Chapter 4

• Adrian frowned and squeezed his face after reading the last word of the letter.
• She bought a set of expensive suits for him? Isn't that ridiculous? Once again, she had downgraded him again.
• "Who did she think she is?" He asked himself with a cold look on his face and frowned.
• He clenched the paper firmly till it shredded into pieces. He threw the pieces of paper into the trash bin and walked into the master bedroom.
• He squeezed his face as his gaze landed on the red and black suit that was lying on the bed. Although it wasn't brand new, no one would be able to tell because it looked classy but with few flaws.
• If she could go as far as buying a suit for him because she didn't want him to disgrace her then he wouldn't wear the dress. He wondered what she was going to do to him. He doesn't care. He was prepared for whatever that might happen.
• He walked into the bathroom and dropped the crutches on the floor beside the bathtub then he entered it.
• He sighed deeply as he stared at the scar that was on his left leg. It was deep and fresh. The injury could have healed but he had no money for treatment and Brianna refused to help him claiming that he was a liability.
• He wished she wasn't his mother-in-law. Maybe life wasn't fair after all.
• He washed his body thoroughly and rinsed it.
• He stayed beneath the water for a while until he couldn't hold his breath anymore then he staggered back to his feet after reaching out to the crutches.
• He walked out of his room, pulled off the towel from his body, and dried his wet body with it. He walked toward the dresser and picked up the comb on the table. He smiled as he took a closer sniff on the comb and he perceived his wife's scent on it. It was calm and soothing.
• He brushed his dark curly hair with a smile beaming on his face and returned to the wardrobe. He brought out his suit that he thought was the best and wore it.
• Just as he was about to leave the room, he saw the invitation card on the table and picked it up.
• He opened the black briefcase and brought out a small chest box where the gift he intended to give his wife was.
• He wrapped the chest box with a nice wrapping paper. He adjusted his suit properly and walked out of the house. Just as he was about to leave, he remembered that he hadn't cleaned the house and washed the dishes as Brianna had requested.
• He knew it would be hell for him when she got home and he didn't do it so he went back.
• Just as instructed, he cleaned the room and washed the dishes. It was easy because he'd gotten used to it.
• After he was done, he breathed out in relief and clenched his crutches as he walked out of the house.
• It didn't take long before he got a cab that took him to the hall where the event would be taking place.
• "Thanks," the driver muttered and drove off after collecting his fee from him.
• Standing in front of the big hotel, he was mesmerized by the standard and exquisite beauty of the hotel. It was well-built and structured.
• A lot of guards and domestic staff were moving, doing one thing or the other to make things right.
• The Light Star Hotel. He stared at the invitation card to be sure he wasn't mistaken. He was right. They booked the hotel. But how were they able to do that?
• According to the business statistics, the Light Star hotel is known to be one of the best hotels in the world and their charges were expensive.
• Although he knew they were rich, he knew Brianna wouldn't support reckless spending. Maybe she just didn't want to treat him.
• He swallowed hard as he stared at the fleet of expensive sports cars, jeeps, and SUVs lined up in front of the toilet. They were ready for the birthday of one of the most beautiful goddesses in the town.
• He didn't know that his wife had so much connection until today.
• He took a deep breath and tried to walk into the hall when the receptionist called him back. "How may I help you, Mr. Man?" She asked, not hiding the disdain in her tone.
• "I came for the event, Mrs. Sandra's birthday," he said.
• He didn't mention that she was his wife because she'd warned him not to address her as his wife in public. After the accident, she doesn't walk with him anymore. They move separately even when they're going to the same place.
• "Mrs Sandra's birthday?" The receptionist asked and he arched his eyebrows.
• "Yeah. They're hosting the party here, right?" He asked and she nodded her head.
• "Of course, they're but it isn't for someone of your caliber," she said and he swallowed hard.
• His eyes reddened with anger as he turned to her and she flinched in fear. "How dare you say such a thing to me! I thought your job was to check the god-damned invitation card and direct me to the hall," he said in a cold tone and she shuddered in fear.
• She rolled her eyes at him after recovering from the shock. "Take this," he said in a cold tone and stretched the invitation card.
• "How do you get it? I'm sure you stole it from someone because this event isn't for someone of your caliber," she muttered but he heard her clearly.
• He snatched the invitation card from her hand and walked away to the hall where the event was taking place.
• He was beginning to know the problem. People don't hate him because he's handicapped but because he is poor. It was then he realized why Brianna bought a set of expensive suits for him to wear.
• He wondered what he was going to face in the hall full of arrogant rich people.
• Somehow, he felt intimidated by the presence of the people in the room but he had to comfort himself.
• Just as he walked in, everyone turned and stared at him in disgust. They couldn't hide it even if they wanted to.
• Not only was he handicapped but he was also dressed in a poorly tailored suit. He looked like a beggar to them.
• Adrian ignored the stares, lowered his head in shame, and walked away with a cold look on his face.
• Somehow, he was beginning to regret not wearing the expensive suit that his mother-in-law bought for him but it was a shameful thing so he refused to wear it.
• Even though he wasn't rich, he had his principles that he followed strictly.
• Although he was poor, he was grateful for what he had. All he wanted was to have peace of mind but his mother-in-law, Brianna, wouldn't let that happen. She kept pressuring him that he felt like committing suicide at times.
• Just as he was about to sit down, his mother-in-law, Brianna, climbed down the stairs and rushed toward him then pulled him into a dimly lit room.
• "Where is the suit I bought for you?" She asked in a cold tone and he scoffed.
• "Do you mean the secondhand suit?" He asked and her eyes reddened in anger.
• "Do you know how much it cost me to purchase that dress, huh? The price is enough to buy you," she said and he nodded his head.
• "Well, enough of the chit chat. I want you to go back home and change this rag you call clothes," she said and he shook his head.
• "I'm sorry, I'm not changing it and there's nothing you can do about it," he said and walked out of the room.
• "Hey, come back," she yelled at him but he didn't answer her.
• The MC, Mr. John, who hated Adrian for having a beautiful lady like Sandra as his wife, called out to him. "Here comes, Mr. Adrian, the husband to the birthday girl, Mrs Sandra," he called out with his voice laced with mockery.
• He pointed at Adrian, who was standing by the door side. Adrian cocked his eyebrows, wondering what John had under his sleeves. He was never up to any good.
• "Huh?"
• "It's unbelievable that Sandra is married to that handicap man."
• "No wonder she never posted him on any of her social media handles. I'm sure she's trying to divorce him."
• "Our wonderful guests had brought a lot of gifts worth hundreds of thousands and millions of dollars to your wife. May you come forward to present your gift," John said, and Adrian bit his lower lips.
• He knew what John was up to. John knew he wasn't as privileged as others so he wanted to use that medium to humiliate it.
• However, he was unfazed by any of it.
• He had confidence in the gift he prepared and he was sure she was going to like it.
• He nodded his head, cleared his throat, and climbed up the podium to present the gift to his wife who was chatting with her friends.
• She stopped the conversation just like others did and focused her attention on him with her heart racing rapidly.
• She was curious and anxious to know what her husband brought for her as a present.
• “What a nice chest box you got here, sir. Adrian,” Mr. John said ironically and chucked mockingly.
• He collected the chest box from Adrian and ripped it open. “Huh?” He gasped out in shock after seeing the item inside the chest box.
• Slowly, it turned into laughter. People were curious to know what was inside that made him laugh. Just as they were about to question him, he brought out the item and laughed mockingly. “A petal flower. This is what he got for his wife.”
• Shortly after he made the statement, everyone in the room burst into laughter and Sandra lowered her head in shame at the gaze she was receiving.
• It was indeed shameful for her husband to bring a petal flower to the event as a present. How could he?
• She glared at him with her heart burning with rage.
• “A petal flower?”
• “This is unbelievable. Mrs. Sandra's husband is not only poor and crippled but he's also shameless.”
• “I can't wish for this type of husband for my child.”
• “The wimp son-in-law.”
• Adrian was engraved after hearing the comment. He thought he'd seen enough and he would be able to tolerate it until they started bashing at him.
• Hateful comments were flying around from different corners of the hall and each one hit him harder than the previous ones.
• “Why are you laughing, Mr. John? Is anything wrong with the leaf?” He asked in a relaxed tone after he'd regained his composure.
• John was taken aback by his response. He was expecting Adrian to run after the humiliation and embarrassment he faced but here he was challenging him.
• “That's because it's worthless and useless,” Mr. John said and he shook his head in disagreement.
• “That's a lie. It's priceless and useful,” he responded and that resulted in noise as the guests got angry by his gut.
• “I have had enough of this,” Madam Brianna, seeing that their reputation was at stake, rushed to the scene, and threw the leaf out of the hall.
• “Get the hell out of here, you wimp,” she pushed him away even though he could barely stand on his own.
• He crashed on the floor with his crutches beside him and they laughed at him. He gnashed his teeth, reached out to the crutches, and staggered to his feet.
• He shook his head with a sigh and walked out of the room then picked up the leaf from the floor.
• He sniffed the leaf and pushed it inside his chest pocket.
• Just as he was about to leave the hotel, his wife called him and he turned back.
• “Adrian,” she called and he looked up.
• “Happy birthday,” he said and squeezed out a smile.
• “What's the meaning of what you did over here?” She asked coldly, ignoring his greeting.
• He frowned after getting such a cold treatment from his wife.
• “What do you mean?” he asked.
• “How dare you ask me such a question, huh! I sent you a huge sum of money so you could get me a gift and prevent this embarrassment but you screwed it up. I'm ashamed of you,” she yelled at him and he arched his eyebrows.
• “You sent money?” He asked and she scoffed.
• “Yes, I did. Don't tell me that you didn't see it,” she said and he nodded his head.
• “Yeah. I didn't see it,” he said and brought out his phone.
• “Oh! I have forgotten that your account has been locked because of your incapability to fund it,” she said mockingly with anger seething through her voice.
• “I'm sorry. I didn't see it,” he muttered.
• “Even if your account is locked, it's not a reason you should buy me that worthless leaf,” she said and he looked up instantly.
• “It isn't worthless, Sandra. It's an ancient antique that has been long lost,” he said.
• “How do you find it if it's long lost? Antique my feet,” she hissed and walked into the hall.
• He stared at the leaf in his pocket again then shook his head. If only they knew how powerful and useful the leaf is.
• After what his wife did, he aborted the idea of going home.
• Just as he sat down on a chair at a corner where he wouldn't be noticed, he watched a young man dressed in a tuxedo suit, a brand edition.
• He wanted to present a gift to Sandra just like others were doing. He opened the black briefcase in his left hand and brought out a replica of the same leaf that was with Adrian.
• The room became tense when they noticed it. The man quickly spoke up before the issue could escalate.
• “This is the Jensen leaf from General Lu Xun. The leaf is worth over a million dollars. It has a lot of potential and it's the last of its kind. It could save lives, revive the dead, and help cure diseases,” the man explained and they went silent.
• The guests stared at Sandra with jealousy glittering in their eyes. They were jealous of her for having such an amazing item in her possession. Who else wouldn't want it?
• “I hope you like it,” he stretched it at her and she collected it with a smile beaming on her face.
• Somehow, she was cautious. The leaf looks similar to that of Adrian. She believed Adrian's own was fake because there was no way he would be able to afford a leaf worth millions of dollars.
• “Thank you, Mr. Daniel,” she greeted him calmly and collected it.
• Just as Daniel was about to leave the podium, a cold voice from behind rang and made him stop.
• “You really do know how to deceive the masses, ain't it?”
• They turned back to see the person who had the guts to discriminate against a millionaire.
• They snarled when they saw the person who turned out to be Adr
• ian.
• “What do you mean, Mr. Adrian?” Daniel asked as he climbed down the podium and approached him.
• “You can deceive others but not me with that fake leaf,” Adrian challenged him and the room fell into a pin-drop silence.