That same day, Jackson visited the bank.
One thought that crossed his mind was perhaps this was a joke. However, would it be worse than what had already happened yesterday? It’s not like he had anything else to do, anyway.
[Meet Mr Pearl at Arolia Bank] That’s the last words from the old man in the call.
Arolia Bank was one of the most prestigious institutions in the entire world. Even a normal worker, a janitor, held more prestige than any of his peers. If the bank claimed to be the number two business, no one dared say it was the first.
Though never really meet Mr. Pearl, Jackson knows this name. In fact, everyone does. ‘King of the Bank’, that’s what people call him. He had the option to greet whoever he wanted. If he ignored someone for whatever reason, rumors would spread like wildfire and the family business would meet its end.
Jackson walked in, approached the help desk, and asked for Mr. Pearl. The girl there scanned him from head to toe. She had a displeased look on her face. The young man in front of her with the cheap suit had the nerve to ask for the head of the most prestigious bank.
She coughed a few times and asked in an annoyed tone in her voice. “Who, may I say, is asking for Mr. Pearl?”
“Jackson Raven!”
She hesitantly picked up the phone, and while she waited; the girl ran her mouth with a taunting voice.
“Isn’t it better if you just leave? Mr. Pearl will most likely ignore you…”
Jackson actually agreed with her, even though he didn’t say it out loud.
From the other side of the phone, though barely audible, Jackson heard the gasp when his name came up.
‘I’ll be right there!’
The girl inhaled a mouthful of air and forgot to exhale from the shock. Her heart raced. Mr. Pearl, who even ignored conglomerate tycoons, dropped everything he was doing for the person in front of her. She was thankful in her heart she didn’t offend the young man further than she already had.
A few seconds later, a chubby middle-aged man approached him, with sweat drenching his face. As soon as they saw him, the bank staff stood up and bowed to show their respect. What they didn’t expect was for Mr. Pearl to bow in at Jackson. The frightening boss of Arolia bank showed respect to the stranger with the cheap suit.
Even though he was out of breath. His polite tone shocked the staff.
“Welcome Mr. Taylor. How can I help??”
“Mr. Taylor?”
Jackson took a step back, he pondered over the fact that his world had changed incredibly fast.
A day earlier, Mr. Pearl wouldn’t spare him a millisecond, much less run to him. To the best of his abilities, although the pressure was high, Jackson tried to maintain a calm voice.
“Is there somewhere we can talk about my account?”
Mr. Pearl, with a swift motion of his hands, suggested an empty office. Jackson walked to the front, and the man followed. The girl at the helpdesk sighed in relief that Jackson didn’t bother with her previously rude behavior.
Once in the office, Mr. Pearl hurriedly closed the door and the curtains for privacy. He took a seat opposite Jackson and exclaimed.
“Finally you are here, Mr Taylor!”
Jackson was clueless what the name stood for. Seeing the youngster’s expression, Mr. Pearl continued.
“It was urgent he left the city for a while, though you will have time to catch up when he returns, but this much, even little old me, can tell you. Mr. Taylor is the father of your mother.”
Jackson’s mother has never spoken of this grandfather.
“So, the old man is my grandfather.”
Mr. Pearl nodded. “As the only blood relative, you, young master, are the sole heir to the Rikelia Group!”
Jackson’s eyes widened. He almost forgot to breathe when he heard the heir to the Rikelia Group. An International conglomerate with an annual income in the trillions. Among others, the Rikelia Group is the parent company of media outlets and construction.
Moments later, a thought popped into his mind. Soon after, Jackson’s face revealed a grin. He turned to the chubby middle-aged man and coldly asked.
“What do you know about a person called Mr. Walker?”
“The Walker family own a chain of mediocre restaurants called The Elegant Rose in Southfield. Their turnover is a few hundred million.”
Mr. Pearl called it mediocre, but Jackson heard of The Elegant Rose as one of the top five restaurants in the world, and a few hundred million a year, is not something to scoff about. After giving it some thought, he asked.
“Any idea why he would be at Xaion company yesterday?”
“Ah, that? Xaion’s missus is getting engaged. I guess the Walkers will take care of the reception…”
‘That bitch, she had it planned’
“Can I use the money in my account?”
“It’s all yours, sir.”
Jackson looked at Mr. Pearl and chuckled. “I want to buy a restaurant!”
***
The next day, Jackson walked in The Elegant Rose, sat at a table, and waited. A woman dressed to the nines approached him with a somewhat confused look on her face.
“I must apologize sir, but we don’t serve the masses…”
Jackson sighed, displeased. “Too bad for a mediocre restaurant.”
“What did you say?”
The voice of the crowd interrupted their conversation.
“Mr. Walker, welcome!”
A well-dressed man had just walked in with a beautiful woman by his side. Jackson raised his voice.
“I said, a mediocre restaurant like this should feed whoever they can if they want to stay afloat!”
Mr. Walker frowned. His eyebrow twitched when he recognized the young man in front of him. “Haha! Back for more beating, trash?”
Jackson threw a dollar at his feet. “Here, I’m paying you for touching your suit yesterday!”
Veins popped all over Mr. Walker’s raging face. “Damn brat. How dare you?!”
Mr. Walker stepped forward and glared at the cheerful Jackson. His domineering voice echoed throughout the restaurant.
‘Get out of my restaurant’
At that moment, several people wearing black suits rushed in, leaving everyone surprised. Jackson then swung his hand across Mr. Walker’s face. A single tooth flew out. Jackson stared at him coldly.
“Pick your dollar and get out of MY restaurant!”
Before Mr Walker could say a word, his phone rang. Startled, he looked around. “M-My wife!”
“Y-Yes dear?”
Her screams were audible through the speaker. “What the hell did you do, you useless human specimen? My family’s restaurants got auctioned for a dollar!”
Jackson got into Mr. Walker’s face and grabbed the phone from his hand.
“Yes, hello. Is this Mrs. Walker?”
After a second of silence, Jackson got a response. “Who is this?”
“I’m the guy who bought your restaurants. Long story short, I will return everything to you if you kick this trash you call husband out!”
Not even a second passed.
“Done!”
The immediate response of his wife made his mouth distort in disbelief. Seeing no other way out, he dropped to his knees and pleaded to Jackson. “I’m very sorry, young master. I was too blind to see your brilliance. Please forg…!” Jackson didn’t even let him finish; he snapped his fingers and snorted coldly. “Get lost! Loser!” The men in black suits had no choice. They grabbed him and dragged him out of the restaurant. The beautiful woman, who was by his side, stayed back and watched the entire thing unfold in front of her. When she tried to take a step, Jackson’s icy eyes froze the blood in her veins. Still in disbelief at what happened in front of her moments ago, words refused to leave her mouth. She looked around and everyone avoided her gaze. As Jackson walked towards her, she lost all strength to her knees. Jackson swiftly grabbed her waist and supported her. He pulled her close and stared into her frightened eyes. His voice echoed coldly in her ears, sending shivers down
A chandelier hovered over the lobby, laced in gold, looking down on those beneath it. Its steady light shone in every corner. Red carpets and black glistening marble decorated the floor. The panic ensued by Jackson’s phone call trampled through the tranquil atmosphere in seconds. The crowd murmured about the mysterious person with such an enormous power. The two youngsters of the Adams family looked at each other with visible horror in their eyes. Naomi shared the same expression on her face. She knew what he was capable of, but her measly family’s restaurant was nothing compared to the prestigious Jade Palace. “Oh, my! Who might you be?” The crowd became silent as a couple approached them. Jackson recognized them. How could he not? They were Hannah Kraft’s parents, his parents-in-law. Jackson swallowed his pride and anger. “Good evening, madam!” She tried to maintain her manners in front of the young man who bought the Jade Palace with a dollar. Even though she wore a mask, sh
The following day, Jackson woke up in his bed. What surprised him were the two emerald eyes staring at him. Her soft voice tickled his ears. “Good morning!” Her luscious lips touched his cheek, leaving a wet sensation on his skin. With blood filling his head, turning his face crimson, he uttered. “Good morning…” The girl buried herself in his arms. A comfortable warmth produced by their bare skins under the sheets excited them both. Wasting no time, Naomi got on top of him and landed a long kiss on his lips. Jackson could only embrace her and accept it. *** A week has passed since the events at Jade Palace. The Adams Family pleaded multiple times at the bank, but Mr. Pearl refused to meet with them. Rake Adams approached Naomi at her family’s restaurant, hoping to reconcile. Instead, she proudly kicked him out. As for the Kraft family, they had daily meetings, trying to figure out ways to regain the young man from the Raven family as their son-in-law. The days went on like th
The patriarch scoffed. “Teaching some manners to your idiot son. I can teach you too!” Jackson waved his hand. “It’s ok, patriarch. We can talk, but can we please do something about the noise?” He looked at his fuming uncle straight in the eyes and sneered. “It’s annoying!” The patriarch kicked them out of the meeting room. The only people inside were Jackson and his grandfather, along with his new wife. If the old man was a little past his sixties, that woman was in her thirties. Her snake-like body leaned at the table next to Jackson. Her curvy body could strike any man who dared to look at her. The patriarch looked at Jackson. At first, Jackson got his attention by mentioning the new project, but the longer he thought about it and looking at his cheap attire, the more he doubted him. “So, tell me what kind of job you got there?” “Ah, yes. I will scout and recruit people for the new project. Since you guys were my family once…” The old patriarch sweated. He interrupted
The tranquility of the garden met the patriarch’s fury when his thunderous voice silenced even the chirping birds. With a hint of sarcasm in his voice, the first son scolded. “My men saw her entering his apartment about an hour ago. She still hasn’t come out!” “That ungrateful wench! Let her come back, and I’ll show her who’s the boss!” “What about Jackson?” “He’ll get what’s coming to him. We just must be a little patient with the little fiend!” Not even a second passed and the alluring woman with the raven hair joined them at the kiosk. “What are you guys doing out here? The sun is scorching.” The old patriarch glared at his son, who hurriedly picked up his phone and called his men. “What’s the situation?” [Yes sir. She’s still in there!] The first son looked at the woman in front of him, confused. “A-Are you sure?” [Yes, sir!] He looked at his father and shook his head. *** At Jackson’s apartment, a woman peeks through the curtain, making sure the black cars foll
Only the crackling wood in the fireplace broke the silence of the grand dining hall. Jackson sneaked a few glances around the room. The stoic master, Damien Shaw, enjoyed his rustic soup, whereas his beautiful daughter simply dipped her bread. The dining room was large. Only three people enjoyed the table in the middle, which was big enough for a dozen people. Over their heads a shining chandelier with candles which illuminated the entire room. A few doors scattered about, guarded by muscular men in suits, and the windows had velvet crimson drapes guarding them from the outside world. Jackson was sure the sky darkened, but he had no way of confirming it. His fast-beating heart wouldn’t rest. He ate nervously while monitoring the situation. He quenched his thirst with a full glass of wine. Apparently, the alcohol eased his racing mind. Damien Shaw coughed to get their attention. His voice hinted at a sense of self-discipline, which Jackson lacked. “My Rina said she had a chat wit
Two days after he had dinner with Damien Shaw, Jackson and Alicia Shaw arrived at the headquarters of Rikelia Group. A long drive to Borealis Valley, the home of multinational conglomerates. Anyone with a business wants their base amongst the big names of the corporate world. Though he’s the heir of the Rikelia Group, He has yet to unveil his identity to the public. At the entrance of the imposing building, a group of youngsters stood in his path. They glared at the girl. Alicia Shaw didn’t have the same allure as her sister, but she had a unique charm and unparalleled beauty. Silky long raven hair tied to a bun and blue eyes. Her elegance and demeanor mesmerized anyone who stole a glimpse of her. Her gray skirt which reached her knees, perfectly toned to her hips. A buttoned white shirt left much to be desired when one realized she playfully exposed her enticing neckline. A woman like that stood next to a young man with a cheap jacket on top of a white t-shirt and jeans. In the
The young woman behind the reception desk gasped. She couldn't believe her eyes. For the first time, she witnessed Mrs. Aria lowering her head to an unknown younger man. Jeremiah Ivory’s jaw dropped when he saw this. Fumed with rage and jealousy. He stood in front of Mrs. Aria. “Mrs. Aria, I…” He didn’t even have time to finish his sentence when a slap landed on his face and threw him over the reception counter. Unfazed, Mrs. Aria glared at him. It instantly froze the blood in his veins. She then turned to Jackson and smiled. “Mr. Taylor, what took you so long? Did something happen?” The young woman thought she was screwd, she couldn't raise her head up. Jackson saw her hands are shaking.“Mr Ivory and I had a bit misunderstoood” He said simply with a smirk on his face.She was grateful that Jackson didn't blame her or she would lose everything. Jeremiah Ivory leaped over the counter. “Out of the way, servant!” He pushed Jackson to the side and stood in front of the woman.