The Billionaire's Trials

003: Sudden Revelation Of His Identity!

"Sir... What... Did... You... How...," Leo couldn't form a complete sentence. He just kept on stuttering till James explained,"I have been searching for you too."

James smiled sadly,"I never even knew you were right under my nose. You don't know how long I have been searching for you Leo. I searched for years. Why did you change your name? Why did you change the name your father gave you?"

Leo looked down, not having an answer to that. He didn't know what to say. James coughed and stood up. "We will talk about that later. How have you been Leo? This isn't what your father would have wanted for you. It's not even what I as your godfather would want for you," Leo didn't know why he felt like the man spoke with disappointment.

So he is James Greene... The same Greene! And he is also his godfather... Leo could feel his head spinning. His supposedly godfather is the wealthy James Greene everyone adores.

Leo couldn't describe how he felt at that moment. Excited? Stunned? Shocked? Nervous? All? But then, Leo thought about James' words. He said he has been searching for him for years.

"Why?," He questioned curiously, thankfully, his voice didn't waver this time. "Why have you been searching for me?"

James sighed and narrated the whole thing to him,"Leo... You might not remember me but I have known you since I was a child. Your father was like a son to me. We came to an agreement that I would be your godfather and you also have the right to..."

James paused to observe Leo's expression. He could only see curiosity on his face. So he continued his speech,"You also have the right to inherit my wealth... That is, if I never get to have a male child."

That did it. Leo froze once again. Wealth? The conglomerate and the wealth that comes with it? He remembered researching James a few months ago and discovering that the man doesn't have a son, only a daughter whose identity has been shielded from the media.

So does this mean..?

"Yes... It's exactly what you are thinking about," James confirmed his suspicions. "You have come of age to inherit that conglomerate and I am well aware of your potential. I watched you build platinum from scratch and make it successful even though it had ended so badly. But now... You have the chance to build another one like platinum... Just that this would be diamond not platinum."

Leo's hands shook. He couldn't deny the relief he felt at this word. The greatest thing after platinum is diamond. But this whole thing is still baffling. He had come to this banquet for just two reasons.

To find out the identity of the person that had invited him and to get acquainted with Mr Greene. He didn't expect that he would find out the identity of the person which turned out to be Mr Greene who is also his godfather and now wants him to inherit his wealth!

"What do you say, boy? I owe your father a lot for failing to take care of you like he had expected of me," James mumbled.

Leo doesn't know how he managed to say,"Can I think about it?"

If James was amused with his answer, well he didn't show it. He only smiled and told him,"Sure! Here's my contact card. It's exclusive for you only. Call me when you have decided. I don't have much time left."

Leo heard the last part cause his eyebrows raised in confusion. But before he even got a chance to ask any questions, James called a bodyguard to lead him out.

Before he knew it, he was already standing in front of a familiar block house. He watched the black car that had dropped him off slowly disappear leaving a trail of dust behind.

Just as he took a step forward, a bucket of stinky fish water was emptied on him from above. He cringed in disgust as some of the disgusting liquid seeped into his mouth and he couldn't even complain because he knew who had done that.

It's the mentally ill old woman that lives in the apartment above him. He still wonders who pays her rent and takes care of her. But why does she have to do this nearly every time he comes back... home?

Leo still finds it difficult to regard this slum as home even after spending the last few months of the year here. He shook off the tiny bones on him and walked in, completely drenched.

He undressed quickly and soon got changed into the only piece of comfortable pajamas he has. He walked to the bed but stopped, suddenly remembering something.

The old man... James had given him a contact card which he kept in one of his pants pockets. Shit! It's all soaked up already, isn't it?

He rushed to the bucket he had dumped the cloth in and fished out the contact card. Luckily, the card had been enclosed in a plastic card as if it was an old man... James knew this would happen.

Leo wiped the card and laid on the bed, holding the card. He didn't sleep a wink as he kept on thinking of events that happened earlier. Is it just a dream? He was even more scared that if he dared to close his eyes for a minute, everything would turn out to be a dream.

As the sharp edges of the contact card pricked his fingers making him convinced that it's real. He envisioned what people's reactions would be, especially those two traitors when the news spread out.

He turned sideways and wondered how Scott would react. How Many would react? How would it feel like for them to find out that they didn't really make him penniless?

How shocking would it be for them when they get to know that they had managed to ruin him and take platinum away from him but that didn't stop him from rising to create something else that's greater than platinum?

Leo caressed the card and whispered,"If this isn't a prank or a dream, I swear... I'll make them pay one after the other."