No Longer A Nobody

Chapter 7

His heart was filled with delight when he saw his sister Olivia and his wife Alexia in good shape. He hugged them passionately and placed a kiss on Alexia's forehead. 

Though the two have been married for a year and some months now, they haven't consummated their marriage. 

Grandma Rocks always made him sleep in the security quarters or the passage but Novan knew how he felt in his heart towards Alexia. He knew well that Alexia was the only woman who made his heart beat..

The ladies didn't hesitate to ask Novan about his trip and his supposed half siblings. 

Novan told them that his distant uncle was mistaken and they were just one of the people their dad helped during his days in Italy.

That was quite a good cover up story and there was no way they could doubt it because they saw him as the same poor and classless Novan who got married into the Rocks family and became a live-in-son-in-law.

"My distant uncle and his wife gifted me some clothes for you girls after I told them my story, they also gifted me a change of clothes." Novan said as he took out the dresses he had previously repackaged and put in an ordinary leather bag.

Alexia initially felt unsure at first but as she beheld the dress, she fell in love.

The dresses were like that of a princess, beautifully designed with stones and glitters. There were other ordinary dresses too that looked so beautiful. 

'The dresses must be somewhat expensive..well, his distant uncle and his wife bought them . I'm sure they have such means.' Alexia thought amidst her smiles and admiration. 

The ladies were so gladdened by the spontaneous gifts but just then a call came in and spoilt the humour.

Grandma Rocks had just heard that her useless son-in-law just returned, she felt insulted that her useless son-in-law had returned but couldn't report to her before anybody else.

"Tell that good for nothing husband of yours to report to the living area now!" Grandma Rocks shouted and cut the call before anyone say anything 

A disconsolate look suddenly appeared on Alexia and Olivia's faces. 

"It's alright, I'll go see her now." Novan said in a reassuring tone.

As he walked into the door of the Rocks mansion, the servants' voices could be heard. 

"Alexia's good for nothing husband is back."

"That's good, we've been the ones taking all the insults while he was away. Now we will be free." 

"He's so wretched and shameless."

"I wouldn't come back if I were him."

"He's just a good for nothing poverty stricken live-in-son-in-law, his poverty might have disrupted his reasoning.

Maintaining a cold look, Novan exhaled as he walked into the living area of the Rocks family mansion. 

This time around, he didn't feel like a loser.

He was the boss of a consortium worth over a trillion dollars.

"You bastard, you must've thought that you can now act as you please right? I see you have grown wings." Grandma Rocks said with fierce anger.

Looking up in front of him, Novan noticed a full living room. Charlie, Lilian and fiance Richard Wane.

Novan tried to be polite "Not so Grandma Rocks, I thought to take my bags inside first for they weighed a ton." 

Richard Wane sneered with disdain "I thought you had left for good. So you still came back? You have no shame!." 

Richard Wane always had eyes for Alexia but back then, he was just his father's errand boy and he knew that he would be of no use to the family. He decided to attain a bigger position in Tiger Computers inc but it was too late, Novan that poor rat had already been married to his crush Alexia. 

That made his hatred for Novan grow without bounds. 

He had to manage Lilian as he saw how she threw herself at him and made all attempts to make him notice her, regardless he still had eyes for Alexia and wouldn't mind going after her if Novan hadn't come back from his so-called trip.

Novan was just a pain in the ass to him.

Charlie thought it would be nice to put more fuel in the already burning fire "You have no respect for Grandma Rocks, she is the reason why you're still married to my cousin Alexia. "

"Apologise to Grandma Rocks now!" Lilian screamed 

Just then Alexia came in and saw the behaviour towards her husband, they didn't even give him a minute break. She was agitated. "Stop it all of you, you have no right to treat him like trash, what wrong has he ever done to you." 

Lilian replied pretentiously "Alexia, we are trying to help you, Novan is of no good to you can't you see?"

"What makes you think we have no right to talk to him as we please? We have been the ones feeding you both for over a year now and what does your good for nothing husband do? He mops around the house all day." Charlie was not having it 

Agitated, Grandma Rocks replied to Alexia "Being poor was the wrong he did to us." 

"Maybe his poverty has started affecting your brain too. A poor person should be treated like trash and Novan is poor. He is not only poor but also wretched." Charlie's face furrowed in anger.

"Leave my wife out of this Charlie." Novan growled 

"Enough! Since you all are here, let's have the meeting now." Grandma Rocks hushed and everyone was quiet. 

Novan sat in his usual wooden chair and Alexia sat beside him. Her face was still sober from the insults but Novan placed his hand on hers to calm her down. 

"I'm sure you all heard about the consortium's investment of about $200billion in Engineering and building companies in Beacon Hills. This is a perfect opportunity for us to play our cards right." Grandma Rocks said with excitement 

"I need a volunteer among the grandchildren of this family that can get us a contract with The Zikkers' Clan consortium." Grandma Rocks looked at her grandchildren with anticipation 

"Haha, Grandma this is no easy job. It's the Zikkers' Clan we're talking about, we are like an insignificant speck of dust to the top rated companies in Beacon Hills now this is the biggest group of companies in the whole of Beacon Hills and its neighbouring cities. I even hear that it is rising internationally too with most of the big companies listed under it." Charlie explained.

"I doubt, in fact I am certain that we do not stand a chance to sign a contract or investment with this consortium. " Charlie said frankly

"Yes Grandma Rocks, I heard that any company that gets rejected by this consortium automatically loses its relevance in the business world. No other company would want to do business with them again. I think it's best we just continue like this, besides Richard has promised to help talk to his father." Lilian said as she held Richard's hand in hers.

"You fools disappoint me. Don't you know the situation our company is in now?, we are almost bankrupt. Isn't it better that we try and get rejected than we don't try and our company folds up. I don't need any of your silly opinions, I need someone to be responsible now and take up the challenge!" Grandma Rocks slammed the table in furiously 

Seconds went by and the hall was quiet as a cemetery as none of the grandchildren wanted to take up the task. They knew what the outcome would be already, they wouldn't even be allowed inside the consortium to talk more about presenting the contract to the assistant manager. 

Taking it up will mean that they would be the one to take all the blame and no one wanted to face embarrassment. 

"Fine! Anybody that gets us an investment inside the $200billion will be the CEO of Rocks building and engineering." Grandma Rocks said as she had no other option than to look for ways to persuade her grandchildren.