2024-09-14 14:27:24Matthew was surprised to see them standing behind him, he looked at Darrell, anger bubbling within his chest, and then at Ashley. He never thought the day would come when he would look her in the eyes and feel nothing but disgust.
The look on Darrell’s face mirrored that of Ashley's, they were both wondering what a common car washer like Matthew would be doing in a fine establishment like this. Darrell quickly concluded that perhaps he was here to apply for a new job as a cleaner or maybe even a carwasher and so he stuck his hand in his pocket and scoffed, shaking his head lightly.
Matthew stepped forward. “What are you two doing here?” he asked.
Darrell scrunched his face in disgust as he glared at Matthew, looking him head to toe like he was a church rat. “I should be the one asking you, last I checked, they don’t hire low lives like you around here.”
Ashley held on to Darrell tighter with a sense of pride and she adjusted. “If you must know, my boyfriend is so influential, he’s here to see the CEO of the Houston family company to seek a business partnership,” she boasted with shoulders raised high.
His eyes caught how Darrell and Ashley locked hands and he felt infuriated. How could she just throw all this away like it meant nothing? She even had the guts to rub it in his face. After all these years of dating her, he was just beginning to realize just how despicable she was as a person.
To some extent, he berated himself for failing to see the signs.
He took a deep breath and turned around, making his way into the office building without paying them any further attention. Darrell and Ashley who were still standing outside were shocked, how could he have the effrontery to waltz into the Houston office.
“Would you look at that fool, does he think just anyone can come here to beg for money?” Darrell sneered, shaking his head.
“He must think wearing a suit could automatically make people take him seriously, how simple minded of him,” Ashley said, also shaking her head. A wicked smile formed Om Darrell's face and he couldn’t wait to witness the shame that Matt would go through when security got a hold of him.
“It’s almost a shame I won’t be here when they bundle him out and throw him in the streets like the nobody that he is.”
Ashley felt second hand embarrassment for Matthew so she decided to step forward and go talk to him.
She moved faster so she could catch up with him and she grabbed his shoulder, tugging him so he could stop and turn around. His face twisted in anger because of the sudden interruption.
“Matthew, you should leave.”
He was stunned. “What?” he managed to let out after a few seconds.
“Are you deaf? I said you should leave, what in the world do you think you’re doing here?”
His nostrils flared as he exhaled. “If you must know, I came here to work, so can you stop bothering me?” he spat.
“Work?” Darrell, who had just stepped inside and had overheard their conversation, remarked. He took a few steps forward, arms folded against his chest. “What kind of work would a pauper like you do in this fine establishment?”
Matthew wanted to open his mouth and speak but he shut it when he realized that there was no need for him to try and prove himself to a man like Darrell, it wasn’t worth it. So he turned around and was about to walk away, deciding that silence was the best answer.
“You’re nothing but a car washer who isn’t even qualified to clean the toilet of the Houston family, so get lost and don’t cause a scene here.” Darrell smiled wickedly.
They were expecting Matthew to be downcast but much to their surprise, he was beaming from ear to ear, smiling triumphantly. Matthew remembered his grandmother’s words, that he was the heir to the family empire, meaning that he would become a figure of importance in the company soon.
He turned around confidently, “You said you came here because you want a business partnership?” he began.
Ashley and her boyfriend shared a confused look, unsure as to where he was going with this.
Matthew smiled, “Well, be rest assured that you won’t get the deal. The CEO of such a prestigious company surely can’t work with useless trash like you.”
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The Inheritor Of The Houston Empire 11 • Do As He Says!
Ashley was the first to react, she gasped, covering her mouth with her hands as her eyes grew wide, the last thing she expected was for Matthew to talk to Darrell like that. Darrell tightened his teeth, visibly angered, his face was turning red.He balled his fists by his sides, ready to walk over to Matthew and beat him to a pulp but as he proceeded to move forward, Ashley grabbed him by the arm, holding him back. If he caused a scene here, it might just give him a bad name in front of his potential business partners.What would they think of him if he was fighting outside with a pauper? Surely that would be bad for his reputation. Plus, he had heard tales of the powerful no-nonsense matriarch, if he did anything to cross her, he would be done for,He cleared his throat. “Matthew or whatever your name is, I will surely deal with you later.”“I’d like to see you try,” Matthew spat and then turned around, walking away from them. Ashley stood there in shock, wondering what had gotten in
The Inheritor Of The Houston Empire 12 • Chased Away
“He wants to see me?” Elena asked.The secretary nodded.“Well I’m busy now, tell him to wait for me a bit.”The secretary nodded politely and backed away from the door, shutting it gently behind her.That name rang a bell in Matthew’s head and he raised his head, a crease forming between his brows. “Ferguson…” he said the words out loud, testing the name on his lips.Elena nodded. “Yes, we’ve had dealings with them in the past, and I’m sure he’s here to discuss business,” she said, mindlessly sorting through the documents before her.“Discuss business? What kind of business?” he pressed on.Sensing the seriousness in his tone, Elena paused and straightened her back. “Well, we have been running business deals with the Ferguson’s for a while. Truth is, they offer us little to nothing, they’re more or less dependent on us, the only thing we gain is the publicity that comes from our projects together, big names get people talking you know.”“So you’re saying we don’t need to do business
The Inheritor Of The Houston Empire 13 • The Club
Ashley got on her feet, swatting the dust off her skirt. In all her years of dating Matthew, she had never been embarrassed to this point. They were practically picked up and thrown on the streets like garbage.There was a low buzzing sound, and it was Darrell's phone ringing. He reached into his pocket and slipped it out, his heart skipping a beat when he saw the caller ID. It was his father.“Hello, dad? You're just the person I wanted to call, something crazy just happened right now.”“Yes I know, my secretary just told me that the Houston's don't want to ever work with us again and have canceled all affiliations.”Darrell nodded even though he was on a call and his father couldn't physically see him. “I don't know what happened-”He was interjected by his father who sounded visibly pissed. “If you don't do something to fix it, You're going to regret the day you were born! Do you know how important the Houstons are to our company?!”The call ended before he could even say anything
The Inheritor Of The Houston Empire 14 • Here For A Drink
The line went silent as Matthew contemplated Anderson's invitation, maybe this would be a good avenue for him to tell his best friend all that was going on in his life.“Sure, I'll meet you there, just send me the time.”With that to call ended. Shortly after he received a text about the time for the meeting.With nothing else to do, Matthew continued his tour of the company building and then familiarized himself with some of the staff around.Since he had the map there was no way that he could get lost in the enormous structure.****Since all of Matthew's clothes were old and tattered, he stepped into a clothing store and used his black card to purchase some new t-shirts and trousers as well as shoes. He had multiple shopping bags with him by the time he returned home.His grandmother was the first person to see him, and her lips twisted into a bright smile when she saw him with the clothes that he bought.“I am glad you went shopping, you're officially a Houston now and it is impor
The Inheritor Of The Houston Empire 15 • Big Shot
Vito felt insulted and her face turned red, she unfolded her arms and scoffed. “You’re such a low life, why would the Houston family ever employ someone like you? You dream too much Matthew, it’s no wonder Ashley left you, and I’m glad she did because she ended up with a much better man.”The girls standing behind Vito chuckled at her statement but Lola, one of Vito’s friends, wore a slight frown on her face. With a deep breath, she stepped forward. “Vito, let’s go, it’s enough.”Her face twisted in confusion as she stepped back. “Don’t tell me you feel sorry for this loser?” her tone was harsh and judgemental. Vito had never really thought much of Matthew even when he was still with Ashley.For the most parts, she only tolerated him.“Vito, it’s not nice to bully people like this, we came here for a drink, not to pick on someone, please let’s just go already, Matthew has been through so much these past few days,” Lola remarked with a hint of sympathy in her voice. Even from her expre
The Inheritor Of The Houston Empire 16• Lola
Vito was the first to burst out laughing before the rest joined. They laughed so hard that it hurt their stomachs, especially Vito and Sophie who almost lost their balance and had to lean on the bar stools.They knew Matthew the car washer, there was no way he could be the owner, even if he sold everything he owned, it still wouldn’t be enough to buy just one tire. Lola felt embarrassed for Matthew, but she also felt sorry. She knew he was a good person and he didn’t deserve what they were doing to him.“He’s not just delusional, it seems he’s crazy too,” Vito said.Matthew, who was now standing calmly, dug his hands into his pockets and pulled out a car key. The moment Sophie caught a glimpse of what was in his hands, her eyes grew wide. “You’ve gotta be kidding me!” she exclaimed, with her mouth slightly open and her eyes popping out of her sockets.Some of the people who were looking covered their mouths with their hands. If he could afford such a car, it meant that he was a big sh
The Inheritor Of The Houston Empire 17• La Bourge
Anderson didn’t know what to say in response, everyone in the city knew how reputable and successful the Houston family company was. “How on earth did you manage to land a job there so quickly?” he pressed on, eager for details.“I’ll tell you all about it later because it’s actually a long story, but right now I need to go home and get some rest,” he replied, deflecting the topic. The wing-like doors of the car opened slowly and Matthew turned to face Lola. “Since I invited you as my plus one to the banquet, I think it’s only fair that I get you a gift, a diamond necklace would be perfect, I think it suits your skin tone.”Lola’s eyes widened as she forced a polite smile, “Oh my-” she felt speechless. She never really thought that Matthew was being serious inside about his intentions to invite her to the banquet, she had thought that he only said that to get back at Vito for all the horrible things she’d said to him. “- I don’t even know what to say, I thought you were just kidding b
The Inheritor Of The Houston Empire 18• Cash Master
Matthew was confused by the statement and a small frown formed on his face. “What do you mean?” he questioned, trying to understand the clerk.“It’s store policy sir, this is the most expensive piece we have in this store and I would have to ask my manager first for permission before I can bring it out, but in the meantime I can show you other neck pieces I’m allowed to bring out.”He shook his head. “There’s no need, that’s the one that caught my attention, just go ahead and ask your manager for permission to bring it out.”The clerk nodded diligently. “Right away sir, I’ll be back with you shortly,” he muttered and then moved behind the counter, opening the door to an inner room. Matthew folded his arms against his chest and stood there, looking at the other collections of items in the store. He noticed that his grandmother wore bracelets a lot, maybe he would come here one of these days to buy a bracelet for her.“Madam, there is a man outside, he wants to buy the ice necklace,” th
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175 • What the Houstons Want
Ashley's heart dropped when she noticed the determination in Richard's eyes, by all means he was willing to keep her there.“Please you have to let me go, I need to go home.”He patted the spot beside him on the bed as he smiled widely. “C’mon don't be stubborn, come and sit here with me,” he said. From inside the car Charles knew that they still had to find a way to manage the situation while they waited for the police. “Ask him how long he wants you to stay,” Charles said. Ashley swallowed the lump forming in her throat. “H– how long do you want me to stay here with you?”The way she looked into her eyes made a shiver run down her spine. “Honey, what is giving you this illusion that you're going to leave?” She slowly backed away from him as her mind started to race with multiple options. If she attacked him now maybe she would still be able to run for it. But then the guards outside would probably see her, they certainly wouldn't let her leave this place alive if they were to f
174 • No for an Answer
Ashley had kept the camera at a high vantage point in the room, and when she started to undress Matthew and Charles had to look away. To some extent Matthew felt sorry for her, the fact that she had to do things like this just to make money and keep face was sad. But then it was her choice to make, Ashley had always been overly ambitious but not even half as hardworking. She wanted things to be handed to her easily and wouldn't mind doing anything just to get quick money. As usual Richard had used her to relieve his sexual frustrations, and they went on for several minutes. Finally Richard was knocked out after he had climax and he was lying down on the bed with Ashley against his chest.She didn't move an inch and she simply waited for him to sleep off. “Ashley what's up? Is Richard still awake?” Charles asked as he tapped his earpiece so his sound could get transmitted. The tiny sound receiver in her ear screeched to life. “Yes.” She quietly inched away from him, careful not t
173 • In Due Time
Xander's hands gripped the steering tightly as he drove home, eyes fixed on the road ahead. He still didn't know what to make of the conversation that he had just had with Lola. His phone started to ring, disrupting the silence in the car. He raised an eyebrow and looked towards the passenger seat to see who it was, but it was an unknown caller. He wondered who could be trying to contact him so he slowly reached out with his other hand, while he kept one hand on the wheel. He swiped up to accept the call. “Hello, who is this?” He asked, raising one eyebrow. An awkward silence stretched out and it seemed like the person on the other side didn't want to say anything, however he could hear their breathing. “Hello,” he asked again. “Xander,” the masculine voice sounded. His eyes grew wide as his pulse quickened. He knew far too well whose voice it was. “Dad.” He brought his car to a slow stop by the sidewalk. “Where are you?” he asked, the urgency evident in his voice.“Son, I can
172 • Back Against the Wall
Xander was by the balcony when he heard footsteps approaching. He turned to see that it was his mother Martha. “How are you doing son?” She asked in a soft tone.His body tensed up and he couldn't bear to look her in the eyes. “How do you think I'm doing? After finding out everything that I just did, I'm not okay.”“I know that growing up your father never really allowed us to bond, but I hope you know that I love you, I always have.”At that moment it was like a heart broke into a million pieces. He stepped forward and enveloped her in a hug.”They had never shared this kind of vulnerability before. The moment was perfect and they remained like that for a long time.“All those years of enduring torture with him, you should have just left.”“Yes I should have, and you know, I considered it at some point, but the only thing that kept me was you. I knew that if I ever left you Raymond would make sure that I never saw you again.”Now he was beginning to understand his mother more; she e
171 • Money for the Birkin
Back in the hotel room Edward and Vito had just finished making love to each other and they were resting on the bed. Obviously none of them had seen Vanessa in the lobby. “You are so beautiful Vito,” Edward said to her, stroking her lips. She blushed a little at the compliment. “Thank you,” she said in response. “You should check your phone. I have sent you some of the money for the things that you asked for.”Her eyes grew wide. “You sent me money for the Birkin and the car?” He nodded. She kissed him again multiple times. “Thank you so much.”He got up from the bed and started to dress up, “I need to return home now, they might start to wonder just where I have been.”Vito smiled, “I’ll also return to the condo now.” When Edward was done getting ready he left the room and exited the hotel. He didn't want to leave at the same time with her because he knew that it could easily get people talking. She was on the bed smiling excitedly when she pulled out her phone and called Ashl
170• Anderson Cabrera
He didn't even bother to wait for Vanessa to wake up before he left the hotel room. He got into the cab outside and left. While the driver was still moving towards the hospital where he was supposed to meet with Amelia, since that was where he was told to come meet her, he blocked Vanessa's number immediately.He was hired by Amelia for a mission which he had just completed so now he had no reason to pretend that he was even into Vanessa.The whole time Amelia had hired him as a part of her revenge plan against Vanessa. His real name wasn't even Anderson Cabrera it was just a name he had made up so he could be with Vanessa.When he got to the hospital he had it straight to Amelia's room and she was alone in the room thankfully.“Ma’am what happened to you, it seems like you got into an accident or something.”Amelia immediately brushed it off; she cared more about what he had come to deliver to her. “ Don't forget about it, the most important thing is that I'm alive and I'm recoverin
169 • Surgery Booking
Vanessa drove to the hotel and parked her car outside, she made sure to wear her shades properly as she felt like it would conceal her identity. What she was about to do was very scandalous for somebody of her status. When she got to the reception she looked at the lady. “I need one of the luxury rooms,” she said.The receptionist quickly typed in something on her computer before she raised her head to face Vanessa. "Okay, that will be one thousand dollars.”Vanessa handed over her black card and then the girl immediately swiped it and made the payment. “Please do enjoy your stay here ma'am.”“Oh I will,” Vanessa replied with a smirk on her face. After getting the room details and the key card, she made her way to the elevator and then headed upstairs.When she was there she entered the room. The wooden floors and monochromatic color in the room gave it a very luxurious feel, and the intricate detail to the ceiling design was just stunning. She gently settled on the bed, noticing ho
168 • Catch Feelings
Vanessa walked into the hospital with a wide grin on her face, she was putting on sunshades which he had to adjust.Her assistant Tiffany was holding everything that she had brought and was finding it hard to keep up because the huge flower was obscuring her vision. She was also trying to make sure that the box of chocolates didn't fall from her hand.Vanessa reached the reception and she leaned forward. “Hello there, good day I came to see Amelia Houston.”The receptionist looked up at her. “Good day madam, are you a relative or close friend?”Vanessa's smile faded but she struggled to keep it up. “Yes you can consider me a close family friend.” She felt extremely disgusted for even saying those words out loud. The receptionist quickly typed something into a keyboard before she raised her head again to show her the way. “Ma’am you can just go straight down and then turn to your left, it's room A7.”“Thank you very much darling,” Vanessa said and then she turned to face Tiffany gestu
167 • Safety Guarantee
Xander still had his back flattened against the wall and when he heard what she said he immediately left before he would be spotted.He knew that Lola didn't exactly say anything wrong, but the idea that she still had some residual feelings for Matthew bothered him deeply.He leaned against the wall at the end of the hallway and pretended like he had been there the whole time. “Are you done talking to your grandmother? Was she okay?”Xander nodded slowly. “Let me drop you off at home.”“Oh…” Lola was a bit taken aback, his offer was sudden and brash. “Okay it seems like you have somewhere important you need to be?”“Yeah I need to go to the mansion and take care of some things,” he lied, pressing his hands against the bridge of his nose. She nodded and then they left together. But before she totally exited the hospital, she looked back at Matthew, just to glance at him for a second.Even though Lola knew that feelings didn't just disappear into thin air, and that she would obviously
