"But I already paid the deposit!" Novan's voice cracked with desperation. "You said we could begin treatment once…”"Policies changed." Dr. Edmund Voss cut him off with a sharp, dismissive wave. His lips curled into a sneer that made Novan's stomach turn. "Full payment upfront right now. Not tomorrow. Not next week, now.”The words hit like a slap. Novan's mind raced, this wasn't hospital policy. This was Grandma Rocks' doing. She'd made one phone call, and suddenly the rules had changed. The deposit he'd scraped together working three jobs for six months? Everything had become worthless in the face of power."That's not…" Novan started."Not what?" Dr. Voss stepped closer, his expensive cologne mixing with the sterile hospital smell. "Not fair? Life isn't fair, *boy*." He said the last word like it tasted bitter. "Especially not for people like you."A small crowd had already gathered, nurses, visitors, even a few patients in wheelchairs. The commotion was too juicy to ignore.Dr. V

'What? The Zikkers' Clan? So the mayor was right.' Novan thought as he suddenly felt his stomach rumble."We need to be one of the enlisted companies under this consortium." Grandma Rocks cut his thoughts with her words. " The Zikkers' Clan consortium is the biggest in this continent. No company under the Zikkers' Clan consortium has ever gone bankrupt or lacked in any way." Grandma Rocks continued, looking into everybody's eyes."Who is the owner of this trillion dollar consortium?" Lilian asked "Yeah, how come we don't know who the person is?." Charlie added"That is the main reason why I called you all here for a meeting, it was said that the previous owner is no longer in charge again and a new CEO will be introduced soonest." Grandma Rocks informed them.Novan was finding it hard to sit still at this point. They were talking about his father's consortium that was now his. " I want us all to get acquainted with the Zikkers' Clan consortium, get close to the CEO, I don't mind a

The staff bowed in respect as the duo walked in, lust could be seen in the eyes of the female staff as they looked at Novan with desire.Novan wasn't used to this treatment so he just kept a straight face and unwavering forward glance.The reaction of the people and staff at the reception area didn't give Novan the opportunity to admire the ambiance of the 5 star hotel. The reception hall was illuminated with beautiful lights, and a huge chandelier hung in the centre of the hall. Beautiful sofas were arranged carefully within the bounds of the hall.The ACs were on, giving a really chilled welcome. The duo stepped out of the elevator and proceeded to the rooftop where their clients awaited them They exchanged pleasantries and it was time to sign the agreement documents. Novan went through the documents and caught sight of their client's net worth, $900 billion he almost exclaimed. He signed and they shook hands. This was a big win for the consortium, his dad was on this quest b

"Take up the challenge dear, I'm sure you will get the contract. " Novan gave Alexia an assuring smile "What! I don't think I can." Alexia didn't want to embarrass herself any further. She had promised to always stay in the shadows so as to avoid unnecessary insults to her and her husband. "Hehe, what do you know about Novan? Do you think this is an ordinary company we are talking about? It's the biggest one worth over a Trillion dollars!! But you wouldn't know what that means. I'm sure you haven't seen a thousand dollars for years now." Charlie mocked"Shut it Charlie!" Grandma Rocks started "Come to think of it Alexia, shouldn't you be begging for the opportunity to pay us back for the help we have rendered to you and your useless husband?" Grandma Rocks gave Novan a dirty look as she continued "For over a year now, we have sheltered and fed you both. Alexia, we protected you from shame and embarrassment of getting married to a good for nothing man. Don't you think it's time you

CHAPTER TEN Novan took a deep breath, and while he was struggling to keep his eyes open, he answered the call and spoke with a breaking tone. “What is it, Williams? Why are you calling me by this time?” His eyes instinctively moved to the clock hanging on the wall, and that was when it occurred to him that the battery had been dead and no one seemed to be aware of that. “I am so sorry for calling you this late, Boss…” William’s voice slipped through the speakers, carrying the weight of the nervousness that gripped him. “There is an emergency that needs your urgent attention, Boss. That is exactly why I am calling…” He was done talking, but the silence that followed afterward didn’t seem like it was going to do him any good.He took a deep breath, and after he had waited for a while, he was forced to break the silence.“Are you still there, Master Novan?” “Yes…” Novan gave a quick response, and then he cleared his throat, adjusting to a more comfortable posture.“Speak, Williams.