Chapter 19
It is safe to say I have forgotten how to walk, and my mouth would not close back up as he held my free hand and walked me into his dwelling. Only interconnecting bridges and stones was our path to the entrance because the front is a lake filled with colourful Koi fishes and aquatic flowers.
We stepped into the house, and dumbfounded is an understatement because I was nothing short of Alice in wonderland. Men in suits bowed before him, and his phones were handed to him by a man I could only guess was his assistant. A lady I can tell is his assistant read his schedule to him as we moved. Servants in uniforms were moving around the resort-like home and bowing at every corner I turned.
The floor of the living room is glass, so I could see exotic fishes swimming underneath me.
The spiralling staircase looked straight out of a billionaire real estate listing magazine, and the white and gold furniture looked like they belonged in a palace.
Ugly artworks that looked like the expensive shit stinking rich people would own were on the walls, and the ornamental flower vases looked like they could buy my whole lineage.
This whole thing was so much that I became dizzy.
"Ohm… I have to take an important call, so walk around, get acquainted with the house, and I will be with you in no time."
I took an equally mesmerized Sam from him as he moved to the big wall screen where several people were on the screen, on a videoconference. I receded because there was this fear that gripped my spine as I stood looking at him.
My baby's eyes were going over all the shiny things in the house, like the gold leaf trimming details on the ceiling that looked like genuine gold and the chandelier that looked like it had diamonds encrusted in it.
I covered my mouth as I thought of the mother-daughter bracelets he got for us, and I looked at them on our wrists.
"Wait ...do not tell me the bracelets are genuine diamonds and emerald stones."
"Here you are. I was looking for you."
His voice startled me out of my mind, and I could feel myself shivering whilst goosebumps covered my skin. There was this power he radiated that churned my stomach profusely. The distance between us seemed to stretch the more I looked at him.
"Is something wrong? You look pale."
He tried to touch me, and I pushed back from him because I was dizzy from looking up at him from down below.
"Thank you for inviting us to your home, but we have to go back now. Can you take us? Or do I need to call a cab? If a cab will be allowed in here. I need to leave."
My voice grabbed the attention of everyone around, so he grabbed my hand and dragged me into another chamber of the house.
He pressed the intercom and waited for a tone.
"I do not want to be disturbed."
His hand ran through his hair as he drew closer to me.
"I get that you are stunned, but please give me a chance to explain."
"I do not know who the fuck you are… it is overwhelming and… Please take me home now."
I took a step, but he blocked my path and held onto the hand of my bag.
"You know me, Debs. I am still the same guy who came to your house a few days ago. I am the same guy you vibe with."
"You call all this a little different? No, you are not the same person I met. We are from completely different worlds. Who the hell are you, Sam? Please, make me understand. That is if your name is even Samuel."
"I am Samuel A. Harrison I am a Serial investor and part-owner of different companies you may know like Teas and Seasons, the silent partner of GX multinational technology company."
"By GX, you mean you are Prince Wang We Li's business partner? That Wang Wei Li? One of the richest men in the world?"
I busted into laughter because it was laughable.
"Yes... I am and part-owner of Canaan Realty. Debby, I am the owner of Maxim Group of Companies."
I shook my head because I did not know how to process that information.
"Are we talking about the same Maxim that I know? That every fucking person in the universe knows?"
"Yes… I am Maxim."
My spine throbbed, and I held my waist to maintain balance.
"Let me get this straight… you are saying that I am standing before the son of the richest man in the whole fucking world."
He lowered his head to mine, and I weakened from the dominant glimmer in them.
"You are standing before the richest man in the world."
I hugged my daughter to myself and crouched as my legs threatened to give way, and he knelt before me.
"Please do not look at me like that."
"Like what?"
"As if I am an alien or my wealth makes me any different from you. I do not tell people about me because of that look. You are looking at me as if I am not human. Debby, I am still your friend. Please look at me the same way you have been. Treat me the same, talk to me the same way, and I will let you walk away if this is too much for you by the end of the day, but please give it a chance, please."
"I still do not understand… Ambrose Harrison is the CEO of Maxim Group of Companies so… how are you also the CEO?"
"That is what the public knows, but my father is the President of Maxim, and I am the CEO. I kept that information private because I value my privacy and the right to lead a normal life"
"You think this is normal?"
My laughter was endless because it all felt like an expensive joke.
"The richest man in the world on a hookup app? Hahaha. The cameras can come out now. Ashton Kutcher, where are you? Come on out. This is a prank. I believe it is a fucking prank, right?"
What the fuck?
How dense was I?
He gave me all the clues. He told me how people walk on eggshells around him to get something out of him. He referred to it as his world.
Yes, his car looked expensive, but I did not know how much it was worth. It is not as if I run around with a calculator in my hand sizing people up.
Gosh! The expensive gifts he bought. How could I not have known?
I bet he was looking at my house like an anthill.
What does he even want with someone like me?
What in the Indian movie plot is going on here?