Bright future:The Billionaire's Revenge

Return Of The Billionaire

It was a Saturday morning in the village. The market was busy. Austin, who had returned after running away for some months, was drinking palm wine with his friends under the mango tree, bragging.

"I was the one who trained that small boy Damian well. That is why he is now rich. If I did not beat him, he would not have run to Lagos to become a billionaire. So his money is my money."

His friends were laughing and hailing him, "Austin Billionaire in-law!"

Suddenly, the ground started shaking. VROOOOM! VROOOOM!

Ten brand new black Prado Jeeps, with police sirens, entered the village road. Dust was everywhere. The Jeeps were so clean that they reflected the sun. Behind them, a black Rolls Royce.

The whole market scattered. People were running, thinking it was the governor.

The convoy stopped directly in front of Austin's small hut. The door of the Rolls Royce opened.

A tall, handsome boy came down. He was wearing a white designer kaftan worth 800,000 naira, gold wristwatch, black sunglasses. He was no longer the thin boy who ran away with a nylon bag. He was a billionaire.

It was Damian. Now 14 years old, but looking like a young CEO.

Behind him, General Black and 10 security men in black suits came down with guns.

Austin's palm wine cup fell from his hand and broke. His mouth was open.

"D-D-Damian?" Austin stuttered.

Damian slowly removed his sunglasses and looked at Austin. Cold eyes. No smile.

"You called me a bastard. You slapped my mother in front of the whole village. Do you remember?"

Austin fell on his knees immediately. "Damian, my son, my son, forgive me, it was the devil. I was training you."

Damian did not answer him. He turned to the village head who had run to the scene.

"Chief, gather the whole village in the primary school field. Now. I have an announcement."

Within 30 minutes, the whole village — men, women, children, the proprietor, the teachers, Mama Nkechi — gathered in the school field. They were all whispering, looking at the Jeeps.

Damian climbed on a small stage. Jayeola, his mother, came down from another Jeep. She was now looking like a queen. Designer gown, big sunglasses, gold jewelry. The same woman who used to wear torn wrapper and was slapped in that same field one year ago.

The village was silent.

Damian took the microphone.

"One year ago, in this same field, this man," he pointed at Austin, "slapped my mother and called me a bastard because we were poor. You all stood and watched. Some of you laughed. Some of you, like Proprietor, expelled me from school because my mother could not pay 3,000 naira school fees."

The proprietor started sweating. He tried to hide behind the crowd.

"Today, I came back. Not to beg. I came back as Damian Williams, heir to Williams Group, with 50 billion naira in my account. My grandfather, Chief Williams, is a billionaire. I am a billionaire."

He clapped his hands. General Black brought out a Ghana-Must-Go bag and poured it on the floor. Fresh 1000 naira notes, 20 million naira cash, fell on the ground.

The village shouted, "Ahhh!"

"Proprietor!" Damian called.

The proprietor came out shaking, kneeling down. "Young master, forgive me."

"You said I would never become anything because I am poor. You expelled me. Now, I have bought your school. From today, I am the new owner of this primary school. You are fired. Leave my school now."

The proprietor collapsed and fainted. People dragged him out.

"Mama Nkechi!" Damian called.

Mama Nkechi, the neighbor who used to gossip that Jayeola was a prostitute, came out crying, kneeling. "Mama Jayeola, forgive me."

Damian looked at his mother. Jayeola nodded with tears.

"Mama Nkechi, I forgive you. But you will never gossip again. I will give you 500,000 naira to start a better business, but if you gossip again about my mother, I will buy your house and demolish it."

Mama Nkechi was crying and thanking him.

Finally, Damian looked at Austin, who was still kneeling in the dust.

"Austin," Damian said calmly, "I will not beat you. Beating is for poor men. Billionaires punish with power. From today, you are banned from this village. You will never enter this village again. If I see you here tomorrow, I will arrest you. Leave."

Austin stood up and ran away barefoot, like a mad man, while the whole village laughed at him. The same way they laughed at Jayeola one year ago.

Then Damian turned to his mother and hugged her in front of everyone.

"Mama, no one will ever slap you again. I promised you that night. I have kept my promise. This village will now protect you."

Jayeola cried loudly. The whole village clapped and shouted, "Damian! Damian! Billionaire!"

That evening, Damian did something no one expected. He did not just punish. He blessed.

He announced, "I will build a new borehole for this village, so my mother will never fetch water again. I will rebuild the primary school with computers. And I will give scholarship to 50 children in this village, so no child will be expelled because of 3,000 naira again."

The village women started singing and dancing for Jayeola.

But Damian's revenge was not finished. He still had one more enemy in Lagos — Lady Williams and her two sons, who tried to kill him on the highway. And he had one more promise to keep — to become the biggest billionaire in Nigeria, so his mother's tears would turn into permanent joy.

He entered his Rolls Royce, his mother beside him, and the convoy left the village, leaving behind dust and shocked faces.

Behind, in the crowd, a beautiful young girl was watching Damian with admiration. Her name was Sophie, the daughter of the new Local Government Chairman. She was 13 years old, fair, and she had been watching Damian since he came down from the car.

She whispered to her friend, "I will marry that boy."

Damian did not see her. But fate had already written their love story.