When Fanny Luis and Melisa returned home , Lisa Bake told them about the viral protest which their staff had started over the non-payment of salary, even before they got down to the villa a few of the staffers had visited the villa to demand for their salary.
“You look drawn and worn out,” said Lisa Bake to Melissa who was busy dusting the dining and turning on the TV to get first hand news of what was happening at the fanny group.
As soon as the TV turned on, brief broadcast about my intention to pay off the salary of angry staffers of the Fanny Group had already gone viral. I had countless sessions about my intention to pay the medical bills of the sick at the hospital, and during such aura I had mentioned my interest to pay the salary of staffers at the Fanny Group
“Bastard!” Lisa Bake cursed, the moment I made mention of that before the journalist. She tilted her neck to FANNY who was gulping down rum to quell his nerves, “was that what you discussed today? Did you beg that bastard to help you pay the salary of your staff?”
Fanny Luis gave her the cold shoulders and gulped yet another rum. His heart was still heavy after the heated session they had with me at my office.
Melissa drawled to Lisa Bake very coldly and replied “Father wouldn’t have done that. We never begged him to assist the Fanny Group. It was Brian Patrick that insisted he do the generous act.
Lisa Bake snarled, “Oh save me the crap. That is not generosity. That is absolute pride. If you should allow that bastard to pay the salary of your staff just have it in mind that you have finally capitulated defeat and you will forever be his loyalist. He is the world richest man and would want everyone to be his loyalist.
Fanny Luis gave a frail nod, “uh, hell no, I am only loyal to Saint Don and not Brian Patrick, so what do you suggest we do now, granny. We are gone. And …”
Lisa bake interposed, “Excuse me. do you want to accept his dirty offer?” her jaw set as she raised a thick brow, “Don’t forget that is Brian Patrick, the once dirty, poverty stricken delivery boy who happened to be our son-in-law. It is an insult to request for his help because he suddenly became rich. He should go to hell!” she barked and breathed uneasily.
Lisa bake being so infuriated turned off the TV which couldn’t stop showing trending news about me and my philanthropic gestures around the world.
“You are going to put a call across that bastard and warn him not to pay the salary of your staff because you are capable of doing it yourself.”
Fanny grinned chinlessly before turning his gaze to Melissa who said, “But granny, I see nothing bad about Brian’s intention to pay the staff’s salary. We are indebted and about to decline to poverty. The ministry is demanding for their tax which is approximately two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Staff’s salary consumes two hundred and twenty thousand dollars monthly. We will be left with the balance of thirty thousand dollars out of a net worth of five hundred thousand dollars. That is bullshit! We need help here..!” he scowled his face as tears welled up his eyes.
“What if we sell the villa and …” Fanny’s voice quenched when the thunderous faces of Lisa Bake and Mellissa flashed at him, “I am just suggesting though, no one should get mad at me.” He stroked his short brown hair and inflated his chin in frustration as he shook his head in loss.
“You know you are not good at suggestions so stop suggesting, please,” Lisa Bake chided him, “How could you suggest such a thing, uh?”
Melissa wanted to chide her father as well but she kept mute since her granny was handling it.
“I know many Croesus that it. We can sell the villa and move to a simple bungalow until we bounce back financially. This villa is too big for three people…”
Lisa bake yelled, “I thought I told you to stop suggesting, since you are not good at it. How can you insist we sell the only villa we have. This is the only valuable property we have right now. Rather you should have mentioned the cars…”
Melissa interrupted and clenched her jaw afterwards, “Nobody is selling my Lamborghini please. I see nothing wrong in the world richest man offering to be of help to the Fanny Group by paying the salary of staffers. As soon as we pay them the gossip making the round about us will stop and the pressure will seize. Brian Patrick is trending around the world now for his philanthropic gestures towards the poor…”
Lisa bake yelled at her, “and what makes you think we are poor, uh? I don’t want believe you are nursing feelings for your ex husband because he is a money bag now.”
Melissa shrugged, “Hell now! He can go to hell! I am only stating the obvious,” he denied and frowned.
“Better!”Lisa Bake’s nose wrinkled.“What is the need having twenty expensive cars while the company goes bankrupt to the extent of not paying salary? I am only trying to save our pride. Brian Patrick shouldn’t do any god damn thing for us. We are fine. Not too shabby. We can do without his ass.” Lisa bake sounded and something jumped into her mind and she queried, “That reminds me did he grant us the contract and unseal the company? That is the area we expect him to be of help. We need that contract to bounce back…””
Fanny snorted; he felt like flaking out and forget about this world and its troubles, “It wasn’t possible as I thought. He blankly refused to grant us the contract and wouldn’t want to unseal a company declining to bankruptcy. Brian Patrick is out to spell Christmas on our ass.” Fanny returned his gaze on Lisa Bake and said emphatically, “Do you know the option that rich delivery boy offered us?”
Lisa bake gave a nod.
“He demanded that we work for him for a salary of fifty dollars per week ,” his voice croaked and he sniffed. “can you imagine. That money can’t even buy good lunch for our pet.
“Fifty Dollars!” she snapped, “this is the embarrassment of the highest order! What insolence! What the hell does he take the Fanny Goup for? Why don’t he sell his remaining kidney to us? Bastard!” she cursed.
Once she mentioned my kidney, Melissa lowered her gaze and touched her stomach to feel the scar that remained after I donated my kidney to her when we were still married.
Lisa Bake barked, “I told you there was no need meeting that dope ass. He would rub it on your face and make you see heaven through his eyes.”
Melissa slumped on the sofa, stared at the pop ceiling and sounded, “We don’t need talks. We need money. What do we do to get out of this box of poverty?”
Lisa Bake sounded, “Please sell my cars and settle our debts. But you must keep the villa. It is the only consolation we have as a group.”
Fanny Luis groaned, “I will be selling mine as well.” He grinned in loss, and cast a stare at Melissa in expectation of her contribution.
“We can manage Melissa’s Lamborghini until this storm is over.”
Melissa’s eyes narrowed, “Oh my God! How did Brian Patrick my ex husband become this rich and influential that he controls the ministry. Am I dreaming? Is this happening for real? I wish I never divorced him, uh, look at me now. Look at us. The Fanny Group is a piece of scrap now…” she said in her head and stared thoughtfully in the space…