Chapter 16: Meeting
"Anyway, prepare. Let's get going to school," David said.
Even though he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to buy the university, it seemed like a good way to spend his money. However, he didn't see much potential for profit from the school.
If there was a university he wanted to buy, it would be the University of Port Harcourt. It had an ideal location with plenty of land he could use to build additional facilities, and it was already somewhat famous throughout the country and even abroad.
"I don't have classes today," Shedrack said as everyone turned to him.
"Your laziness will be the death of you one day. Get up and go get ready; let's get going to school," David said, as the others chuckled.
Shedrack's attempts to skip class weren't new, and unfortunately for him, David didn't take such things lightly.
A few minutes later, they were all ready, and David was waiting in the main sitting room for them to finish getting dressed before they left.
"Sir, wouldn't it be wise to prepare a separate vehicle for them?" George suggested.
"Not really. None of us care about the school; we're just here for the certificate. And me? I don't think I need it anymore—I can literally buy it," David replied nonchalantly.
Truthfully, at this point, going to school was more out of habit than necessity. He didn't even like his course; while it was a good field of study, it had no future in Nigeria.
The country didn't even have a national library, so what was the point of him studying it? He could leave the country, but he was already wealthy.
"Sir, don't take offense, but I think that kind of mentality could be your downfall," George said, and David immediately turned to look at him.
"…"
Seeing his expression, George shrank back, taking a literal step back, which only confused David more.
"Go on, you had advice. Do you think I'm that petty, or what?" David asked, surprised at George's reaction.
"Don't fall for it!"
David heard someone shout as Gabriel slid between the two. At this point, David didn't even know what to say.
"What are you doing?"
"He says he's not petty, but trust me, this guy is the pettiest person you'll ever meet—he never lets go of a grudge," Gabriel said.
"What are you talking about? This guy has the memory of a goldfish—wrong him today, and he'll forget it by tomorrow. Otherwise, you'd already be dead for chatting up his cousin," Shedrack said as he came down to join them.
"Bruh!" Gabriel said as his arms fell to his sides.
"Did you just call me a goldfish? Also, you bastard, come here!" David shouted, remembering that unfortunate day.
Now that he thought about it, he did tend to forget minor grudges quickly. He might not forgive easily, but his body was practically designed to make him forget such transgressions.
As George watched the group of friends quarreling over something so petty, he couldn't help but smile. It seemed he'd gotten a good job offer after all. All the money he'd spent on schooling turned out to be a great choice—a mistake he'd gladly make again.
"Okay, I'm ready!" Uchenna shouted from the top of the stairs, drawing everyone's attention.
Like the rest of them, he was dressed casually, but he looked as if he'd just walked off a Hollywood set.
"Yes, I know—I'm too fine. No need to stare," he said with a grin.
"I swear I'll ruin that face," Gabriel shouted as they all broke into another round of playful banter.
This time, however, David simply stood aside. He wasn't so threatened by looks that he'd attack someone over them.
"Sir, I just meant to say that no knowledge is a waste. If you feel the school isn't giving you what you want, then change it—you at least have the resources to do so," George said with a smile.
Turning to look at the man, who appeared to be in his late thirties, David could see the sincerity in his eyes as he turned back to watch his friends.
"Never give anyone a chance to look down on you," David suddenly said, his smile growing wider.
Those were his uncle's golden words—be good, and never give anyone a reason to look down on you.
He'd nearly done just that due to his negligence. He was still in his third year with a lot of time ahead, so he had no reason to hinder himself now.
"Thank you," David said after a while.
Later, the group got into the car, making their way to school. Even if they hated it, they still needed their certificates.
…
That afternoon, David could be found sitting at the head of a conference table in a room filled with various people.
These were men and women of different backgrounds. Looking around, David wasn't even sure how to start conveying his ideas or where to begin.
He remembered their faces from the documents he'd reviewed earlier, and he recalled offering to pay each of them around $100,000 per month.
It had seemed like an insanely high amount back then, and even now it still did, especially for an account manager.
But from what he'd gathered, this group wasn't just here as account managers; they were financial advisors with immense responsibilities.
David almost pitied them—they would serve him in the same capacity as they would serve nations, but it was for private matters, meaning the workload might sound small but was immense.
One hundred thousand dollars might seem small when you consider that the chances of overworking, even in such good conditions, are not zero.
"Good day, everyone," David greeted as he stood up.
Mr. Obi stood by his side, introducing himself to the rest of the team.
"First, I'd like to thank you all for accepting this offer to come manage me and my whims. I know it will get hectic, so all I can say is—we can do it!" David said with a tone of pity in his voice.
"Sir?" Mr. Obi asked in surprise.
"There's no need for introductions. Surprisingly, I remember everyone's profiles from their names. Now, I have to show you the work you'll be doing for me, so you can hate me as much as I once hated my boss," David said with a smile.
....
....
If you wish to support me, you can do so via Ko-Fi