The Unexpected Billionaire's Revenge

Chapter 3

The car screeched to a halt after about fifteen minutes of driving and Taron strained his eyes to see where they had stopped. The tinted windows blocked his view however and he closed his eyes once more in the hope that when he opened them again, he would discover that he had been dreaming.

Taron’s eyes opened to the harsh reality that he was not dreaming. It was real. One of the men caught him by the arm and pulled him out of the car and he squinted under the light of the sun. It was afternoon and they didn’t even care that the day was bright and people would be watching.

They led him towards the door of a mansion and the man in front pushed the gate open. Taron looked around and did a quick sign of the cross. If he was actually in trouble with the owner of such a huge mansion, then there was no saving him.

They stopped at the entrance of a hallway and pushed it open. The hall came into full view immediately and Taron marveled at the beauty of the place. The walls were golden with aesthetic designs and breathtaking portraits at almost every corner. They led him past the hallway and stopped at the door of a room.

The man leading knocked at the door of the room twice and a familiar voice wheezed from outside the room.

“Come in.”

He turned the door knob and pushed Taron in and almost immediately, he went on his knees with his face to the ground pleading for his life.

“I didn’t do anything sir, I swear…”

“Taron McCarthy ”

Taron looked up at the sound of the familiar voice and he was shocked to see that it was the waiter, Pablo Hernandez. He was lying down on a bed in the room and two hefty men were standing beside him with guns in their hands.

“Pablo ?” Taron frowned looking around quickly. “What are you doing here? You were abducted too?”

Pablo Hernandez laughed and coughed for a long time, long enough to make the men standing beside him fret and begin to dial for the doctor.

“I’m okay, I’m okay,” Pablo said stopping them. He sat up on the bed with a little help from the two men beside him and he coughed again.

“I’m happy you actually came Taron,” Pablo said. “Stand up.”

Taron was too shocked to notice that he was still kneeling on the floor in front of the old man. He rose up to his feet slowly, wondering what was going on and Pablo smiled at his confusion.

“I know you are scared,” Pablo said. “You don’t need to be. I won’t hurt you. I make the commands here.”

“You…you…you mean that you own this place?” Taron asked looking around. “That’s not possible. You told me you were retired!”

“Technically I am,” Pablo smiled. “My men have been doing the job for me since I retired. I needed to have a taste of something different before I died and that was why I applied to be a waiter at Downtown. They were skeptical about it at first because of my bad social image, but it’s nothing a little change of name couldn’t handle.”

That was when it hit Taron.

Pablo Hernandez was not Pablo Hernandez. He was actually Pablo Waltz, popularly dubbed as the ghost baron because no matter how the authorities tried, no one had gotten close to uncovering his true identity. They knew his real name but no one knew how he looked. His face was not on any database in the whole city.

“You’re Waltz,” Taron said. “You’re the Ghost baron.”

“I’m also a couple of other things,” Pablo smiled. “A waiter for instance. I’ve been a father too although that didn’t work out very well for me.”

“Good heavens!” Taron almost peed his pants. “I’ve been friends with a drug lord for a long time.”

“I’ve been watching you Taron,” Pablo said, his eyes fixed on him. “Since the evening you walked into that bar, you have been more than a friend to me. You’ve been like a son.”

Taron was silent as the drug lord continued to laud him with praises.

“You offered me a slice of pizza that night remember?” Pablo laughed. “I knew how hungry you were but I couldn’t help but join in. It was really tasty.”

“So…you’re saying it was all a test?” Taron frowned.

“I saw my son in you, Taron,” Pablo said, his eyes getting blurry with tears. “He has been missing for more than twenty years now but I saw him in you for the two months we were together.”

The guards standing around Taron shifted uncomfortably. They obviously did not expect that Pablo had made them abduct the boy just to laud him with praises.

“I try to be my best,” Taron said. “I try to help the people I can.”

“I know,” Pablo smiled. “That is why I chose you for this. I might be running an illegal business in the eyes of the law but my heart is clean. Can you help me Taron ?”

Taron stared at Pablo on the bed wondering what he meant by help.

“I’m dying Taron,” Pablo said and coughed. “Stage four cancer…”

“Oh my God,” Taron muttered. “I’m so sorry.”

“No need to be,” Pablo smiled. “I have enjoyed my life. What I want now is for you to take over from me, keep running the empire and help me in the search of my son.”

Taron stared at him on the bed wondering if he was being serious. “You want me to take over everything?”

“I have the documents here,” Pablo grunted and produced a paper from his pocket. “I have over thirty companies spread across the world. I have no heir to pass it on to. Help me, Taron .”

Taron’s hand shook as he took the document from Pablo. All his life he had lived as a pauper and now he was being begged to be the richest man in the whole city? It was almost too much for him to handle.

“Help me find my son,” Pablo said handing him a picture. “If you do, he would have 50 percent of the shares in all my companies. You can have the rest. I’m hoping on you, Taron. I trust you.”

Pablo started coughing again and his guards attended to him while Taron looked on.

He couldn’t believe his luck. In his hand was the key to all his success and all he needed to do was sign.