Chapter 11

After Richardson signed the spot on the document with slightly shaky fingers, his grandfather shook his hand while beaming excitedly.

“Congratulations, Richardson. You’re officially the owner of the empire now.”

Richardson was speechless, but he found his voice after a fleeting moment which he used in thanking his grandfather.

His grandfather waved him off with a low chuckle as he sauntered towards the area in his study where a bar was located to fetch a drink.

“I think we should toast to this.” He said while pouring the drink which Richardson already knows would be nothing but the very best version.

Richardson shook his head politely. “I think I’ve been through a lot today already, wouldn’t want to overwhelm my brain more.”

His grandfather guffawed at that while downing a glass of the said drink. “You’re probably right. I must be in need of dire rest as it is.”

Richardson watched as his grandfather picked up a telephone which was gold in color. He spoke to someone through the phone who was supposed to come show Richardson to his bedroom.

Richardson bid Damian a goodnight a little while after apologizing for being unable to share a drink with him tonight, as he followed the butler to his assigned bedroom.

Richardson’s mouth fell open when the bedroom’s door shut quietly behind him. The sheer magnificence of the interior took his breath away.

A full-length mirror took up a large section of the wall, and a door leading into another room revealed an empty walk-in closet to Richardson astonishment.

There was an aquarium situated at the top of a low table, filled with gold and black fishes, and decorated to aesthetically match the atmosphere of the bedroom.

A few paintings hung off the bedroom walls as well.

Richardson fell in love with how everything looked.

Some time later, Richardson was relaxing in the extra large king sized bed, decorated with the softest pillows ever and blankets that felt like clouds, and he found himself plundering wistfully about his girlfriend.

He knew she’d have felt way more happier than him If she were with him right now, about how his story has indeed turned around now.

Richardson has always wanted to make a lot of money in order to spoil his girlfriend's rotten like she deserves.

Richardson was sure she’d have never gotten together with his best friend if he had been able to properly afford her needs.

After a little while, he found himself dialing her number, because he knew he was still in love with her even after everything.

Alice answered the phone after a couple of rings. Richardson, excited, had confessed to her about his new found success and how he was now more than capable of taking care of her.

Richardson had been expecting her cry of happiness, but got a scoff instead.

“Are you being for real right now?” Her voice rang loud, filled with disbelief.

She didn’t give him a chance to speak.

“Look, Richardson. I love you, okay? I really do. But, you’re way too poor to take care of my needs like you’re supposed to. I put up with you for months but your lifestyle only kept worsening.”

“We both know you’d never ever be rich, even if you become rich, we both know that can only happen in your dreams and in your imaginations, but never in reality.”

“Alice, listen…”

But Alice had already hung up on him, and Richardson felt hurt. She literally had zero expectations of him being rich, and that made Richardson feel hurt.

Richardson knew she’d be very shock when she realize that he hadn’t been lying on the call and had been telling the truth instead.

After a few minutes, Richardson threw his phone aside and decided to try falling asleep.

Different senecios of him in a new, rich and flawless lifestyle kept replaying in his head as he fell asleep.

~~~

“Here’s a blackcard. It’s exclusively made for the handful of upper class heads of the empire.” Richardson’s grandfather said as he handed the said card to him.

Richardson turned the card around and spotted the same logo which he had spotted on the documents which he had gone through last night.

He also remembered seeing that same logo on different places in his regular daylife, like the company he just got sacked from, has that same logo.

“A sum of fifty million dollars is inside that black card. I know that’s quite small, but it’s only a start and can be restocked at any point.” Damien continued and Richardson’s mouth gaped.

fifty million dollars?

Richardson couldn’t believe his ears. His heart was thumping hard. If he had thought all this was a dream last night, then this was proof enough that it was all real.

A man walked into his grandfather’s study and bowed respectfully to Richardson and his grandfather.

“This is Tom. He’s your assistant, personal advisor and someone who’s going to see to any help you’d need with blending into this lifestyle.

“He’s a graduate of Harvard with many years experience up his sleeve.”

Richardson nodded at all that was being said to him, he was yet to wrap his head around having fifty million dollars on him right, and this happens.

And, this was just the start of the day.

Richardson thanked his grandfather and after some time, he was left with Tom who was smiling at him warmly.

“I think the first thing we need to do is to get you a new phone and new clothes. That’s the fastest way to let go of your old lifestyle and embrace your new one.”

Richardson saw sense in what Tom had said, and in no time, they were both being driven in a Rolls Royce to get those things done.

“I’d suggest we visit the bank first, young master, in order to activate your black card and scan your thumbprint in.”

Tom had said after a little while, Richardson had agreed instantly, already feeling thankful for having a personal assistant on him.

“How was I found? I take it you’d know how.” Richardson inquired curiously.

Tom fiddled with the rolex on his wrist as he spoke.

“You see, because of how important you are, a huge sum of money was promised to whoever finds you. It’s barely being talked about now because people have been searching for you for years and most have already given up.”

“When you were arrested yesterday, the deputy in office that evening emembered your case on spotting your surname, and made sure to get a DNA test with the use of the cup which you had drank from… and that was it.”

“Wow.” Richardson breathed out, in awe.

“I know, right? It’s a good thing your mother didn’t give you a different last name.” Tom mused after a moment, and Richardson instantly began to ponder on that.

If his mother had been made to flee, why would she go ahead to give her son that same last name?