Saint Don was pouring his coffee when he was told about the presence of Fanny Luis and his daughter Melissa. When they finally gained entrance into the exquisite office , Saint Don offered them a seat and ordered hic cup bearer to get them a black coffee.
Fanny Luis forced a smile and intoned, “Oh no, no the richest man. We don’t need anything, we are just fine. It is a business visit. We will soon be gone.”
Melissa was all smiles. With her fingers being fondled with, she couldn’t fight off the uncertainty that stood in the eyes of Saint Don.
He gave a firm nod, “I insist Fanny Luis, it is a business talk , yes, I have got mine so you should have yours as well. Winter is heavily hanging over us. We need warmth in our throat. Is that okay?”
The cup bearer gave them their cup of black coffee and disappeared out of earshot before Fanny Luis cleared his throat to open the floor, “Um the world richest man…”
Saint Don interposed him with a refuting nod and a wave of his fingers at him, “That reminds me, Fanny Luis, I am no longer the world richest man. By the way are you sure you are in this world? Haven’t you been hearing the trending news? The news has been making the round about one Mike Don being the world richest man. He is actually my son, the true heir to my multitrillion conglomerates that got missing twenty years ago. I never knew he was alive and enduring as a nobody somewhere in Rio Hondo.”
At the time Melissa could barely look into the face of Saint Don. She was so full of shame and regret now. In her head she turned back the hands of time and saw herself loving and treating me nicely. If only she had known. She was yet to believe I was the true heir to the prestigious Saint Don group and even right now she heard it from the mouth of Saint Don, she was still in doubt.
Fanny Luis lied, “Oh I am just hearing it from you for the first time. Just like you I am too busy with the strategy to save the Fanny Group from this impending bankruptcy. You wouldn’t blame me, the world richest…” he paused and corrected, apologies chairman Saint Don.”
Saint Don swung around in his swivel chair, “You can’t wait to see the master plan Mike Don has for the Saint Don Group. He is such a genius. It is a confirmation that the apple doesn’t fall far from its tree,. That boy has my blood running in his veins.”
Fanny Luis clenched his jaw. He wished Saint Don could just keep shut for one bit so he could state his reason for coming. With the limited resources being made available, the Fanny Group had just three months to fix up their bankruptcy otherwise they would be permanently displaced .
“Um that is thoughtful of Mike Don. He is smart and ambitious like his father,” Fanny said coldly and started bringing out some documents which he placed on the table , “Yeah chairman, the Fanny Group stands to be displaced if we don’t act faster. The twenty billion dollars we invested in the capital market had losses and we are not expecting return on investment for now or in future,” he enunciated and leaned forward as a matter of emphasis, “Please chairman, the reason we are here is because of the oil and gas contract you awarded us which Mike Don retrieved few days ago.”
Saint Don after staring in the space thoughtfully gulped his coffee ad sounded, “Do you know that in less than one month of becoming heir , Mike Don’s business plan has generated ten billion dollars in return on investment. I never thought of exploring the Asian oil and gas business market but since Mike Don came into the drawing board we have already created market survey to plant offices in Asia, and soon we will dominate the world.”
Fanny Luis queried impatiently, “What are you insinuating, chairman?”
“Very simple, that boy is a genius and if you fall short of his kindness you know that you are a dumbass. You are complaining about the contract he retrieved from you. Perhaps he finds you inadequate and a failure that is about to happen. You know, Mike Don has foresight. He has the talent of differentiating failures from perpetual failures. Regrettably you may be the latter…”
Fanny Luis’s jaw clenched but he dared to hide the fury boiling under his breath. “No, no chairman. I am not a perpetual failure. I have never been. the bankruptcy we are facing is as result of ill-luck that accompanies any business owner and pat of my master plan is to boost up our capital base with the contract. That contract is worth fifty billion dollars. It will go a long way to fix our ass in the production market. Right now we are not producing and how do we earn if we don’t produce?”
Saint Don’s eyes glowered, “It is going to be a worse fate if you don’t learn from the world richest man. You see most times I call him the supreme god of wealth. He is in the same oil and gas business with you. How come Mike Don is successful and you are not. It boils down to this maxim; there is something he is doing which you are not doing. I suggest you return to him, learn from him, then you beg him to have the contract.”
Fanny Luis interposed, “Chairman, are you saying you can’t plead on our behalf. You are the father. He will obey you as the chairman,”
“Everything ends and begins at his desk. Every of his decision is okay by me. I have no say in the Saint Don Group anymore. If he tells me to jump I will have to ask him how high does he want it.”
Fanny Luis stared gaping likewise Melissa.
Chapter 40
Fanny Luis And Melissa Pay Me A Visit
Fanny Luis and Melissa finally got into the reception of the Saint Don Group after so long a wait outside.
Upon seeing them drive into the compound through my CCTCV I had put a phone call to my protocol officer to keep them stranded in the scorching sun.
Fanny Luis let a breath of relief once they got into the conducive reception. Fresh calm air flushed across his skin. Melissa was already sweating profusely and her eyes burnt with the warmth from summer. She swallowed as her hands trembled hugely.
Fanny could see the fresh of nervousness under her eyelids and brow. “Are you okay, Melissa?” he queried as he loosened the tie on his neck.
Melissa inflated her chin and let a breath of relief, “Hmmm she hummed. I thought I told you I don’t want to be here. With which eyes am I going to use to behold my once destitute ex husband being the richest man in the world, uh. Tell me father. I just feel like going into that Lamborghini and drive home.”
Fanny wanted to speak when Zion walked out of the office with an official badge on his chest and officially dressed in expensive sleeves, tuxedo and pants. He was well shaven and the diamond wrist watch on his wrist blinked constantly. His eyes locked with that of Fanny and Melissa before he pranced confidently towards them with a form handy.
With a forced smile he said, “Good morning the Fanny Group,” Zion didn’t want to sound too official these were once his father-in-law and wife. He wished he could sound a bit informal. But then in his heart he had moved on and he hoped the Fanny’s had done same.
Fanny threw away his gaze and tightened his lips even more firmly so that no word of reply could sound out by any means. Melissa gave him the cold shoulders, caught sight of the diamond watch on his wrist and recalled that this wasn’t his favorite designers. Brian Patrick must have gifted him this one
Zion squeezed his eyes and shut it , swallowed hard and held out the paper, “Please Chairman Mike Don says you should fill the visitors’ form…”
Fanny’s jaw clenched before he cast a glance at Melissa and then Zion, and finally on the visitors’ form? “I have never filled visitors form ever since I knew Saint Don.”
Zion raised a furrowed brow had a brief grin and pointed at the form. “Can you see this? This is Chairman Mike Don not Saint Don. This is the era of Mike Don all protocols must be observed by all, even if you be his ex wife.” He groaned and stared evilly at Melissa.
Melissa’s eyes glistened. She knew Zion was referring to her and she expected more chiding and side talk from him.
Fanny had snatched the form from Zion and as he perused through his brow thickened when he saw that they would have to wait for extra five hours before they could meet with Brian Patrick.
“Five hours!” Fanny exclaimed and handed the form over to Melissa, “We have not come to see the creator of the universe. His name is Brian Patrick…”Fanny groaned though clenched teeth.
“Now Mike Don,” Zion corrected and proudly pocketed his hands, “This is our protocol down here at the Saint Group. At the Fanny Group you can even let mad people jump through the window to see the chairman but it is not applicable here.”
“Five hours is one hell of a time. Look at the time. It is late noon already before we could see your almighty CEO, it would be late. Do you think we have come here to while away time like you and your father, who have no self esteem?” Fanny Luis queried.
Their gaze came upon Collins Robert, Zion’s father who just came out of his office, corporately dressed in waist coat sleeves and tie and a sizeable diamond wrist watch around his arm; he was looking very much youngish now.
Zion scowled his face and sounded, “Well it is better you obey the rules given to bankruptcy visitors like you or you go home.” He took the visitors’ form from Melissa and about to walk away.
“Okay, okay, fine,” Fanny interrupted him and stretched out his hand to have the form, “We are going to wait for our turn. But please could you just politely inform him that the Fanny Group is here and not any visitor?”
Hastily Collins Robert scuttled into their midst all smiles and then patted Zion on the shoulders. “Son you never told me this is your father-in-law and your wife.”
Zion dragged a thunderous frown, “Father-in-law and wife?” father have I ever told you I was married, uh?” he queried in fury.
Collins pointed at the receptionist, “The staff over there told me a while ago. Apologies if I stand to be corrected.”
“Oh yes father you stand to be corrected. Look at my finger did you see any ring?” he asked and Collins shook his head. “Did you get a marriage invite from me?” Collins shook his head yet again, “so I am proudly single father. These ones are avid visitors and not my in-laws.”
Collins rubbed him on the shoulders and said avidly, “Apologies, son, I will just return to my office” he turned his gaze to the Fanny’s , “Avid visitors do have a nice time at the Saint Don group because we are the best.”
Zion and his father walked away at the same time and Fanny snorted exhaustibly before pulling out a pen to fill the visitor s form.
Melissa muttered, “Shameless father and son. Father I can’t imagine you and I working for Brian Patrick. Isn’t it shameful?”
That would be over my dead body, daughter. You don’t worry we will clench this contract and make so much money and be richer than the rich delivery boy called Brian Patrick.”
In my office I grinned and shook my head in vengeance as all Fanny and Melissa had been saying sounded on a speaker in my office…