook his head, cutting him off.

"Mr. Houston, the Houston family of the Willow Manor is the most influential and wealthiest family in the world. They own a number of multinational enterprises covering energy, finance, technology, real estate, and other fields. Their power is unmatched," Donovan explained, glancing at Matthew to gauge his reaction.

Matthew seemed confused, what did this have to do with him apart from the strange coincidence that his last name was also Houston?

Other than this, there were no similarities between him and this family the lawyer was talking about. 

But he didn't say anything, while Victor continued, his eyes fixed on the road. 

“The head of the Houston family is an old lady, almost 70 years old. The reason she is still managing everything in her advanced age is because her direct heir died in a car accident, long ago. And shortly after that, the heir's son disappeared.”

Matthew was listening politely, just because he couldn't bring himself to interrupt Victor Donovan and ask why he was telling him all this in the first place!

Victor fell silent for a moment, taking a pause before speaking slowly and deliberately, emphasizing every single word.

“The family has been searching for that missing young master for over twenty years. Mr. Matthew, you are the missing young master that the Houston family has been looking for."

The words hung in the air, and Matthew's head started to spin. 

“Are you saying what I think you are saying!" 

Donovan continued to drive, allowing Matthew a moment to absorb the revelation. 

"Yes, Mr. Matthew. Your grandmother, the Lady of the Houston family, has never given up hope. She has been tirelessly searching for you for two decades, and now… they have finally found you."

Matthew wanted to pinch himself to make sure it wasn't a dream, but the wounds on his body were already hurting badly enough.

Still, his mind was racing to understand the implications of what the hell this meant. 

So… he hadn't been abandoned at birth, like he had believed all his life? 

For years, Matthew had believed that he was unwanted by his parents, left to face the world alone. But to hear that he had a family who had been searching for him… he felt a mixture of disbelief and shock, and a tiny flicker of happiness.

The feeling was really surreal…

By the time Victor finished his story, the car pulled up to a huge manor in the suburbs. The sheer size of the estate took Matthew's breath away. 

Towering iron gates, painted black, opened to reveal vast manicured lawns, with a long, tree-lined driveway leading up to the grand entrance of the manor, which was spread over thousands of acres and stretched to at least three storeys.

“Welcome to Willow Manor, Mr. Houston!" 

As they got out of the car, Matthew's sense of awe only grew. Mr. Donovan led him to a vast, luxurious hall, with high, dome shaped ceilings and heavy chandeliers that sparkled, even in the daylight. 

The walls were decorated with intricate moldings and expensive artwork. Soft carpets covered the floor, and elegant furniture was tastefully arranged throughout the space. A large, marble fireplace stood at one end of the room.

Victor led Matthew to a seating area in the middle of the hall. 

"We will wait here for a while," Victor said, gesturing to the armchair beside him. "This is the reception hall."

The reception hall! This was just the reception hall, and it was already large enough to fit his entire house, and two additional buses after that. 

On the outside, Matthew just nodded silently, taking a seat. But on the inside, he was marveling at the luxury all around him. The reception hall was more luxurious than anything he had ever seen, really worthy of being owned by the richest family in the world! 

As he was lost in thought, a man in a three piece tailored suit walked in. His expression soured as soon as his eyes fell on Matthew, whom he didn't recognise at all. 

He looked him over from head to toe, taking in the swollen, beaten-up face and the bloodstains on the dirty car washing clothes. The man's lip curled up mockingly.

“What is this?" the man sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "Who let an unseasoned hick like you into the Houston family’s reception hall in such ragged clothes?"