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THE URBAN PHOENIX: Arthur Salvatore's rise from the ashes. CHAPTER 23
"THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT?" Arthur asked. "What for?" "You are a suspected criminal," the manager said slyly. "They are the ones that handle things like that." "I am not a criminal, my money is locked," Arthur argued. "You have no proof that the money is yours," The manager said. "It could be the money of some poor bloke in another city, maybe Texas, that you have scammed and taken his money." "What are you talking about?" Arthur was lost. "Or," the manager brought his index finger to his temple. "It could be the money gotten from selling arms or drugs like cocaine." Arthur kept quiet and just stared at the man. "The treasury department doesn't take it easy with men like that." The manager said. "Who knows what they would do to you? Maybe ship you off to a remote island prison in Siberia or Russia." Arthur pinned the man with a steady stare. "So what do you want to do?""I am supposed to do my normal duty and call the government officials to take you away," the manager said. Hi
THE URBAN PHOENIX: Arthur Salvatore's rise from the ashes. CHAPTER 24
THE TAXI ROCKED gently on its springs as it came to a stop in front of Arthur's house. He took one glance at it and was immediately tempted to spend half of the money in his account on acquiring a new house in a better environment. Maybe Beverly Hills. That was where many millionaires lived. But he shook his head and got into his small sitting room. At least he had a roof over his head and a place to sleep at night. And electricity, and running water, so he decided that he was good for now.He took a quick shower and dressed up in an expensive t-shirt, chinos trousers, and one of his shiny sneakers. He looked like he was going to party instead of going for a business deal. He styled his hair gently and picked his sunshade before walking out. 30 minutes later, he was in Le Savoureaux restaurant. The nice waiter who had welcomed him that morning recognized and welcomed him again. "Bonsoir, monsieur," The waiter greeted in French. "Would you like to have your seat and order something?
THE URBAN PHOENIX: Arthur Salvatore's rise from the ashes. CHAPTER 25
HE TOOK OUT his phone from his pocket and searched for a shop of automobiles around the area. There was one, not too far away from where they were, so he read out the address to the taxi driver who nodded and headed in that direction. They pulled over to a large shop with neon signs overhead. The neon lights were not turned on because it wasn't night. There was a massive showroom in front of the shop, and in the showroom were exotic looking cars from the biggest brands from all over the world. He spotted the latest BMW, Mercedes Benz, and Ford. They were all sparkling and shining under the room light. They gleamed and looked very expensive. But suddenly, Arthur was pensive about going into the shop, he looked around, and just beside the car shop, there was a mechanic's shop. It was also large, but not as large as the car shop. There was a man crouched in front of the mechanic's shop. He wore a black bandana around his hair, but a ponytail hung out the back. He wore very black glas
THE URBAN PHOENIX: Arthur Salvatore's rise from the ashes. CHAPTER 26
THE MEN HAD their mouths hanging open for almost a minute. Arthur raised an eyebrow at them. Mr. Lambert had to intervene. "Uh, Mr. Arthur, these men are from ECCLOSIS money loaning company," Mr. Lambert said. "We owe them and they're here to pressure me." He added solemnly. "This is Mr. Frank and this is Mr. Dunk," he introduced the men.At the sound of their names, they regained their composure and sat up. The one called Frank cleared his throat in an attempt to get back his dignity. He reached into a briefcase and brought out a thick file. He dripped it heavily on the table. Then he stared at Arthur who had a smug smile on his face. "So the restaurant owes you," Arthur asked. It was more of a statement though. but the men nodded in agreement. "Give me a rundown of the debt," Arthur said. The one called Frank cleared his throat again and opened the file. "Mr. Lambert, owner of Le Savoureaux resta – uh, former owner of Le Savoureux restaurant – came to our company and took a loa
THE URBAN PHOENIX: Arthur Salvatore's rise from the ashes. CHAPTER 27
ARTHUR CRUISED THE city for almost an hour. He enjoyed the feeling of the breeze rushing past him and the low vibration from the bike's engine. Traffic was light but he screeched to a stop at a red light. "300,000 dollars," He muttered to himself as he or a leg down for stability as he waited for the light to change to green. "How do I spend that? It is not enough for a new apartment. I know most houses in Beverly Hills cost about 10 million dollars. Should I go shopping? Maybe get some formal clothes and shoes... like a designer suit." He thought to himself, but he knew he was going to need some of those types of clothes but he was not ready to buy them now. Another bike, a bit smaller than his pulled up beside him. They glanced at each other and gave a slight nod of acknowledgment. "Or maybe I should be wise and go buy some stocks from a big company," He muttered. "Oi!" The biker beside him called to get his attention. He turned and looked at the biker. He could not tell if it
THE URBAN PHOENIX: Arthur Salvatore's rise from the ashes. CHAPTER 28
ARTHUR SAT ON a stool, waiting for his boss, Ethan to arrive and assign him to a post. There were other colleagues in the locker room, they were all bigger and more muscular than Arthur. They were talking amongst themselves while changing into their blackshirt and boots. Arthur sat alone, minding his business. He had almost called in sick, because of his liver issues, but he admitted to himself that he was feeling better. A big shadow fell over him, "You're the new kid, right?" A deep bass voice spoke. The whole room fell silent and all the men turned to look at Arthur. Arthur looked up at a tough-looking man. He nodded and stood up defiantly. If this man wanted to cause trouble, he wanted to be ready. "Ethan giving you some issues?" The man asked. Arthur shrugged. "He's the boss. Bosses always give issues," Arthur muttered. The man guffawed and turned to the men around, "I like this one," He said, still laughing. "He's small but tough." Small? Arthur wanted to ask. He had bulk
THE URBAN PHOENIX: Arthur Salvatore's rise from the ashes. CHAPTER 29
"THE COLES ARE waiting inside, sir," Dante said to Logan. Logan gave a haughty nod. His eyes flicked past Arthur without any recognition or delay before he walked in with another bald man dogging his steps into the inner room with some of their guards. The soundproof door was closed and the men remained in the waiting room. The Cole's bodyguards stood at one corner, The Salvatore's bodyguards stood at another. Dante and Arthur stood in the middle of the room. "That is not the head of the Salvatore family," Dante whispered. "Hmm?" Arthur played ignorant. "Yeah, that is not the main man in the family," Dante repeated. "I do hope that Mr Cole Snr. does not feel insulted. Because then, there would be trouble." Arthur looked ahead and tried to remember about Logan. He knew that he and Logan were never on good terms before. He knew that like his father, Logan despised him very muchDid Logan truly not recognize him? Or was he just God at hiding his facial reaction?These thoughts bou
THE URBAN PHOENIX: Arthur Salvatore's rise from the ashes. CHAPTER 30
"OH SHIT!" DANTE muttered. He looked around the men who shuffled back nervously. "Who did this?" He yelled at the men. Arthur rushed to Ethan's side. His clothes were soaked in blood and he could tell that Ethan was quickly bleeding to death. "Someone fucking call 911!" Dante yelled at the men. Arthur knew that the ambulance would not get here in time, before they did, Ethan would be dead. "What do I do? What do I do?" He murmured to himselfThe system suddenly came to life. [New Gifts unlocked][Gifted surgical hands and knowledge unlocked][Gifted hands and surgical knowledge activated]Suddenly it all became crystal clear to Arthur. He knew what to do. He turned to one of the men, "Oi, you. Go to the bar and get a bottle of alcohol. The strongest one available." The man sneered. "You want to drink your way out of this misery?" Fire and anger flashed in Arthur's eyes and the man mellowed and hurried away. Arthur turned to another. "Go and get a flame blower from the other bar
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- THE URBAN PHOENIX: Arthur Salvatore's rise from the ashes.
CHAPTER 38
HIS NEXT STOP was a fashion store. He glanced at the clock on the car's dashboard, the time was 8.56 a.m.He chuckled. He still had time. He trapped his fingers on the steering wheel slightly as he cruised the street, looking for the best fashion store around. A glass and chrome budding caught his attention and he drove to the parking lot. His car was getting the attention of some nearby people, and they stared as they walked by. A girl quickly took a selfish in front of the car. She was going to post it on her Instagram and pretend that she knew who owned it. With a smile on his face, Arthur got out of the car, and the people around gasped. They could not believe that such a shabby-looking man could own such a wonderful car. Arthur pressed the key button to lock the doors and the car responded with the flash of lights. He walked into the store and was welcomed with pleasant cool air. He could immediately see his type of clothes – a regular shirt and baggy jeans – lined on a shel
- THE URBAN PHOENIX: Arthur Salvatore's rise from the ashes.
CHAPTER 37
ARTHUR WOKE UP to a call from his secretary, Helen. She basically ran his whole life schedule now from his gym sessions to meetings with dignitaries and governors of the state to even press conferences. He rolled over in his bed and groaned when he looked at the caller ID. He tried to recall if she had told him about any meeting for today, but he could not think of anything so he picked up the call."Yeah?" He answered gruffly. "Morning sir," Helen said brightly. Sometimes Arthur wondered how she did it. When he wanted nothing more than to collapse back on the bed and sleep as long as he wanted, her voice was always sharp. It was like she did not sleep. "Hello, Helen," Arthur muttered. He swung his leg over the side of his bed and stood up. He might as well fix himself a cup of coffee to wake up. "Yes, sir," Helen said. He could hear the sound of traffic in her background and realized that she was on the road already, this early. What time is it? He glanced at the digital clock.
- THE URBAN PHOENIX: Arthur Salvatore's rise from the ashes.
CHAPTER 36
"WE REALLY NEED to talk," Liam said again, starting to walk into the restaurant. "Uh, we can't talk in there," Arthur said, pointing at the restaurant.Liam stopped. "Aren't you the owner?" Arthur sighed and nodded. "You saw it on the news." "Yeah, we all did," Liam said. "Including your father." "Did he recognize me?" Arthur asked. "We need to talk," Liam repeated. "Well, we can't talk in there," Arthur said. He did not want anyone including his staff or his customers to see him with Liam. Some nosy person might go and start an investigation and connect the dots. "Let's go to my house." "Downtown?" Liam asked, entering his Porsche. "I know it. I'll race you there."Arthur chuckled and shook his head as he climbed his bike. "I've moved." "Moved? To where?" Liam asked. "And where the hell did you get that monster bike?" Arthur snapped on his helmet and kickstarted the bike. "I moved to Beverly Hills. Follow me." He screeched off the parking lot. Liam sat in his car for some s
- THE URBAN PHOENIX: Arthur Salvatore's rise from the ashes.
CHAPTER 35
"Mr. Cole Snr.?" Arthur asked. He was surprised and wondered to himself what Mr. Cole was doing here. He looked at Mr. Lambert and asked, "Didn't you tell him that you're the one in charge?""Someone like Mr. Cole…" Lambert said. "... when he asks for the owner of the restaurant, it's better for 'The owner of the restaurant' to meet him… not just the manager or one in charge."Arthur rolled his eyes. He hated this fear and reverence that they showered on the Cole family. He hated the entire Coles too. The oven made a Ding! sound. "Yep, that's for me," Arthur said. "But sir, Mr. Cole is waiting," Lambert said. "Phillipe would get really cross if these get burnt," Arthur said, stuffing his hand into the mitten, he turned and added, "If Mr. Cole cannot wait, he had better leave. I am running a business here." He opened the oven and took out the tray lined with golden brown-crusted delicacies. "I will, um, go and delay him for a while," Mr. Lambert said, shuffling away. Arthur took
- THE URBAN PHOENIX: Arthur Salvatore's rise from the ashes.
CHAPTER 34
"THE GRAND REOPENING of Le Savoureaux restaurant is a great success. The new owner, Mr. Arthur (surname not provided) graced the event with his million-dollar one-of-a-kind bike and his handsome looks. He did not have much to say to the press, but the manager and previous owner, Mr. Jean Lambert said that le Savoureaux will continue to serve the best French meals in the city, and that is without a doubt. Mr. Arthur has told the press that he will complete the renovation of the restaurant's kitchen and higher the staff's salary resulting in better customer service and better meals. There are talks to introduce English and even Italian meals to the restaurant, as rumor has it that Mr. Arthur is learning his chef skills from one of the best. The grand opening is one that will definitely be remembered by the city for a long while due to its success and the amount of money spent. And it's all thanks to the mysterious billionaire, Mr. Arthur. From left to right in the image below; The
- THE URBAN PHOENIX: Arthur Salvatore's rise from the ashes.
CHAPTER 33
THE OWNER OF GERMAINE real estate was called Mr. Germaine. Yes, he named the company after himself. He was a short pudgy man with a tiny voice. He came out to meet with Arthur in front of the company. "Mr. Salvatore," Mr. Germaine said, extending his hand for a handshake which Arthur accepted. "I am Germaine." Arthur nodded. "Your staff, Helen, said something about you wanting to sell the place," Mr. Germaine looked at the building and nodded. "Yes. I want to move on to another phase of life. Understand?" Arthur nodded. "How much is the place worth?" Germaine chuckled and stroked his mustache. "The company is worth a lot, I assure you." He looked at the building again. "We are not running at a loss or anything like that. The company's future is secured. I just want to move on."Arthur smiled. He knew that Germaine was lying. The company was almost on the verge of bankruptcy, He remembered that Helen had said something like that. "So how much do you want to sell it?" Arthur aske
- THE URBAN PHOENIX: Arthur Salvatore's rise from the ashes.
CHAPTER 32
THE LADY, HELEN, was stunned. Her mouth fell open. "What did you say, sir?" Arthur looked around the company. "Yeah, I'm sure you heard me well. I want to buy the place." He turned to the man, "Call your boss and tell him that there is an interested buyer. Do it now!" The man was called Fraser, he chuckled uneasily. "I don't want to disturb the boss for something that is –""Just do it, Fraser!" Helen snapped. Fraser shook his head. "You believe that this thing can buy a house in Beverly Hills and also the company?" He laughed. "You are even more stupid than I thought, Helen." He walked to a leather chair and sat down. "Don't worry about him, sir," Helen said. "He is just having a bad day." She tried to cover up for her colleague, but it was a lie. Fraser had always been like that, rude and impatient. She repeated, "I will call the boss myself, Fraser is just having a bad day."Well, his day is just about to get much worse, Arthur thought to himself. He simply smiled at Helen and
- THE URBAN PHOENIX: Arthur Salvatore's rise from the ashes.
CHAPTER 31
IT WAS THE ringing sound of the system that roused Arthur 5 hours later. [Ding! Ding! Ding!] "Huh?" Arthur lifted his chin from the floor. There was a drool of saliva running from the side of his mouth. He wiped it with the edge of his shirt as he stood up. [The host succeeded in doing an almost impossible feat, and the host must be rewarded] [Compatibility with system >>> 70%][Numerous good deeds completed][Liver health has been restored to maximum][Host general health upgraded >>> 80%][New skills unlocked][Rational thinking unlocked][Credit alert of 20,000,000 dollars credited into bank][Level upgraded >>> Class A economy man] [New Task ]The system reeled all those out in the space of 3 seconds. Arthur was still disoriented and his brain was still fuzzy and he was struggling to catch up. "What does all these mean?" He asked. The system replied to him, "It means that you have been healed. Your liver will not give you any more problems."Arthur did not believe it. He im
- THE URBAN PHOENIX: Arthur Salvatore's rise from the ashes.
CHAPTER 30
"OH SHIT!" DANTE muttered. He looked around the men who shuffled back nervously. "Who did this?" He yelled at the men. Arthur rushed to Ethan's side. His clothes were soaked in blood and he could tell that Ethan was quickly bleeding to death. "Someone fucking call 911!" Dante yelled at the men. Arthur knew that the ambulance would not get here in time, before they did, Ethan would be dead. "What do I do? What do I do?" He murmured to himselfThe system suddenly came to life. [New Gifts unlocked][Gifted surgical hands and knowledge unlocked][Gifted hands and surgical knowledge activated]Suddenly it all became crystal clear to Arthur. He knew what to do. He turned to one of the men, "Oi, you. Go to the bar and get a bottle of alcohol. The strongest one available." The man sneered. "You want to drink your way out of this misery?" Fire and anger flashed in Arthur's eyes and the man mellowed and hurried away. Arthur turned to another. "Go and get a flame blower from the other bar
