The Billionaire's New Slave

Chapter4; Charles

CHARLES

“How did it happen?”

Was all I could ask as I watched my years of hard work go up in flames.

My throat dried up immediately yet I wasn’t thirsty, sweat broke out of every spore on my skin. My men that were present there were doing their best to ward off onlookers so that the fire fighters would get to work. But it was obvious that even if they succeeded in quenching the fire, I’d still have to start all over again.

I was glad Markus was wise enough to ask me to drive down there without telling me what was happening, it would have been too much of a shock especially with Mabel, my new slave’s loud wails.

I hoped with every fibre of my being while speeding down the highway that the smoke I was seeing had nothing to do with my company. Luck failed me.

My hands were buried in my pocket not because I wanted to, but because I balled my fist and didn’t want to be seen looking that tensed.

"We don’t know what happened boss, we were just fortunate to pass by while taking the old man’s body to the cemetery, then we saw it.”

Markus began, he stood a few inches from me but my eyes remained on the fire.

“The residents didn’t know how to contact you but they were kind enough to call the fire fighters.”

He added calmly.

“How much damage do you think the fire has caused so far?”

I inquired seeking comfort, hoping he wouldn’t confirm my greatest fears to me

“According to those present when the fire was noticed, it had started for a while now. I have gone round the whole complex boss, the fire is big and it has covered the structure completely.”

“I hate to be the one to say this boss, but I think everything is gone…”

Deep silence fell even with the commotion and the loud noise of people screaming and the fire fighters running around and the steady sound of the company’s falling structure.

I felt distant from the world around me as my heart began to literally tear into tiny piece stopping blood from flowing to the rest of my body.

I wasn’t born with a silver spoon yet I was able to strive and give myself one. Now that I have attained this height everything crumples before my eyes.

“Boss, you have to get away from here, the smoke is dangerous and the media are here.”

Markus’ concerned voice jolted me back to reality. But I remained fixed to the spot.

“I’ll handle everything and give you feedback boss,”

He added trying to convince me as the media looked around keenly in search of me. I turned to their direction and one journalist was quick enough to spot me. They rushed at me. The other men around marched swiftly to protect me at Markus’ order.

“Charles Garden what do you think is the cause of this fire outbreak?”

One journalist fired aiming her microphone at me, I only blinked.

“Do you think one of your enemies or competitors has a hand in this?”

“Mr. Garden, how do you feel watching your achievements burn before your eyes?”

“Now that you’ve lost everything how will you cope?”

The question got my attention and I pointed at the young journalist who asked the question.

“First of all that is an intelligent question you asked young lady, but I’ll say you have not been following me closely. Because if you have, you’ll know that I am the only self-made billionaire in the whole of Southern Hill town and the richest.”

“All the others interested their wealth from their fathers or married into rich families who had a lady as the only child and heir to the family’s fortune. But I have worked for mine. I was able to build a name and a position for myself and maintain that position for years.”

“If I was able to build my company, all of it from the scratch, then I have all the wisdom I need to build another company that will thrive and become the talk of the town.”

The other journalists were throwing their questions at me too but at Markus’ direction, I followed them to the car where he and the other men made sure I left the scene as quickly as possible.

One more look at the burning company and I knew it was beyond a speech, it would be a big task to do. I had to find something for my mind to do, that was the only way to remain sane.

Drinking makes me sober and I’m not one to talk about my problems with others. I had to think to overcome the grief and pain that threatened to break me.

My mind went blank, it was also failing me. I got to the mansion but I still didn’t have any productive thought. I put in my password and entered my chamber.

I was welcomed by a big bag which looked loaded with something. My instinct told me it was money, then a productive thought followed.

I needed to call all investors and shareholders in the company and inform them about the loss first hand before the media does. Let it be that their first encounter with the media about the incident would be after the have been informed. That way my speech would be the first and reassuring information they’d get.

I opened the door to my room and took a step inside. My right hand was still on the door knob while the other in my pocket as usual. The first sight I saw was of Mabel in front of my drawer taking money from it.

I couldn’t believe my eyes, my hand slipped off the door knob as I had a rush of mixed feelings all of a sudden.

“Mabel,”

I called audible enough for her to hear. I was still standing by the door. She turned slowly, she must have guessed who it’d be but she froze on seeing me. She looked at the money she was holding and the bag she was stuffing them into agape.

She didn’t answer and I was hoping she had a good explanation for what she was doing in my room with my money on her first day in the mansion when a knife pierced into my stomach.

Her eyes increased in size and the money she was holding fell off, as she saw the blood that soaked my shirt immediately.

“Why did you do that?”

She asked the young man who had stabbed me, he had been behind the door and had sensed danger when she had been startled.

I held on to the knife with both hands and pulled it out. Blood gushed out and she gasped. Her accomplice seemed carefree and was trying to talk to her when I took a step closer and slit his thoat with his knife.

Her loud scream echoed in the whole chamber as blood like a river gushed out of his body. His hands went to his throat the moment he felt the pain and he began to hiccup. He stretched his bloody hand at her, his legs failing him but she moved back in terror screaming again.

“Argh!”

I didn’t allow him fall to the ground as I grabbed him stabbing him countlessly in the stomach while looking her in the eye. Her screams had attracted my men’s attention. The y rushed into the chamber.

“How on earth…”

“Boss are you okay?”

Their voices felt like a thousand miles away as I slowly strode to Mabel, the knife in my hand, eyes bloodshot, bleeding stomach and a cold look on my face.

She was clearly having a panic but she should have thought about that before bringing her boyfriend to rob me. I raised the knife to stab her but before the knife got to her, she passed out leaving my hand suspended midair.