Chapter 9

“You are not paying for anything. We must make you look presentable before our boss.” One girl said.

“You don’t have to worry about anything. We will take good care of you,” another girl said.

“Feel relaxed Mr, and allow us to give you a wonderful treat,” the third girl added.

John was now relaxed, as if this was a dream. Let him enjoy it while it lasted, so he entered the bathtub, and the ladies started bathing him.

A few minutes later, John was brought to Grado. He lowered his head. He truly enjoyed the bath. The girls were experts in taking care of men. He forgot where he was until he heard Grado’s voice.

“Follow me,” Grado said and moved out of the hallway. John did as was instructed.

Grado stopped at the second floor, opened a door, and entered.

“The boss will see you in a few minutes,” Grado said and pushed John inside before he slammed the door.

Having been left alone, John looked around his surroundings. It was a study; it was almost the same thing as the Albert Study, which he is used to. Thinking of Albert, John recalled how Olivia cheated on him and made him look stupid before Uncle Sam. He couldn’t take the thought of Sam smooching his wife in his presence anymore, so he hit his fat hands on the desk.

“That animal, you will pay for this”

“Pay for what?”

John was startled. He turned and saw the man whom he presumed to be Thomas Anderson. The ladies told him about it.

“Good…. day. sir,” John sputtered as he faced Thomas.

“You are?” Thomas asked, his tone so intimidating and powerful.

“John Smith sir” John forced his name out of his mouth like a plaque.

“How did you get this amulet?”

“Amulet?” John replied and touched the amulet on his neck. He has almost forgotten about the amulet.

“Yes, the amulet”

***

Closing the door behind him, John sat down on the cranky chair in his tiny room. He indeed lives in Wilde’s beautiful villa as their son-in-law, yet his room is the poorest in the house. Even Olivia’s dog, whom he despite most, lived in a better room than himself and enjoyed a greater luxury than him.

However, the ill-treatment melted on him by Wilde’s family does not matter now. What matters is that he is rich. He brought out the huge notes in his pocket and counted them. It was still the hundred-thousand-dollar notes Thomas gave to him. He smiled and touched the amulet on his neck, and smiled again. He never knew that the amulet which he had worn his entire life would bring him this good fortune and lead him to his father.

“Who gave you this amulet?” Thomas had asked him.

“This amulet belongs to me,” John answered ferociously.

He had been wearing this amulet since he was a child and nobody had ever noticed it, nor had anyone asked him about this useless question.

“How did you come into possession of this amulet?” Thomas had asked again.

“This was the only thing my dead mother left for me,” he had answered

“Who is your mother?”.

“I don't know my mother. I was raised by my grandmother”,

“Who is your grandmother?”

“Anita Smith, the old lady that worked in Wilde’s home.”

“Hmm, I see. Was she the one that gave your mother this amulet?”

“She was not my biological grandmother. She picked me up on the path that leads to Wilde’s Villa when I was three years old”

“What!!”. Thomas screamed and stood up from his chair, his hand trembling. He looked at John and saw the terrible ugly scar on his left ear, then he drafted his eyes to his orbit. There was a copper coil brown, just like Evelyn’s own.

Could it be that John was his lost son? His son had a terrible fall when he was two years old. As a result, he had an awful scar on his left ear. John has the same scar on his left ear just like his son, and this amulet was the same amulet he gave to his son when he was born. Could all this be a mere coincidence? Thomas thought.

“You said that your grandmother found you on the path that leads to Wilde’s Villa when you were just three years old?”

“Yes,” John muttered. The pain of not knowing who his mother was crammed into his mind and engulfed his emotions

“Twenty years ago, my wife had an accident a few miles from Wilde’s Villa. She was in the car with my three-year-old son. She died on the spot, but my son was nowhere to be found. Maybe he escaped through the broken window. However, that was only an assumption. But see you here with this amulet and these eyes that look exactly like Evelyn’s. I do not doubt in my heart that you are my lost son.”. Thomas said.

“Your lost son? How is that possible? How can I be your lost son? You are Thomas Anderson, the most powerful and fearful man in this Arora. The owner of the multi-billion dollar company Anderson Group?”

“It’s so hard to believe, but it’s true. The amulet on your neck belongs to the only true Anderson, and it’s not just an ordinary amulet. It’s so powerful that it can help you with anything you desire,” Thomas said and touched his amulet.

It was identical to the one John wore.

“With this amulet, you will be just as powerful as I am. Your enemies will fear you and people will respect you once this amulet is activated”

“Really?” John asked, a spark of excitement filling his orbit.