From Grass to Grace, he rose

7. Ridiculed at the party 2

Alexander, looked around him. People were already having conversations about him. The conversation is full of condescending remarks, and he is feeling humiliated and angry.

He took a deep breath and finally agreed to clean up the whole place.

After the party, some guests still stayed behind and as he worked on keeping the place clean all by himself, they looked on, whispering and smirking at him. One woman even asked him to clean her shoe, and another laughed and called him a servant. Alexander felt his anger rising, but he forced himself to stay calm. Till when will he keep on keeping calm? The whole ill treatment was just too much.

"I'm a human being," he thinks to himself. "I deserve respect."

Finally, the whole mess was cleaned up, and he made to head home straightaway with his wife, but his father-in-law stopped him.

"You're not done yet," he says, with a smug look on his face. It used to be better when he was always away. He'd always had a breathing space away from him.

"What is it this time? Haven't you humiliated me enough?" He asked, his voice shaking from the huge humiliation he had faced.

"I have one more job for you," Mr Rockefeller said, with a wicked grin. "You're going to clean the restroom. Top to bottom."

Suddenly, his jaw dropped. He can't believe that his father-in-law is making him do this. He's tempted to storm out of the building, but something inside him told him to stay. He knows that if he walks away now, he'll never earn the respect he deserves.

From his observation, the owner of the house has helps to do these things but his unfortunate fate has lead him to this low point in time.

So, he grudgingly went to the restroom and began to clean it up. As he scrubbed the toilet, he could feel his anger building up.

But just as he was on the verge of losing his temper, he heard a noise from the other side of the door. It's the sound of someone crying.

Alexander slowly opened the door, and saw a young brown haired woman huddled on the floor. She looked up at him with tear-stained eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked, crouching down beside her.

"I don't want to talk about it," she replied, her voice trembling.

He doesn't push her, but he offers her a kind smile.

"If you ever want to talk, I'm here but in the other side" he said pointing at the restroom he was cleaning.

The girl looked up at him, and for the first time, he saw a spark of hope in her eyes.

"My name is Rebecca," she says, wiping away her tears. "And I don't think I belong here."

He listened as she told him about how she feels like an outcast in her own family. She's always been the odd one out, and she's never felt like she truly fits in.

"I just want to be myself," she said, her voice growing stronger. "But no one seems to understand that."

Alexander looked at Rebecca, and as he did, he saw a kindred spirit in her. He understands exactly how she feels, because he's felt like an outcast all his life.

"You don't have to fit in," he told her. "You can be yourself, and you'll eventually find people who will appreciate you for who you are. I know it's hard, but it's worth it."

Rebecca looked up at him, her eyes wide with surprise. "You really think so?" she asked.

"I know so," he replied, with a smile. "And in the meantime, you've got me. We can be outcasts together."

The two share a laugh, and then she reached out and hugged him. It's a warm, heartfelt hug, and Alexander can not help but feel the tension melting away. For the first time in his life, he feels like he belongs.

As Rebecca pulled away from the hug, she smiled at him. "Thank you," she said softly. "I don't know what I would have done without you."

He returned her smile. "You're welcome," he said. "And I'm glad I was here to help." He added

As she leaves the female restroom, Alexander felt a sense of satisfaction. He knows that he's made a difference in someone's life, and that's more important to him than anything else.

Eventually, he heads back to the ended party and saw the familiar face amongst the people around, the young man. He had a malicious glint in his eyes as he tested his patience by placing his hand on his wife's shoulder.

Alexander tried to storm towards him but his father-in-law emerged, stopping his motive.

"You," his father-in-law yelled, his voice dripping with contempt. "I thought I told you to clean the restroom."

"I did," he replied, his voice calm and steady. "But more importantly, I need to get that man away from my wife."

His father-in-law looked at him, his face twisted with anger. "It'd be best you quietly head home or you'll incur more problems for yourself"

"Problems? You mean the one you've pushed me in isn't enough? So, you want me to leave my wife with a man I don't trust?" He asked, holding back from loosing his temper

"If you had agreed to divorce her, this wouldn't be happening. I told you, didn't I? I'll make sure you sign those divorce papers. You should be grateful Angelica is holding me back from forcing it. Stupid girl, claiming to love you" the man said, a devilish glint in his eyes

"You have never been a good father-in-law to me. You have always been so sneaky and..."

"You'd better watch your tongue, son. I'm more dangerous than I look" he said, leaving to join the rest of the family.

Alexander, still seeing the hand on his wife's shoulder now caressing her shoulder stormed towards the young man and yanked his hand off her.

"Let's go" he said, dragging her with him even with her screams to stop.

When they reached the parking lot, she hissed and cussed at him. "So, it wasn't enough that you disgraced my family. What was this for?"

"I don't want you near that man" he said with a finality in his voice.

"Oh, I never knew you can be this jealous. What do you offer? Nothing!" She yelled then looked at the car he had her dragged to. "And I'm certainly not riding this junk with you" she spat.