No Longer A Nobody

Chapter 3

“Mayor?” Confusion wove into the face of the crowd staring at the doctor for confirmation. 

“Hmmm, I was about to be bundled out of the hospital, thought that was my welcome! Is that how you treat pepper here? In a facility that is supposed to offer care!”

Cold sweat slitted through from the Director's face and his heart sounded against his chest.

“I'm…” He wanted to apologize but then, the Doctor quickly cut through their discussion. 

His face washed red, and his throat tightened, his secret could not come to light, not before everyone that was present here.

He quickly rushed to the Mayor.

“You seem to be making a terrible mistake here sir!” He said quickly. 

“This man is definitely not the Mayor! He's with Novan, a disgraceful son-in-law treated worse than trash.

There's no way that he could have any alignment…” Before he finished the statement, a slap tore right through his face, loud and condescending. 

Shocks paled through the hall. Before he could make another word, another slap tore right through his left cheek.

“Do you think I would mistake the Mayor for anyone?”

He pulled out a video, notifications ran through cellphones. It was the Mayor's speech from the previous night that was just being broadcast and his statement that he would be in the city too.

He looked at the person and the video.

It was impossible, had to be. But the source, it was directly from his office 

Knees buckled and shocks deepened into faces. Instantly, knees started dropping to their feet.

A loud thud was heard. The Doctor crashed to his feet.

Offending the mayor ranked in the same crime as Offending a god.

“Please forgive me! I didn't realize…”

“Enough!” Director Cole raised his hands.

“I won't have someone without any humanity left in them working in this hospital, any hospital at that!” He drew out his phone as he spoke.

“You're stripped off your license!”

The words hit the doctor like a ton of bricks. All his years of hard work, gone because of a bribe.

His face flushed, he unearthed and begged, his face turning to Novan.

“Please help me apologize. I only did it because of Grandma, I was frightened by her connection and what would happen to me if I didn't do her bidding!”

But the Director would not listen, he turned to his guards.

“Take him out to the station, and everyone that aided or sided with him.”

Faces went pale in the hall. Some tried to run away but the place was already sealed off.

Instantly they were all packed out, together with their broken egos and the trio were left together with the hall.

The Director, doctor Cole stared at Novan with heightened respect. He didn't know who he was but he was powerful enough to pull the Mayor out of his hiding, that was more than enough reason. 

“I'm sorry sir for the inconvenience, I will definitely make it up to you sir.” He notion3f with a flattering voice. 

“It was not your fault. But inputting a system in our hospital that is neither political nor corrupt would be well appreciated.” 

Novan said with a calmness that he could not recognize. 

“Sure sir.” The mayor said, and quickly took Novan's sister to the VIP ward himself. 

Novan turned around to the Mayor.

“I don't really know why you're helping but thank you so much for your help!” Novan appreciated  

"Hello sir, it's an honour." The mayor greeted Novan as he entered the room. 

“I'm no sir, you can address me as just Novan.” Novan stated politely.

"It is an honour to finally meet you sir, I know you have lots of questions. How about we go to a quiet place." The mayor greeted cheerfully but respectfully 

They went into one of the empty waiting areas in the big hospital.

"I'm sorry it took me time to come for you, I was settling some partnership arrangements between your father's company and a foreign company." The mayor started 

"Your father's dream was to take the company overseas, have numerous branches outside the country. It's sad he left just after his efforts started to pay off." The mayor said feeling sad

"I think you're mistaken mayor, my father's company has been taken over by my uncle and his son Festus, so If you're here to talk about the company, I think you're in the wrong place." Novan told the mayor sternly.

"I am just a poor live-in-son-in-law who lost everything to his uncle. Apparently my uncle was the highest shareholder of my dad's company.He had the most say in the company he ordered for my kick out and became the CEO." Novan explained with a cold expression. 

"However, it doesn't bother me anymore, I just want my sister to live. I appreciate your generosity. I will pay you back when I get the money."

"Oh no, not that Mr Novan, I'm talking about the consortium worth over a hundred trillion dollars. " the mayor replied confidently. 

"W-what did you just say Mr mayor?" Novan asked, utterly confused. 

"I said your father has a Consortium worth over a Hundred Trillion Dollars and he left it in Your Name Mr Novan." The mayor repeated.

"A hundred trillion dollars!?" Novan was shocked.

CHAPTER FOUR

Novan woke up to the screeching cry of a baby.

 He realised he was in the hospital, he slept sitting on a chair with his head on the bed his sister laid on.

"Olivia?" He couldn't find his sister on the bed. 

"Olivia? Nurse, where's my sister Olivia?" He asked the nurse in the hallway outside the VIP room. 

"She's sitting on the balcony to your left, sir." The nurse answered respectfully. 

"Okay, thank you nurse." He quickly ran to the balcony to meet his sister.

"Olivia,," he said with a calm voice when he saw her.

"Hm hm" she giggled and turned her gaze and head to her front.

"What are you doing out here alone sister, you got me worried." Novan said with sincerity in his voice. 

"You were fast asleep, I wanted to come out here and spend my morning with nature. I can see the trees from here, the beautiful fruits and flowers they bring about, the birds flocking around them tweeting." She said and took a deep breath in and slowly let it out. 

Novan heaved a sigh of relief and patted Olivia on her shoulder. "All good Olivia, all good. How are you feeling?" 

"I am a lot better now. By the way, how did you manage to get me inside and even get me a VIP room?" She asked with keen interest. 

"That's a story for another day." He said, his gaze fixated on the trees as he felt a sweet breeze swept through him.

 What the Mayor told him the night before kept replaying in his head. He didn't know how to react to this news.

As someone who studied business administration and even obtained a master's degree in the course, he knew quite well what a consortium was.

The mayor told him they would be travelling to Italy to complete the partnership settlement. The foreign company needed the owner of the consortium to sign their partnership agreement. Though the company was one of the biggest companies under the consortium this deal would fetch them billions of dollars. 

He needed to tell his sister about the mayor but he didn't want to stress or bother her with any news . 

Just as they were both in the balcony watching the trees and the birds with contentment, Novan's phone rang.

His wife Alexia called to confirm their location as she wanted to bring them food and flowers.

Alexia was the only person who treated the two of them like human beings with love.

A few minutes after the call, an elegant figure walked in, covering the whole place and stealing everyone's undivided attention. 

She walked graciously to the balcony and greeted with excitement "Alexia!" 

The two ladies hugged themselves tightly as though they had been forcefully separated. 

"How did you do it ? Did Grandma Rocks ?" Alexia asked Novan, looking concerned. 

"Oh no, Grandma Rocks didn't. I myself came back only to meet her in a room fully attended to. Novan replied honestly. 

"Then what about the money?" Alexia asked, still looking troubled. 

A million dollars might not mean anything for the rich ones out there, but it was pure gold to the poor and Novan happened to be amongst the poor. Not only was he poor, he was a live-in-son-in-law of a wealthy family. 

However that may change soon, after he goes to Italy with the mayor to sort out the papers, he will take over the consortium with immediate effect. 

"It's all good honey, A good person helped out. " Novan assured his wife Alexia. 

Alexia informed him about their family Thanksgiving service the next day being Sunday. 

The meeting with the mayor was on Monday so he had the whole of Sunday to do what he liked. 

Olivia was checked one more time by the doctor and finally discharged. Back at the house, Novan resumed his normal duties of washing the cars, sweeping the large compound and running errands for the Rocks family. 

However, his mind never left the thought of him having a consortium which was worth over a trillion dollars to his name.

If this news was true then his life just took a 360 turn for good. From him not being able to afford to purchase a meal worth $30 to being an owner of a consortium worth over a trillion dollars. 

Most of the acclaimed rich people's worth were not even up to hundreds of billions of dollars. 

The next day came in a jiffy and the Rocks were ready to go for their Thanksgiving service. 

Grandma Rocks had only two children, two boys Robert and Albert. 

Robert, Alexia's dad left the country to improve on his gold mining skills as rumours had it, Robert was not interested in being the heir to the Rocks company. He wanted to venture a new part and create a new opportunity for his daughter. 

On the other hand, Albert was the exact opposite of his brother. He wanted the company for himself and his children alone. He would do anything to be on Grandma Rocks' good side to make her happy all the time. He was her little puppet. He quickly obeyed without questions when Grandma Rocks told him to go and study management abroad. He hopped on the next available plane and for the past 2 years, nobody has heard from him. 

"Drive carefully you bast**d!" Grandma Rocks scolded Novan. 

"Loser" Charlie said 

"You just irritate me, you reek of poverty" Lilian, Charlie's sister said and dramatically covered her nose with her hands then waved in the air.

Novan kept mute throughout the driving period. He was used to their unnecessary insults. However, his mind was reminiscing about his meeting with the mayor. 

He had to tell his sister and wife about his trip tomorrow so that they wouldn't get worried. 

In the church, the Rocks sat at the front while Novan and Olivia took a seat at the back. Regardless of the embarrassing events that was enough to alter his feelings, Novan sang and danced with joy in his heart.

****

"I called you both out here to inform you about my trip." Novan started. 

"Trip? What trip?" Olivia asked surprised 

"A man reached out to me and told me that it is very likely that our father had children in Italy with another woman." Novan explained. 

"So I need to go to Italy to confirm the news." Novan finished and awaited their comments

"Do you have the means to go?" Alexia asked with concern 

"The arrangements has been made already" He replied with a slight smile 

"When will you be back?" Olivia asked again 

"Soon, before you know it. Just make sure you take your prescribed medication accordingly and get better." Novan patted her shoulder. 

The trio got into a very tight hug. 

Though they were going to miss him a great deal, they were happy he was leaving for some time. The embarrassment and disgrace was getting out of hand. 

Novan didn't want to tell them the real reason for his trip because he himself was not sure of what the mayor told him. What if the mayor mistakenly picked the wrong 'Novan' as the heir of a consortium worth over a trillion dollars.

That night a meeting was held within the Rocks family after dinner. 

"I need your attention, all of you." Grandma Rocks said as she clinked her wine glass with a gold spoon.

"I want us to discuss a crucial matter that is of utmost importance. " she continued 

"I'm sure that most of you here have heard about the Zikkers' Clan consortium." Grandma Rocks continued with a serious voice. 

'What!? The Zikkers' Clan? So the mayor was right.' Novan thought as he suddenly felt his stomach rumble.