The Billionaire Gardener

Chapter Seven

The news of the anonymous successor spread quickly through Rovers County and beyond. People gathered in groups to analyze the situation.

“Mr. R.R.? Even the original owner did not make himself anonymous. How preposterous of this new successor!” Lady Margarita was not pleased with the news of Mr. Rover’s anonymous successor. She was seated in the courtyard, not far away from the pool like she usually did. All her five grandchildren were seated around her. She had summoned them when she heard the news of the anonymous successor.

“If I were a member of the staff, I would protest working for an anonymous boss.”Lionel had a heavily-built body that made him look bigger than his age.

“And put yourself at risk of getting sacked? Well, it’s just for a year. It’s not like his anonymity is affecting us in any way. I’m sure he has his reasons.” Diana had a different view.

“You call a year ‘just’? Do you know how much I had been eager to know who the successor is so we could make friends with him and strike more deals with Rovers Group?” Lady Margarita looked angrily at Diana who kept quiet and said no more. She could see that her grandmother was not in a good mood.

“Granny, don’t stress yourself. What more do you expect her to say? Her loser husband has infected her with stupid opinions.... It’s just so shocking that it’s not Victor Sterling. I wonder how he feels now.”

“Yeah. Victor Sterling. I think you should meet with him, Andre. There is no way he will not have a clue on who the successor could be.” Lady Margarita instructed.

“Trust me, granny. I will do beyond your request. I will unveil the anonymous CEO.”

“Hmmmm…..That name, R.R., I’m thinking about what it could possibly mean.” Dean pointed out.

“I’m sure one of the R is Rovers.” Liam observed.

“No. There is no surviving Rovers. That’s a certainty.”

“We can’t be too sure. Maybe he adopted a child.”

“No. He was too sad by the plane crash to think of that.”

“You all speak like you are family and you live with him. Anything could have happened behind the scene. He might actually have a surviving family, maybe a distant relative or something.” Diana expressed her diverse view yet again.

“You speak too much for someone whose husband is not worth the cost of my belt; someone whose husband has contributed nothing but bad luck to the family. Just keep quiet and watch intelligent people talk about important things.”

“Andre, be gentle. That’s my sister you are talking to.” Dean defended.

“Oh! She’s your sister now? You speak as if you don’t say worse.”

“To her husband; not to her.” Dean corrected.

Just as Andre was about to reply to Dean, Ralph rode in on his bicycle. Immediately, the focus of the discussion shifted to him.

“Ralph, the gardener. Wait, why has Mr. R.R. not sacked you yet?”

“That’s because I’m Mr. R.R., and I can’t sack myself.”

That seemed to the Summers like a big joke. Even Diana laughed so hard at Ralph’s outburst. She didn’t know Ralph could be that funny.

“You don’t believe me? What if I am?”

“I will shave my head if you are the said Mr. R.R.” Lionel vowed.

“You will shave the only thing that does not make you look like a monkey? Be ready to shave your head then. It will be a great scene to behold.” Ralph smiled.

“I will kneel before you and call you great master.” Andre vowed.

“That will be interesting. You have been so disrespectful towards me, and that will be one of the ways to show me some respect.”

“Let me add that I will call you my son-in-law and worship you.”

“Grandma? You too? Well, I hope you don’t forget to do that when it’s time.”

“I, Dean, will wash your feet seven times in a row.”

“Wow! Great! But be gentle while you are doing that. Liam? I think you should add your vow. Let me have more vows.”

“There is no need to vow because you can never be. At least, not in this lifetime!”

“Just add all the same. The others have done theirs. Don’t be left out.”

“Wait, his name is Ralph Ross, right? That’s R.R. really, isn’t it?” Andre laughed at his own analysis, and everyone laughed again while Ralph watched them as he leaned against his bicycle.

“A joker and a loser! Such a good combination! So, Mr. Rovers would choose you, an uneducated street pauper, as his successor when the likes of Victor Sterling are there. You better stop dreaming and get back to your filthy gardening working before you become jobless!”

“Ralph, I think Granny is right! It’s okay that you have two Rs in your name, but don’t go about telling people you are Mr. R.R. of Rovers Group. It may get you a thorough beating, and I wouldn’t want you marked all over your fine body.”

“This is the first reasonable advice you would ever give in your 25 years of existence,” Andre said to Diana.

Ralph was amused at Diana’s supposed advice. He knew they wouldn’t believe him, but he didn’t want them to believe him yet. He would patiently look forward to giving them the best shock of their lives. When he was done with them, they would beg him for mercy!

“Ralph? What was that about?” Diana and Ralph were now in their room. Diana noticed something different about Ralph. He now had the boldness to reply taunts from anyone, even Lady Margarita. The Ralph she knew would keep quiet or walk out of the scene. This new Ralph had responses to any bully!

“What was what about? Anyway, thank you for the advice. But, do you believe I’m Mr. R.R.?”

“Are you?”

“Answer first.”

“Well? …Mr. R.R.? How can you be Mr. R.R.? You are not even related to Mr. Rovers. Just a mere gardener in Rovers villa.”

“Don’t call my source of income mere, dear. That is not a good thing to say.”

That was it. Diana was more sure that Ralph was different. Normally, Ralph wouldn’t object to calling his gardening job ‘mere’ but he now seemed to have an issue with it.

“Ralph? Is everything alright with you?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Normally, you wouldn’t reply my family that way but you did even when I was trying to signal you to keep quiet.”

“Don’t read too much meaning into that. I was just having a good time.”

“So, you are not Mr. R.R. right?”

“No. I’m Ralph Ross, your darling husband.”

Diana sighed with relief. Of course, how could Ralph be Mr. R.R.? That was such a ridiculous thought for her to have. Mr. R.R. was Mr. Rovers’ relative who nobody knew.

“Granny seemed affected by the news. I wish I could do something.”

“The only thing I think you should do is to shut all of them up by beating their expectations. Let no one look down on you, not even your brother or your parents. Come to think of it, you are the only female grandchild in the family. It’s high time you gave yourself that relevance.”

“How?”

“I will tell you how later. First, let’s go get some fresh air outside.”

“Fresh air? Where?”

“Just follow me, darling.”