Chapter 5 Taken Aback

" That's Sheila? " Rex asked his friends in awe. " I never know she looks like that " He had entered further into the hall and had stunned everyone. For the first time, he saw Sheila with clear eyes. He remembered her as the lady whose car he had taken to the hospital. Sheila is a short plump lady with blonde hair. Her eyes were big and round and she wore glasses. Her dress was simple and her face was laced with a smile. " Yeah, that is Sheila Thelma. She's Khalil's cousin and she's competing with Pearl in this competition " Emilio replied from behind. " Good " Rex left his friends behind and walks to the podium where he walks past Pearl who still has her jaw dropped. He soon stood before Khalil who is now fuming in anger. Rex however looks away from him in delight. " Rex Louie versus Khalil Karson. The race track will be tomorrow so you both prepared and train well " The instructors received their information but in Midway he stopped. " Rex you got no guardian or parent? " At this point Khalil grinned secretly. Without any parents or guardians Rex won't be nominated. This makes the young Octillionaire go sad. Just when he was dealing with his loss a woman stood up from where she sat and walk forward. " I will be his guardian " Rex turns swiftly to see Lady Thelma, Sheila's mother standing behind him. He was surprised but relieve. However, Karson, Khalil's Father is beside himself with anger. He had been behind his son all through. He wants him to get the gold but thanks to Thelma, his sister's interference his plan had gone to waste. " I will make her pay " He mutters to himself in anger. The face-off finally ended and the party ended with it. Rex walk away to the balcony where his two friends were. Everything has happened so suddenly and fast. He still has a hard time containing his system. " How's ... Father? " He asked his two friends softly when he get to them. " We... arranged for him to be buried that same night. He's been put to rest " Gael replied gently. They never speak further. They both know Rex still needs some time to heal from his Lost. At that moment Pearl appears from behind. When Gael and Emilio saw her they quickly walk away, leaving Rex to fend for himself. " Rex..." She called but the young man didn't reply. He only turns around to stare at her blankly. His heart thudded softly. Strangely his heart still beat for her after what she had done but there is no way he will be accepting her back. " Rex... I heard about your dad " " It's fine. Thanks " He said quickly and then turn around to leave. " Rex we need to talk! " This words makes Rex stop abruptly in his track. He turns around to stare at her blankly. " About? " " Rex..." " We have nothing, absolutely nothing to talk about Pearl " " I love you " He just has to scoff crazily at her confession. Even by staring at her eyes, he knows she never meant those words. " Love? Because I got a car now or because I wore a million-worth suit? " She couldn't reply. Instead, she rolled her eyes and made to touch him. " You know I will always love you. You know this..." Pearl's charm seems to be working on Rex but luckily for him, Sheila appears at that moment to break up the spell. Rex regains his senses and he steps backward, away from Pearl entirely. " Oh... I'm sorry if I have stopped anything but..." Sheila was saying. " You didn't Interrupt. What's up? " He cut in as he tore his eyes away from Pearl and grace Sheila with it. " It's my mum. Well, your new guardian. She wishes to see you " " Of course. Let's go " Rex didn't pay attention to Pearl after this. He only turn around and left the balcony. When he emerges outside he met Lady Thelma. An elegant beautiful lady. She is the only daughter of Pa Riley, the renowned Quadrillionaire. With a smile on her face, she attends to Rex. " Since you will be racing tomorrow I will be there as your guardian," She said softly. Rex couldn't thank her enough. He knows without her volunteering to be his guardian he would have been disqualified. " Thank you so much " He appreciated it. " That's alright. See you tomorrow then " Rex nodded. He was about to leave when Sheila quickly speak. " The night is still young. Perhaps you can come along to my grandpa's birthday " Rex stopped abruptly and he smiles at this harmless offer. " Why not? Sure " He agreed. He met with Gael and Emilio and inform them about his destination. He gave them his car key and left after saying he will return when the birthday party ended. Rex left Riley's Hall in Lady Thelma's limousine where he sat with Sheila. On their way, Sheila briefs him about the family. " So you are Lady Thelma's daughter and Khalil's cousin? You didn't look like any of them " " Well that was because I am adopted " She replied, surprising Rex a little. He had never thought she is adopted. " Oh " " Yes, I am adopted. My mum, Lady Thelma is infertile so she adopted me " " Ohh " He repeated softly. " So how is life in Riley's mansion? I heard your grandpa is filthy wealthy. With Karson, Khalil's Father as your uncle I am sure you will want for nothing " " No! " She exclaimed weakly. " Uncle Karson is the Cruelest man I have ever known. He treats Uncle Louie bad you know " Upon hearing this Rex becomes more interested. He frowns slightly and asks. " Uncle Louie? Who is that? " " My grandpa's first son who had an accident Twenty years ago that cost him his wife, son and sanity " " So sad " He mutters sincerely and Sheila shrugs her left shoulder. " No one is sad for Uncle Louie. Not even Grandpa. Since he has no heir or nothing he is considered the black sheep in the family " Rex was taken aback by this but before he could muster any response the limousine had cruised into the mansion of Riley. The chauffeur finally stopped and they all alighted. Rex followed Sheila towards the patio where the party is going on. But upon reaching there Rex had to stop abruptly in surprise because before him was the Louie Sheila had told him about. He was pushed to the floor and stomped on by his Younger brother, Karson. Louie is the first son of Pa Riley. His beard was overgrown and his hair shabby. He looks so unkempt and sick. He had been told never to step out of his room or show up on his father's birthday but he never listen. So the enraged Karson takes it upon himself to punish him for disobeying. Everyone present in the beautiful patio stopped to only watch as Karson dealt with his elder brother. But strangely Rex feels threatened. Each time Karson stomped on this pitiful Louie, he felt a pang of pity and guilt tearing his heart. So he musters up the courage to do what no one ever does. Rex marched forward toward the scene and pushed away Karson from Louie. Everyone was stunned at this intervention. Even Pa Riley who is watching stands up quickly from where he sat. " Wickedness! " Rex exclaimed to Karson who is stunned totally by what just occurred. Now Rex turns to the bleeding man on the floor. His name is Louie, just exactly like his adopted father who died just a day ago. Rex bent down to the first son of Pa Riley and gave him his hand so he could use it to stand up. But Louie wasn't focusing on the offer anymore but on the watch, Rex has around his wrist. " No way! " He mutters in astonishment. " Are ... you Rex? " Instantly goosebumps overwhelmed Rex and he backed off. What does this mean? No way!