The Rise of the Trillionaire

FOUR

The cloud began to get even darker and foggy. It was about 5pm in the evening but Devan could barely see because of how dark it had gotten. Somehow, the weather resonated with him. It soothed him to know that it was as dark as his life and heart. He looked up to the clouds which had gathered above him and signed.

It was going to rain and the rains reminded him of his mother and the beautiful stories she told him on such rainy nights. It reminded him of her smile and the melodious voice which sang songs to him as he slept which he heard until this day.

But it also reminded him of Lissa. Of the days when their marriage was enviable, the kind that all their friends wanted to have. What had gone wrong? Lissa always said she didn’t care for how much he had but here she was disgracing him because he was jobless and depending on her parents?

The rain droplets fell in chunks on his head, shoulders and splattered on his back and chest.

“f**k! Could this day get any worse?! Now, I will be drenched and cold with no place to sleep.” He grumbled as he quickened his steps towards the path that led to the city’s bridge. It had two points of getting to the bridge and the other side was were cars and pedestrians used but this path had been discovered by him a few weeks after he got into the city.

He usually strolled to the bridge after misunderstanding with Lissa or argument with his in-laws or a tough day at work or whenever he had a lot on his mind. He’d talk to himself for a good amount of time and leave refreshed.

He had been at the bridge earlier when he wanted to draft a plan to salvage his marriage and had returned to share his plan with Lissa when he heard the heart-wrenching words Lissa said to her parents.

The rain was now in its full glory, roaring and pouring down as if it had been angered by someone. Devan smiled sadly as he placed his butt on the rock he usually sat on, on those countless sad nights but he wasn’t at the spot to rant or throw stones into the sea underneath.

He wanted to end the visits to the bridge and become part of the water, staying below it forever and listening to people’s sad stories, giving them the soothing feeling he had usually felt. He wanted to throw himself into the water and have peace for real.

“Let me end today with a permanent full stop. Let me get rest and peace while helping others under this bridge.” He spoke for the first time after he got to the bridge. His voice was weak and sad as if all of his strength had been punched out of his body.

“The water is a peaceful place.” He continued as he stood up and walked to the railing of the bridge. Gripping it with a malicious grin, he let a car drive past him then got ready to lift himself off the railing when he heard a sniffle.

He paused and turned to see who had made the sound. A few feet from him sat a smallish lady, coiled up into a ball and he could tell was sobbing profusely from the way her body shook and the number of sniffles he could hear from where he was.

Everything in him wanted to lift himself off the railing and care less about the heartbroken woman after all he had nobody to care for him too but...

The nagging voice in his head which was reminding him of his promise to himself to give the care and love he didn’t receive from anyone.

“Ugh!” He groaned, releasing his grip on the railings and took three steps to the lady. All his efforts to act stoic didn’t stop his heart from going out to a sad soul. He could understand her with every nerve resident in his body.

“What’s the matter?” He began, clearing his throat but he only got a louder wail as response which greatly irritated him. He just had the worst day of his life and wasn’t wailing helplessly but he could swear she was shedding tears because of a man.

“What’s the matter with you? I have some serious business to do right now but I just stopped to check up on you. “ His tone was non-chalant but it succeeded in making her raise her head.

“Like throwing away the beautiful life you have ahead of you?” The metallic voice of the lady came. It sounded authoritative and soothing at the same time. The voice seemed to excite Devan which made him want to engage her.

“How’s that your business? After all I’m not weakly sobbing at the foot of a bridge like you’re doing, Miss.” He shot back and this time in a more aggressive tone.

“Sheeesh, Mister! I’m not in any way the cause of your problems!” She eyed him, upset.

“But your gender is! Women are never grateful! Tell me, was it because you didn’t get a gift from him? Just like my... Lissa divorced because I lost my job!” He exhaled and dropped his arms to his side loudly.

The lady stood up and dusted her butt. She wasn’t smallish in any way. She just coiled herself into a small ball perfectly. She had length on her side and her eyes shone in the dark with authority. She had a goddess-like figure and her beauty was one that Devan have never seen before.

“I’m Miss Perri Vennice.” She stretched her palm to him with a small smile which revealed the cute dimple on her left cheek. He gripped her hand in a firm handshake as he gave his own introduction.

“And I’m Mr Devan Moore.”

Perri gave him a once-over before removing her palm from his handshake.

“Ouch!” She winced, rubbing her throbbing knuckles. “You squeezed them real bad.”

“I’m sorry about that, Miss. Please what made you come here to cry?” He asked as he watched her rub her knuckles.

Perri shrugged, meeting his eye “The same thing that made you want to end your beautiful life...”

“Firstly, my life isn’t beautiful and things are only going to get worse!” Devan retorted, unable to let her finish.

“That’s a very sad spot to let your mind be in. Stuffs happen to everyone but the only ones who keep pushing for a better life are the ones who get it. Pessimistic views only hinder you from a beautiful life ahead.” She shrugged then patted Devan shoulder. “Life is struggle. Everyone has struggles... It’s left to you to face yours and conquer “

“Thank you for those inspiring words, Miss but that doesn’t erase the fact that I don’t have a place to lay my aching body down tonight and no food or clothes for tomorrow too.” His sighed when he caught the surprised look on her face.

“This looks like a pretty bad divorce.” Perri asserted as she weighed the different ways to bring up her offer to this man. He sure was the perfect fit.

“Your look confirms it. I’m such a loser and I accept it!” His head drooped on his shoulders just as the tone of his voice.

“Well, I don’t see you as such.” She began, making Devan’s head shoot up.

“What do you see me as then?” He rushed to asked before she could continue.

“A man who could succeed if he had the opportunity other people had and I want to give you that opportunity today.”

“Hmmm.” Was all Devan could mutter, his mind failing woefully at giving him a clue as to what Perri wanted to do.

“I want to marry you and have you manage all of my wealth as my husband...” She let her voice trail then fished out the newspaper from her handbag.

On it was written in bold letters, THE NETWORTH OF NEW YORK’S RISING RICHEST WOMEN: SHIRLEY VENNICE.

“Here’s my net worth.” She stretched the newspaper to him which he grabbed. A quick perusal of the words made Devan’s eyes go round. He turned his eyes on her again and recognition washed over him.

He had seen her severally on newspapers and billboards. He had even boosted to his friends that himself and Lissa would as rich and known as she is today.

He took his eyes back to the picture of her displayed on the cover page and sighed. He wasn’t to blame for not recognising her, who would think that the fancifully dressed and authoritative lady in the photo was the same one with mascara dropping from her eyes standing in front of him?

“So!” She called him out of his moment of fantasizing. “Will you take my offer?” She c****d her head sideways which gave her the access to stare directly into his face.

Devan felt jittery as he looked to and fro from the magazine to her.