The Extraordinary Oliver Smith

Of course, he is a teenager but that doesn't make them treat him like a slave.

The young guy stood before the sink, washing the plates when someone threw some glass plates at him.

Looking up, it was his worst nightmare! The person he never expected to see. He could have easily retaliated but wouldn't want to have himself argue with his mother-in-law, so he kept shut and trembled in fear as she walked closer to him.

But something happened! The plates she threw broke. When he discovered that the plates were all broken, he raised his eyes only to see her standing before his eyes! His heart escaped and immediately, he opened and closed his mouth but nothing came out of it. The woman who was dressed in black, with her short hair tied to a bun, and a luxurious necklace around her neck, stared at the young teenager with clenched fists.

No word came out of his mouth but he knew he had to say something, so he swallowed a lot of spit before opening his mouth once more

"I'm sorry..."

The trembling teenager stammered but his mother-in-law gave him a sight which implored that she wasn't ready to listen to his BULL SHITS! At this point, the mature dude predicted what his fate would be. Before he could think twice, the luxurious middle-aged Miranda picked up the broken plates and raised them to his face.

"You're Sorry? But why?"

She inquired and threw the plate at him. He was only a teen, and disrespecting her was similar to disrespecting his grandmother so he insisted on tolerating however she treated him.

"I should have picked the plate... it's all my fault"

He added but Miranda grinned immediately. Her smile tells us that she is the definition of luxury!

"How many times do I have to make it clear to you that this house is nothing like the basement you used to live in? This is the luxury you're living in, how difficult is it to understand the rules?"

"I apologize again, Mom..."

"Who is your Mom? Don't you dare call me mom! I am aged enough to be your grandmother so don't you dare call me MOM!

She cut in his utterance and he bowed

"Noted"

Oliver said in the best possible voice he could think of. She attempted to walk away when she stopped and turned to him

"That doesn't mean that this will slide! The plates you broke cost ten dollars each! Five plates were broken, summing up to fifty dollars, I will have them deducted from your salary!"

Oliver dropped the sponge he held and turned to her.

"But Ma'am, I have so much hope in this month's salary. Deducting fifty dollars means I have nothing left to earn this month. My salary is fifty dollars..."

"And how is that supposed to be my concern?"

Miranda cut off his speech and walked closer to him. Every word Oliver said increased the anger in her. She lifted another ceramic plate and said

"Tell me, what does an eighteen-year-old dude like you need fifty dollars for? Besides, you should have thought about that before marrying Zora!"

She dropped the plate and it broke. A voice echoed immediately

"Mom!"

They looked and saw Zora. Her black eyes made way for her beauty. She was slim, tall and had the body of a model but dressed simply.

Seeing Zora kind of pissed Miranda off. She put on her fake smile and walked to Zora who was standing at the kitchen exit.

"Mom, you don't have to do this to Oliver!"

"And who are you to defend him?"

Miranda inquired immediately and Zora sighed. She ignored her and walked to Oliver who was silent.

"Are you okay, babe?" Miranda busted into laughter the moment Zora asked Oliver this question. She stared at them as if they were fools while Oliver's eyes concentrated on the broken plates- probably because of his income which was deducted

"Babe?" Zora tried to shake him to an answer but he was still silent. This was when Miranda took a step and yelled

"Zora, when will you learn how to accept the fact that Oliver is a nobody?"

"Mom, Oliver is my husband" Zora dashed back at Miranda with her widened eyes.

"You should be ashamed of yourself for calling that idiot your husband. He ruined your life, destroyed your future, and tarnished our image! What more will he do? Will you finally get him thrown out of your life the moment he spills our family's secret to our business foes for money?"

Ignoring what her Mom just said, Zora held Oliver's arm and inquired again "I asked a question, Did anything wrong happen to you?"

"Nothing... I am fine" Oliver's tone was cracking but he sustained it until he finished his sentence. But Zora wasn't convinced that Oliver wasn't tortured by Miranda. That is how Miranda always sounds towards him on several occasions- always making him feel like he's a nobody and doesn't waste time disgracing him before a lot of people.

"Mom, the best decision here is to let my husband and I be! You can't have us obey you all the time"

"Furthermore, we are no longer teenagers! We are now adults. For crying out loud we are eighteen, it gives us the right to do what adults do! Don't always treat my husband and me as if we are mere immature people...You shouldn't have approved of our marriage knowing you will be against it later!"

Zora yelled as Miranda continued gazing at Oliver Maliciously as if she'd kill him but Oliver's eyes were fixed on the floor.

"I respect your privacy, Mom and a little bit of privacy to our marriage should make a do. Excuse us..."

Zora said and attempted to walk away when Miranda yelled

"Hold on!"

They stopped and turned back.

"What is it now, Mom?"

Zora inquired and Miranda gave her an envelope.

"What is this?"

She inquired and her mom responded

"Open it!"

After exchanging several looks with Oliver, Zora decided to open the envelope to see what it contained but to her great surprise, it was the worst envelope ever! She looked at her mother surprisingly and exclaimed

"What!"

Zora was stunned as she opened her mouth and read the invitation card. She hadn't expected her mom to give her such a letter after banning her from the family business.

Oliver requested to see the card so Zora handed it to him.

"Why are you stunned? Is the card a snake?"

Miranda inquired and Zora sighed. She had no idea where to start from.

"Mom, I don't want anything to do with your business conference! Count me out of your deals! I'm not interested" "I don't even see the relevance of this invitation card When you banned me from relating to this family business" Zora expressed with disgust as Miranda yelled back at her

"You know I stopped you from the family business following your illicit marriage with this teenager here..."

"So why did you hand this invitation card to me? Didn't you confirm you don't want me associating with the Carsons Group? Why the invitation?" Zora cut her Mom off angrily.

"You have to be there, Zora!"

Miranda said with her clenched fists. Obviously, she is gazing at Oliver for manipulating her daughter so much. The blame is his, as far as Miranda is concerned.

"Tell me, will you also reject this proposal?"

"You are specially invited to the party not just because of our business, but because of my new... Forget it and get ready" Miranda halted and Zora added immediately

"I won't attend this party, Mom!" Miranda turned to Oliver angrily. Once again, it'd be his fault for Zora's action. She walked to Oliver and pushed him

"You immature good for nothing teen, how dare you..."

"Mom, you don't have to pin the blame on Oliver whenever I turn down your offer!" Zora's words hung Miranda in the air as she turned back to Zora angrily.

"You don't have to worry anymore, Mom. Zora will attend the business party"

Miranda grinned but her happiness was cut short when Oliver said

"But if Zora will attend the party, I will also do the same!"

The smile on Miranda's face disappeared after Oliver's utterance

"You must be kidding me, right?"

"I am damn seriously here, Mom. I will go with Zora wherever she goes. I can't leave her side!"

Oliver said immediately after Miranda and Zora supported his motion. Miranda was speechless at this point, she only gazed at them believing that they were not mature enough to understand all these.

"That is not a problem!"

She said and Zora walked away along with Oliver. Miranda gazed at them and said in her mind

"I only agreed you'll come along to this party because I want one thing in return. I want to see you humiliated in front of everyone and nobody will help you, not even your wife. Then, you will finally learn that you are nothing but a piece of premature trash!"

******

Zora bought a beautiful dress for Oliver to wear to the party. She wanted to give it as a surprise for his birthday but knew her mother's type, so she offered it to him to wear to the party.

Oliver was looking hot in that suit of his. Zora stared at him and said

"You don't look like a teenager at all! You look like a family man!"

Oliver grinned and as he wanted to utter a word, Miranda interrupted by knocking on the door.

"We have to leave now!"

They both exchanged glances and walked after Miranda.

*******

The party had a lot of luxurious guests who were all in partnership with Q company in one way or the other. It was a general assembly for all the sub companies under Q group including Zora's family.

Oliver was the youngest among the guests. He held Zora as they walked to the luxurious hall. While walking in, many murmured about them.

Some who said

"Miranda acts like the wisest but nobody had the idea that she would have her only daughter get married to a premature piece of trash!"

Zora patted Oliver to pull his attention away from the guests who said so many awful words about him.

Miranda comforted herself after sitting at the same table with Oliver. Three of her friends came to them and they all exchanged greetings.

Well, none of them even looked at Oliver. One of Miranda's friends who was there with her daughter said to Miranda

"This is Sophie, she is my third daughter. She had her white wedding yesterday and this is her husband, Edwin Lambert. He is a financial accountant at the Q Group"

Miranda couldn't stop her jealousy after looking at the tall and eligible guy Sophie got married to. She congratulated them and Sophie's mother said

"Is he your son-in-law? "

She asked and Miranda nodded. Edwin said to him

"How possible is he your son-in-law? I mean he is so young to be married to Zora. What a weak premature basket!"

Oliver swallowed his spit so he wouldn't cause trouble for himself as well as Miranda.

"Excuse me..."

"No, I have a game in mind!"

Edwin said and stopped Oliver from leaving. Seeing how Oliver was stopped by Edwin, Miranda pulled out a smile as if what she had been expecting was here.

"What game?"

Edwin looked around and many of his friends gathered.

"It's a game of win-win! We all keep on mentioning the amount of money. Anybody who drops out of the game loses and the others who have, continue the game. This continues until we have a winner!"

"Remember, don't bet what you can't afford!"

Edwin said and a voice uttered immediately

"I bet 10,000 dollars!"

"I bet 15,000 dollars!"

Another voice added and it was Edwin's turn

"I make it 50,000 dollars!"

Everybody turned to Oliver who it was his turn to bet an amount. They waited for him to utter a word.

Miranda smiled because it'll be his problem if he loses.

"I bet nothing!"

All of them busted into laughter

"Come on, Kiddo! This is not a child's play. This is business okay? You call yourself a husband but can't even take responsibility for a man"

One of Edwin's friends said and they all chuckled. Meanwhile, Miranda held Zora back to prevent her from defending Oliver.

"Come on, nobody asked if I was interested, you can't expect me to participate in a game I don't have an interest in..."

Oliver uttered and they looked at him. One of the guests said

"I thought as much! How can such a college dropout pay such an amount? He is a failure, he can never make it!"

Sophie said to Edwin

"Come on, Edwin. You don't have to blame Oliver. He is poor and only depends on the small amount Miranda pays him, you can't blame him for losing interest. Even in the next fifty years, Oliver can't afford such an amount. Just let him be, okay?"

She said and Zora attempted to make a move but Miranda held her back.

"Miranda, take care of this amateur you call a son-in-law! We will proceed to our table "

Sophie's mother said and they all left.

Zora asked Oliver if he was fine which he confirmed by nodding. Miranda smiled and said to Oliver

"You piece of trash, when will you learn the easy way? Did you by any chance see your mate around here? You have to act mature"

Oliver kept his cool and respected her declaration. Zora didn't retaliate as they gazed at each other before a call entered Miranda's phone.

She was shocked to see who it was. After answering the call she said

"Hello"

"Miranda, Miranda!"

"You?..."

Miranda said and the caller started laughing

"You weren't able to do anything right! I kept Zora in your protection, yet, you were stupid!"

The caller said and Miranda panicked

"I will correct my mistake "

"No need for that, Miranda! Because I am on my way to the States! Expect my presence and tell that useless teenager of a son-in-law to be ready for me in three days!"

He hung up and Miranda smiled. Zora asked if there was any problem. She said to Oliver

"There can only be one problem in our lives and that is Oliver! Sooner or later he will be out of our lives!"

Oliver was stunned at this utterance. He couldn't tell why Miranda said such a thing but was sure something more than his expectations would happen.

Their attention was diverted to the woman on stage who said

"And here, we have the woman of the year, Miranda Carson!"

Miranda stood up to receive the award from the presenter. Zora and Oliver also stood up but Miranda gazed at Oliver and said

"Did you hear Miranda Smith? She said Miranda Carson and you are not a Carson! You are a Smith!"

"That means you can't receive the award with me! Zora, let's go "

Zora attempted to back off but her mom pulled her away. When they got to the stage, people were shocked to see Oliver sitting alone.

Miranda collected the award and said happily

"On behalf of the Carson family, we say a big thank you to everyone who voted me as the woman of the year!'

"I am also thrilled to announce that the Carson family will be receiving the greatest patriarch in our family, Ronald Carson!"

Zora's eyes moved sideways after Miranda's utterance.

Oliver dropped the glass of wine he held.

"Grandpa Ronald? Is he returning?"

Oliver's mind quickly flashed to the last encounter he had with Ronald Carson. How he got him arrested and even sued him.

"Grandpa is coming back?"

Zora inquired from her mom but she ignored her and continued with her speech. Then, the presenter asked her

"Mrs Carson, can you tell us why your son-in-law is not here with us? Or don't you have a son-in-law yet?"

This question hit Miranda in the chest. She doesn't know how to answer this question.

Everyone waited patiently to know if she would accept Oliver as her son-in-law.

She shocked everyone after saying

"Of course I do! I have a handsome son-in-law. He is also here with me!"

"Call him on stage so that he will be recognized"

The presenter added and Miranda gazed directly at him! He was putting on a golden necklace worth seventy million dollars!

She grinned and said

"I am glad to announce my son-in-law, Mr..."