CHAPTER 18: CLUB DENAIRE.

Mr Lin went outside to find his wife in the gardens, on the floor crying,

"Flora, where the fuck have you been!? And why are you on the floor, do you know how much I paid the seamstress to make this dress?" Mr Lin said furiously, he didn't care about his wife crying.

Flora sniffed as she got up. She dusted herself and said to Mr Lin,

"I'm fine thank you for asking." She said as she went into the hall for the event.

The president of the billionaires club was addressing his members,

"This year we've recorded a good number of progress in this city. I look back at what this city was 20 years ago and when I look at it now, I say to the heavens, we have all done amazing jobs. So I would like to say thank you to all of you who contributed." Mr Rogers said.

Everyone applauded when Mr Rogers finished talking, he added again,

"But we can never be 100 per cent done with this city, at least not now. There are some parts in this city that reminds me of Pine Hills, which shouldn't be so."

Maya's mood immediately changed. She was disgusted,

"Starting from the motels. This is a great city, I believe it's too big to have motels. Besides, they don't generate enough revenue for this city." Mr Rogers added.

The other billionaires seemed to agree with Mr Rogers. Maya was not having it, because she stayed in a motel so she rose her hands,

"Yes, young Miss," Mr Rogers said.

"If you demolish the motels in this city, where do you expect their inhabitants to live?" Maya said confidently.

Mr Weeks was stunned to hear that Maya was trying to disagree with the president of their club.

"Excuse me, miss." Mr Rogers said.

"You want only hotels right? Then the people who live in motels, where exactly, do you want them to live?"

"Do you live in a motel?" The president asked.

"Because you wouldn't care about them if you lived in your own apartment or mansion." Mr Rogers said.

"I don't need to live in a motel to care about where they'll live if you demolish their home," Maya said agitatedly.

Mr Rogers remained quiet for a while, while Mr Weeks pondered on what he was going to say next,

"Maya, please calm down," He said in a lowered tone to Maya.

"Fair enough, then we would issue a warning notice to them. And if they're not out within three days, they'll have themselves to blame." Mr Rogers said disdainfully.

It was almost 7 pm and the fundraising event wasn't over. Maya continued looking at her phone from time to time,

"Maya, what's the problem?" Mr Weeks asked.

"It's nothing, I just think it's getting too late."

"Do you wanna go home? I could drop you," Mr Weeks suggested.

Maya wanted to stay back until they talk about Pine Hills, she wanted the president to hear her voice,

"It's fine, I'll wait a bit."

AT MR WEEK'S MANSION

It was 5 minutes to 7 and Maya had not shown up. Deryn was tired of waiting so he decided to call Maya. He left her 4 missed calls, Maya bounced them all, something she never does. Deryn decided to wait for a little while when he saw one of his dad's maids and asked her,

"Clara," He called her name,

"Yes Mr Deryn," She replied.

"Do you by chance, know if my dad returned from work?"

"No sir, he hasn't returned. Would you like to eat anything?"

"No, thank you, Clara." He said.

AT THE FUNDRAISING EVENT (CLUB DENAIRE).

"Our target for today would be one million dollars. We're gonna turn this city into something huge. I assure you that." Mr Rogers said.

Maya was confused, five million dollars? Can't one man donate it? Since they're all billionaires, she thought to herself.

Maya watched as some billionaires donated in thousands, she was eager to see what Mr Weeks would donate,

"Aren't you gonna go?" She asked him.

"I want you to go." Mr Weeks said.

"What? I don't understand?" Maya said confusedly.

"On behalf of us."

"Us?" Maya said stunned.

"Me, you and Deryn." Mr Weeks said.

Maya quickly looked at the time on her phone, she saw that Deryn left her 4 missed calls. She was dreaded,

"Excuse me Mr Rogers, a random suggestion here." A billionaire from the crowd said.

Mr Rogers was ready to hear him,

"Isn't it advisable for the inhabitants in motels to be sent to Pine Hills?"

When Maya heard this all she could think about was talking about how the people in Pine Hills were suffering.

"Good idea Mr Payne, but those people are already suffering, we can't add more population to their poverty, they'll just end up migrating over." Mr Rogers said.

"You know that they're suffering, then why not do something about it," Maya said.

Mr Weeks did not like the fact that Maya had been challenging Mr Rogers,

"What's your name, young lady?" Mr Rogers said agitatedly.

"Maya, Maya Hunts." She said.

"Mr Wayne, is she yours?" Mr Rogers asked.

"Yours?" Maya grumbled.

"She won't do it again," Mr Weeks apologized.

Flora listened to Mr Rogers, how he talked about Pine Hills with disdain. She worried for her mother, she hadn't seen her for long.

AT MR WEEK'S MANSION

It was 13 minutes past 7 and Maya still hadn't shown up. Deryn wondered but Maya could be doing at work by that time. So he called Marty, his father's assistant,

"Hey, Deryn what's up?" Marty said.

"Hey bud, are you at the office?" Deryn asked.

"No, just left a few hours ago. Do you need anything from the office?"

"Not really, is my dad at the office? Or Maya?"

"Your dad and Maya, they both left together 3 hours ago,"

"Three hours ago?" Deryn said agape.

"Yeah, they went for the billionaires fundraising event."

"Club Denaire?" Deryn asked.

"Yes," Marty replied.

"Was it mandatory that she went?"

"It's a fucking fundraiser man, it wasn't mandatory."

"Thank you, Marty," Deryn said as he hung up the phone. He was furious, he was boiling with rage.

Why did she lie to me? He thought to himself.

AT THE FUNDRAISING EVENT (CLUB DENAIRE).

"Pine Hills will forever be Pine Hills, its people will forever be its people." Mr Rogers said.

"Mr President, like you, said, the citizens of pine hills are suffering, while you all are raising 5 million dollars for a city that's already at its finest!" Maya said at her highest pitch.

Flora wanted Maya to speak more because she only cared about her mother's well-being. Mr Weeks tried to calm Maya down, but she was resilient,

"Mr Wayne Weeks, please take her out." Mr Rogers said adamantly.

"I can leave by myself," Maya said as she grabbed her things and left.

Everyone murmured as she left, Mr Weeks stood up to apologize to everyone,

"I'm so sorry everyone." He said.

"It's not your fault you got mixed up with sensitive whores." Mr Rogers said as the whole crowd laughed except Flora.

Mr Weeks heard what Mr Rogers called Maya, and he couldn't stand up for her. Maya saw this and left immediately crying. It was already too late, she stood outside in the cold, looking for a cab until someone yelled,

"You can't find a cab here lady! Walk down!"

"Thank you!" Maya yelled back.

She had to walk in her heels, she was overdressed and she had a lot of bling on her, she feared that she could get robbed. Most of all, she feared what Deryn would say to her because it was already 8. She walked until she found a cab, inside the cab, she asked the driver,

"I know this is a very silly question, but do you happen to have any spare clothes in your trunk or just lying around?"

"I do Miss, but what could you want to possibly use them for?"

"You'll see. Just hand them to me, thank you." She said as the driver gave her the clothes.

She removed all the pieces of jewellery on her body and wore the basic clothes the driver gave her. She looked like a sexy rag. She got to Mr Weeks mansion and paid the driver and he took off. Maya took a deep breath, dreading what Deryn would say to her, she knocked on the door and no one answered.

So she opened the door and saw the most romantic thing she supposed Deryn left her. It was red everywhere, roses, chocolates, even a beautiful red dress. Then a gigantic card that displayed,

"Will you be my girlfriend?"