Andre was surprised to learn that Ralph hadn't been at the Villa that day. After confirming with other workers who testified they hadn't seen him since morning, Andre grew curious about Ralph's whereabouts. He called Diana. “Do you know where your husband is?” He deliberately omitted any derogatory remarks, so Diana would reply him well. Normally, he would have added ‘loser’. “Where else will he be? He’s at work, of course.” “He’s not there. I just left Rovers Villa, and the others confirmed that he hadn’t shown up at all.” “Call him then. And why are you even looking for him?” “I found a better job he could do.” Andre lied. “Wow! I didn’t know you were this nice. Let me see if I can get through to him.” “Call me back once you know where he is.” Just as Andre ended the call with Diana, Giant Gerald's call came in. “I am yet to have the location. After two days, your money expires.” His deep voice warned on the other end. Andre had been trying to track Ralph’s location ever si
Each member of the Summers family had their apartment in the Summers mansion, but some, like Andre, had houses outside the mansion. They only came around sometimes to spend time at the mansion or attend the weekend dinner, where Lady Margarita enjoyed the presence of her children, grandchildren, and their in-laws. It was the least they could do to keep her company since her husband was no more.That night was one of the few times Andre made a decision to sleep over in the mansion. He had a mission that only his presence would help fulfill. In fact, he did not stay in his room, so Diana would easily locate him. He positioned himself on the balcony that faced the main entrance, and he could see anyone going out or coming in. He was yet to see Lady Margarita ever since their misunderstanding in the morning. The old lady had been napping ever since she returned from her apology meeting with the anonymous CEO. He wondered what the man could have told her that could be making her sleep that
Ralph was at the Villa when Diana’s call came in, reminding him of his meeting with Andre’s friend. He had decided to be at the Villa that day to reduce suspicions about his whereabouts.The head of the Villa staff, Emerald Butler, approached him where he sat, seemingly doing nothing. Emerald was a friendly person, a friend to every worker, and she didn’t assert authority over the others. That did not save her from having enemies among them, though. “Is everything okay with you? You were not here yesterday, and you are still doing nothing today. Are you tired of your job?”“Yes. I am.”That was not the response Emerald expected, so she was taken aback.“Really? Have you found another job?”“I’m working on one soon. I will be going for the interview shortly.”“Then, resign and stop being lazy. That Mr. Rovers is no more here doesn’t mean we should not take care of the Villa.”“That’s correct. The Villa has to be kept clean.”“But of what use is it? Some are just sitting around with no
Diana found Lady Margarita at the poolside, as usual. Lady Margarita loved staying near the pool, and whenever she was there, no one dared go in. She noticed Bridget sitting with her and considered turning back, but it was too late as they had already seen her.“Look who we have here. The latest celebrity in town! Mr. R.R.’s crush,” Bridget teased.“The man could not even see me as Diana already hypnotized him.”Left with no choice, Diana turned back and faced them, still a few feet away.“Hi, granny. Hi, aunty.”“Why did you turn back? Weren’t you here to see us? Mother here was just telling me about the outcome of your visit to Rovers’ headquarters. Let me be the first to congratulate you for gaining the attention of the man everyone wishes to know and meet.”Diana didn’t know how to respond. She wasn’t even sure of what the man had for her, yet she was being congratulated. She knew it was not heartfelt, though. Bridget had never liked anyone doing better than her son.“Come on. Com
Andre was sleeping over at the mansion again, two days in a row. He needed to find out what the result of his plan was. He stood on the balcony, observing as Ralph rode in on his bicycle. It was the same balcony he had been on the previous day, anxiously waiting for Ralph's return. Lately, Ralph had been coming home late, and Andre couldn't help but wonder about the outcome of the meeting with Giant Gerald. He noticed Diana approaching Ralph, and what surprised Andre was that Ralph didn't show any signs of distress or discomfort. Earlier on, Andre had questioned Diana about the meeting multiple times. “He didn’t tell me. He said he would let me know later in the day,” Diana replied. Unsatisfied with her response, Andre decided to get an update from Giant Gerald. However, Gerald cryptically responded, “you will see the result when you see him.” This left Andre more puzzled and concerned about the success of the plan. Not able to contain his curiosity, Andre descended the stairs to c
The next day, Ralph met with Attorney Smith to discuss Emerald’s suggestion of giving the Villa workers a break. He valued Attorney Smith’s opinion on the matter.“It’s not a bad idea. It means they get paid without working.”“Not entirely. They will still come occasionally, especially those responsible for keeping the Villa clean. The place has to be maintained, even if I’m not using it right away. It’s a good excuse for me to avoid going there. My wife will question me less if she knows all the workers are on break.”“I understand. It’s a reasonable plan. It also gives the workers some well-deserved rest. They haven’t had a break for a long time. Let’s call it leave and a leave bonus.”“Exactly. I’m glad you see it from my perspective. I’ll call Emerald to organize a virtual meeting with all the workers and share the information.”“Let me know if there’s anything I can assist you with, Mr. Ross.” Attorney Smith noticed the bruise on Ralph’s hand. “Pardon me, may I ask what happened
Saturday had arrived, and the Summers’ mansion was bustling with preparations for Grandpa Andre Summers' memorial. The adjacent Summers hall stood ready to receive guests from various high-class families in Rovers’ County and beyond. It promised to be an evening filled with gatherings of the rich and a long-lasting party. Meanwhile, Ralph was at home, getting ready for the occasion when Diana entered, looking troubled. “Is that what you’re wearing? Wear something better. Don’t make me a laughing stock again tonight,” she remarked, her tone heavy with concern. Ralph sensed her nervousness and inquired, “Is everything okay?” “I’m fine,” Diana snapped as she settled heavily on the bed. Ralph suspected it might be about the gift but had chosen to not mention his plan to her, wanting it to be a surprise for her. “It’s about the gift, right?” “Is it not worth thinking about? Imagine all the kinds of people that will be here this evening. This is not just a family gathering where our e
The big fancy Summers Hall was filled with rich folks from Rovers County. Ralph and Diana walked in, Ralph wearing a fancy suit Diana picked out. It was his well-groomed wedding suit, a deviation from his usual top and jeans outfits. It had been difficult getting Diana to finally agree to show up. “Let’s just go. Not going will make it worse, Diana.” Ralph had advised, trying to get her to go by all means. There they were, in the midst of the crème de la crème of Rovers County. Lady Margarita had sent an invite to Mr. R.R., but Ralph had told Richard Anderson to represent him. So, he scanned the room to see if Richard was around, but he could not see anyone that looked like him. It was the meet and greet session, Ralph saw Lady Margarita talking with the Youngs, and Stuart, their son, was hanging around, though he was obviously scanning the hall to find someone. His eyes met Ralph’s and shifted to Diana. “Excuse me, Lady Summers. I can see Diana over there. I will go talk to her.”