Five: Real identity

"What do you mean young master?" Ivan asked immediately, trying to clear his clouded thoughts. The man only smiled gently in reply. Then there was silence.

It went on for a while until Ivan's eyes caught a pretty object of nature.

A beautiful but yet strange flower stole his attention and he couldn't help but to ask. "Hey Alfred, what are those white things over there?" He asked, pointing at the plant.

"Oh those, those are kadupul flowers, the Dutchman's pipe cactus, princess of the night or queen of the night. A species of cactus that blooms nocturnally and its flowers wilt before dawn, priceless in nature." Alfred explained, smiling.

"Oh and that one over there?"

"Juliet roses, a unique flower that took David Austin more than three million euros and fifteen years to complete in the year two thousand and six. A distinctive full cupped rose with beautiful distinctive petals. Its color resembles that of an apricot and it has a pleasing, refreshing and elegant smell… your mother's favorite." He said, still smiling.

"Wow…. You're so smart Alfred." Ivan said.

"Why thank you." Alfred answered, appreciating his nice compliments.

"What was she like? You know, my mother." Ivan finally asked when he could no longer take it again. His fingers were rummaging through the Juliet roses and admiring them.

Alfred paused for a moment before saying "Your mother was like a Middlemist's Red camellia but also like Juliet roses and gardenia and–"

"--dude can you please speak English!" Ivan exclaimed and they both shared a smile for a brief moment.

"She was beautiful, caring, loving and much more, the way you are looking at those Juliet roses is the same way you would have looked at her."

"Thank you." Ivan said, smiling.

They walked inside the house and Ivan sat down opposite Alfred. A maid brought Ivan a cup of coffee with croissant and ricotta cheese "is there anything else you need master Wayne?" She asked in a sweet British accent.

"Uh no thank you." Ivan replied.

She smiled and walked away without turning her back at him.

"So today we'll be discussing your possessions." Alfred said.

He told him about his parents properties all around the world and that everything was given to him automatically as their next of kin. He also told Ivan that the house they were in was bought in the name of Ivan before he was born.

"Wow! That's amazing. Hey but how come everything is so–you know–modern fashioned?"

"Well Mr Wayne, as the years went by and the things in the house became old fashioned, we replaced them with the modern things." Alfred explained.

"That's amazing… hey when do I get access to money?" Ivan asked.

"Right now–" Alfred brought out some ATM cards and handed them to Ivan who gladly accepted them "--these are your parents cards and yours as well, unimaginable sums of money resides in those accounts."

"Like how much?"

"I don't know Master Wayne, you'll find out. The code is six five zero two, your birthday and year."

Ivan nodded and kept the cards in his pocket.

"These are the phones connected to those accounts." Alfred continued handing Ivan four handphones.

"Wow okay uhm– isn't there a way to merge them all into one?" Ivan questioned.

"I'll do that right away master Wayne–"

"--can you not call me that, it's weird. I'm used to people calling me errand boy–" Ivan said with a chuckle trying to cover up the pain "--just call me Ivan will you?"

"I will try my best, Master Wayne. Ivan rolled his eyes.

"I heard about your suspension." Alfred said.

"Oh yes but it wasn't really my fault."

"Not to worry, you're to resume tomorrow."

"Wait what?"

"Well with connections like yours you can buy the whole of the school if you wish." Alfred explained and he wasn't exaggerating, the Wayne's were unexplainably rich.

"Wow… wait did you tell the whole school I'm a Wayne?!" Ivan yelled out.

"Of course not Mr Wayne."

"Good, I'd like to keep it a secret for a while, maybe till I graduate." Ivan said relaxing into the chair.

"A while you say? But I understand, as you wish." Alfred said.

Ivan got a call from the school director and he apologized for his actions and asked Ivan to resume at his own convenient time. It was like magic to Ivan how Alfred worked.

He went straight to the hospital after enjoying the croissant and coffee to pay all his outstanding bills for his parents surgery and the doctor immediately scheduled a date for the operation.

Alfred accompanied him to the nearest boutique for a little shopping since Ivan had only two changes of clothes. The boutique owner suggested some expensive designers but Ivan wanted to look simple as always so he got some denim jeans, casual polos, chinos, casual knitwear, hoodies and other casual clothes.

****

The next day, he was summoned to the directors office and so was Charlie who was already being yelled at before Ivan got there. The director lowered his voice at the sight of Ivan then asked him to sit.

"Why is he here? Wasn't he suspended for almost killing me?" Charlie questioned with his arms across his chest.

"Technically you almost killed him but that's not why we're here. We are here today because the both of you seem to be finding it hard to get along, you're both prestigious students of IBB–"

"--he doesn't deserve to be here, he deserves to be with the other church rats of the city–"

"--be quiet Charlie, you know nothing!" The director shunned Charlie "as I was saying, you two are always at each other's neck and from what I've heard, it's your fault Charlie."

"What? Who said that?" Charlie yelled.

"Other students testified Charlie, you're a bully and that's not nice of you. I don't care what you think of Mr Shay, I mustn't hear another complaint from you Charlie or you'll be forced to leave the school."

With horror eyes widened in shock, Charlie yelled out. "What!?"