NICHOLAS STEAVE : The Secret Heir

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“Then, which acquaintance of yours is Nicholas Steave? Only that good-for-nothing ex-husband of yours. I still can’t believe it myself, but the sender clearly wrote his name very clearly and boldly, oh yeah … this is a message from the sender, a greeting card or something.”

Mrs. Gerard handed a card to Ariana, then Ariana took it and opened it.

“I have given what you asked for completely. Hopefully in the future I won’t have to see a bastard like you again. Nicholas Steave.”

Ariana’s hands shook violently, until the card was taken by Mrs. Gerard to just read it. Her eyes bulged at the message, a message that was completely beyond her expectations.

“So it’s true that Nicholas sent all of this? So it’s true that Nicholas has a lot of money to do all this?”

“Impossible, there’s no way Nicholas could possibly do all of this. There’s no way Nicholas bought all of this for me. Even while we were married, Nicholas was completely penniless, this must be an impossible mistake!”

“Calm down, why are you so shocked by all of this?  It doesn’t matter where Nicholas gets all this money from, whether it’s from robbing or going into debt and so on.  The most important thing is one. You getting all these luxurious gifts is a blessing, we can get rich with all the gifts that Nicholas gave you, Ariana. After all, did you know that the diamond given by Erdward was very small. You can tell and show it to Erdward. Who knows if Erdward sees it, he will get annoyed and buy a new diamond for you.”

Ariana, who was hysterical, was now able to calm herself down, she then nodded her head perfectly. As happy as she was now, in fact Ariana had almost lost her mind.

“Alright, what Dad and Mom said is true, I can have everything now. Stupid men will get stupid things too, this is a lot of fun.”

*****

“Young Master Steave, here are some documents for Young Master Steave to sign, for the handover of this estate, so that Young Master Steave could become the rightful heir to all the wealth of Eternita Hills.”

The pile of documents brought by three maids made Nicholas swallow hard. Nicholas, who had been sitting in his office, could only keep silent. On the table a pile of documents was placed, Nicholas was speechless.

“What are all these files, Erick? Why is it so many? I can’t even think straight enough to judge these files.”

“All the Steave family businesses are all here, sir. Coupled with the ownership of property and this island. If you do the math, there are actually more than hundreds of businesses and companies owned by the Steave family, Young Master Steave. Then I summarized it, because otherwise I am sure that even in a day, you will never finish this work.”

Nicholas held his breath again, it turned out that being a rich man was not as easy as he had imagined. There were so many stages that he had to go through, including signing all of this many files, maybe even Nicholas’s hand would dislodged.

“Okay, let’s start now.”

*****

“Is what you said true, Ariana? If this big diamond along with this luxury car and some money is a gift from Nicholas?”

Erdward, of course, asked Ariana to tell the truth. According to Erdward, this was not only absurd but also unreasonable. Erdward felt offended because what he gave to Ariana was despised by Nicholas.

“You’d never believe it, would you? Me too, Edward. Even to this moment, I still can’t believe it. How could a poor unemployed person have enough money to get all of this overnight? He couldn’t possibly beg and earn a lot of money, nor was he a bad person who would be able to rob. He doesn’t have any rich acquaintances either. So where did Nicholas get all this from?”

Erdward was silent. He was Nicholas’ best friend and the one who knew Nicholas best all this time. What Ariana said was true. Nicholas was an anti-social person. Let alone having rich acquaintances, even to greet and converse with strangers ... Nicholas almost never did.

“Okay, take it easy, Ariana. I will help you find these answers. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with you accepting all these gifts, you can sell them then make our future home with this money.”

“What? Are you crazy, Edward? Didn’t you say that you would build me a dream house before we got married?”

“Come on, don’t be crazy, Ariana. I’ve spent a lot of money to get you a diamond ring and an expensive car just like how you want it to. Do you think I’m a company owner like that famous businessman in Eternita Hills? I’m just a paid director in the company. Remember, don’t ask for more from me or I’ll leave you like what Nicholas did.”

“Okay, stop bringing this up since I don’t really care either. Let’s discuss my divorce with Nicholas, shall we?”

“Of course.”

*****

“Now tell me what should I do, Erick?”

“Young Master Steave, please stay here. I will be back after taking care of some sudden matters, Sir.”

“Here?” Nicholas repeated.

The plan was for Nicholas and Erick to chat at a restaurant owned by the Steave family and to learn a few things before Erick announced to all the Steave family’s business relations that the crown prince of the business empire in Eternita Hills had returned.

But unfortunately, Erick still had a little business because of some irresponsible people. So Nicholas should sit alone in the restaurant while twirling his fork lazily.

Seeing Nicholas’ silent action, who only ordered spaghetti, raised some questions for the restaurant manager. Presumably he was quite curious about the figure who was pensive at the corner table.

“Hey, come here.” The restaurant manager called one of the waiters who was passing in front of him.

“Yes sir. What can I help you?”

“Do you know who that diner guest is? I guess he’s a new guest in this restaurant, correct?”

“It seems like it, sir. Because I’ve never seen him too.”

“Do you know the rules in this restaurant? Where every new visitor who comes should make a member card? This restaurant is not just any restaurant, this restaurant is included in the ranks of the most expensive restaurants in the world where all the visitors are among the rich, then where did that person come from? You should ask him about how come he sit there and just twirling his spaghetti.”

“Yes sir.”

“Bring your membership card printing machine, make sure he pays in advance to register the member card, don’t let one of our waiters let him in and escape the security guards in a situation where he doesn’t have a member card, especially if he doesn’t have money.”

“Yes sir.”

The waiter rushed away while carrying the member card printing machine and rushed over to Nicholas who was still propped up on his chin.

“I’m sorry, sir. What is your name? Are you a new visitor to this restaurant?” asked the waiter.

Nicholas looked up. He saw a waiter who was quite friendly to him, then Nicholas nodded.

“I was invited by someone here, then he left for a while because he had business. Is there a problem with that? About member card, I don’t know, my friend didn’t give me anything and didn’t tell me anything about the member card.”

“Forgive me, sir. I respectfully want to tell you that this restaurant is not just any restaurant. Maybe you got into this restaurant because of your friend’s member card and now you can’t show it. Since your friend has left, you automatically become the only guest at this restaurant, where you are responsible for paying for orders and paying for new member cards. Because a customer without a member card can’t enter, sir.”

Nicholas was starting to get worried, because he didn’t have any money with him, he didn’t have anything. But Nicholas was still trying to play it cool.

“Then, how much do I have to pay to register for the member card, sir?”

“About a hundred thousand dollars for silver members, two hundred thousand dollars for gold members, four hundred thousand dollars for VIP members and five hundred thousand dollars for VVIP members, sir.”

Nicholas paused, a hundred thousand dollars was not a small amount of money. He was confused about what to do because Erick wasn’t here.

“Please type your name in this tool then press the nominal, Sir. Then your member card will be ready soon and you can calmly continue enjoying your meal.”

“Could you wait a moment for my friend to come? I will make a VVIP member card if necessary to make you feel happy.”

The waiter started to think that what the manager said was true. If this man in front of him was someone who was not worthy of pity, an irresponsible poor customer who had sneaked into this restaurant, and got him in trouble.

“Forgive me, sir. It’s just that according to the rules ... I can’t do that, sir. You only have two choices, immediately pay for the membership card registration or you may leave, sir.”

Nicholas was still silent, he had even promised Erick to stay here. More than that, Nicholas was not very familiar with the streets in this district.

“Can—”

“Is there a problem?”

The restaurant manager finally came. He walked over arrogantly and looked at Nicholas with disdain.

“Sorry, sir. This new customer doesn’t have a member card. I asked him to make one in advance so he can enjoy his food, but he insisted on making a member card when the friend he was with earlier returns.”

“Don’t you have the money to make a membership card in this restaurant, sir?”

Nicholas looked at the manager with an irritated look, he had been insulted just now.

“Just so you know, sir. This restaurant is not a random restaurant, which you can go when you want like any other cheap restaurant. To enter into this restaurant, you must have a member card and it is mandatory. So my advice is instead of being embarrassed because you can’t afford to pay for your hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of orders along with registering a member card, then please get out of here yourself, or I’ll call securities.”

“Didn’t I tell you to wait? I will definitely register a member card.”

“This is not a place for poor people who wanted to pretend to be rich!” the manager snapped.

“Security officers! Quickly drag this poor customer out! Don’t let a single piece of trash be left of him!”

“Yes sir!”

Two security officers immediately entered. They were holding Nicholas’ right and left hands simultaneously. Nicholas was forcibly dragged out of the restaurant, until all the diners looked at Nicholas with disdainful looks.

“Wait a minute, what did I do wrong for you to act like this to me!” Nicholas shrieked.

“Isn’t your fault very obvious, scum? So stop this nonsense before I push you to the ground!”

“Didn’t I tell you to wait?”

“We don’t care, you bum!”

“You will be rewarded for all of this!”

“You poor man who wants to be rich. Now are you trying to threaten us?” the manager burst out laughing.

“What is this?”

Nicholas and the manager along with the security guards turned to see a couple walking closer to them.

Nicholas’ eyes sharpened as he was staring at the two lovebirds he was reluctant to see.

Yes, those figures were Erdward and Ariana. Both of them looked shocked to see Nicholas, but then they laughed mockingly.

“Oh my God, come on … how can this world be so narrow. What am I looking at? My ex-husband is being dragged out by security officers?” Ariana’s laughter broke out again  Ariana was the happiest person to see Nicholas being humiliated and suffering.

“Tsk!  Nicholas Steave, my very poor ex best friend. Don’t you know that you are a very poor unemployed person? How can a useless unemployed person like you end up in such an expensive place? Are you deliberately trying to embarrass yourself?” said Edward.

“Excuse me, sir, do you know this ignorant customer?”

“Yes, of course I know him. He is my ex best friend. He has been unemployed for a long time. He has become the scum of society whose work has become a parasite to other people.”

“As expected, he came along with his friend. That’s the reason he told when I asked him. But I myself am not sure whether what he says can be trusted or not, Sir. When I told him to leave, he said he would register for a VVIP member card, but I was told to wait for his friend. He really is an ignorant visitor.”

“He’s been like that for a long time. Let’s just say he’s crazy because he has no money and has been unemployed for a long time.”

Erdward then reached into his wallet, then he looked at the manager who was there.

“Because I was a kind-hearted former friend of his. This time I will register a member card for him. Sir, please have him sign up, I’ll pay for it.”

“I don’t need your money, Erdward. I can do it myself.”

“You think trash like you can apply for a membership card here where the cheapest is a hundred thousand dollars? Who do you think you are, Nick? Look, a beggar like you deserves to be pitied. How can you still be arrogant like this?”

“I’m not a beggar.”

“Then what should I say to describe how you are? Unemployment? A person who pretends to be versatile when in fact ...  useless? And look .…” Erdward said haltingly. “Where did you get all those disgusting fake clothes of yours? Is it now that besides being poor and jobless, you also have no shame, Nick? Oh my God, I’m sure you have become a madman now. That is why you have no shame.”

“I don’t need your pity, Erdward. If you want to eat, then please come in. But stop acting like you know me.”

“So what? Are you afraid that everyone knows who you are? Are you afraid if I tell everyone about the truth that you’re poor and useless?”

Nicholas turned his head away, he held his breath perfectly. Arguing with Edward was pointless.

“Get this poor customer out of this restaurant immediately!” the restaurant manager ordered.

Nicholas was just about to be dragged away by two security officers, until a group of luxury cars arrived at the same time. The steps of the two security officers stopped, they looked at the cars then chose to step back for a moment so as not get in their way.

Yes, the owner of the car was a VVIP guest of the restaurant. Then the figure came out very arrogantly.

Those who were there rushed over and gave their greetings very obediently, Erdward and Ariana were no exception.

But the figure stopped right in front of Nicholas, looking at the two security guards very fiercely.

“What did you do to my master? Quickly remove your filthy hands from my master’s precious body!” Erick scolded.

Everyone who was there was shocked, including Erdward and Ariana. The most respected and most famous figure, Erick Hadid, who was a confidant in the Eternia Hills business empire. How can he say that Nicholas, the poor jobless man, was his master? What an unreasonable thing!

“Young Master Steave, are you all right? Forgive me if I took too long, sir.”

“No, it’s just that I was treated with disrespect by all the employees in this restaurant, especially the manager of this restaurant just because I didn’t bring the money to register for this restaurant’s membership card.”

Erick looked at the restaurant manager fiercely, then he showed a gold plated membership card.

“Don’t you know who this VVIP member card belongs to?”

“Yes sir. This member card belongs to the Steave family.”

“So why did you kicked the owner of the card out when he came here?”

“W … what?”

“The person you kicked out in such a disrespectful manner is Mr. Nicholas Steave, sole heir to the Eternia Hills business empiren. You have kicked him out, and this is an impolite act.”

“No need to use your muscles, Erick. Just fire all the employees here, and have the owners of this restaurant replace their employees with employees who actually have a heart.”

“Very well, Young Master Steave. I will carry out your orders.”