FROM GRIT TO GRAND: A BILLIONAIRE IN GUISE

AND THE TASTE OF POWER

Elijah leaned in and grabbed the bottle of wine. He unwrapped the foil capsule and pulled the cork with a satisfying pop. He tilted it, the red liquid gently pouring out of the bottle. Everyone watched him as he gently took the glass cup to his lips, sip it, then gulped it down.

Elijah licked his lips gently, savouring the taste of the wine. He nodded his head gently, satisfied and glancing at the label on the wine as he dropped the emptied glass cup.

“Penfold grande.” He muttered, reading the label on the bottle.

Elijah totally ignored the whispers in the aisle.

As he was basking in the satisfaction of the meal, Mira walked into the restaurant and stood at the side with the Bill of the meal courses Elijah purchased.

“I hope you enjoyed our dish sir?" Mira's face broadened with a practiced smile.

Elijah nodded with a gentle smile and said. “It's the best I have ever eaten.” He said calmly and sincerely.

Mira's smile deepened, satisfied that Elijah enjoyed the meal. Then she shifted her eyes to the Bill in her hand, her smile dropping slightly but her expression remained neutral.

“The tally of your bill is $26, 000 sir.” She said.

The room shifted. The idle murmurs grew, threading in a mix of buzzing sound in the restaurant.

“Let's watch how that pompous poor dude is going to embarrass himself.” Kellan muttered, leaning back on his seat, his hand crossed on his chest with interest.

“He's going to end up watching dirty plates for the restaurant, maybe for his entire miserable life till he'll be able to clear the Bill.”

Elijah on the other hand was calm. He could hear the buzzing of murmurs from the patrons but he allowed it to fade on his ear, unbothered.

He lifted his chin slightly, looking at the staff attendant, Mira. “Just $26, 000?" He asked casually as if the money was a meager amount. He expected the Bill to be much more.

Mira was slightly taken aback at the nonchalant way he called that huge amount of money but she quickly masked her expression beneath a forced smile.

"Yes sir.” Mira's responded with a calm voice.

The room queited. The Murmuring died down and the atmosphere was thick with tension and gruesome anticipation. They all expected Elijah to grovel on his knee and start pleading or collapse with shame but his expression remained calm.

He casually fished out his old phone from his pocket. Merely seeing the cracked screen and the casing which were almost falling apart but held together with a rubber band, John Kenneth almost burst into laughter but suppressed the emotional outburst, pursing her lips together, his cheek flushed red. He was waiting for the right time to let all the laughter out. Elijah is definitely going to bring up an excuse. He thought.

Someone with this kind of horrible phone? Afford $26, 000? John Snickered.

“I hope you accept wire transfer?” Elijah asked after pulling out his phone and Mira nodded.

John Kenneth was leaning on his desk, his eyes locked on the scene. His facial expression was not friendly and he was ready to call on the Securities immediately Elijah fumble.

“Yes sir. The payment desk is over there.” Mira gestured and Elijah stood up, walking towards the payment desk.

The cashier, a female staff gave Elijah the plate containing the account number.

Elijah tapped away on his phone.

The hall was thick with silence. Everyone was watching, waiting for disaster to struck. Mira stood at the side with the tentative look on her face, John Kenneth adjusted on his seat, his expression effusing expectation– Bad. Kellan and his folks were watching, waiting to Elijah to crumble to him knee after fooling himself.

“Sent.” He said and the room shifted. Just slightly. Tension hung in the air.

Then Elijah raised the phone, Showing the cashier to confirm the transaction.

She gasped.

Her eyes widened with shocks, almost popping out its socket.

Mira inches closer, insanely curious.

With a trembling hand, the cashier tapped on the payment machine frantically to confirm the transaction.

Oh God! She gasped.

She raised her head slowly, eyes locked on Elijah who just stood there, calm and composed like nothing happened.

“You.. you..sent $50,000, sir?" She blurted, her voice trembling with disbelief.

John almost collapsed from the chair where he sat but he braced himself, and straightened his spine, disbelief flashing in his eyes. Elijah just gave Mira their one year income!

Gasp rippled through the restaurant. People stared in disbelief. Phones trembled in the air, taking footage of the scene. Some groups of ladies who are content Creator were already flocking their social handles with stories;

One of them who was holding her phone on a monopod gasped as she started a live record. "Jez!! You guys need to see what is happening here. A poor looking guy just wired $50,000 on a whim without even trembling..."

Mira couldn't believe it. She quickly grabbed the payment machine and stared into it.

She gasped in shock. The payment machine almost slipped from her hand. On the screen was the transfer of $50, 000. Dated! Timed!

Her wide eyes head swung to Elijah. “You..you transferred $50,000, sir?" Her voice was laced with disbelief.

Elijah nodded with a gentle smile and calmly Said.

“Yeah. Keep the change. It's for you. I love your service here.” Elijah simply said as comments were buzzing in his ear.

Mira almost crumbled to her knee to express her gratitude. “Oh my God! Thanks sir.. you're so kind Mr. Elijah...” Mira continued to pour out her appreciation.

Kellan was burning with anger and embarrassment seeing the way people were giving Elijah the attention. A poor man dressed in rag was stealing the moment!

Just as Elijah walked to his spot and seated down calmly, Kellan shot up from his seat, banging his fist on the desk. He stormed to Elijah's table.

Elijah who was tapping on his phone raised his head to see Kellan standing in his front with a smug grin on his lips.

Kellan leaned in, half–standing, his hands resting Elijah's table as he stared into his eyes like a predator sizing a prey, the smug grin still tucked on his lips. “You think you own this place huh? You f*cking think money makes you one of us?" He laughed faintly, his voice dripping with mockery.

Elijah looked into his eyes calmly, unmoved by his threatening gaze.

He chuckled slightly, amused. “I won't want to be.” He simply said.

Kellan clenched his fist at his side, anger burning through his body. The Gut for someone like Elijah to talk back at him.

Kellan's face tightened with a deep form, his jaw clenched. “You don't want to know who I am. Do you?"

Before Elijah could respond, a man dressed in a crisp suit rushed into the restaurant, panting like someone who had seen ghost. He is Henry, the manager of the restaurant.

He stood before the Cashier, his hand sleaky with sweats and eyes dilated like a curious cat.

“Sir Langston is here? He transferred $50,000?!!"

The cashier froze. She didn't realize it.

The name Langston hung in the air like a stormcloud. It was Elijah who transferred money. She never checked his name of the sender. Still in shock, she looked down at the screen of the payment machine which was still displaying the transfer details. Her jaw fell.

Langston?

She looked up in sheer surprise, her expression mirrored that on the manager's face.

“It.. it's really Langston sir..” Her voice trembled, the weight of the name choking in her throat. Then she pointed in Elijah's direction “That guy over there made the transfer.”

The manager swung, tracing the line of her hand. He rushed to Elijah's table where Kellan was still half–standing.

He bowed before Elijah as if under a quiet command, the smile on his face widely spread.

The hall froze. Eyes dilated, flashing with shock.

“Sir. Langston...we.. we didn't realize you honor us with your presence.” The manager's voice cracking under the weight of recognition.

Silence fell. It was thick with tension.

Kellan, fully standing now was stunned to see the manager of Orchid bowing to Elijah and the name... Langston...no..it couldn't be. It couldn't be Elijah.

Even Elijah was dumbfounded but he recalled the identity of his grandfather. He's not an ordinary man. Langston is a powerful name in the city. A name everyone respected and no one would ever dare stand up to it otherwise crumble under the weight of the gigantic name. Literally.

The wave of the name sent a shockwave through the room.

Elijah quickly masked his shock with a small smile. He leaned forward and his eyes caught the name of the manger on his badge. “I just came to have a nice time here Mr. Henry but one of your employees behaved rashly and almost threw me out of your place.” He said, taking a glance in John's direction.

Mr. Henry straightened up, his smile dropped instantly, replaced with something dark. His face twisted with eerie anger. “One of our employee? Who is that person sir?” Mr. Henry asked, the respect in his voice unmistakable. It was laced with anger toward the anonymous person.

“Him.” Elijah gestured in John's direction.

Mr. Henry spun, his eyes fell on John. His face darkened with rage instantly

“How dare you idiot. Are you mad?!!” A thunderous slap connected with John's face without warning. His face flushed red with the marks of fingerprints boldl on it.

Gasps rippled in the restaurant.

“Do you know who he is..You're dead. You're gone!!” Mr. Henry looked up, ignoring John whose face was burning with shame.

His head spun dangerously, to the workers around.

“How many of you here was not nice to Mr. Langston!?!” Mr. Henry barked. “Speak!!” He barked when no one was answering.

Tremors passed through everyone's heart. They have not seen the manager so angry like this. The restaurant was quiet like a graveyard.

When he didn't hear any response. He turned to Elijah with a big smile on his face, his expression softening again, pleasing.

Half- standing, he began. “Mr. Langston..On behalf of everyone, I'm so sorry.. please forgive my foolishness.. forgive their foolishness too.” He was pleading with a trembling voice.

John couldn't raise his head. His face was burning with embarrassment. His hand still held his red face in panic.

Elijah looked at him, his expression unreadable. He stared at John for a few moments then...“I want him fired. Such a rude and uncouth staff is not supposed to be here.”

“You're fired!! You're gone!!” Mr. Henry blurted immediately even before Elijah could finish his statement.

John's heart dropped. He couldn't believe it. Mr. Henry, taking orders from a poor looking guy? No one could believe it even Kellan was wrapped in the cocoon of shock.Tears clouded John's eyes, ready to spill.

"Sir..this guy is not who you...”

“Security!! Throw this idiot out!” Mr. Henry barked.