DESTINED TO BE A BILLIONAIRE

Chapter 6: THE VAULT

Henry couldn’t hide his excitement. “Uncle Nate!” he kept calling out. He felt so happy to see someone very close to him after a lot of years.

“Why are you here?” Henry asked. He knew that the Parkers and their allies don’t just see up anywhere except there was an exception.

Nate Parker has been Henrys fathers’ steward for 27 years.  It was after Henry parent’s suddenly died that he resigned and left the family. Henry was one of the few people that felt strongly toward him.

“I’m now the CEO of the City Bank Marylyn branch,” Nate revealed with a smile.

Henry was astonished.

Nate winked. “Young man, I guess you must be wondering how an old man like me became the President of City Bank.”

Henry didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He had fond memories of Nate as a kind person and now that he was old, Henry could decipher from his consistent winks that he still doesn’t take things seriously just like old times.

Henry sat up. “Uncle Nate, I’m very curious but I don’t know if it’s convenient for you to reply.”

“Why wouldn’t it be convenient?” Nate retorted. He sighed and went on. “I owe you lots of explanations too. I’m sure you’re confused over this whole inheritance but that’s your father’s money. He left it for you. He had discovered that the economy was growing fast and inflation was on the rise so he asked me to help you manage your assets in advance.”

“Wow!” Henry was stunned.

After his parents died, Henry thought that Nate left the family because he wanted to build his own life. Even though he had acclaimed that fact, it still made him uncomfortable. At the time Nate left, Henry was young and grieving and he had wished Nate had stayed back.

Now, Henry could tell that reality played a big prank on him for it was evident that Nate left his job as a steward to help him manage his assets by investing in the banking system. Henry couldn’t help but imagine how much effort the old man had put into this. All he knew was that the old man sitting beside him with the brightest smile was someone he could not disappoint for the rest of his life.

Henry took a deep breath. “Uncle Nate, thank you.”

Nate’s smile broadened and then he waved his left hand down. “Oh come on Henry. You don’t have to thank me.”

Henry realized that Nate was still warm and gentle. He never took pride in his achievement even in the last 27 years.

“You never cease to amaze me.” Henry spat.

Nate broke out laughing. After a while, he cleared his throat loudly. “Henry, please don’t blame me for not helping you all these years. Believe me, I was dying too but I wouldn’t dare disobey the family rule.”

Henry nodded in understanding. “I know.”

Nate smiled.

“By the way Uncle Nate, how much money did they give me?”

Nate said nothing.

“I think it’s about 10 billion dollars because that’s what 1% of the family’s assets are worth right,” Henry said.

Nate stood up and glanced at his Rolex. “We will find out the real worth of the assets after this. Come with me. I must take you to the vault.”

Henry remained glued to the chair. “Vault?” he mumbled.

Nate sighed and adjusted his bowtie. Then he pointed his cane to the door. “If you may please come with me, Mr. Parker.”

Even though he was president of the city bank, Henry could tell that Nate was still sounding like a butler.

“Of course,” Henry replied and abruptly stood up. They dashed out with Nate leading the way.

Nate led Henry outside the VIP office toward the corridor by the right.

After walking for a few minutes, they reached the end of the corridor and then turned to the left. Nate led Nathan to a huge metal door.

“This door can absorb all forms of things like bullet and heat. It is made of the finest metal and will take a legion with more than bombs to tear it down.” Nate explained to Henry while maintaining his usual smile.

Meanwhile, Henry had noticed the security officer standing beside the door. The man was physically built and his hands were stationed behind him as he kept observing Nate.

Nate inputted his fingerprint on the door but it didn’t open immediately as Henry expected. He then brought out a key and unlocked it. It made a sound but Nate wasn’t finished yet. There was a second key. He positioned the second key in the same hole he had placed the first and then twisted it.

The door opened, exposing a hallway.

The security officer went in front. “President Parker, please follow me.”

They followed him to a vault.

“He will open it,” Nate told the officer whose face was as hard as a rock.

The officer in charge turned to Henry. “We need to verify his details.”

Nate acknowledged Henry with a nod to go on. 

The officer showed Henry where he would put his fingerprint and after he had done it, a green light came on.

Nate slipped his hand inside the vault and pulled out a file. He faced Henry.  “Henry Parker, the Parker family can be quite stingy at times.”

The officer turned to Henry with disbelief. Was he a Parker?

Henry was very curious. His eyes were dying to catch a glimpse of the content of the document.

“This property is divided into 3 categories.” Nate began. “One is general supply. The other shows stocks and the other is cash. These assets also include precious metals and stones. Each category is worth 10 billion dollars and a cash of 8.8 billion dollars.”

The officer’s jaw dropped to the floor. Based on his calculation, everything is worth above 30 billion dollars so why did Nate say that the Parker family was stingy?

“So much money!” Henry cried out.