CHAPTER 1

"Jake!, where are you? You'll make us late! " his wife yelled at him through the phone. 

"I'm on my way, Dorin. The traffic is quite tight here" he tried to explain to her as he glanced at all the bags and boxes delivery he had to receive which contained his wife and mother-in-law's jewelry as well as shoes for the wedding they were attending.

"Useless man, I told you Dorin, marry someone that has common sense and pride yet you went for a mannerless human being" he heard his mother-in-law rant some distance away from the phone.

"If you make us late, Jake!, I promise you won't have a meal in this house for the next week. I told you to go get that jewelry yesterday and yet you opted to go for that useless job of yours that can't even feed my daughter to talk more of my granddaughters" She had gotten the phone and was now screaming into it. 

"Mummy… " he heard his wife try to defend him a bit. Something she rarely did.

"My friend shut up! If I had married a man as useless as your husband would you have all this luxury you are enjoying? " she asked bitterly. 

"I'm sorry, ma. I'll be home soon" he apologized into the phone in the meekest voice he could muster. 

"Sorry for your pitiful self," she hissed back at him and hung up as he sighed in frustration.

"Please, can you drive faster? I'm late. " he pleaded with the cab driver and he just nodded and increased the speed as Jake continuously tapped his feet in anxiety.

Soon, Jake was a few meters from home and he dropped off, paid the cab driver, and began carrying the box and bags of jewelry. There were lots of them and he didn't bother calling home because no one would come out to help with them. 

His phone was ringing again but he was carrying a lot of things so there was no free hand to pick up the call. He knew it was either his mother-in-law or wife calling again to remind him how late he was. 

He hurried to cross the road without looking twice, there were loud horns from cars, and he tried to dodge them but was late as one of them came in contact with his hip bones and legs which sent him crashing on the floor with all the boxes and bags. 

He watched as the boxes burst open and all the jewelry sprawled on the road. His head was throbbing and spinning. People were shouting. He saw blood flowing from his legs but the only thing on his mind was how he would pay his wife's family for all the diamonds and rare stones that were scattered around the road.

As he turned to look at the car he was hit with, he saw the blurry statue of the driver in a suit and dark glasses before he blacked out in pain. 

****

It's been one month since the accident. He has been finally discharged and brought home in a wheelchair. The Doctor had promised that if he ate healthy foods and fruits, and also, had someone to aid him in exercising, his legs would be strong enough to walk again after a few months.

His escort back home was the family's new maid, Samara, she was the only one who had visited him at the hospital throughout his one-month stay there. No other family members came even his wife. His five-year-old twins, Tony and Tonia, were denied a visit by their grandmother according to Samara who always brought food to him. 

His hospital bills had been sorted by the man who had hit him. He never got to meet the driver but was grateful he wasn't a runaway driver like most men were. 

"Welcome back home man of the house" his mother-in-law's voice full of mockery awaited him at the door as Samara wheeled him in.

"Sister, go to the kitchen and do something with your time. I'm sure he is man enough to help himself to his room " She was talking to Samara now. 

"But ma, he only got back… " She tried to speak but got shut up before she could even complete the sentence. 

"Do you love your job? Am I paying you to take care of someone who broke all my jewelry and precious stones on the road just because I sent him on a little errand? Get out of my sight! " she screamed and Samara murmured sorry as she ran out with her head bowed. 

"Nonsense! As for you, I'll send your bills to your room after you, okay? You have to pay for all my diamonds that you broke including the ones that got missing or were stolen". 

"I'm sorry ma, but you know I don't have money for that and it was an accident that happened because I was rushing home" he tried to explain in shame but she would have none of it. 

"Tell that to your pathetic dead mother and not to me" were her last words to him as she walked out leaving him almost on the verge of tears. 

There was no recent news that my mother had died of excessive drug abuse but why did she rub it on his face every single time, he didn't understand.

"Dad? " Tony, his little boy called him and he immediately positioned a plastic smile on his face before turning to face him. 

"Hey little man, come here" he waved him over and it didn't skip his notice that the little boy first scanned the house to be sure no one was around before he ran to him and hugged him. 

"Dad! I missed you. Mommy and Grandma refused us a visit to the hospital" he was crying and it stabbed Jake's heart. 

"I'm so sorry little man. Daddy is fine now, okay? Don't cry, remember real men don't cry" he tried soothing him but knew that most of that consolation was for himself. 

Jake felt relieved when his son nodded and smiled at him. 

"Where is your sister?"

"She's in her room, she has been crying that she needs you, should I call her? "

"I'll go see her little man. Can you help Daddy to Tonia's room? He asked him more out of helplessness because shame washed over him that his son was wheeling his young father.

"Daddy, why is grandma always mean to you? " Tony asked as he pushed his father toward their room, making his heart skip. 

Even his children noticed how he was treated like trash in the house. Last he checked, Fathers were the head of the family but his story was the reverse. He was the rag of the family.

"Grandma is not a bad person, Daddy just did something bad to Grandma that's why she is not happy with Daddy, okay?" was all he could say and he was glad he wasn't asking any other questions. 

"Tonia, daddy is back!" His son whispered to his sister's figure which was cuddled up on the bed and immediately she jumped up and with wide eyes full of tears ran to Jake. 

It was the most genuine love he had ever felt. The one with his kids. They were the only reason he was still determined to make it in life. All he needed right now was a miracle to restore his feet and he promised myself in tears that he would save his kids from this loveless household.

"Hey sweetie, don't cry, daddy is back okay? " he soothed his little girl but she just clung to him and didn't stop crying. 

He wished their mother was any better with the kids they procreated together but no. His so-called wife was always busy, either going for a makeover or outing with her friends as well as shopping with her mom, leaving their kids with numerous nannies and house help who would never show them a mother's love.

Tony joined his sister in the hug and he stayed that way for a while soothing his kids and assuring them he was okay before they finally allowed him to leave. 

Jake wheeled himself out of their room with a promise that he was always around and they could come to his room anytime.

While in the corridor, he decided to use the opportunity to stop by his wife's room. Well, she had her room after packing out of the one they shared months ago due to her mother's consistent pestering. 

Her room was the last on the entirely quiet corridor. Jake wondered if she wasn't home, he should've asked the kids but then there was no way he would go back now. He wheeled himself to the door and was about to open it when he realized it was slightly ajar, so he just gave a light push and it opened. Jake gasped at the sight before him. 

There was the wife he was supposed to be husband to, breaking their marital vows in bed with another man.