The Heir's Redemption; Leonid Triumphs Over wealth

CHAPTER 4

6:10pm

Leonid held the hose and pointed it at the car he was washing. His partner was not around, so there was no one to talk to. He had been washing the car for five minutes now and was getting tired. He had been working all day without a break, he was glad this was his last shift. He couldn't wait to head home and meet his wife Amelia.

"Leo, a car is driving it. It looks expensive, take care of it. I will send someone to continue that one." His boss yelled.

Leonid nodded, "Yes sir."

His boss was sitting on a chair in the middle of the car wash and was monitoring their every move. Leonid found it weird but what was he going to do? The Mercedes Benz drove in and parked beside the other car Leonid had been washing. He walked over to the car and waited for the driver to get down.

Leonid stood aside as the door came open, a well polished shoe came into view. Leonid knew the person in the car was going to be a hell of a rich guy. He silently said his prayers hoping to not be embarrassed  by another person. Besides, his day had not been very good. 

The person came out of their car and Leonid frowned as soon as he saw the person's face. The man glanced at Leonid and smiled widely, he was putting on a glass and had a toothpick in his mouth. He took it out and grinned, Leonid had hated seeing the face of the man in front of him.

"Oh, what do we have here? I don't know if you work here in Leopoor."

"Stop calling me that! My name is Leonid, if you can't pronounce it. I can help you, Ethan."

The man none other than Ethan chuckled at Leonid. Ethan Storm was Leonid's wife's ex-boyfriend who had always wanted Amelia back and all to himself. He had always threatened Leonid that no matter if Amelia was married to him. He was going to get her back.

Ethan took a step closer to Leonid, taking off his glasses in the process. He chewed on the tooth pick and spit it out. He folded the glass in his hands and tugged it into his pocket.

"Well, well Leopoor, do you work here?" Ethan questioned.

Ethan walked around Leonid, looking at his appearance from head to toe. He knew Leonid hated it when he did that, Ethan chuckled as he watched the expression on Leonid's face. Leonid had a calm expression on his face.

"Leopoor is trying to control his anger." Ethan mocked.

"Stop calling me that or I would make sure I also make a name for you."

Ethan snickered, "You are the only one who has the guts to speak to me that way even though you are a poor rat. I wondered what Amelia saw in you, you are so useless."

Leonid smiled at him. "She saw in me what she never saw in you."

"You!" Ethan yelled, his brows furiously in anger. "How dare you speak to me like that?" 

Ethan grabbed Leonid by the collar and slammed him against his car. Leonid showed no reaction, he stared at Ethan blankly. 

"I only answered your question, you asked me what Amelia saw in me. So I told you what you wanted to hear." Leonid said, his lips curling into a smirk.

Ethan pulled Leonid and slammed him on the car. "I already told you to talk to me with respect, we are not the same. I have class, I am far richer than any of your wretched families combined. You don't stand a chance against me in anything."

Leonid raised his hand and grabbed Ethan's hand. He pulled Ethan's hand away from his collar. 

"I don't have a chance against you in anything but at least I have a chance against you in women. You claim to be powerful, wealthy and strong but still yet Amelia chose me over you and you claim to be better than me."  Leonid said he couldn't keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

Ethan felt like he wanted to explore, how dare Leonid speak to him that way? Who was he? He was nothing but a mere poor rat.

"I never disrespected you, I was polite. I never spoke to you badly, I used the same tone you used to speak to me." Leonid added.

Ethan raised his hand to punch Leonid but stopped. He smiled instead and let go of Leonid. "Don't be too happy, I have other plans for you."

Leonid smiled, "Sure you always have an evil plan…"

"Leo, what is going on there? Do you two know each other?" His boss yelled. 

Leonid glanced at the direction of his boss, he smiled. "There's nothing wrong sir, we know each other. He is my wife's ex."

His boss raised a brow. "Ex? You talk to your wife ex? Such nerves you have. I am sure he wants her back to be friends with you."

Ethan chuckled in disgust. "Yes, is it hard to admit? I want her back and I am going to get her back! Leopoor does not deserve her, he never deserves her. She deserves me, we were in love until this slumbag decided to show up." He dipped his hand into his pocket and took out five bundles of money. "Leonid can never give her a good life, he doesn't have any money to take care of himself. He owes a lot of debt and can do anything to pay off his debt. Do you know your special Leonid is a thief?" 

"My name is Leonid not Leopoor and I am not a thief. It's true that I owe a debt but I can never steal." Leonid corrected.

"Really?" Ethan asked. He then turned to Leonid boss. "You believe what he is saying? Why do you think he works here? He is planning to steal from you."

Leonid boss opened his mouth to speak but Ethan cut him off. "You don't need to say anything, everyone knows Leonid owes a huge amount of debt and no one knows what the money was used for."

"My personal life is none of your business." Leonid yelled.

"Oh, even though it's not my business. You are still a thief and I know about it." 

"Do you have any proof that I am a thief?" Leonid challenged.

Ethan smirked, "Of course I have proof."

"If you could get a proof, then I would believe what you say. Since Leonid had been working here, I have not found anything missing and…"

"Wait for my proof first." Ethan said, before sniffing the money in his hand. "The proof is going to be sweet and beat up Leonid's ego."

Leonid boss nodded in approval. "Show your proof before making false accusations."

Ethan smiled widely while staring at Leonid, Leonid knew by that smile that things weren't going to be good. He had known Ethan since the day he had met Amelia. She had cursed Ethan non stop and he had come to realize why Amelia broke up with Ethan. Ethan wasn't what you might call a perfect boyfriend, even though he had a girlfriend. He still took other girls and carried slut all around.

He had not been good to Amelia when they were dating and now he was trying to get back the treasure he had lost. Leonid was not going to let him ruin his marriage and take the only person who has loved him unconditionally. If only he was sure if Amelia did, there were days where she pampered him and became talkative in front of him. There were also days she ignored him for some reason he does not understand. Maybe she just had a mood swing, he always thought. One day, he hoped, he would finally get to know her true feelings. 

"What's Leopoor thinking about?" Ethan asked, snapping his fingers twice in front of Leonid.

Leonid pushed away his hands, "We were talking about you proving that I am a thief."

"Of course you are a thief."

"I know you are trying to embarrass me because…"

"No, not that. You think you are not a thief? Do you also think you can make me be a liar in front of everyone?"

When Ethan mentioned anyone, Leonid glanced around the place. People at the cash wash were staring at them, waiting to know what was going to happen. Leonid suddenly realized that Ethan was up to something, this was a set up to let him lose his job. The smile Ethan had given him dropped a hint that his plan was as bad as he was.

"Mr. If Leonid is not found innocent, what should we do to you?" Leonid's boss spoke up.

Ethan stared at him. "You can throw me out and ban me from your car wash and I would apologize to Leonid by giving him a sum of $2000. That cash  will help him with something and if Leonid is found guilty." He paused and the same devilish smile appeared in his face again. "I demand you fire him."

Leonid clenched his fist, he knew this was going to happen. Ethan was here to make him lose his job, he wondered why his heart was racing even though he had not stolen anything. Ethan could be cunning and would do anything to get him fired.

Leonid's boss turned to leonid. "Do you agree Leo?"

Leonid met his gaze. "I am innocent, I agree but I am not interested in his money."

"Deal!" Ethan yelled, he turned around facing the people watching them. "You all are here as I am going to show you this guy named Leonid is a thief."

"I'm not a thief." Leonid corrected.

Ethan ignored him, "As you all can see, Leonid was the one who should wash my car but he clearly stole my golden wrist watch instead of doing his job."

Golden wristwatch? What was Ethan talking about? Leonid frowned, Ethan was trying to frame him for what he never did. All eyes turned to Leonid, each glance filled with curiosity. Leonid glanced at Ethan who was grinning to himself.

"You were not wearing a golden wristwatch when you came and I did not steal anything from you!" Leonid yelled.

"That's what all thieves say." Ethan quoted.