*****In a dimly lit room, illuminated only by the weak glow of a lantern, Ronan Ashmore lay helplessly on the freezing floor.His hands and feet were tightly bound, while blood covered his battered body, slowly hardening beneath the unbearable cold.Waves of agony coursed through his broken body, yet the physical pain was nothing compared to the disbelief in his eyes as he stared at the people surrounding him.They were the very people he had spent years trying to please: his father-in-law, Joren Frost; his mother-in-law, Helena Frost; his brother-in-law, Rael Frost; and Varek Rim, his wife's closest male friend.Each held a weapon, and none showed the slightest trace of pity."I should have gotten rid of a useless bastard like you long ago!" Joren snarled as he brought his iron baton down against Ronan's leg.Crack!Ronan's body jerked violently as a scream tore from his throat."Blame yourself for being worthless before the apocalypse and remaining worthless even during it!" Rael s

*****Ronan had exactly $1,200 in his bank account.It was everything he had managed to save after years of working himself to exhaustion.Most of his salary disappeared into the Frost family's groceries, electricity bills, and household expenses. By the end of each month, he barely had enough left to feed himself.Yet none of the Frosts had ever appreciated him. To them, he was a poor, useless man who had married above his station.The worst part was that even this $1,200 had never truly been meant for him.It was meant to buy Celeste's birthday present the coming week.A bitter smile crossed his face. In his previous life, she hadn't even looked at the gift before tossing it aside while her family mocked him for being cheap.Back then, he had endured their ridicule in silence.Now, remembering it only made him feel like a fool.Never again.Ronan left the bank and pulled out his phone.He searched for the nearest betting shops before choosing the smallest one in the area. He didn't

*****Ronan headed straight for the first betting shop, hoping it wouldn't be crowded so early in the morning.He was wrong… the place was already packed, even more than the previous day.No one paid him much attention until he reached the desk where he had placed his previous bet.Then one of the bettors recognized him and laughed. “If this isn't the same person who burned $600 yesterday, who would it be?”Laughter spread through the shop. Some people shook their heads in pity, while others looked at Ronan like an ignorant newcomer wasting money.He quickly realized that word of his ridiculous bet had already spread through the shop.He merely smiled, not appearing offended or embarrassed in the slightest.“Confirm my game,” he said indifferently, handing his ticket to the attendant.The attendant accepted the ticket with an indifferent expression, clearly expecting nothing unusual.But the moment he entered the ID and pressed Enter, his expression changed. He froze.“What’s wrong?”

*****Rael stormed back to Southbridge Avenue, his face still burning from Ronan's slap. Every step fueled the humiliation boiling inside him."What kind of son-in-law have you raised?!"The moment his parents saw the palm print across their treasured son's face, their concern turned into rage.“Who did it, son?!”The husband and wife trembled with rage, while Rael could barely force the words out. Never in his life had he suffered such humiliation… especially at the hands of someone he considered beneath him.“Mother, Father, it... It was the sister-in-law's husband. He... he publicly slapped my fiancé. He made us the biggest embarrassment today.” Zarah spat.The couple froze as though they had just heard the most impossible thing in the world. They glanced at each other before Helena frowned.“Ronan?” she demanded. “That lowlife has been holed up in his room since yesterday.”“Even if he isn't there, I don't think he has the spine to slap my son. Unless he's tired of living,” Joren

*****Ronan opened the door, still half-asleep. The moment he saw who was standing outside, however, every trace of drowsiness vanished, replaced by unmistakable displeasure.“What?”Selene stared at him with a complicated expression.“They said you brought me here,” she said, still somewhat groggy from her hangover despite having already washed up.After everything she'd put him through the previous night, Ronan wasn't particularly happy to see her.“I did what I had to do.”It was a polite way of telling her to leave.Selene understood the message but didn't take offense. Instead, a grateful smile touched her lips.She remembered only scattered fragments of the previous night, but they were enough. Ronan had saved her… and despite every opportunity, he hadn't taken advantage of her.“Thank you.”She bowed sincerely.“I didn't do anything for you,” Ronan replied coldly.Several people passing through the corridor glanced at them. ‘What kind of man speaks to such a beauti