"This is how you treat your own daughter? Like a common servant? Do you have no shame?" Alrik bellowed even as the guards tried to keep him back.
People began to whisper.
Isn't that Eliza's mentally retarded husband?
Why would they allow someone so worthless into this esteemed event?
How embarrassing.
Eliza didn't care about their insults and whisperings, she immediately ran towards Alrik with joy. After caring for him in his retarded state for a while, she was the first to notice that he was okay now. She had no idea how it happened, but she didn't bother about the details. Alrik opened his arms wide, and she jumped into his embrace.
"You're okay!" She squealed as he twirled her around.
Alrik forgot his anger completely as he held his wife in his arms. This sweet, beautiful woman, who never gave up on him when everyone else did.
Their reunion was interrupted when the celebrant stepped forward with a furious expression.
"Eliza! I thought I told you to keep your imbecile husband away from my house."
"How much will it cost for you to treat my wife with respect? How much should I pay you? Will fifty million be enough?" Alrik snapped at the patriarch of the house.
Everyone laughed at his words.
Eliza's cousin, Nathan stepped forward.
"I thought you had finally come back to our senses, but it seems you're still retarded. Have you forgotten that you're poor? Even calling you a rat is an insult to the creatures. You're less than the dirt under our feet, and you've succeeded in dragging Eliza down with you to your level. How revolting!" He sneered and they all laughed again.
"Don't waste your breath on them, grandfather. It's your birthday, and it's a cause for celebration. Besides, I have a gift for you. A proper gift that I'm sure you will like." Mario said and gestured for the maids to bring his gift closer.
"This is a one of a kind Alairas gemstone. Estimated at approximately forty million. Only very few were ever mined, and most of them are owned by private collectors." He said proudly as the box with the gem was opened.
Everyone gasped as the gem shone brightly, but Alrik just scoffed. The gem may be shiny, but it was fake. He knew that because he was the only one who owned the real Alairas gems. They had been a gift to him from the original owner of the mines it was first discovered, and excavated from. They were three in total, and he was sure they were still secured in his jewel vault. All three of them were worth about ten billion dollars together. But he didn't speak up to tell everyone that this gem was fake. He had a plan in mind to humiliate them later, and the true gems would make a perfect gift for his wife. He could already imagine how beautiful all three gems would look on her when he had them converted to jewellery.
The grandfather was very happy with his gift.
"This is a gift worthy of me, not that cheap rag you made for me Eliza. I've thrown it in the trash where it belongs."
Alrik could remember the gift Eliza had made for her grandfather. She had spent so much time and almost all of her money on it, yet they rejected it. His anger returned, but before he could speak, the grandfather moved to the small podium.
"I have an announcement everyone. Usually, I forbid anything business related being discussed at celebration events, but this cannot wait. As we all know, Crestview group announced that they would be moving their headquarters to this very city. Every company worth their salt will be going after them to try and make a partnership."
Alrik smirked as Eliza's grandfather kept talking. If only they knew that the CEO of Crestview was in their midst.
"Any company who eventually wins the partnership would immediately become influential. Not to mention the various benefits that will be gotten from making a merger with Crestview. As you all know, I will retire soon, and then I will have to choose a successor for our family's company. Before then I have a task. Any member of the family who is able to get a partnership or investment offer from Crestview group will immediately be granted 10 percent of the company's shares. That would automatically make the person a prime candidate to become the CEO as well."
Every family member present gasped. They had all been secretly planning how to be the ones to take over when their grandfather retired. Now they had a chance.
"You all may as well give up now." Eliza's cousin, and Nathan's twin, Natalia spoke up immediately. "My boyfriend knows someone who is close to the CEO of Crestview. He will use his connections to secure the position for me." She bragged with a haughty expression.
Francis scoffed before speaking. "No one even knows who the CEO of Crestview is. Only the board members have ever been seen. The CEO's identity is hidden, so how could your boyfriend possibly know someone close to him?
"And what of Eliza? Is she also eligible to join this competition?" Alrik asked.
"Eliza has been disowned. And even if she was still part of the family, she stands no chance of winning. You're more stupid than I thought if you actually believe she would be included." Mario said and everyone laughed at Alrik's presumptuousness.
"If you're all sure she will lose, then you won't have a problem including her." Alrik responded calmly instead of getting angry,
"Fine. I'll give her a chance to compete with the others. If Eliza, by some impossible means, manages to secure the partnership from Crestview group, she will be accepted back into the family, and also receive the 10 percent shares I promised. Eliza, are you willing to join the competition with the others?" Her grandfather asked, and she hesitated.
But Alrik turned to her and smiled. His confidence gave her courage, so she nodded.
"Yes, I accept your challenge."