FROM GRIT TO GRAND: A BILLIONAIRE IN GUISE

BACK TO THE CONDO

Elijah's life was beginning to look like one of those movies.

No.

Rather one of those stories he had read on meganovel about a worthless nobody mysteriously working his way to the towers of dominance and power.

Laying on his lap in the customized food box of the imperial gold platter for his mother, a reminder of the cash flowing in his account..and his late grandfather's enormous wealth which belongs to him now.

His mind reeled inside of the taxi like a carousel that won't stop.

The driver stopped, dropping off passengers yet his thoughts never stopped.

He wondered why his mother didn't tell him about his grandfather. He imagined how heavy her heart would be, keeping the secret away from him all these years, allowing them to live in the slum, faced with embarrassment and humiliations from people.

His mother, Lisa juggles different odd jobs together. It was unbearable for Elijah..the job..the mockery. He had tried to stop her from going but she wasn't buying it.

She would cry; “What are we going to feed on if I stop..we have Bill to settle..debts to pay and the house rent…”

Elijah alighted at the gate of the condo. The box laid gently on his left hand. He imagined how his mother would react when he finally tells her about his encounter.

He pushed the iron gate with the other hand. The gate squeaked open, loudly.

Desperate Cries floated, slicing through the air like a razor. A crashing sound followed.

Elijah froze on the spot, immediately just after taking a step beyond the gate.

He looked up and the sight that caught his eyes made his heart drop.

At a distance, in front of their apartment, bags sprawled on the floor with clothes spilling from it like confetti. Furnitures, their old entertainment systems and accessories. Everything was outside. No, it was thrown outside like debris.

And outside, his poor mother was on the floor, crying on her knees as their landlord rushed out of their house with another load. Yet he flung it in the air. The bag hit his mother down to the floor.

Yet, she scampered on the floor like one grasping at the last straw. Her knees rooted the hard flooring again. Her flesh scraped the concrete but she didn't care. She has to plead. Her cries filled the air, calling out the attention of neighbors.

“Please sir, one more week.. I'll find the money and pay the rent..” Her voice was a storm of emotions. It shook her vocal cord to the core, trembling in her throat.

Elijah froze, stunned by the sight.

Elijah's eyes darkened with anger. His fist clenched at his side. Nobody is going to humiliate his mother. Not anymore.

Elijah stormed forward. The quickness of his pace indicated the anger that was burning inside of him.

“Mother.” He held his mother's arm and gently pulled her from the floor.

Her eyes were red and wet with tears. The old gown on her body was askew, rumpled with dirt all over it. Her hair was messy and she was covered with sweat under the scorching afternoon sun.

“No Elijah..we need to beg him...you need to beg him son.” His mother continued between sobs.

He sneered. "Look who decided to come home. Both of you rat, you're leaving my house today!" Mr. Bobby, the pot bellied and loud– mouthed man tottered out of the house, almost stumbling on the stairs case as he tossed another bag in the air.

“Stop!” Elijah bellowed, taking a step forward. His angry eyes locked on Mr. Bobby.

The atmosphere quieted at that moment but the idle murmurs of curious neighbors. Some watched from their windows, while some stood at the threshold watching to know what Elijah was up to.

This wasn't the first time. Not the second. The landlord always humiliates his mother to collect the rent money. They'll plead till their knees bruises and bleed on the rigid flooring.

That was their expectation. Even now. Elijah and his mother would grovel like an insect and crawl to the landlord's feet begging to stay.

Between sobs, Lisa's voice came again from the floor, trembling with fear. Her hand clutched Elijah's finger. “Please son, don't fight..this is the only place we can afford please don't ruin it.”

Elijah's expression didn't shift. His eyes were burning with a cold fire, his expression firm and unreadable.

He shook his head gently and muttered. “Not anymore, mother.” His voice was low but raw with anger.

Mr. Bobby took a step closer to him, a mockery smile curling his lips.

“Look at your mother. Just take a look.” He waved his fingers at her on the floor with condescension in his voice. “Do you think both of you are worthy? That I'm going to accept your pleas this time around?" He laughed faintly. Then his expression hardened. "Then you must be delusional.”

Elijah scoffed, unbothered. “And who said we're going to plead?"

“Call your account number. I'll pay for everything.” He said confidently.

Mr. Bobby burst into a feat of mockery laughter with no end in sight. “You?" He said in between the laughter, pointing a finger at Elijah, never expecting the poverty–striken Elijah to have money to pay.

"You couldn't afford to pay the rent even if I dropped the Zeroes.”

Elijah didn't say any other words. He wasn't ready to scuffle words with the man. He simply fished out his phone, eager to get things done.

He didn't blink. “Call it.”

The air shifted.