From Zero To Trillions

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SIX

Xavier moved slowly towards the big desk. He picked up a paper and held it out to Austin. "Mr. Parker," Xavier said, his voice serious, "this is the last will of the late Chairman Andrews. If you sign here," he pointed to a spot on the paper, "everything that belonged to him will be yours. But... there's one thing you need to do first.”

Austin took the paper from Xavier's hand. He looked at it with a curious face. "What is it?" he asked, wondering what kind of thing the old chairman wanted.

Xavier looked straight at Austin. "The chairman wrote very clearly in his will. He said that if you want all his things, you must marry Miss Fiona Lawrence. If you don't marry her, you won't get even one small penny from him." Xavier spoke slowly and carefully so Austin would understand exactly what he was saying.

"Fiona Lawrence?" Austin asked, his eyebrows going up in surprise. He hadn't thought there would be a strange rule like this to get the money. He had hoped for something easier, but money and a wife? That sounded like a good deal to him.

"The will says very clearly that I am not allowed to tell you anything about Miss Fiona," Xavier answered in a polite, business-like way.

"What?" Austin said, his voice louder now, a frown growing on his face. "Why? Is she some secret princess? Or does she have a Scar on her face? Is she sick with something I can catch? If I'm going to marry her, I should at least know who she is!”

"Your Highness," Xavier began, a playful smirk dancing on his lips, "please cast aside any worries about her looks. Truly, it's the least of your concerns. As long as the offers are full, what else truly matters?" He punctuated his words with a light chuckle that echoed in the room.

Austin paused, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "Right… right, you're absolutely correct," he finally said, nodding slowly. A newfound resolve seemed to settle upon him. "Alright then," he declared, his voice gaining a firmer edge. "I agree to your terms. This will… I accept it fully.”

Xavier's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "Excellent!" he exclaimed. "And do you have any further questions before we proceed?"

Austin shook his head, his gaze fixed on some distant point as if already counting his future riches.

"Very well," Xavier said smoothly, sliding a pen and gestured to the weighty document across the polished table. "Then if you would be so kind as to sign here, the will shall take effect immediately.”

The huge amount of money felt important. For Austin, marrying a woman he didn't know and hadn't seen didn't seem like a big deal. It was a small thing to do for so much money, he thought. ‘Wow, for this much money, I would even marry five women! Maybe even ten!’ Right now, he really needed money, so this choice felt like something he had to do. Austin nodded firmly, picked up the pen, and signed his name quickly.

After the ink was dry, Xavier carefully folded the paper and put it in a safe place. Then, he nicely gave Austin two shiny cards with gold edges.

Austin held the two sleek cards in his hands, a deep furrow creasing his brow. "What are these for, Mr Xavier?" he asked, his voice laced with confusion. The gold card shimmered under the soft light of the office, and the other, a deep black, seemed to absorb it.

Xavier patted his shoulders, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Those, my friend, are your keys to a different world. The black one in your hand? That's a Citibank card. But not just any Citibank card, Austin." He paused for dramatic effect, his eyes locking with Austin's. "That card has no limit. None whatsoever. You could, if you wished, spend a trillion in a single day, and it wouldn't even blink.”

Austin's jaw dropped. His eyes, already wide with surprise, grew even larger as he stared at the seemingly ordinary piece of plastic. "No limit?" he repeated, the words barely a whisper. "A Trillion?" He clutched the card tighter, as if it might vanish before his eyes.

Xavier nodded slowly, his gaze unwavering. "That's right. And this," he gestured to the gold card, "this will grant you entry into the most exclusive clubs and bars in the city. You'll be a VIP, Austin. Doors will open for you that remain closed to everyone else." He paused again, letting the weight of his words sink in. "Both of these are yours now. They come with the title... Chairman of Ledger Group.”

Austin's head swam. Chairman? A trillion-dollar credit card? VIP access? It felt like a dream, a fantastical story he'd once read. He looked up at Xavier, a hopeful yet disbelieving expression on his face. "Are you... are you absolutely sure about this billion-dollar thing?" he stammered, his fingers tracing the embossed numbers on the black card. He held it up, the light catching its surface, making it gleam like a precious treasure.

Xavier chuckled softly, a reassuring sound. "One hundred percent certain, Austin. Every single expense you make on that black card will be directly charged to the company's internal accounts. And since you are now the chairman, well... it's yours to command. Use it, enjoy the privileges that come with it.”

A slow breath escaped Austin's lips, a feeling of disbelief and burgeoning excitement. He could feel a grin spreading across his face, wider and wider. "I... I never even imagined such a thing existed," he exclaimed, shaking his head in wonder. He could already feel the thrill of possibility coursing through him, the urge to see if it was truly real. "I think," he said, a mischievous glint in his eyes, "I might just have to pay the bank a little visit on my way out of here to confirm.”

"Oh, by the way, Your Highness," Xavier said, holding out a small, shiny card with both hands. He bowed his head a little as he offered it to Austin. "This is my card. I am usually the person who takes care of all the important things for your company. So, if you ever, in any way at all, find yourself in trouble, please, please feel free to call me anytime! Day or night, I will be here to help." His voice was very respectful and sincere.

"Got it," Austin replied, taking the card. He looked at it for a moment. "Well, if there isn't anything else I need to do here, I really should be going now."

"Oh, let me walk you out," Xavier offered quickly, already starting to move. But Austin held up his hand.

"No, no, I don't think that would be necessary at all," Austin said, waving his hand a little as if to say it was no big deal. "I can easily find my own way out." He then turned and walked towards the door of Xavier's office and stepped inside the waiting elevator.

A few moments passed quietly as the elevator went down. When the doors finally opened, Austin stepped out, expecting to see the main lobby. But instead, he was shocked to find eight big security guards standing there, all looking at him. Before he could even think about what was happening, they quickly moved in and surrounded him completely. Austin was totally surprised and didn't know what to say or do.

"You think you can just walk away after what you did?" a sharp voice shouted. The crowd that had gathered parted, and the woman Austin had accidentally bumped into inside the elevator earlier stepped forward. She crossed her arms tightly over her chest and looked at him with great anger. "I don't let people like you get away with things like that without being punished!”

Then, the receptionist he had spoken to at the front desk added her angry words. "Yeah, you filthy beggar! Did you really think I would just let it go? Look at yourself! I don't think you even know your place or what kind of person you are!”

"But... but I already admitted I was wrong," Austin stammered, his face now showing his confusion and worry. "And I think I even apologized. What more do you want me to do?”

"What more do I want you to do?" the woman repeated, her voice rising. "Do you even understand how disgusted I felt because of you? Someone like you probably doesn't even realize that the clothes you ruined are worth more money than you will ever earn in your entire life! Just thinking about what you did makes me feel sick to my stomach!" Her tone was harsh and full of dislike.

"I really don't think I owe you anything more, Miss," Austin said, his own anger starting to rise. "I think I should just leave now." He turned to walk away, but the woman was quick to grab his arm and pull him back. Then, she slapped him across the face, hard.

"You want to leave?" she sneered, pointing a finger at him. "Who gave you the right to just walk away from me like that? You are not going anywhere until I say so!"

"Well, then what do you want me to do?" Austin asked, completely perplexed by the dramatic scene she was creating.

"I want you to get down on your knees and apologize to me properly!" she demanded. The crowd around her murmured in agreement, urging Austin to do as she said.

Austin stood alone in the middle of the circle of people, feeling totally helpless and embarrassed. He couldn't believe how far this woman was taking things, all because he had accidentally spilled a little coffee on her dress. He had already said he was sorry, but she would only accept it if he knelt down and apologized again.

"What are you doing just standing there, kid? Get on your knees already!" the head security guard yelled at him, his voice loud and threatening. Before Austin could react, the guard kicked him hard in the back of his leg. Austin stumbled forward, almost falling.

"Elsa, what are you and the guards doing?" A powerful voice boomed from behind the crowd, and everyone present froze instantly.