FROM GRIT TO GRAND: A BILLIONAIRE IN GUISE

DEREK'S PLAY

Elijah was confident. The kind of confidence that needed to be scrutinized and studied critically.

They expected him to grovel, to slick out his tongue and lick the bottom of their booth. In their wildest hallucination and imagination, that was never going to metamorphosize.

Mr. Bobby scoffed, his expression softened slightly with amusement.

“You think this is about money?" He scoffed, shaking his head gently.

“Then what's it about?" Elijah cut in Sharply, not ready to beat about, scuffing words with a silver–tongued man like Mr. Bobby.

The landlord walked closer, his protruding stomach preceding him like a pregnant lass.

A serious expression rumpled his face as he declared, deadpan. "I want you out!” His words were short but razor–sharp, tearing through Lisa's hearts.

She froze on the floor.

A throat–peeling gasp escaped from her lungs.

Involuntarily, her two hands swung in the air and laid on her head like a woman who had seen a bigger trouble.

Tears welled in her eyes.

Elijah was momentarily shaken by the Landlord's declaration. Was this still related to the delayed house ren—

“The owner of the house wants you out! Leave. If you can vanish, that'll be better but make sure Master Derek Vaughn doesn't sniff your horrible scent in the air otherwise, you're gone. You're Dead!"

Elijah was gripped with shock and disbelief. That name. Again? Derek Vaughn.

The same arrogant b*stard Clara cheated on him with. He's pulling all these strings?

Elijah's mother burst into a thunderous wail. She crumbled to her knee, holding Mr. Bobby's trouser and shaking it frantically like he's another Messiah she needed to worship.

She began to panic, her body tensed, trembling like the prong of a venomous snake.

“Sir.. please... don't chase us out...I don't even know any Derek... Vaughn..I don't know anyone.. this must be a cruel misunderstanding.” Her voice was unsteady, cracking like the wall of the next old building.

Elijah stood there, frozen in place.

His mother's desperate plea faded in his ear.

His mind reeled—

Replaying the scenario at the hotel...Clara...the fight...Derek..

He nodded his head gently as he was processing a deep thought.

Again, Clara's voice echoed, replaying; ‘You don't know who you're dealing with. Derek Vaughn. He'll wipe out your entire legacy. Just run.’

That bastard is after his life now.

He scoffed as the thoughts settled deep in his mind but he wasn't shaken by it.

Dont you think the two of you have gone too far? He scoffed, thinking.

Lisa didn't stop pleading between her tears and sob.

“Yell louder maybe the street rats will come cheer." A women, their neighbor screamed on top of her voice.

Their mockery laughter echoed, collectively.

Mr. Bobby Joined them, his laughter hysterical, effusing mockery and condescension.

His black lips, due to incessant smoking parted like the blue sea as he burst into a cracking laughter. His voice hoarse and ragged.

The pungent smell of alcohol and cigar ozzes from his mouth sharply like a filthy gutter which was freshly opened, polluting the good air.

As his laughter died down, he stared at Elijah, his head slightly tilted. A playful smirk crossed his ugly face.

“You know, Elijah.” He began, dusting off invisible speck from Elijah's cloth.

"I might consider letting you two stay.” He paused, allowing his words to linger in the air. His voice laced with intents.

Lisa looked up, wiped tears from the bottom of his eyes which brightened slightly on hearing Mr. Bobby as though the man was giving them a second chance to live.

He continued, looking at Lisa With a playful smirk. He licked his bottom lips, lasciviously like a putz who had seen the very *ass of a woman for the first time.

“...If only she becomes my concubine. I'll even clean out the pigsty and let you live there.”

He laughed.