The Billionaire's Revenge

Chapter 5

"Hahaha", laughter rang out on the dining table.

"So, Shane, your family is um... into real estate, you said", Edward Wayne, Lisa's father asked Shane.

"Yes, we have one of the biggest real estate firm's in the country. Our clientele isn't large but it's only because we only strictly take specific kinds of clients", Shane told him.

"Hm, yes, knowing your target audience and sticking with it is really good", Edward nodded his head in agreement.

"Indeed, it really helps to build up your name and reputation", Shane answered.

"Dad, let me tell you, Shane's family is really big in real estate", Lily chirped in.

"Haha, not that big", Shane said with a shy smile.

"Oh come on babe. Like recently, Shane got a contract to help the President's son-in-law in finding a good property to invest in", Lily announced and Richard saw Camilla's eyes go wide.

"Really?", Camilla asked with a most amazed expression.

"Haha, yes", Shane laughed shyly in response.

"The President asked us himself so how could we refuse", Shane added.

"Hm, that's impressive", Camilla complimented.

Richard looked at Camilla and Edward, he could tell that they were very impressed with Shane. Camilla had a doting look on her face and although Edward tried not to show it, Richard could see the sparks in his eyes.

"Very impressive indeed", Lawrence, Linda's brother, agreed.

"If you end up marrying my sister at least we will have one useful son-in-law in the family", he added, snickering at Richard.

There was a sudden silence at the table.

"Haha", Shane laughed awkwardly.

Richard noticed the expression on Camilla and Edward's face changed in that minute as Camilla gave him a scathing look.

"Richard, go bring out the soup", Camilla said after a few minutes.

"Alright, mother", Richard agreed and stood up from the table.

He walked to the kitchen and found the soup on the table. He leaned on the table and took in a deep breath. From the kitchen he could hear the laughter from the dining table. He understood what Lawrence had meant by what he said and he couldn't even be angry, he was right, he was useless, as a husband and as a son. Just then, Richard's phone beeped. He brought out to see that it was a message bearing, 'St. Luke's Memorial Hospital'.

The message read,

'Good evening, Mr. Gray, please be reminded of your mother's pending hospital bills. Endeavour to pay soon'

Richard drew in a sharp breath. He suddenly remembered Linda's words,

'Your mother's life is in my hands'

He remembered the humiliation and ridiculing he had suffered. It wouldn't matter if his mother's hospital bills were paid, it didn't matter. He just needed his mother to be ok. Richard left the soup on the kitchen table and walked back to the dining room. The Wayne family was conversing and laughing when he walked in. He stood in the middle of the dining room for a few minutes before they noticed he was there.

"Richard, what are you doing?", Gloria asked him contemptuously.

"Where is the soup?", she asked.

Richard clenched his hands and dropped down on his knees in the middle of the dining room. The Wayne family all looked at him with surprise.

"What are you doing?!", Camilla asked him fiercely.

"Mother, please, I beg you, please help my mother", Richard begged, kneeling.

"What is the meaning of this? What are you doing in front of our guest?! Richard got up right this instant!", Edward shouted angrily that Richard couldn't help but flinch but he remained on his knees.

"Father, I know. I shouldn't do this. But I have no other choice, this is the only thing I can think of to help my mother. So please help", Richard begged and bowed his head.

"This son of a.....", Edward raged and began to walk angrily towards Richard but Camilla caught him just in time.

"Honey, honey, calm down. Don't do anything rash. Remember our guest is still here, control yourself", Camilla whispered to him.

Edward casted a glance at Shane who was watching everything with a confused expression. Edward drew in a sharp breath before looking at Linda squarely.

"Linda take your husband away right this minute", he told her with so much anger that Linda flinched.

"Yes, father", Linda answered and walked towards Richard.

She pulled him up on his feet and dragged him out of the dining room.

Richard let himself be dragged out of the dining room. Tears were trickling down his cheeks. Linda furiously dragged him to their bedroom. As soon as they walked into their bedroom, she closed the door behind her and slapped Richard hard. It all happened too fast for Richard to understand, all he felt was the sharp sting on his cheeks from where Linda had slapped him.

"What the hell was that?!", Linda asked him furiously.

"Isn't it enough that you are useless? Isn't it enough that you can't contribute anything to the family? Did you have to make me lose face more in front of Lily's boyfriend? Huh?!", Linda asked him angrily.

"You just disgraced me and my entire family and because of what? Because of your wretched mother?!", she shouted at him.

Richard bit his lips hard.

"Linda, Linda please, please pay the hospital bills. Or if you can't, please, at least just pay for the surgery please....", Richard began to beg her.

"The doctor says she has to have the surgery soon or she won't make it", he begged her.

"Oh.... Really? And that's why you pulled that stunt just now?", Linda snickered at him.

"I have told you before, your mother's life is in my hands and I will do with it as I see fit", Linda told him.

Linda walked out of the room and closed the door behind her.

As Linda was making her way away from the bedroom she bumped into Mr. James.

"Mr. James, sorry I didn't see you there", she apologized.

"It's alright miss", Mr. James replied in his usual calm manner.

He glanced at the bedroom and looked at her.

"Have you sorted it out?", he asked Linda.

"Huh?", Linda blinked before she realized what he was talking about.

"Oh yes, I have", Linda answered and smiled at him.

Mr. James has been around for as long as she can remember and was very close to her grandfather. In some ways, he felt like a grandfather to her too. While her grandfather was strict and stern, Mr. James was the opposite.

"Don't worry about it", Linda added and made to walk away when James stopped her.

"Miss...", Mr. James began.

"It might be better if you just pay for the hospital bills and the operation", Mr. James told her calmly.

Linda squinted her eyes curiously.

"I don't understand," Linda told him.

"It was stated in your grandfather's will as a prerequisite for getting your inheritance that you take care of Mr. Gray's mother, isn't it better you keep to it?", Mr. James explained to her slowly and calmly.

"It doesn't really matter, does it? Richard can fight me, he doesn't have the resources to", Linda told him.

"Miss Linda," Mr. James continued.

"I strongly advise that you fulfill this prerequisite. Before he died your grandfather entrusted me to make sure all his prerequisites were followed and I would hate to have to take it up on you not doing yours", he told her slowly in his usual calm manner but the air suddenly felt tense.

Linda found herself nodding her head.

"Al.... Alright, I will", she agreed.

"Good", Mr. James smiled and began to walk away before suddenly stopping and turning around to her.

"And please make sure to tell Mr. Gray that you have decided to pay his mother's hospital bills after all", he said and walked off before Linda could reply.

Linda watched as James walked away.

'What was that?', she asked herself confused. He was certainly speaking to her in his normal way but she suddenly got goosebumps. While she liked Mr. James, there were sometimes when he was just so mysterious. And this was one of those times, why did he suddenly care about Richard's mother?