From Trash Bag to Cash Bag

Chapter 7.

Achiel arrived at the mansion to a raging Madam. She was fuming in rage as she glared at him. 

"Mother, I was out." Achiel bowed. 

"What the hell do you think you are doing? What's it by the time?" Madam yelled at him. 

Though Achiel already knew what the time was, he decided to give it another check. Else, he would infuriate her more. 

"It is two minutes past 4 pm." Achiel answered. 

"What should you be doing at this time? Huh, Achiel? What should you be doing?!" Madam demanded angrily. 

Achiel didn't plan to answer her question. Answering her question would only make her get even more furious. 

"I'll be on my way then. I'm sorry." He bowed softly and left. 

Achiel needed every sort of deception he could amass in order to hide his new profile. He shouldn't act up for the meantime. He knew that. That was why he was trying to let things progress accordingly. Like it would in the past. 

"That crazy boy. What the hell has got over him?!" Madam exhaled as she watched him go. 

She sat down, trying to regulate her breathing pace. 

She mostly referred to all her children as boys as girls. And since Achiel has lived with them for long, he was no exception. Though treatment differs, the same title is accorded. 

"Mother, what is the matter?" Marion, Madam's second son, walked into the living room. 

He had just seen his mother looking so angered and stressed. It was the right of a lovely son to care for her and be concerned. 

"Marion!" Madam seemed surprised to see Marion. 

Marion walked to get a glass of water and brought it to her. 

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at the agent's office?" Madam demanded. 

She put the glass on the nearest stool, complaining. When Marion realised that Madam was much more interested in why he was here than telling him what the matter was, he decided to forget about it. 

"I was at the lobby waiting for him when I suddenly heard a crazy news." Marion started. 

"A crazy news?!" Madam looked really excited to hear what this was about. 

After all, the trash bag son-in-law has just ruined her mood. Shouldn't she at least repair the mood with better news?

"I don't think explaining it to you will cut it. Give me a moment." Marion said. 

Marion got up on his feet and walked towards the 90-inch hisense Wall TV. 

"Are you doing this intentionally?" Madam became impatient. 

He grabbed the remote control and switched on the TV. The news that was displayed on the large screen distracted her from the rage. Madam was short tempered. 

"This is the breaking news. It is with great shock that we discover the underlying quake in the heart of Hoveland." The lady on the TV, a newscaster, started. 

"Many people have always wondered why there was no project put out by Hoveland for over six months. The reason was that Hoveland was going through a financial crisis, as Totlink and Minx groups withdrew their shares to invest in an international firm."

Madam's attention was glued to the screen. 

"But this is a thing of the past. There is no need to panic for those who have shares in Hoveland or those who are looking to work with them. The company has not only just been bought, but the new buyer has just splurged a whopping sum of over a hundred billion dollars on the advancement of the company. This means that Hoveland is now much bigger than the company that Minx and Totlink fled to."

Madam was so shocked as she looked away from the screen to Marion. 

"No one can say for sure who the new owner of Hoveland is, but all we can say for now is that it is a man, and he remains hidden from ---"

Marion switched off the TV. The bewilderment in the face of his mother was something of striking concern. 

"How true is this?" Madam finally asked Marion. 

Marion quickly opened his phone and logged on to the official website of Hoveland. 

"Here, mother, it has been published here too. It says that Miss Zoe will be addressing the media in a while." Marion proposed. 

Madam leaned back into the chair, ignoring the phone that Marion had reached. 

"Is there such a man in Jade City?" She muttered to herself, but Marion had overheard. 

"Though this is too hard to believe. I mean a man who spent over a hundred billion as a top-up on a company. How much would he possibly have?" Marion swallowed. 

"But the most important thing right now is what we are going to do, Mother. We should seize our chances right now. If there is anyone who should get a shot at working with Hoveland, it should be Auroville. And the face of the contract should be no other person but you!" Madam slowly looked at Marion. 

What he had said obviously pleased her. 

"We all know what happens when a company has a new CEO. Old shareholders might possibly be cut off. There is no limit to the possibilities of the events that could take place on such a ---"

"Stop blabbering and switched the TV on. Zoe will speak soon." Madam snapped at Marion. 

Though Madam understood what Marion was saying, she knew why Marion was saying all of these. It wasn't because of Madam but because of himself. He wanted some honour to his name so his status could change. That way, he would be higher than his elder brother in status. 

Madam doesn't increase statuses based on age but effort and results. 

When the TV switched on, Miss Zoe was seen on the screen. At that same instance, Achiel walked into the room. 

Some parts of his clothes were wet, and his hands looked newly dried. 

Madam gazed coldly at him,

"Are you done washing? Did you wash my clothes well?" She asked. 

"Yes, Mother. I did my best." Achiel bowed. 

"You know the reason I let you wash my clothes is because it's the only thing you do best. I must give you that credit. You do it better than the maids." Madam added. 

Achiel said no word. She looked away from him. At that moment, Zoe started talking on the screen. 

Point in time, Harold and Hannah walked in, too. They knew about the broadcast, too. And because Zoe had started talking, no one cared whether or not Achiel was there. 

"I don't have much to say." Zoe started on the screen. 

"Hoveland has just been bought not by a group, but a man whose identity will stay hidden until I am told otherwise. The words of my boss are much costlier than my life." Zoe added. 

When Achiel heard Zoe say that, he was really pleased. He can't remember the last time he was complimented by someone. 

"My boss has decided to be generous enough to keep our old shareholders who didn't desert the company at the time of need. Also, as a reward to society, Hoveland has a project on the way. The details will be published on the website of the company by 9 am tomorrow morning." Zoe stood up and walked away. 

She ignored all the questions being asked by the media. Marion switched the TV off. 

The living room was very silent for a while. Was it too much to take in for the family?

Who could ever imagine that the new owner of Hoveland was right there with them in the room. No one would even think of it!!!

"Tomorrow will be a long day." Madam was the first to speak as it should be. 

"Though it is Grandma's birthday, yet be sure that grandma will have her mind on something else. And you all know what that would be." Madam got up and left the room. 

After she left, the rest could talk. 

"Who could this mystery man be, though? He must be crazy rich." Harold muttered. 

"I should write an email to Miss Zoe. Meeting her in person is like a mirage. But at least we should do something to be close to her. We can't only depend on Hannah's fiancee." Marion said. 

Harold looked at him with a cornered eye. Achiel decided to leave.

"Hey, Trash Bag." Harold called Achiel. 

He can't just let him be. 

"Come with me. Or don't you want my used clothes anymore? Else, what are you going to wear tomorrow?" Harold mocked. 

Achiel stared at him for a while. Then he smiled. 

"Okay then." He followed Harold.