RICHARD
"And what's with that stupid smile you have on your face!" Amelia snapped when she didn't get the response she had anticipated."Oh that. I discovered that I've begun smiling a lot lately. Maybe it's because I'm happy.""Happy," she sneered and haughtily tossed her long, black hair over her shoulder. "You have no money, no home to come back to, and don't think for a moment that I'm going to take you back after that stunt you pulled the last time you were here. Even if you beg-""Beg?" I infused the right amount of surprise in my voice. "Whatever gave you the impression that I'm here to beg you to take me in?"She looked completely nonplussed at the idea that I hadn't returned to grovel at her feet. The same look was mirrored on the faces of her family members."Well, isn't that why you're here?" she asked.I shook my head slowly. "No. I just came to take my things. That's all."Amelia sucked in a breath. Her mother slowly rose from her chair."That is the best news I have heard in ages," she said with a sneer. She looked around at everyone. "Finally, this burden will be out of our lives for good.""Yes. Yes," I said airily. "Thank you, Mrs White for once again stating the obvious." The old crone gave an outraged gasp. "Now, Amelia, the sooner you step out of my way, the sooner I'll be out of this place.""And where will you go?" Amelia let out a short, bitter laugh. "Wait. Don't tell me. You have found another woman to take you in, feed you and clothe you, haven't you? My goodness! How did you manage to do that so fast? Is this woman, whoever she is, so miserable and lonely that she will stoop so low to settle for the likes of you?"I sighed and rolled my eyes at the ceiling. "If I were to stand here answering all of your questions, I'll end up staying here, something I definitely have no intention of doing."I stepped around her and walked towards the bedroom, thinking I would enjoy some minutes of respite before I left the house that held only painful memories for me. I had no such luck. I had scarcely gotten into the bedroom when I heard Amelia's approaching footsteps. A moment later, she pushed the door wide open and stood there for a moment, fuming. Ignoring her, I dragged my suitcase from the wardrobe and quickly began to throw my clothes into it."Answer me, you sorry excuse for a man," she shouted. "You can't fool me. You're just bluffing. I bet you don't even have a woman to take you in. You're dying inside. You really want me to take you back in, but I'm not going to do it, you hear me? I've had enough of you to last me a lifetime."I briefly considered reiterating the fact that I wasn't coming back to her, but I decided to save my breath and continue with my packing. Finally, all my worldly items were packed in two suitcases. I grabbed them and hurried out with Amelia on my tail. The Whites were all looking in the direction from which I would come, murmuring amongst themselves.I was almost at the door when Amelia called me back. She fumbled in her handbag, grabbed some documents."Here." She flung the papers in my face. I grabbed them before they could hit the floor."And what is this supposed to be?" I asked."You can read, can't you?" she returned.I flipped through the documents. They were divorce papers and Amelia had already signed them. With hesitation, I pulled out a pen from my pocket, and while still standing quickly signed the papers. I then flung them in the general direction of the sofa."Trust me, you will regret this decision, Amelia," I warned."The only decision I will ever regret is getting married to you in the first place. I don't know what the hell I was thinking." She ran her hands through her hair. "I must have been mad.""It's fine, dear," Mrs White said to her daughter. "Thank goodness you have rectified your mistake.""Yes, mum. You're right, and I'm happier with James who takes care of my every need."Just then, that front door opened. James stormed in. He stopped short at the sight of me. He first went red, then purple and pointed a shaky finger at me."You- you-" he stuttered, apoplectic with rage."Careful now, James. You don't want to get a stroke, do you?" I drawled."Shut the hell up!" he screamed. "You dare to show your face here after what you did?" He looked around the room wildly. "What the hell is he doing here?""James, please calm down," said Amelia’s brother, Michael. Amelia hurried over to her lover, placing a hand on his back."It's okay, love," she murmured. "Just calm down and tell us what happened. Please."James nodded, took several calming breaths and turned on me with a murderous glare. "Just this afternoon, I met this scum making enquiries about the cost of a condo in Royal Homes.""Royal Homes?" exclaimed Mrs White."Isn't that the top real estate firm in this city?" asked one of the women.James went on. "I made a bet, knowing how dirt poor he is, that he couldn't afford to pay for the condo, but then-"James hung his head in shame. It looked as though he was already regretting his outburst."And then I paid a million dollars for the place. James here kindly fulfilled the terms of the bet by groveling at my feet and getting kicked out by the security." I told them.There were gasps and ejaculations of surprise when I mentioned the amount I had paid. The Whites all looked frozen in their seats."Is this true?" Mrs White demanded of James who hesitated and nodded his head sullenly.I chuckled at their facial expressions as I grabbed the handles of my suitcases again."This is just the beginning," I said before walking out.RICHARDI felt like I was walking on clouds as I shut the door firmly behind me. I could hear the hubbub of conversation from those I had left in there. I was glad James had walked in just before I left. Things could not have walked out better if I had scripted the whole thing. I ordered an Uber. Whistling a tune, I passed the security post, nodded in the direction of the lax security guards who had thrown me out a while ago..I only had to wait outside the gates for a few minutes for my Uber to arrive. Just as the driver hurried out of the car to help me with my luggage, the screen appeared before my eyes and a small smile crept to my face.[FOR YOUR NEXT TASK, YOU ARE TO SPEND 2 MILLION DOLLARS WITHIN 24 HOURS]I whistled under my breath."Two million," I murmured."Sorry?" I looked up to see the driver giving me an enquiring look."Nothing. I er- wasn't referring to you." Just then, I received a notification from the bank that my account had been credited with 2 million dollars. I
RICHARDI ignored Samson's taunts and kept moving. From my experience, I knew he wouldn't stop talking until he had exhausted all he had to say, and judging by how angry and worked up he was, he had quite a lot to say. So I tuned him out and pretended that his voice was just background noise. I headed straight for the exclusive shopping section. Just before I got there, a tall, pretty middle aged receptionist hurried from her desk and stood in my path. She shook her head slightly."Excuse me, Mr...""Richard."She gave me a cool, professional smile which faded a little as she glanced over my shoulder at Samson. He was right behind me, within touching distance and I could feel his breath on my ear. I shifted a little to the right."Mr Richard." The receptionist once more focused on me. "I'm afraid this part of the mall is reserved for exclusive customers only. Are you a premium shopper? I don't think I have seen you in this section of the mall before. But if you are a premium shopper,
RICHARD"Give me a minute, sir," the receptionist said.After a few taps on her computer, she nodded in a satisfied manner. Beaming, she handed me my debit card. Shock had made him pale considerably even under his tan."Your payment is successful, Mr Richard," she said."I can see that. Thank you." I leaned casually against the desk and turned to Samson who still had not recovered the power of speech. I brushed an invisible speck off my shirt and regarded him coolly. "What was that you were saying?"His eyes flashed and burned. The veins stood out on his forehead."You- you-" he stammered, paused."Me what? If you have something else to say to me, now is the time because I will soon go in there-" I jerked my thumb in the direction of the exclusive part of the mall. "-to buy stuff, and I don't imagine I will be out for hours. Or perhaps you don't have anything else to say. You seem to have exhausted your supply of words since you had so much to say earlier."I straightened and made it
RichardAs soon as we were out of earshot of the receptionist, Tom spoke up. "Samson's right, you know," he said, his voice low and serious. "No one uses this level of membership card without being a millionaire." I shook my head, trying to brush off the feeling of dread that was growing inside me. "I paid for this membership, Tom. I have the receipt right here." Tom raised an eyebrow. "I hope you have it, because I don't think anyone's going to believe you.“I sighed and rubbed my temples, trying to think. Meanwhile, Samson's words echoed in my mind, refusing to fade away. "But- but you can't let him go in there," he had exclaimed, his voice laced with disbelief. The irony of it all hung heavy in the air, a bitter twist to the situation.Tom led me deeper into the mall, the receptionist's instructions to guide me through my shopping trip still ringing in my ears. As I moved through the crowded corridor of shoppers, I felt eyes on me. It felt like stepping into a battlefield, wi
The manager's gaze held a quiet authority as he beckoned me to share my story. "Please, tell me what happened," he said, his voice a calm anchor in the storm of accusations.I drew in a deep breath, feeling the weight of every judgmental stare that had followed me since I entered. "I paid for the platinum membership card before entering the mall,” I explained, my voice steady despite the tumultuous emotions churning within me. “I came here with the sole intention of shopping for clothes, nothing more. I have no reason to steal anything.”The sales girls tried to cut in, their voices sharp and erratic, but Mr. Damian raised his hand, silencing them with a gesture that spoke volumes of his desire for fairness.“Let him speak,” he declared firmly, his tone brooking no argument. “I want to hear his side of the story.”But even as I spoke, the salesgirls persisted in their attempts to interrupt, their voices growing more frantic with each passing moment. They tried to inject doubt into Mr
And so, I found myself alone again, surrounded by the quiet luxury of the mall. The air was rich with the smell of expensive things; each shop was like a chest full of treasures waiting to be discovered. I wasn’t just there to buy clothes—I was there to shape how the world would see me, to craft an image as sleek and polished as the shiny floors I walked on.I began at the high-end boutiques, where the air was scented with a blend of leather and perfume. Attendants, dressed as immaculately as the mannequins, greeted me with practiced smiles, their eyes subtly appraising. I nodded at them, my mind already sifting through the racks of designer suits and limited-edition watches.The first purchase was a suit, tailored to perfection, the fabric a whisper against my skin. The price was a mere drop in the ocean of my budget, and I handed over my card with a nonchalance that belied the thrill of the transaction.Next, I strolled into the jewelry store, the twinkling display of diamonds and g
I turned to face the direction of the source of the voice, my heart pounding in my chest, and there he was, approaching me. “Mr. Edmund?” I muttered with a hint of skepticism, relief flooding through me. “I’m glad you’re here. I wasn’t sure if you were real.”He chuckled softly. “I assure you, young master, I am very real.” He was dressed impeccably, his demeanor calm and collected. “I’m Mr. Edmund,” he said with a smile on his face.I stood there, rooted to the spot as the elderly gentleman before me bowed deeply. "Please, rise. There's no need for all the…formalities," I urged, discomfort creeping into my voice.“Ah, but sir, it is my duty and honor to show the utmost respect to my master,” he replied, his voice a soft, melodious tone that spoke of a bygone era of decorum and deference.I was taken aback, my mind a whirlwind of confusion. “How can I be your master when we've only just met?" I questioned, my mind racing to piece together this unexpected puzzle.But the man, who had
A heavy silence descended upon us, punctuated only by the soft rustle of fabric as he lowered his head. Edmund's eyes, once bright with the wisdom of years, now glistened with the onset of tears. They clung to his lashes like dew on the verge of falling, each one a silent testament to the pain of secrets held too long.“Richard,” he began, his voice trembling with emotion, “there are truths that have long been concealed, burdens that I can no longer bear alone.”I watched as tears welled in his eyes, glistening like liquid diamonds in the dim light of the room. And then, like a dam breaking, the floodgates opened, and he poured forth the secrets that had haunted him for years.“Your mother," he said, his voice quivering like a taut string ready to snap, "she was a maid in your father’s employ, a woman of humble origins who captured his heart with her gentle spirit and unwavering devotion.”I listened in stunned silence as Edmund unraveled the story of my origins, each revelation pierc