บท 24: Chapter 24. Richie Rich Rich but Richer

Timothy was in the middle of an important meeting when his phone suddenly rang. It was Medusa, his mistress, and her tone immediately set off alarm bells.

"Timothy! Get me and your uncle from Dion's vineyard," she demanded, her voice slightly slurred.

Without hesitation, Timothy excused himself from the meeting, informing his personal assistant and his VP of Zenith Softworks to continue the discussion with Stardust Cybernetics. He quickly rushed to the car and instructed the driver to hurry.

It was well into the evening when Timothy finally arrived at the Golden Gate Grape Estates. There, he found Medusa already sprawled on the sofa, alongside Dionysus. Bernard, his uncle, and two other staff members were sleeping on the floor.

Timothy approached Medusa cautiously. "Madam?" he asked, unsure of the situation.

"Timothy, bring Bernard. And drive us back to the hotel," Medusa commanded, pushing Dionysus aside and standing up with surprising composure.

"Dion, I'm going back. Thank you for your service," she said, her voice regaining a touch of its usual grace.

"Glad to be of service to the famous lady Medusa," Dionysus chuckled, bidding them farewell.

Medusa strode towards the Rolls-Royce parked outside, the driver already waiting. Timothy quickly helped Bernard into the other car, instructing the driver to take him back to the hotel and ensure someone looked after his uncle.

Without delay, Timothy climbed into the Rolls-Royce and followed Medusa. As he settled into the luxurious leather seat, "Bernard, is he okay?" Medusa enquired, her voice tinged with concern.

Timothy chuckled lightly. "He just passed out. My apologies about the situation, Madam," he said softly, his tone conveying his guilty feeling.

Medusa's lips curled into a slight smile. "You two are totally alike. He said the same thing to me when we came late this morning," she commented, her words carrying a hint of amusement.

"And don't worry, no mortals can deny the charm of Dionysus's wine." Medusa said to Timothy.

"I see," Timothy replied, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. "But, how come are you drunk? You've never been drunk before."

Medusa's gaze met Timothy's, and she spoke with a newfound clarity. "Dion gave me a wine for the gods and some ambrosia. It makes me feel high, but I couldn't handle Bernard in this state," she explained, her words providing Timothy with the answers he sought.

Medusa's eyes fluttered open, and she turned to Timothy, her voice tinged with concern. "Aleysia, how is Aleysia?" she asked.

Timothy responded calmly, "She's on her way to San Francisco. She should arrive in about two hours. Do you want to meet her?"

Medusa seemed to ponder this information, her brow furrowing slightly. "No, just send her to her house," she said quickly.

"Are you sure, Madam?" Timothy asked, his tone slightly hesitant.

Medusa's gaze met his, her eyes holding a vulnerability that Timothy had never seen. "Yes, I can be dangerous to her in this state," she confessed.

Timothy's curiosity was piqued. "Why?" he asked, his mind racing to understand the implications of Medusa's words.

Medusa took a deep breath, her words measured and deliberate. "I get aroused fast," she admitted, a faint blush colouring her cheeks. Which Timothy only sees when their car passes on a street light, and the flustered Medusa is really attractive.

Timothy fell silent, racking his brain to remember any relevant information about dealing with a drunk and amorous Medusa, but he found his knowledge severely lacking as he couldn't remember anything.

Sensing his discomfort, Medusa continued, "It only happens when I have feelings for someone, and yes, Dion's wine has that effect. However, I don't have feelings for you, your uncle, or any other humans on earth." She paused, her eyes meeting Timothy's with an intensity that made him shift uncomfortably in his seat. "But I do for Aleysia, and that's why I'm dangerous for her right now."

Timothy's eyes widened as he processed Medusa's words. "I see," he murmured, quickly typing a note on his phone to add to the family's library. "This is certainly valuable information to have on record."

Medusa nodded, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Indeed, might be a good thing for you to make a note of," she said, her voice tinged with a hint of amusement.

Timothy guided Medusa towards her hotel room, mindful of her intoxicated state. As he reached the door ready to take his leave, Medusa's voice stopped him.

"Timo," she called out, her tone softening. "If Aleysia asks about me, tell her I'll meet her tomorrow morning. I'm busy and currently unavailable to see her."

Timothy nodded, his expression understanding. "Will do, Madam," he replied dutifully.

Medusa's gaze lingered on him, a hint of vulnerability shining through. "Be careful driving with her, Timo," she said, her words laced with a subtle concern. "Treat her with care."

Timothy couldn't help but smile at Medusa's unexpected display of compassion. "I will," he assured her, bowing respectfully before turning to leave.

As the private jet carrying Aleysia and her family touched down at the San Francisco Airport, the sight that greeted them was nothing short of extraordinary. Waiting on the tarmac were three cars, one of which was a gleaming Rolls-Royce.

"Holy shit, a Rolls-Royce?" Whitney exclaimed, her eyes widening in disbelief.

Jamal furrowed his brow, lost in thought. "I don't think your father's company is big enough to buy a Rolls-Royce. I mean, sure, Stardust Cybernetics is a huge company, but the last time I heard, it was nearly declared bankrupt, unless some kind of miracle happened."

Aleysia's voice cut through the chatter, "It's Ariadne's car."

"Huh?" The others turned to her, puzzled expressions on their faces.

Aleysia nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "Ariadne only drives Rolls-Royce. She said she just uses the best of the best, and I think Rolls-Royce is the best for her."

The family exchanged impressed glances; the level of luxury and attention to detail surrounding their journey was truly astounding. It was evident that for the enigmatic Ariadne, Aleysia is a special person.

Yolanda couldn't resist to tease her, "She's sure spoiling you, Ale."

Aleysia responded with a smile, "She's a good friend."

Whitney, ever the playful one, couldn't resist a jab. "Stop bullying yourself, Ale. You have a huge crush on her."

Aleysia's face flushed red as she retorted, "Shut up, Whitney."

As the family disembarked the plane and the flight attendant helped Aleysia get off the plane, Timothy emerged from the Rolls-Royce, a warm smile on his face.

"Welcome to San Francisco, Aleysia, Jamal Owen, and family," he greeted, subtly nodding to Aleysia as he took her hand and guided her towards the Rolls Royce.

"Timothy, it's so good to see you," Aleysia replied, her voice brimming with genuine delight.

Jamal didn't know how to act because Timothy is the CEO of his company. But, then again, Timothy acted like he's just a servant for Aleysia. While he didn't treat the rest of the family as gently as he did with Aleysia. But Timothy really treats Owen with regards.

"The others can get into the car in front; one can join us," Timothy said, his gaze shifting briefly to the Whitney, softly smiling, and finding her beautiful.

Without hesitation, Whitney volunteered to ride alongside Aleysia in the Rolls-Royce, eliciting chuckles from her parents as they walked to the front car, only to be surprised when they noticed it's a Cadillac Escalade. The Escalade is everything. Luxury, convenience, opulence, and utility—another luxurious car.

Once everyone gets into the car, and the last car will bring their luggage, a Dodge Duranggo, the usual SUV used to bring the bodyguards when escorting Medusa around.

Jamal and Yolanda settled comfortably into the plush interior of the Cadillac Escalade, and their curiosity got the better of them. Turning to the driver, Jamal asked, "How rich is Ariadne?"

The driver, seemingly unsurprised by the question, replied, "Oh, you mean Madam Evangelou?"

Yolanda nodded. "Yes, Ariadne Evangelou."

The driver chuckled, "Very rich. Richie Rich rich and richer."

Jamal and Yolanda exchanged an impressed glance. "Wow," Yolanda murmured.

"Yes, and working for her is also quite good," the driver continued. "She pays her drivers really well."

Intrigued, Jamal probed further, "How much do you get paid?"

The driver answered without hesitation, "A new driver starts at $52,800 a year. An okay one like me gets $79,700 annually. And the experienced one, the one driving the Rolls-Royce, gets paid $101,900 per year."

Jamal's eyes widened in surprise. "For a driver?" he exclaimed.

The driver nodded. "Yes, but he goes wherever Madam tells him to. And it's really hard to get into that position."

Jamal leaned back in his seat, his mind reeling. He couldn't help but compare these figures to the other job in San Francisco; being Ariadne's driver seems to be one of the top jobs.

No wonde his own substantial salary as the Operational Manager at the Johnson Svalbard mining operation—is a whopping £298,800 per year. Because her driver's salary is almost the same as a manager in a small company, a testament to Ariadne's wealth and the value she placed on her trusted employees.

"Holy sh*t," Yolanda muttered, The Escalade continued to glide through the streets of San Francisco, carrying the Owens family to their destination.