A Wife for the Billionaire
Chapter 36: RICHARD

Chapter 36: RICHARD

Winning. Winner. Success.

No matter the synonym I loved being on the other side of defeat.

In the table of any game, I loved being on the far right called the winning side, facing the left side of loss.

A wise man once said,

"Do all you can to win, because when you do, how you did it would never feel as daunt as a loss."

I’m actually the wise man who came up with those words, but I’m sure everyone agrees with me.

Losing is simply not a situation anyone would want to find his/herself in. It’s better to do all you can to win than living with the regret that you could have done something. Because anything is better than the crushing weight of loss or defeat.

In all I do, I strive to be the very best. And I hate being bested, no matter who it was. The person would surely pay.

I know it sounds kinda cruel, but there are people who just don’t know that there are those that ought to be avoided. And those types of people who go about poking those that should be left alone, I made sure they regret ever crossing my path.

I once lost to a girl in high school. Linda Han, that was her name.

She was transferred to our school and as the best in her erstwhile school, she thought she could also be the best in my own school.

Right from the first day, we were at each other’s throats. A question had been asked during English/Lit and I had answered, only for her to best my answer.

I met her at the cafeteria that day and warned her to stay in her lane, but people like Linda, they don’t hear until it’s too late.

She had taken my threat as a motivation, and strived to best me in everything.

It was junior year when we were given a project. We were told to choose any world problem and come up with a standard solution. A solution that when pitched to those concerned they might actually be able to take it.

I had taken up global warming while she took up the case of endangered species. People have always liked animals especially when there’s a propensity for extinction.

I had solid solutions and people had been very impressed when I pitched them. But pity for animals like the Javan Rhinos, Amur Leopards, Sunda Island Tigers, Mountain Gorillas, Black Rhinos, African Forest Elephants, Hawksbill Turtles etc, awarded her the adoration and support of all the prominent men and women who had gathered to listen to the young generation share their views on how to solve some of the problems facing the world.

After her presentation, mine dropped to the second best and that word ’second’ - I hated just as much as I hate losing.

I didn’t care that I was awarded every prize and endorsed just the same as she was, all that meant nothing so long as I wasn’t seen as the best.

A scorn marked my features throughout the celebration that followed. Chad and Aaron tried to change my mood, but nothing could change my mood. Not when Linda went around shaking people with a smile of triumph plastered on her face. I knew that smile was the real trophy. She had bested Richard Wellington and that was a first.

All I wanted to do was to punch that smile of hers into a scowl. And I itched to do it with every passing second.

A smile stretched my lips for the first time after our presentations as I watched her head to the ladies room.

I followed stealthily and waited in the hallway for the peacock whose plume needed to be plucked.

"Hey, Lind," I said, leaning by the door.

"Geez, Richard, you scared me" she said, her hands to her chest in a gesture of fright.

"What are you doing here, anyway? This is the ladies section" she cooed, running

her hands on her well-ironed uniform.

"I’m actually here for you"

"Oh there’s no need for that, I’m sure the congratulations won’t be from your heart" she said.

She was just as willful as Sofia Blake, but I had dealt with her. I had reminded her of her place and that was below and beneath Richard Wellington.

No one is allowed to stay ahead of me. Following from behind is fine so long as whoever is following maintains a certain gap.

"There’s where you’re wrong, Lind. I have no intention of congratulating you, but thanks for reminding me that you are yet to do the same"

"I doubt you need my congratulations, I’m sure you’ve had your fill of that from all those in there" she said, pointing towards the great hall where music still thrummed faintly and the party still went on.

"Ah but how can I have my fill of congrats when I’m yet to receive yours? You truly wound me if you think I don’t need to see those lips form that word."

"But you have always hated me, so why would you want me to say ’congrats’?" She asked.

"Oh I still hate you. Don’t ever forget that. But I still want to see you say it, I don’t only wish for you to say it, I want you to mean it as well."

"I really don’t have time for this. If it’s congrats you want, well ’congratulations’. Are you happy now?" she stated, trying to push past me.

"I’m not done yet, and I’m not really happy. You said it but you didn’t mean it, say it like you are doing so to yourself and I warn you I don’t take it lightly when I repeat myself"

She had been scared then, and we were alone in the hall. She looked around in fear and as it dawned on her that she was trapped, her countenance masked with fear.

"Congratulations, Richard. I mean it. Now please can I go."

"No, you can’t. I’m yet to be satisfied with that sorryass of a congratulations. I warned you, Lind, didn’t I? Stay in your lane, a poor thing like you should know your place, but no, you wanted to rub shoulders with me. Well now, you must pay the price."

"But I never intended to rub shoulders with you. Neither did I forget my place. All my life, I have been reminded of where I belong and of my place. But with the bloom of my intellect for once in my life, I was recognized with the likes of you. People didn’t care about my place or where I belonged. And that’s the best thing that has ever happened to me. Suffice to say, I don’t want to lose this privilege, I simply can’t retreat to the shadows, not when I just got thrown into the spotlight. So, whatever I did to you, please I’m sorry." she pleaded.

"You can quit that pathetic act, I know you are just saying all these because you know no one is coming for you, neither will you be heard if you scream. So, quit it already. I want you to kiss my sole in recognition of my superiority, and make a solemn promise of staying in your place. You will not answer questions when I’m in the class, you will retreat so deep into the shadows that people will forget there was once a time, you were in the spotlight. Do we have a deal or do you want to test the extent of my power and connections, with a call I could reverse that scholarship you just received, so I advise you to choose wisely"

I remember watching her decrease her height, as she knelt. All the while, keeping her eyes on me. The glint of hatred and defiance shimmering within. But I didn’t care, hate me or love me, it does nothing to change my condition, so why bother?

She bowed with her hands propping her and just as she meant to kiss my sole, I withdrew.

Don’t get it twisted, it wasn’t that the humanity in me kicked in, far from it.

"I must say, I don’t really like that position. Why don’t you lie down flat and do it?

The only gesture I got as a response was a tilt of her head to glare at me. In her eyes I saw it, hate so deep that the depths of the Pacific couldn’t measure, a rage so red and fierce that the volcanic fluids of Mount Etna in Italy, burns less in comparison.

"A day shall come when life will clip those wings of yours and show you that you are the same just like everyone else"

And she fell flat and kissed my sole.

In my rage, due to her words. I had smeared her face with the very dust and dirt of my sole.

She had been right except that life hadn’t waited for ’one day’. It had deemed me worthy of punishment from the very first breath I took. As if I had committed an atrocity in my past life, it chose this one to make me pay.

Perhaps with such knowledge, it would be wise to try and do better in this life. But I don’t believe in any of that. Life may resent and punish me, but I will show her that I am Richard fucking Wellington and not even her whips could make me change.

I believe my attitude and defiance is a kick in the ageless face of life, as if telling her that my days may be numbered, yet they remain mine to live as I please.

Linda Han swore to retreat to the shadows and do all that I dictated as she rose, her face bearing blotches of dirt where my foot had smeared. And she kept every word.

I’m sure wherever she is now, the lesson of that day remains engraved in her mind. Offering her the morals of survival especially among her betters - always keep your head low and stay in your place.

Just like Linda, Sofia Blake was about to leave with that same lesson.