Author's POV
They soon got to the villa, and Richard could not even cover his mouth for a minute. That was just how awesome and huge the villa was. The villa was not just any kind of house. It had a penthouse within it and had other buildings around it. Hugely written on it was the name of the company, and he was more than sure this was the house they got in automatically.
The compound was so silent, yet so guarded. There were bodyguards in their corners and on duty, yet with security footage and CCTV cameras everywhere. He was so surprised. But that did not even get to him until they drove into the garage only for him to see massive expensive cars. Cars worth billions altogether. They were of different types, including limousines, Mercedes-Benz, Ferraris. Everything was all arranged there.
As Richard came out of the car, adjusting his suit, his eyes could not stop looking around. If he had even been allowed to stay in the garage back then, when he was suffering before Anna came to save his life, he would even thank them and lick their feet every day. That was just how opulent this building was. He looked at Mr. Dorian as he laughed.
"I know, I know you still continue to blame your parents. But this is just the garage. Come into the house and see what your father left for you. See what your parents worked hard for so they could leave for you. Believe that they did not intentionally do any of the things they did to you. They never meant to do any of it. Do you understand?" he said to Richard as Richard faked a smile.
"Fine. Let's just get this over with, please."
He still tried to act like he did not care. They soon walked slowly till they got up the stairs, and they opened the door for him to the main building. He was so stunned that he couldn't even step his foot inside, scared that his filthy and cheap shoes would affect the ground and spoil everything.
"Do you mean my father owns all of this? My mom knew about this? My parents had all these things, and I never knew about it?" Richard questioned as Dorian nodded.
"Yes. So you should know that if you had rejected this offer, you would have lost a lot. You know how hard your parents worked just to leave all these things for you. And you abandoning it and leaving it for somebody else would be very heartbreaking for your parents. Just try your best. Do your best and make this what they always wanted. They have people that hate them, people that want them to crumble. That is why they protected you. You think keeping you a secret was to make you suffer? No, it was to protect you. It was to keep you safe. If they had told anyone about you, you would have been dead long before you could even remember," Dorian said as Richard nodded and walked in.
He sat on one of the sofas and crossed his leg as a lady majestically walked in. Her aura was different, and of course, she looked beautiful. She exuded wealth as she walked in, and she had a document file in her hand. She placed it in front of Richard as he did not even utter a word, trying his best not to look so surprised, before she stepped back.
"Mr. Richard Houston, I am the secretary of Mr. Holston, and I deal with everything that has to do with the company. He left me a will telling me to protect you and to be the face of the company till you are strong enough to take over. And that is exactly what I am doing for you right now," she said to him as he stood up and quickly shook her hand, unable to stop staring at how elegant she was.
"I am at your service, Mr. Richard," she added as he let go. He could not help but smile cheesily at the fact that he had all this and still had a pretty woman who was taking commands from him. He nodded before sitting back.
"So what is our first move? What do we have to do first?" he asked Mary as Mr. Dorian stood at a corner like a bodyguard. That was when he realized Mr. Dorian was meant to be his bodyguard for life, and Mary was to be the face of the company till he was ready.
"I am Mary Olives, and I am here to help you. Your father made me the face of the company before he died intentionally so that it would help you. I am his only trusted ally, and now, at his burial, is when his will would be read. When his will is read, everyone will get to know that he has a son. But before then, we need to investigate and find out how your parents died. We need to know more about it. But I don't have a lead, and we don't have access to your father's case file at the police station, so we have to work on what your father has left. Your father left hints everywhere to help you, and of course, he had enemies. I was only made the face of the company for not less than three days, and I was hunted down to be killed within a few hours of finally being the one he placed as the face. I was almost killed thrice in three days, despite how smart I claim I am. So you really have to be careful. You really need to do better. We really need to get you out of this unshattered," Mary insisted as Richard nodded.
"I really also want to know who did this to them. I just want to know. I don't care how far we have to go. I just want everything opened. I want to know why they kept me in the dark. Do you even have any clue how much I passed through? Do you know the humiliation I had to endure? Do you know what they did to me? How I was mocked? I was shamed on several occasions. I was thrown around like I was nothing. You don't know what I had to go through. If you knew, you would understand why I'm still unable to believe that he was actually rich after all. After he abandoned me, I refused to believe this," Richard insisted as Mary stood up from her seat opposite his and sat beside him.
"I know everything. And I also know the reason why he did it. And I am more than ready to explain it to you. And also, there will be more hints on the day you read his will. You will really get to know why your father even did any of the things he did. He never wanted you to see him as a bad person. And he never expected his death to be this soon. He saw what you went through being the son-in-law of the Calway family; he always felt bitter. But he knew that was the only way you would learn your lesson. Only if you see how people are ready to treat you just because they think they are better than you, but now you are better than them. Not only will you deal with the people who killed your parents, but you would also show Anna and her family that they were never worth the humiliation they made you pass through. I promise you, you will get back on your feet before you even realize it," Mary promised as Richard felt even more determined now. He was going to push away the emotions he felt, thinking his parents had wronged him, and instead face and make sure to fulfill their legacy and wishes for the company they had worked so hard for.