The Rise of the Trillionaire

TWO

It was a call from his friend’s company. He had hoped to gain assistance from his friends and he couldn’t be more happy to receive their call at this crucial time. Hope welled up in him as he swiped the receiver and pressed the phone to his left ear.

“Hello, am I unto Mr Devan Moore?” The masculine voice asked in a respectful tone and Devan unconsciously bobbed his head before quickly recollecting himself and giving a positive reply.

“Yes, you are.”

“I am Mr Henry from JX Enterprises and you’ve been offered a job as the secretary to the CEO with the returning salary of 10,000 dollars monthly.” The man paused which gave Devan enough time to do a little celebratory dance. This was the light he needed at the end of this tunnel of betrayal.

“Mr Moore! Mr Moore!... Are you still there?” The man called from the speaker of the phone his voice a few decibels high. Devan immediately put himself in order, cleared his throat and replied.

“Yes, I’m still here.”

“Okay, that’s good. Can you resume work today?...” Out of excitement, Devan didn’t wait for the man to complete his question when he picked up his suitcase and ran out the door. Lissa shook her head in disappointment as she picked up her phone. Staring at the screen with a smirk, she said to her puzzled parents.

“He will be back. Let’s say in 30 minutes time with a scowl on his face.” She sniggered in conclusion as she groped the sofa for the remote control.

“Why do you say that?” Her mother asked, joining her on the sofa as she surveyed her cunning smile.

“Don’t worry mum. You will soon understand what I mean. Just the way he walked in on us talking about the divorce, so is he going to walk in on other people...” She let her voice trail as the first scene of the Netflix movie she had picked out opened up.

“Hello Sir. I don’t understand why the venue you sent to me is the same as the house of my friend.” Devan said into the speaker in puzzlement, his heart pounding.

“Walk into the house, bro” The man responded in a casual voice which didn’t pass Devan. He squeezed his eyebrows before taking advancing steps into the building.

What were his friends up to? Why would they call him to walk in their apartment? Well, he would follow their lead because he needed all the money he could gather. Lissa’s betrayal was too much to bear and he wanted to show her that he was man enough to get a job!

“Come on in, Mr jobless.” His friend, Jeff announced as soon as Devan’s knuckles came in contact with the door.

“What kind of an assertion is that, Jeff?” Devan asked as he sauntered towards the kitchen area where Jeff, his girlfriend, Ema and an unfamiliar man were sitted, staring scornfully at him.

“Don’t come any closer, Devan! We don’t want to contact the joblessness virus.” Jeff taunted which caused laughter to go round the table.

“Isn’t it enough that you had a miserable job but then you went on to lose it and hasn’t been able to get another one? Don’t you think you’re possessed in a way, Devan? Your ill-luck is becoming worse, dude ...”

The unfamiliar man interrupted Jeff, “And to think that he got a job offer for 10 grand a month?”

“What does all of this mean? Why are you doing this, Jeff?” Devan questioned, weakly. His pounding heart becoming painful against his chest from the thought of another betrayal.

“It means that you’re jobless, you loser!” Jeff responded to him , coming up to face him.

“The job offer was a prank?” Devan probed further with misty eyes and they burst into laughter.

“Did you ever think you were fit to work in my company?! You’re pathetic and your series of bad luck is all you’ll have to your name!” His voice was filled with loath and his face fiercely distorted in anger.

Devan’s eyes closed together to form slits. “Why are you doing this?! I’ve always lent a helping hand when you needed one. Am I not good enough to earn such gesture from you too?”

“That’s the annoying fact about you, Devan. You feel the world is a place of love and so your weak choices! Grow up, dude! Nobody gets help from no one these days! You better get accustomed to betrayals!” Jeff rattled out in his croaked masculine voice then lifted a glass of red wine to his lips and drained the contents of the glass in one gulp. Devan watched him slowly, his fingers turning sour from his digging them into his palm. His head banged in pain, thoughts of anger and disdain.

“You will pay for this, Jeff! We have been friends since high school and the only time I wanted your help, you are not ready to give? That’s unfair!” Devan barked, pointing fingers at Jeff. He didn’t know another way to expel the pain in his heart.

“Help yourself by using the door! There are no dogs here for you guys to bark together!” Jeff ordered and Devan swiftly turned to leave not after engaging in a fierce staring contest with Jeff.

“Quick! Get off my property or should I call the security?” Jeff yelled after him which only fanned the flames of his rage.

Was there a thing like fairness in this world? Or maybe there was but not for people like him.

“I will make all of you pay!” He retorted but only got back their derisive laughter which bore a hole in his aching heart.

As soon as Devan walked into the sitting room of his in-law’s house, he knew that it was game-over for him. Standing erect in front of him was his suitcase which contained the few items he owned. Why were they in such a hurry? He was already about to leave anyways. He thought to himself but paused abruptly when he heard a familiar moan.

His ears were alerted by the sound and he was sure it was coming from the master bedroom. The very same one he shared with Lissa. With a throbbing heart, he took heavy steps to the door and turned the knob, pushing the door open.

The pounding of his heart increased, his eyes became watery and the loud sounds coming from Lissa echoed in his ears as he watched his beloved wife sexed by a tall man with a tanned skin. A man who he had been there for and whom he called his “best buddy.”

“Lissa? You?” He called sharply and she turned her head to him with a disgruntled look obviously upset that he was disturbing such a pleasuring moment.

Today must really be a cursed day! He stated in his head. The events just showed that he was surrounded by people who didn’t care for him at all. But for these same people, he had repeatedly forfeit his happiness in order not to hurt their emotions.

Unconsciously, his fists clenched and he pounced on the man, throwing punches at him. Lissa gasped in surprise and began to call out to her parents.