THE RISING BILLIONAIRE

Chapter 6: Stooping so low

Richmond limped to his dormitory feeling extremely heartbroken. He was finally to avoid those deadly dogs.

Tears trekked down his face as he realized all the humiliation he had passed through for being poor and the fact that he had a broken limb.

As he continued to limp, a car passed by, splashing muddy water on him. He almost lost his balance but he was able to stand with his right foot.

The car that splashed water on him drew a stop in front of Richmond and the window of the car was wounded down.

Richmond was extremely scared. "Bum, bum...." He could already feel his heart beating hard against his chest. He wondered what lay in wait for him in that car.

Inside the car, Tina and her husband-to-be sat, smiling mockingly at him.

Richmond clutched his hands tightly to control his rising anger. He stared into Tina's eyes and the looks on her face said it all. She had the intention to betray him right from the beginning.

"Isn't that your stupid boyfriend who was so stupid to think he could have you just because he treated your father?" Tina's boyfriend, David mocked.

"He was such a fool. And the worst part was he didn't notice a single thing until the dying minute," Tina replied, as though she could not even see Richmond.

"Hi limping dummy," she said turning over to Richmond.

In turn, Richmond stared at her in disgust. He hated himself more for forgiving her for what she did to him.

"I will have the last laugh," Richmond spat, staring into these hateful glares.

"Seriously, that's all he has to say?" David mocked with tears almost dropping from his eyes.

"Let's go, baby, we should not be wasting our worthless time on such a fool," Tina returned.

They started the car engine immediately and drove away, splashing more water on his body.

Richmond looked down at his wet self. He was both angry and sad.

What could he possibly do to them, he was as broke as his broken limps.

He wished he had a way to make them pay for this but he knew that would not be possible, they were going to get away with it.

At this, fresh tears poured down from his eyes. He wondered why life had decided to disfavor him in such a manner.

Richmond felt his phone beeping in his pocket. And he quickly brought it out of his pocket.

He wondered what other bad news lay in wait for him. The call was from his poor mother's caretaker.

Richmond's heart quaked hard as he picked up the call. He had called them yesterday so nothing could go wrong.

But his shaking hands betrayed his thoughts. Something in him told him that there was trouble.

"Hi, Maya," Richmond greeted with a quaking voice.

"Hi," Maya replied. "How his your studies going," she inquired.

"I'm doing great. What about mum," Richmond inquire quickly.

Immediately he said this, her voice became sobber. Richmond wasn't already expecting this and he swallowed a large lump, his blood ran cold.

His heart raced faster as a wide range of possibilities crossed his mind. He could not afford to lose the lady who took care of him when he had nothing. She could not die not when he wasn't rich enough to compensate her.

"W..ha.t i..s it," Richmond inquired with a stuttery voice.

"It's about your mum, she fell sick yesterday and she was admitted to the hospital. She was diagnosed with kidney failure and her case is very critical," Maya explained.

Richmond bit his lower lip as tears dropped steadily from his eyes. He could not afford to lose his mother.

He was a mystery doctor and he would do anything to find a cure for her ailment. All he needed was time.

"How critical is her case," Richmond inquired.

"The doctor says she needs a kidney transplant or she might not survive the next forty-eight hours. And for that, they need ten million dollars," Maya explained

Her words made Richmond's blood run cold. Where was he going to get such a large amount of money within forty-eight hours? He thought as tears ran down his finely cut face.

"Forty hours," his thoughts re-echoed.

Heartbroken, he fell to the bare ground. He could feel his heart pounding hard again. "Forty-eight hours," he rechoed again.

Fresh tears poured down from his eyes. Who would possibly give him such an amount of money?

He would have gone to his Rita but she was currently out of the country and he had lost her contacts when his phone was stolen...

"Why me," he sobbed.

And he certainly could not return to those people that disowned him. Now he was extremely confused.

"What do I do now," he sobbed.

Then, a name crossed his mind making his heart quake. "Mr. Steven," the name echoed in his ears.

He shivered at the sound of his name. How could he return to that cruel man to ask for money after everything that just happened? Tears poured from his eyes.

He certainly could not. But again, his mind journeyed over to his mother who might be dying in bed out of pain.

But this pride was too big to swallow just because he needed help. And he had sworn not to collect a single dim for the billionaire's treatment.

His heart was divided against itself. He was caught in the dilemma to choose either his mother or that cruel man.

"I would have to choose mum," he sighed.

He got up from the ground and began to limp slowly toward the mansion again. His heart was heavy with fear at every step he took.

His poverty had made him stoop so low to ask for help from his enemies.

A few minutes later, he was before the mansion. The guard and the dog still stood in his way to see Mr. Steven.

"Gulp," he swallowed a large drop as he continued to limp towards the mansion.

"Please I want to see Mr. Steven" Richmond pleaded.

"I am sorry but Mr. Steven is not that lowly to speak to a piglet of your caliber," the security officer returned.

At this, Richmond was already getting angry but his soberness overshadowed his anger.

He stayed and watch the gateman rained insults on him. But the life of his mother was what that mattered most to him.

Anyone could take his pride and rub it in the mud, it certainly didn't matter to him.

"Please I want to see Mr. Steven," Richmond pleaded further. This time, fresh tears poured from his ears. But the security officer showed him no sympathy.

The noise coming from the gate began too much and Mr. Steven came out to see what was happening himself.

"What is wrong," he inquired of the gateman.

"It's him again," the security officer replied, pointing at Richmond.

Immediately Mr. Steven saw him, his face vanished into disgust and irritation. He wondered what the fool was doing in his house again even after chasing him with his dogs.

"What do you want limping doggy," he shot a sneer at Richmond. "I warned you never to come anywhere near my daughter nor this mansion. It seemed that you are a hard nut but I will certainly crack you."

Immediately he said this, Richmond fell to the ground and knelt before him.

He felt a sharp pain in his legs making more tears escape from his eyes. But he had to do this and endure the pain. For the sake of his mother.

Tears fell from his eyes but Mr. Steven seemed not to be moved with sympathy at all.

"Please I need your help sir," Richmond sobbed.