"Babe, hurry up! My husband's going to be back soon!"
I stood frozen at the bedroom door of our luxurious villa, listening to the anxious voice coming from inside. The voice was unmistakably familiar to me—it belonged to my wife, Lyla Lucas.
"He's a useless loser. So what if he comes back? Even if he sees us, he'll just have to swallow it!" A gruff male voice responded, the words piercing through my ears like daggers.
My entire body trembled uncontrollably as I remained rooted to the spot. Rage boiled inside me, threatening to rob me of my sanity. With a loud "bang," I kicked the door wide open, my bloodshot eyes flashing with fury!
Inside the room, there they were—a man and a woman, alone together, disheveled and half-dressed. Seeing Lyla's submissive pose on the bed made me seethe with rage; tears betrayed me, trailing freely down my cheeks.
"Lyla! Why would you do this to me?" I stared her down with unrelenting fury, my teeth clenched tightly, my gaze wrought with pain.
A flicker of panic flashed in Lyla's eyes, but it quickly evaporated, replaced with a chilling look of indifference.
"Well, since you caught us, there's no point in hiding anymore," Lyla sneered coldly.
"Why? Why would you treat me this way? Three years. I've spent three years in your Lucas family, living like less than a dog! If you told me to squat, I wouldn't dare to stand. And yet—and yet you would still betray me!" My voice nearly broke into a scream, my face drenched in tears.
Lyla let out a cold laugh. "Someone like you—an absolute nobody—how could any woman ever love that?"
Then, she shifted her gaze to the muscular man by her side. "Do you know who he is? Harvey Brown, of the Brown family! Truth be told, we've been together in secret for a long time now. If it weren't for Grandpa insisting we stay married, I would've kicked you out ages ago!" Her eyes gleamed with disdain as she smirked.
Harvey snorted and chimed in, "Quit wasting time telling this loser anything. There's no way he can comprehend the Brown family, let alone The Sean Family of the Capital City."
My face twisted into a bitter smile. Although I didn't know much about business, I was at least aware of the Sean family from the Capital City. Recently, all of River City's media had been buzzing about them. It would've been hard for me not to know.
Looking at Lyla's stunning yet utterly cold face, I couldn't help but let out quiet sobs. "For three years, I've served you—I've served you like a dog. Even dogs develop feelings after a while..." I choked, sobbing uncontrollably.
Lyla sneered, "You? You're worse than a dog."
Harvey broke into mocking laughter. "Idiot, if you know what's good for you, just pretend you didn't see anything today. The three of us can still live together happily, and you can even keep serving your goddess like you've been doing."
"But if you don't know what's good for you, pack up your things and get out." Harvey's demeanor was lofty and commanding, as though he were the master of the house.
I felt a crushing sense of powerlessness. When Lyla's grandfather, Calvin Lucas—obsessed with divination at the time—insisted I would bring good fortune to the family, I had been taken in as a live-in son-in-law. For three years, I endured humiliation. Apart from Calvin Lucas, no one in the Lucas family ever respected me. This only deepened my insecurity, driving me to placate the family incessantly, terrified of offending anyone. But in the end, all my efforts had led to this bitter reality.
"I really am a worthless fool," I muttered to myself with self-deprecation.
"Three years of this. Maybe it's time I grew a spine, don't you think?" I fixed my gaze on the shameless couple in front of me. My eyes suddenly took on a sinister gleam.
"What, are you mad now?" Harvey noticed the look in my eyes but remained utterly unfazed, his expression brimming with mockery.
My glare didn't waver. Seizing my resolve, I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth. "You piece of garbage—I'm coming for you!"
With that, I lunged at Harvey with all my might!
But a man like me, frail and utterly lacking in physical strength, was no match at all. Before even landing a blow, Harvey effortlessly sent me sprawling onto the ground with one swift kick.
The searing pain in my abdomen made standing up almost impossible. "Damn it, how dare a useless piece of scum like you swing at me?" Harvey roared in anger.
He stormed toward me, pummeling and kicking me relentlessly. This pushed me to the brink of despair. I lay motionless on the cold floor, taking blow after blow without resistance.
"What a pathetic existence I lead," I mused bitterly, cradling my head. "I can't even avenge myself—is living even worth it for me?" My eyes began to glaze over with hopelessness.
The unrelenting assault left my mouth smeared with blood.
"Enough, enough. Beating up this loser is beneath you," Lyla cooed, pulling Harvey away sweetly.
Harvey spat on my face for good measure and pointed to the door. "Get out of here now, or I'll kill you!"
I struggled to rise from the ground, dragging myself step by step toward the exit. Hatred burned in my heart—for this vile pair of adulterers. But more than anything, I loathed my own weakness, my failure to exact justice.
I refused to leave in such utter humiliation. Not without a fight. "Lyla, you'll regret this," I turned to say coldly.
Harvey pointed at me, erupting in curses, "Get the hell out right now, hear me?"
Wiping the blood from my lips, I staggered out of the Lucas family home. As I reached the entrance, I ran into my mother-in-law, Maeve Lucas, who had just arrived.
Maeve's eyes briefly scanned the Mercedes parked outside, and an immediate understanding seemed to dawn within her.
"Mom..." I called out weakly, my voice tinged with wounded pride.
Maeve's expression mirrored the others—cold and detached. Annoyed, she waved me off. "If you know everything now, then do the smart thing and leave peacefully! Let me tell you, everyone in the Lucas family agrees it's time for you to be kicked out!"
Despair gripped me even tighter upon hearing this. "Does Grandpa agree to this too?" I asked, unwilling to give up just yet.
Maeve sneered, "He doesn't have a choice this time! The Brown family already finalized their cooperation with The Sean Family of the Capital City. If we manage to hitch ourselves to their wagon, the Lucas family may even get a taste of that success!"
"This involves the future of the entire clan. Do you honestly think some old man can go against it?" Maeve's voice dripped with contempt. "And as for his talk about good luck? Clearly just outdated superstitions," she scoffed.
I didn't say another word. The cold indifference of everyone in the Lucas family shattered my spirit. I wiped my lips clean, striding out of their home with large, determined steps.
The pain coursing through my body, combined with the heartbreak tearing at my soul, was agony I could no longer endure. At last, I collapsed onto the street in exhaustion.
Just then, a Maybach with Capital City plates came to a smooth halt before Mason.
The car window rolled down slowly, revealing a long-haired, elegantly poised girl scrutinizing Mason's limp figure with a frown.
"So he's the fiancé Grandpa chose for me?" The girl blinked her wide eyes, carefully studying Mason.
Seeing his sorry state, her expression soured into visible distaste.
"Miss, could there be... some mistake? Didn't the old master say he wouldn't be an ordinary man?" A man dressed as a bodyguard questioned, furrowing his brows.
Mabel Sean didn't reply. Instead, she waved her hand and said, "Bring him into the car."
"Yes, miss." A few bodyguards swiftly stepped out and hauled Mason into the vehicle.
Gazing at the pitiful man before her, Mabel's brows furrowed even deeper. "Does Grandpa really mean for me to marry this kind of loser?" Mabel sighed, her mind drifting to the solemn words her grandfather had left her before passing:
"Mabel, we Sean family owe him a great debt! If not for Mason's father, we would never have achieved what we have today!"
"Mason's father left behind a token for him. I promised to hand it over once Mason turned thirty."
"Mr. Raymond was a man of extraordinary power, and I trust his son will be the same. Mabel, you must treat Mason well."
Grandpa's repeated reminders echoed through Mabel's thoughts, her exquisite face breaking into a faint, resigned smile.
"If he turns out to be someone with potential, then I'll honor Grandpa's wishes," Mabel muttered internally.
"But... if he's truly a waste, then I can't bring myself to comply." Mabel sighed heavily.
She began tracing her fingers along a piece of jade-green pendant—the very keepsake her grandfather had entrusted for Mason.
With deliberate care, Mabel slipped the pendant around Mason's neck before coldly turning away.
"The token has been passed on; the Sean family has fulfilled its agreement," Mabel thought to herself.
But she failed to notice that, as the bloodstained pendant brushed against Mason, a soft glow emanated from it before rapidly merging into his body.