"Look at that wretch. They say a live-in son-in-law ranks below a servant. This one ranks below a dog.""A useless coward. What could Rosetta possibly see in him? That pretty face?""Pretty trash. If not for him, Rosetta would be a top star by now. He deserves every bit of this."Men in guard uniforms circled Richard. Blood already slicked his face. Fists and boots kept coming, without pause and without mercy.A few bystanders edged forward. Then they heard who was giving the orders, and who was lying in the dirt. Their eyes went flat, and they turned away. Nobody wanted to bleed for *that* man.He was the Williams family's famous good-for-nothing son-in-law.***A year ago, a wedding had rocked all of Albany.Rosetta Williams, eldest daughter of the Williams family, was a rising star and the dream of every rich bachelor in the city. And she had married a nobody. A homeless man the family had picked up off the street and put to work as a servant.Albany never forgave it.For a year, R

For a moment, only Yvette and Richard were left in the living room.Yvette walked up to him. Her eyes were cold.Like her sister, Yvette was beautiful and graceful. She could have been a star herself. Instead she had chosen the family business, and now she was general manager of Williams Clothing Company, which her father had founded.Richard caught her staring and smiled. It was only good manners. She was his sister-in-law, after all.The smile made her face fall. She looked deeply disappointed."Richard! My sister worked all day for this family. And where were you? You vanished! You're useless."*Useless.* Richard shrugged.His calm only made her angrier. How could any man be so lazy and so proud of nothing?*Once this deal is done, I'll make my sister divorce him.*Her sister was too young to waste her life on a man like this.Then the front door opened.A woman walked in. She looked worn out from a long day, but even tired, she was stunning, with both grace and beauty.This was Ro

Richard listened in silence.There was a click, and a young man's voice came through the phone."Miss Williams, if you still want that loan, I'm looking forward to spending some time with you tomorrow. If we can come to an arrangement, I'll have the bank send the money right away. I might even lower your family's interest rate."Then came a string of filthy words.A clear, cold woman's voice answered. Richard knew it at once. It was Rosetta."Mr. Wade, watch your mouth!""Watch my mouth? Who do you think you are? You're just an actress. You have no right to tell me what to do!" Wilfred snapped. "Listen to me, Miss Williams. Meet me tomorrow, or forget the loan. Not just Albany City Bank. No bank in Albany will lend you a cent!"The call ended.So that was what had happened.Richard turned and looked toward the Williams villa. His face showed nothing.Rosetta had always been a woman of honor. She had joined the entertainment world, but she had never gone to parties like that. She went

"Richard, I spared you this morning only because you were so pathetic. Not tonight. If I kill you here, no one will ask questions." Wilfred laughed three times. Then his face went cold. He barked at his men, "Kill him! Fifty thousand to the first man who does it!"Killing a man isn't easy, even for hired guards. But money can make a devil turn a millstone. At the words *fifty thousand*, the six guards' faces twisted. Their fingers slid onto the triggers.Then a woman in tight black clothes dropped into the room out of nowhere.Every eye locked onto her stunning face.Only Richard shook his head. "Ruby. Didn't I tell you to wait?""I'm sorry, boss." Ruby lowered her head. "I saw they had guns.""Do you think I can't handle a gun after three years?"Ruby said nothing.Wilfred watched them and understood none of it. It sounded like a comedy act. *Handle these guns?* What a joke. Six pistols. Dozens of bullets. Even with this woman, what could they do?But then..."Aaaaah!"The woman from

The smell of warm food drifted up from the tray. Rosetta was hungry. For a moment she forgot how strange Richard was acting. She picked up a pancake and took a bite.Her eyes widened. "Richard, this is amazing!""I used special ingredients," Richard said. "There's crispy bacon and hash browns in the kitchen too. Eat them with the pancakes." He stood and set the newspaper on the table. "Read today's paper while you eat. The news is very interesting."Then he took out a pack of cigarettes and walked outside.Mrs. Williams exploded. "Look at him! Smoking now! That useless man thinks he's a big shot! I don't care how you do it, Rosetta. Divorce him today! I don't want to see that coward for one more day!"Rosetta was used to this. She set down her plate and steered her mother toward the kitchen. "Mom, don't say that. I'm the one who made him marry into this family. How can I just divorce him? Go eat. Richard made good food today.""What good food can a useless man cook? I couldn't swallow