At Hoffers Foods my Rolls Royce and the rest of the convoy drove into the garage and came to a screeching halt. Like a flash, my past shone on my mind the moment I gazed at the garage and warm tears surged down my cheeks.
This was same garage I begged Hoffers to give up for me and my foster father, just for a night so we could be protected from the cold and the harsh weather. Everything struck in my head with disdain now. His luxury cars were still parked in the garage. He had preferred his luxury cars to the life my foster father.
Zion noticed my teary face, “Boss you are all tears. It will be offensive to see a classic tycoon like you cry in public. Why are you all tears now?” he queried as he brought out his handkerchief and dabbed my eyes and cheeks.
I sniffed and grinned to stop further tears form trickling down. Already Hoffers and his staff had alighted from their cars and waited patiently for me to alight from mine.
“Zion this is the same garage Hoffers denied me and my father from sleeping. He rejected me like plague and would prefer his exotic cars to be parked there than saving human lives. With my eyes I watched my father throw up blood and perish in the cold like a roasted kitten,” I mumbled while I gazed at Hoffers and his staff patiently waiting for me at the entrance.
His jaw sagged before he groaned, “Rubbish, shabby garage!” Zion cursed, “Today how much is his garage and all the cars in it, including Hoffers Foods? Today not only are you ravishingly rich but you are the most sorted trillionaire all over the world. Your net worth is maddening and your presence gets everyone crazy, especially those curvaceous girls. No one knows tomorrow boss. Today you are the world richest man and he bows to you. Very soon he will be your shoeshine boy. I can’t wait to see that happen. This man is wicked.” he shrugged.
I could see the wrath that strolled across the face of Zion but I guessed it wasn’t as much as the fury that boiled in my heart.
I groaned, “This bastard refused me a salary advance so I could pay for my foster mother’s medical bills. But today he has met his waterloo,” I groaned.
Zion’s jaw sagged as his eyes narrowed, “Wicked people like Hoffers Green field deserves to go to hell fire with gallon of fuel in their hands. He made you shed tears and suffer like a kitten in the rain. I can’t wait to see him suffer more. Let’s go boss,” Zion almost barked.
I gestured at him to give it a rest and be of good cheer, “I am already handling this, Zion. It must not escalate. I will reveal myself at the right time, okay?” I warned and once he bowed and agreed, I intoned, “Let’s join them.”
The moment I alighted, I realized another ocean of onlookers were waiting in uncertain anticipation outside the premises of Hoffers Foods. My hardworking security were already handling the situation and restricting avid fans.
Hoffers bowed to me, “See how you are loved the world richest man. This is bizarre and iconic. Indeed your presence at Hoffers food is going to create an indelible history in my generation. May we proceed to the warm reception, boss.” He pointed my attention to the bouquet hall, “Shall we boss,” he sounded yet again to me.
At the time I was waving at my fans and the female admirers who wouldn’t stop chanting, “Mike Don we love you! Mike Don sweetie!”
A journalist quickly scuttled to my side, “Hi the world richest man! Please may we know your reason for visiting Hoffers foods today?” he queried.
I gave him the cold shoulders as Zion stopped him from advancing much closer.
Promptly another journalist paced to my side, pulled out her recorders at me, “The world richest man could your visit be related to the recent outbreak of food poisoning considering the fact that you are a major stakeholder in Rio Hondo, uh?”
Zion let a slight hiss and replied in my place, “Hey, journalist, the world richest man is not ready for your cookies today, as you can see..” he pointed at the bouquet hall which revealed the delicacies Hoffers was going to offer to us, “We have a warm reception to attend to. Shake a leg. Get going!” he gave a brief nod as he gestured at the nervous journalist.
Hoffers led us into the warm reception and my face held a huge frown while my heart boiled in fury. He tendered to me specially, pulled my chair so I could sit, and opened my dish.
Zion stole a glance with the corner of his eyes and rolled his conical eyes at him, feeling undoubtedly irritated at the eye-service of Hoffers.
We were all seated to our dishes and wine. And Hoffers pooped a wine which was passed round. We held our flutes of wine.
“We toast,” I intoned and raised my flute of wine before everyone did same with faces lit up with smiles and chortling, “To the redemption of Rio Hondo from food poisoning; to unlimited wealth and long life ; we toast to the rising of the poor and the eradication of poverty in our generation; we toast to the vengeance our enemies will get in due time…”
At this point Zion stole a glance at me, grinned and forced a smile on his face while Hoffers and the host of his staff chortled sheepishly.
“Cheers!” I raised my glass of wine and pushed against the air, before everyone clicked their glasses with one another.
“This is the best day of my life,” Hoffers opened the floor while we smacked our lips, sipped wine with great appetite. “I strongly believe your visit will infuse us with fortune and more patronage because iron sharpens iron. We will continue to host a reputable man like you, Mike Don and this relationship will remain, boss. I am fortunate to meet with you, boss.” He bowed to me.
I patted his shoulders smiled cheek to cheek and rehearsed my vengeance inwardly…