Charles Wellington knew this was his chance. He smiled at his reflection in the mirror. He had inherited his mother's good looks and his father's convincing tongue which was his most prized possession. If not for the fact that he could speak convincingly, he wouldn't have married the most beautiful girl in his class because he didn't have a single penny to his name.
Source
His father, apart from passing on his sugar-coated tongue, had left his four siblings and himself absolutely nothing.
When he arrived at the conference hall, there was no one in attendance yet. He took a stroll around the room, tracing his fingers along the fine furniture and wondering when he would own an establishment like this. He was about lowering himself into the director's chair, just to have a feel of it, when The Doors swung open.
Habeeb Sharma, the biggest investor on the continent said to have the Midas touch, walked into the room.
Charles thought he might weep in excitement. There was no way Habeeb Sharma was involved with this investment and it would go wrong.
Over the years, he had made continuous bad investments, sowing where there was bad soil so that he continuously lost the monies from his wife's jewelry, his son's fees, his lottery money, and his mother in law's savings which he had at different times put into one investment or the other.
Habeeb gave him a curt nod then took the seat directly opposite. Charles was squirming with excitement.
Gradually, the room became filled with top-ranking men who were well-known for their good fortune in investments. Charles had gotten word of this meeting from a very reliable source, and he was told that the only way he could join in was if he came earlier than the real investors.
When they were ALL seated, it was Habeeb who took the floor.
“Gentlemen, we all know why we are here. There are gold mines located close to the Sahara only recently located by travelers. These mines could either be seized by us, men of influence, or by the government. This is why I called this meeting”
There were murmurs around the room and soon a young, well-dressed gentleman brought pieces of paper on a plate and passed it round. The men began scribbling on the sheet immediately.
"You may be having a hard time deciding but it's truly worth it," The man seated close to him said. Charles smiled politely, he wasn't thinking of the amount to write down, he was thinking of where he could get a worthy sum to join in the investment since he was here already.
“Charles Wellington, having some challenges writing a figure?” Benedict Rapport, a man who he had met once yet disliked with great passion, asked him
“Charles Wellington is here? I heard he has the withering touch” John Sullivan, one of his greatest investment enemies called out from the other end.
“What is the withering touch?” Someone else asked.
“Oh, it is when whatever you touch goes south. I have made a few investments with this man and he has never made a profit. He should leave this hall before he infects us with his unfortunate situation”
Sullivan never lost an opportunity to embarrass him, especially when it concerned making an investment.
“So you're not a member of this clan?” Habeeb Sharma turned piercing eyes to him. For the first time since he discovered he could speak, he was short of words. Habeeb had such a compelling personality.
“I'm sorry. I am not a member of the clan” Gasps of disapproval filled the room as he rose to speak. “All I want is an opportunity to invest with reputable gentlemen like yourselves"
John Sullivan scoffed. “Don't take this man seriously. He is known to be perpetually broke"
Habeeb turned back to him, “Well, Mr Wellington?”
“Mr. Habeeb I don't have much but I will put all the money in my life savings"
John Sullivan rose from his chair and walked straight up to the front of the room.
“This is completely against our rules! This man is not one of us and I do not want his withering touch to make me lose the money I want to put in”
A couple of men nodded in agreement and walked out of the room but Habeeb Sharma stayed, his eyes fixated on Charles.
Mr Wellington, I believe you deserve a chance to prove yourself”
That was the chance that changed his entire fortune. After borrowing a hundred thousand from the bank in his wife's name and standing at a risk of having her leave him as she threatened, he couldn't help but gift one-quarter of the returns back to Habeeb Sharma as appreciation for changing his life.