RISE OF THE STUDENT BILLIONAIRE.

Tearjerker narration

“Your father is Chinese.”

Queen Emilia started the tearjerker. The story which brought back painful and sad memories she had tried to erase from her memory but it always pieced up— fresh and painful.

Chinese?

Dave had always told him he has some phenotypical traits of a Chinese guy; his almond shaped eyes with moderate epicanthic fold, straight dark eye brow and his straight nose; Dave's observation.

“Your father, Kai, was born into a cruel clan from China called Jang–Jang.” She continued, settling onto the bed while Elijah was on his feet, curiosity gleaming in his eyes like a child who couldn't wait to taste an ice cream for the very first time.

He was a bit confused.

“But, my surname is Everest. It's not Chinese.”

Queen Emilia nodded gently in agreement. “That was after your father's family tried to kill you because of a gruesome custom which they called Shou Zi sacrament."

Elijah's face dropped.

The woman, his mother continued calmly but the deep emotion effused from her words warred with the air in the room.

“The head of any first male child would be chopped off before their gods, the statue of Shou Zi. Any first male children in the family is killed. Only the first females are spared.”

“But why?" Elijah raised a brow, eager to know.

She paused, taking a sharp breath. Then said, “I have no idea. That is just the custom.”

“Hell! What kind of crazy custom is that? In this century?" Elijah cursed loudly.

Queen Emilia chuckled, a bitter smile spreading halfly on her face which tightened with gloom as though what she was about to spill next is the most brutal part of the narration.

“What was more crazy was that your father was killed when we were escaping with you. But luckily, I wasn't caught till I made it out in this city.”

Hearing that, Elijah's fingers curled into a fist. He gritted his teeth as anger pulsed through his veins. They killed his father for a baseless Tradition!

They spill the blood of an innocent man because he was protecting the life of an innocent child from some stupid damned culture!

Elijah felt like seeing the face of the man or woman who killed his father. He really felt like snapping his head off his neck right now or pushing his face till his nose snapped off.

“Your father told me to change your name and keep you safe because they're going to come for us and they did. That led me to taking you to an orphanage. The only place I was assured you'll be safe.”

She wiped a drop of tear that rolled out from the corner of her eyes.

After the heart breaking narration, Elijah felt a pang of guilt.

If he had been born as a second child into the Jang–jang clan then his father would still be alive and his mother wouldn't have passed through hell just because of him…

But he still blamed his father's family for being cruel. A culture that aligned with blood spilling is suicide.

He held her mother's hand carefully like a boyfriend about to slip in a ring in the finger of his girlfriend.

The room oozes with sad emotions— the aftermath of the narration.

Queen Emilia lifted her head, staring into his face with a bitter smile— not forced.

“I'm sorry mom...I'm sorry for making you walk barefooted on thorns with Dad just because of me. You passed through hell just to protect me. My birth was a curse b—”

“Shhhh..” His mother hushed her quietly. She stood up to him.

A smile, wide and heart–reaching spread all over her face.

Then—

“You are a blessing to me Elijah. And you are strong just like your father. You grew up in chaos, stood tall despite the harshness of life. You're a fighter, son. I'm sorry.. I'm sorry for putting you through that hell.” She said, her voice low and calm but loud with emotions.

Elijah held her hand softly. A bright smile brightened his face. Seeing her mother made his heart fluttered with glee.

He'd thought he was only an orphan born in the street with no bearing.

He thought he had nothing except himself but now he has a mother who had been waiting to see him all over the years. What more could he ask for?”

“It's alright mum. You shouldn't put the blame on yourself. Life takes us through some ugly paths that we'll never like to walk through.” He said smartly.

Queen Emilia nodded her head gently. She was amazed at the calm way and the respectful tone Elijah was speaking to her despite him lacking special upbringing and parental guidance while growing up.

She smiled, her cheek puffing slightly. She took a step closer.

“For making you pass through all of those ugly past experiences in the past, mummy has something small for you. Just something little. For now.” She demonstrated it, her thumb clicking with her index finger to show the small quantity of what she was talking about.

Elijah chuckled, amused by her mother's humor.

She picked her phone from the nightstand and tapped on it gently then the phone buzzed faintly into her ear alone.

“Come with the package.” she simply said and dropped the call.

Elijah wondered what it was. The call was short and he couldn't understand anything from it. Definitely his mother must have discussed something with someone before. Or was the call short because what was coming was small? Elijah chuckled faintly at his last thought.

Then the door of the room squeaked open and Ben walked in smartly in the earlier white suit.

He closed the door gently and took a few steps away from the threshold. He bowed gently then lifted his head.

A black box, glossy, all shines on its surfaces laid on his hand like a relic.

Elijah was right after all. When he presumed that what was coming was small. What could probably be in that box? A ring maybe?

Queen Emilia collected the box and muttered softly. “Thanks. You may leave us.”

Ben bowed gently again before walking out of the room. Immediately the door closed behind him, Queen Emilia walked to Elijah with the box. He unlatched the box.

Sitting inside the box on a velvet baby crimson fabric is a lustrous black card that caught the light like obsidian. The kind Elijah had never seen from anyone even in expensive movie sets on TV.

The card looks like it was cut out from a fine marble. Embossed on it in gold is the letter ‘E’ stylishly. It was satisfying to the eyes. It wasn't one of those hideous cards from Fenn bank he has at home.

Elijah collected the card as his mother gave it to him.

“This is just a fragment of my apology son. That card contains just $10 million dollars. It's all yours. Just for your upkeep.”

Elijah froze in place.. like he had just been tossed into the coldest region in Antarctica..The card actually slipped off his grip.

Did he just hear that clearly or was it his ear playing a smart one on him?