AT ROMANO MANSION:

The sound of the orbiting of clothes in the washing machine filled the whole room. Gabriel was gazing at the circular movement of the clothes absentmindedly. They are moving in a cadence, in a perfect cycle.

And his life?

Gabriel's mind meandered to his life, and what he has become. He was tired, both mentally and emotionally.

It's his life to do all the chores of the house and still not be enough to gladden his in-laws. Not only that but he is always been humiliated by them at every given chance. Even the maids at this mansion get some respect, but him… Never.

It's like he is also the maid of the maids in this mansion. They would insult him every then and now. Gabriel is the free maid of the Romano mansion. He has been for the last three years. Despite doing all the chores with lullness, he never gets a penny nor a word of appreciation.

The double slide door to the laundry opened, and a lady decked in a pricey dress walked inside. Her aura screams cash-on-hand and temerity. An ugly scowl adorned her face when her gaze landed on Gabriel, but soon an evil smirk superseded it when she gazed across the laundry room. Piles of dirty clothes were spattered across the room.

Gabriel was so deep in his thoughts, that he didn't hear the sound of the opening of doors. The lady looked at her with a deep scowl on her face.

“Stop daydreaming and wash them,” a pair of socks landed on his face, breaking him out of his reverie. He swallowed harshly, the lump in his throat, and took the socks off his face. Blinking the tears away, he looked up at one of the sources of his misery.

There stood, Olivia Romano with an ugly scowl on her face. Her eyebrows were scrunched in distaste and her eyes blaring with fury. Olivia has never considered Gabriel as her son-in-law. She was never in the favor of her daughter marrying him, but she couldn't say anything as she loves her daughter more than anything.

“Don't you have any shame,”? She mocked.

“Stop being a free-loader for once and make yourself useful,” she taunts him.

“Neither fish nor flesh nor good red herring,” Olivia sneered at him.

Gabriel didn't say anything and put the pair of socks in the washing machine. It's his life now and as painful and pathetic as it sounds, he has accepted it. He looks up to see his wife, Amelia, standing at the door. Gabriel quickly looked away. The raw emotions in her eyes were too much for him to take in.

“You…,” Olivia started, but Amelia stopped her.

“Mom, please,” Amelia tried arguing with her mom. She felt bad every time her mother affronts Gabriel. Although she doesn't love him that much. She still feels that he also has self-respect. The day she married him, he has always been humiliated by her family.

“What Amelia? This is what you married? A pathetic, good-for-nothing man,”?

“Sometimes I wonder if he is even a man,”. Olivia sneered at Gabriel. Tears welled in his eyes, but he blinked them away. With one last hateful look, Olivia left the laundry room. Amelia shook her head and left him alone, and that's when a tear escaped from his eye.

After completing all the chores of the day, Gabriel was walking slowly toward his room in the maid's section. His whole body was on fire from exhaustion and lack of sleep.

He was passing Olivia's room when he heard his name being called. He stilled for a moment and then slowly went towards the door.

Standing behind a pillar, he tried to eavesdrop. He was never like this, not his self-esteem authorized him to do so. But, the past years with this family have made him question his sanity every passing second.

“What should we do now, mom,”? Amelia asked her mother.

“I don't know, dear. I didn't know that the tables would turn this way,” Olivia sagged on her chair.

“ I don't understand how can Mr. Corrigan betray us like that,” Amelia said frustrated.

“Because of that pathetic man, I put all my savings into this scheme. I took a massive loan for this scheme because of him, and now he is siding with our rivals,” Olivia sneered, throwing the glass to the wall.

“They have started the project, mom,” Amelia whispered frustrated as she remembered the news from this morning.

Olivia was about to say something when her phone started ringing. Groaning, she took the phone.

Amelia watched as Olivia talked on the phone. Her face paled at whatever the other person said from the other end. She placed her hand on her mother's shoulder.

With an okay, Olivia cut the call and Amelia looked at her confused.

“Who was on the phone, mom,”?

“Tomorrow is the auction of the mansion,” Olivia whispered broken, heartrendingly. Amelia slumped on the wall behind her. Her hands were trembling.

“Mo-mom,” Amelia whispered with tears welled in her eyes.

Gabriel gasped, he couldn't believe his ears. His mother-in-law was going bankrupt.

Although, they treated him like trash. He has always loved them like his family. He wants nothing but the best for them. Not only that, but he vowed to help them as much as he can.

He was going away when he heard Olivia's voice.

“There is only one way,” Olivia whispered, gazing at Amelia.

“What mom,”?

“Misalliance,” Olivia whispered.

“ What are you saying, mom? I don't understand anything,” Amelia said tiredly.

Olivia sighed and went towards the open window. Gazing at the beautiful sky, she smiled sadly.

“A few months ago, I got a marriage proposal from Mrs. Morotti for her only son,” Olivia whispered.

“But mom he…,” Amelia whispered shocked.

“I know dear. That's why I refused her offer,”.

After a few minutes of silence, Amelia asked hesitantly.

“What's the offer, mom,”?

“She wants a girl from the Romano family to marry her son. In return, she will invest in our family business. She knew about our business and wants to help us, but on this condition,” Olivia said with hard eyes.

“You will marry him, Amelia,” Olivia turned around. Her eyes were hard, void of any emotion.

“But mom, he is fat and Ugly. I can't even stand him for a second,” Amelia screeched, throwing her hands in the air.

“You don't need to love him, Amelia. Just marry him and when they invest in our business. You can divorce him,” Olivia said.

“But mom, I'm married,”.

“To whom? That good-for-nothing pathetic loser,” Olivia yelled at her.

“Mrs. Morotti is markedly better than your so-called husband,” Olivia sneered.

“You will get everything you had dreamed about, Amelia. Your husband is useless,” Olivia said.

“I think we should discuss it in the family meeting,”.