Filthy Rich

Prologue

I looked at my wristwatch. It's already 1:30 pm. I can't believe I will be late for work again.

I'm doomed.

I came late four times in a row just this week. Mr. De Marco will get mad at me again about this or I might lose this job. I can’t bear to lose it, especially in the current situation that I'm in.

I quickly changed from my school uniform to my employee uniform. I'm a sophomore taking up accountancy at a very prestigious university in our country, but truth be told, I am just a poor scholar struggling to make a living. I need to work different jobs to support myself. After I changed, I ran as fast as I could to go outside the university to call a taxi. Luckily, I didn't have a hard time doing so. As soon as the taxi is in front of me, I quickly get inside, wasting no time.

"Where to Ma'am?" the taxi driver politely asked me.

"Wilson's Home Depot please. Can you make it a little faster? I'm in a hurry", I told him desperately.

I feel uneasy. I keep moving from my seat, biting my nails while praying that Mr. De Marco is absent today.

"Working student?" I looked at the driver through the rearview mirror and nodded.

"Everything will be fine" he randomly uttered and he smiled at me through the mirror. That act somehow lessens the weariness I feel.

"Do I look that stressed and troubled right now?" I asked him with an embarrassed smile.

"No, no, I just felt like saying it to you." he explained, trying not to offend me.

"Thank you, I needed it." I gave him a genuine smile this time. I felt the taxi speeding. I closed my eyes and heaved a sigh.

"Yeah, everything will be fine" I whispered to myself.

Not long after, we reached the Depot. I paid the driver and ran like a cheetah to go to the employee's locker. The time I reached it, the murky and dark aura of Mr. De Marco welcomed me.

Holy Cow.

He was intently looking at me like I was one of his enemies. My chest rose with rapid breaths.

He walked towards my direction at a fast pace and when he was finally in front of me, he said nothing. He looked at me with a disappointing look and handed me a white envelope.

I nervously look at it.

A big SEPARATION PAY was written on it.

Oh no.

He started walking to enter the building while I was still trying to process what was happening with a wide eye and a shaky hand.

"Wait...." I suddenly shouted when I came to realize what I was about to lose.

I ran after him.

"Mr. De Marco, can you please hear me out" I begged.

He halted and faced me with an uninterested look.

"I'm begging you to give me another chance. I told you that this week is our exam week at the university. I needed to finish my exams first before coming here and, believe me, Mr. De Marco I finished them with just half of the allotted time just to be on time, but this is the earliest time that I can be here. Promise after this week I won't get late again and, if you want, I'll do overtime to compensate for my four days being late. Just please don't fire me." I pleaded.

I don't want to do this but I got no choice. This is the only way I can earn money. How will I eat if I lose this? The bills, my school needs and everything?

Mr. De Marco eyed me with pity in his eyes but just walked away again. I went after him.

"Please, Mr. De Marco" I am very close to crying. Out of desperation, I grabbed his wrist to stop him and face me, but he just pushed me away. Before he could totally enter the building, I heard him talk to the guards and asked them not to allow me to enter the premises.

I was banned.

I stood there for a minute watching Mr. De Marco vanished from my sight.

I walked out of the employee's locker room before the guards ushered me out. While walking I can't refrain myself from crying. I keep on wiping them away but my tears won't stop falling.

Gosh, I failed again for God knows how many times.

I was about to hail a taxi again when suddenly a luxurious car stopped in front of me. The windows slowly went down, revealing a man wearing his ever-precious smile. I think he is in his sixties but looks younger at his age.

"Mr. Donny Cavelli", I smiled and did my best to sound jolly.

I quickly wiped all my tears away using my hands and tried to act like nothing had happened. I just hope it will work. He is one of the platinum customers of the Depot. Whenever he needed to buy something, he always asked me to assist him. He is a retired Engineer and CEO of a well-known company. He is a nice old man trying to have fun by doing random fixes in his mansion.

"Ellie my daughter, why are you crying?" his forehead was creased and his eyebrows were furrowed while assessing my face, which I'm sure looks like a potato with a puffy eye right now.

He always addresses me as his daughter. Sweet old man. Today he is with his beautiful wife, who’s also in her sixties, but I think she's even more beautiful than me.

"Do you have any problem?" Mrs. Nayana Cavelli asked and looked at me with worry in her eyes.

"Nothing, nothing. Why are you guys here? Do you need anything?" I tried to smile wider. I hope it will be more convincing.

"Yeah, but I already have it. I was looking for you inside a while ago but you're late." he showed me his paper bag from the depot.

"I'm sorry. I came out late from school, that's why." I explained and he just nodded.

"We'll take you home. Come on." I was about to think about an alibi but he quickly opened the car door and pulled me inside. This old man still has the strength.

"Ahh, Mr. and Mrs. Cavelli, as much as I want to go with you, I still have work." I lied.

They both raised their eyebrows. They looked at each other and shook their heads like they knew something.

" First sweetie, call us by our first names. Second, please don't lie, we know you lost your job." I gasped when Mrs. Cavelli said it. My tears started falling again. I covered my face using both of my hands and sobbed.

"I'm sorry. I just don't want anyone to know yet."

My voice is shaking. Mrs. Cavelli tried to reach me and rubbed my back for comfort, but it made me cry more. Nobody comforted me like this before.

"I did my best, Mr. and Mrs. Cavelli, but school is eating all the time." I look like a child whining to her parents.

"We know dear, hush now. You're so hardworking and talented."

"It's their lost not yours, so chin up."

They continue saying a lot of comforting words to stop me from crying and when I do, they treat me an ice cream.

How I wish my parents were the ones who were comforting me right now.

"I'll give you a job." Mr. Cavelli said while we were sitting in a small ice cream house.

"No, no, you don't have to. I'm going to start applying for a new job tomorrow. Don't worry. You've done enough for me today."

I shook my head no and smiled at them for the assurance that I am fine now and there is nothing to worry about. Applying for different jobs is not new to me anyway. I've been doing it my entire life.

"No, I know you need a job, sweetie. It may take you a while to find one. Best if you would just accept my husband's offer." Mrs. Cavelli held my hands.

"But you have already done so much for me."

I remember the time that we met. I was asked to help them to get a certain item they needed. That time I was kind of groggy because of lack of sleep. I keep on giving them the wrong item but they never get mad. They even asked me if I was fine and I ended up apologizing and told them that I didn't get enough sleep the other night because I needed to review for my exams that day. They still let me assist them, saving me by getting a yell from my manager. Ever since then, whenever they were in the depot to get something, they have always asked for me to assist them. They never even forget to give me something to eat because they are worried. I hadn't eaten yet after school, which is always the case.

"It's our pleasure dear and I will surely sulk if you are going to deny my offer." Mr. Cavelli sounded so serious. I don't want them mad at me. They've been so nice to me.

"OK then, thank you very much. You don't know how happy you made me." I stood up and hugged them.

"You have a good heart, Ellie. You deserve everything" he whispered,

After eating, we got inside the car again and Mr. Cavelli made some calls and their driver drove us to their company. My eyes almost dropped when I saw how tall the building was. Gosh, I know his rich, but not this filthy rich. I can't stop admiring their company building. I think it's the tallest one here and the name Cavelli Empire speaks too much power.

"I didn't know you were the owner of this well-known company." I said, amazed. I can’t keep my eyes off the building.

They laughed at my reaction.

"Chill Ellie, we are still the old folks you always talked to at the depot. Don't be too amused by us." Nayana chuckled as they stared at my face.

The moment we stepped outside the car, a group of men approached us. They wear suits and have this bulky muscular body. I get tensed.

What's going on?

They stop a few steps from us.

" Why are they looking at us?" I whispered to Mrs. Cavelli.

"Don't mind them, they are security. No need to worry."

I just nod and I take a deep breath of relief. They only had one person with them when they were going to the depot and now, they have plenty of them, just new to me.

We walked inside the building and my eyes couldn't believe what I was seeing. Everything in this building sparks elegance. I hope someday I can work here as an accountant. Everyone who saw us walking bowed down their heads as a sign of respect. Some eye me with curiosity. I shouldn’t have walked with them.

We enter a private elevator with some of the men in suits and the others stand in the lobby.

"Does Deus know we're here?" Mrs. Cavelli asked her husband.

"No" he answered.

The elevator also looks high class. Well, everything here looks pricey and luxurious. Something I can’t have in my lifetime.

The couple keeps on chatting and I stand beside them admiring the gold and black colored elevator buttons. When we arrived at the right floor, only Mr. and Mrs. Cavelli got out of the elevator, but I don't have any idea if I should go out with them or stay inside with the men in suits inside the elevator.

"Come Ellie", Mrs. Cavelli called me and I hastily walked towards them. I tailed behind them afraid that I might get lost.

This floor emits a different aura. We're heading to a big and the only office here on this floor. There is an office table outside. A beautiful lady is occupying it. A desk plate says that she is the President and CEO's secretary.

The moment she saw the couple beside me she hurriedly stood up and greeted them with her best smile.

"Good morning Mr. and Mrs. Cavelli." She bowed down her head as a sign of courtesy.

"Good morning, Is Deus inside?" Mr. Cavelli asked.

"Yes sir, let me just call him and let him know that you are here." she grabbed the telephone beside her and was about to dial when Mr. Cavelli stopped her.

"No need let him be surprised". Without any warning, he opened the big steel doors. Mrs. Cavelli gently grabbed me in the arms, pulling me inside with her.

The moment we entered the room, I heard a deep voice of a man shouting.

"WHAT THE HELL!! YOU'RE USELESS. f*****g USELESS!! YOU ARE FIRED!!" and the next thing I knew I saw a vase flying in my direction. I was caught off guard and so my reflexes froze.

Before I could even move my feet, the vase already hit me directly in my head.

And everything went black.