The Roman Walter Effect

Chapter 5

After Camille had driven off, the threat Mira felt vanished instantly, she became bold again.

She wrapped her arm around Mario, a lot had happened in just a few hours but she refused to believe that any of it was true, after all she would live in regret for the rest of her life.

But one thing was certain, she realized that she barely knew her Roman. She tried to suppress her unease.

She was still in shock as her arms were wrapped around Mario who was also in deep thought.

He also refused to believe that the man that had always been beneath him would amount to anything good.

“Mario, all those things are fake right? Does he have to go as far as putting up a show just to get me back. Tsk.. tsk..tsk…. And that woman she hired nearly scared me to death.”

“If he really wants me back, does he think asking someone to threaten me would work?”

Mario listened quietly as Mira spoke, to him everything finally made sense. How could a low life like Roman who was a mere garbage collector afford any of those things.

He slapped his forehead believing that he had been scammed and he had glorified them earlier.

“That's true. Such useless people. The car must have been hijacked. They can't afford that.” Mira suggested. 

“Or locally made, sprayed.” Mario burst out laughing in mockery. Mira joined. 

“If I remembered correctly, that Rolls-Royce she mentioned earlier, only four were produced and they had all been sold so where did she get hers from.”

“They really had me fooled…..they must be laughing over there. I hate myself now.” Mira bashed her forehead, stamping her foot. 

To Mira everything Mario had said made sense. “Youre right, if he could really afford all those things he mentioned he won't stay in such crappy apartment for seven months.”

“That lady sure knows how to talk big. She must have done it to get away with destroying your car.” 

Mario frowned. “How could I forget, that bitch just ruined my Ferrari. If I see her I will make her pay.” He vowed. 

The both of them would never believe that someone they looked down on was better than them.

To Mira this was an act to win her back and it stroked her ego, she believed that she had Roman wrapped around her finger.

One thing was certain, when she saw all those things she almost shoved Mario away but because she was too stunned to move, she didn't do anything.

If she had done that she would have lost everything. She hived a sigh of relief as she rubbed herself against Mario.

Mario looked at his wrecked car and felt annoyed, he couldn't believe that he had let Camille get away with destroying his car without paying for it.

He got the car towed while he called for his father's driver to come and pick him up.

Camille drove Roman to the company he worked for.

“Sir,” She called along the way. Roman shot her a baffled glance but she waved it off. 

“Out of respect.” She aired. 

“Grandpa asked me to come check on you…..after you told me about the incident yesterday.” She began. 

Roman's eyes fell. “It's sad I wasted three years for nothing. I thought I got a woman.” 

“You need to take over soon. Time waits for no one.” Roman nodded. “We're orphans making you his direct descendant.” 

“But he won't hand over the conglomerate without a wife?” 

“Yes. Don't you have any woman you've been eyeing? Someone honest, loyal. I mean someone who's been treating you well despite what everyone says?” 

He muted for a minute then gestured on her to keep driving. “Let's reach the company first.”

Along the way further she updated him on the recent state of the vast multi-billion dollars conglomerate. It was going well but it needed a fresh mind to skyrocket the success. 

“And one more thing boss, Gary is back.”

His uncle. The Mafia Boss. The one who's been fighting endlessly to take the heir position from Roman but was declared wanted for a crime and ran for years. 

Where his name is mentioned, terror sets in. Roman is the only man to handle him. 

One major reason he's needed back home. 

Roman replied, “Yeah I've been stalking his movement recently.” He looked out of the car, realizing his pretense time as a poor man looking for love was limited. 

“Despite living like this, I've been following him.” 

“For the time being he doesn't pose much threat to us. We wiped out most of his gang.” Camille told Roman. A smile beamed over his face. 

“I have people keeping a close watch on him.”

“He would need time to rebuild. Just keep me updated in case he joins forces with someone else.” Roman demanded. 

Since Roman's charade with Mira had come to an end, he didn't see a need to continue at the company he's been working for.

Usually he would have disappeared without trace but because of how well the boss treated him he decided to drop by and resign before leaving.

Camille dropped him at the entrance before going to pack the car in the garage.

Roman walked the building when his colleague, Jace Carter, approached him.

“Roman, when did you become so hard working? I thought you were on leave today, could it be you're here to take on another extra job as usual?”

“I mean, if you collect garbage in the morning, you can add cleaning the toilet at lunch to it.”

His words made the other colleagues start laughing.

Roman was shunned in the company; they felt like he was a disgrace to them. They didn't like people associating them with a garbage collector.

Whenever he appeared in the company some people held their noses and insulted him.

They always claimed that he stinks.

The morning after his first day working as a garbage collector, his desk was moved to the corner of the office away from other people.

No one wanted to stay close to home because they believed garbage collectors stink. He remembered this experience from three years ago, up till today. 

He had been insulted and mocked on several occasions.

They had hoped on several occasions that he would leave the company and stop being a disgrace to them.

Roman walked to his desk and put his things into a box he had gotten from the store.

This didn't stop Jace from insulting him. How could he miss an opportunity to insult Roman. 

“Well… well…. Well. It seems like someone struck gold while picking up trash.”

“Did I tell you to guess that his job was a gold mine, you just have to endure the stench. Now look at our wonderful Roman, he has made it big and he's about to quit his job.”

“It's only a matter of time before he starts appearing on the news as the city's richest man.”

He kept up tirelessly with the taunt. 

Laugher erupted as Jace spoke. Whispers and murmurs as to what he was doing. 

“I guess we better start applying while there's still a vacancy.” One of Jace's larky added as he notched his shoulder expecting Roman to react.

Roman ignored them and continued what he was doing.

“Roman, you don't have to hoard the resources. Don't forget your buddies when you make it big.”

With that, laughter rang out in the office. Everyone was enjoying the show at Roman’s expense.

Other people from different teams had gathered at the door to enjoy the show.

Initially they had thought that maybe they were celebrating closing another big deal, after all ever since Roman's arrival to the company he had helped close so many deals.

Sometimes in Mira's name since they both walked in the same company as Mario.

This has also been one of the reasons why they hated him other than the fact that they had to be colleagues with waste collectors and they had to also be suppressed by him at work.

As usual Roman ignored them, which was something he had mastered over the years. In his line of work he was required to remain calm at all times being the lowest rank. 

He was Sir Roman, ruler of Arlo Conglomerate. What isn't he experienced in?

He didn't see a reason why he would lower himself to their level. They were nothing to him and were not worth his time.

Roman remained unbothered and continued on packing up his belongings from his desk. 

Pah… pah. 

The sound of files hitting the desk echoed through the room, the sound silenced the chattering instantly.

Everyone turned towards the direction of the sound and saw a beautiful, tall and gorgeous woman with a short fitted gown. 

She wore a pair of red high heels to match the scarf on her neck, and her slender legs were covered in cream color silk stockings that matched her skin tone.

She stood at the entrance looking at them. 

“It seems like I pay you all to chat and make merry during work hours. Instead of focusing on your job you're her making jokes.” Her sweet, stern voice lingered. 

“Other than Roman, every one of you should forget about the month's bonus.” 

Startled gasps erupted. Roman jerked up, brushing a grin. Their eyes darkened with fury at him. 

“Since you all like making merry we will hold a party with that money. Make sure you joke to your satisfaction then so you don't end up delaying the company.”

“Enjoy…… ” She said.