From Humiliation to Godhood

1: The Forsaken Son-in-law

A sharp slap rang through the dining room, sending Leon Ashford stumbling backward, his cheek burning from the impact.

“You useless bastard!” Gerald Hartwell, his father-in-law, spat, his face twisted in disgust. “How dare you talk back to me? You’re living under my roof, eating my food, and you think you have the right to speak?”

Leon stood there with a lowered gaze, his breath heavy. He had learned long ago that resistance only led to more pain. The last time he tried, Gerald used a knife on him, and til now, the scar still remained on his right arm.

His dull green eyes flickered toward his wife, Isabella Hartwell, who sat quietly with her head bowed.

“Dad, please…” she murmured.

“Stay out of this, Isabella!” Miranda Hartwell, Isabella’s mother, snapped. “You should be ashamed! You married this pathetic man, and look what he has done to our family name! It’s time that we let go of this burden you call a husband! Victor Marston is the perfect match for you, and you will divorce this loser and marry him!”

Leon swallowed the lump in his throat, forcing himself to stay silent. As an orphan, he had nowhere to go. Back in college, Isabella had fallen for him just as he had for her, and despite Victor Marston, heir to a billionaire family, pursuing her, she chose Leon.

But from the moment they married, her family had done everything to break him, stripping away his dignity, crushing his spirit until all that remained was a man who endured it all for the woman he loved.

They could have left, but Isabella refused. She wasn’t willing to lose her claim to her family’s wealth, knowing it could fall into the hands of her cousins. And her parents? They would never allow that.

The Hartwells weren’t among the five richest families in the city, but they were still part of the elite, respected, and influential.

A maid entered the room, bowing slightly before speaking. “Victor Marston has arrived.”

Gerald and Miranda’s faces lit up with delight.

“Well? What are you waiting for?! Let him in!”

Leon’s gaze slowly lifted as he saw Victor make his way toward the dining with a smug smile on his face. The man who had always wanted Isabella. The man who made sure Leon’s life was a living hell in college.

Gerald and Miranda rose from their seats, grinning as they welcomed their guest.

“Thank you for coming, Mr. Marston,” Gerald said, extending a hand.

Victor chuckled as he shook it. “Come now, Father, there’s no need for such formality between us. To you, I’m simply Victor.”

Gerald laughed, nodding. “My mistake, my mistake… Victor. I’m just glad you’re still interested in my daughter, even after she made the mistake of marrying that bastard standing over there,” he said as they let go of each other's hands.

Victor cast Leon a condescending glance before smirking. “A worthless man like him should never have been my rival for your daughter’s hand in the first place. I still can’t fathom what Isabella was thinking when she chose him.”

Isabella shot him a glare and abruptly stood. “I’m not some fool, Victor. I love Leon, and I’m not divorcing him.”

“Shut up!” Miranda snapped, her eyes burning with fury. “Are you trying to bring this family to ruin? Do you realize how easily your grandfather could strip your father of his CEO position if we continue to disappoint him? Victor is the heir to Marston Enterprises, a company worth billions! If you marry him, it will not only secure our business but also elevate our family’s status. Stop being selfish!”

Victor straightened his tie, his smirk widening with confidence.

Tears welled in Isabella’s eyes. “I’m not being selfish, Mom… I just love Leon. Please, don’t take him from me,” she pleaded desperately.

Leon stared at his wife’s back and let out a heavy sigh. But he didn't dare speak, cause he was scared.

‘I’m a nobody to these people. Maybe I should’ve never married Isabella. Maybe she would’ve been better off with Victor…’

Yet, hearing her try to defend him, he felt conflicted. This was one of the many reasons why he had fallen for her. She was the only one who had ever treated him like a person, the only one who made him feel like he had a family.

Gerald’s finger jabbed in Isabella’s direction, his face contorted with anger.

“This girl… What kind of poison has that trash fed you to make you turn against your own parents?! If you weren’t my only child, I’d have called you nothing but a disgrace!” He turned to Victor and forced a smile. “Don’t mind her. She’ll come to her senses soon enough.”

Victor’s lips curled into a bitter smile as his gaze flickered between Leon and Isabella. “I highly doubt that.” Then, with a smirk, he turned to Leon. “Leon, I need something. Why don’t you go get it for me?”

Leon blinked, taken aback. “S-something?” he stammered. “What do you need?”

Victor slid his hands into his pockets, his voice casual but firm. “There’s a shop at 115th Drive on Wale Street. I left something there. When you get there, you’ll know what it is. Bring it back for me.”

Isabella turned to Leon, shaking her head, silently pleading with him not to go anywhere.

But the moment Leon saw Gerard’s sharp gaze that could cut through anything, he felt his resolve crumble.

“…Okay,” he murmured. “I’ll go now.”

Tears welled in Isabella’s eyes as she watched him walk away.

Leon arrived at Wale Street and walked toward 115th Drive, scanning his surroundings for a mall or a shop that might hold what Victor had sent him for.

Though it was still afternoon, the sky had darkened, heavy clouds casting shadows over the city, signaling an approaching storm.

Leon was confused. This didn’t seem like the kind of place Victor would frequent. The shops lining the street were small and ordinary, the kind Leon himself might visit, not someone from a wealthy family like Victor.

Still, he stopped at each store, asking if anyone had left something behind. Each time, he was met with the same response—shaken heads and puzzled looks.

After nearly 45 minutes of searching, he became exhausted. He didn’t even have Victor’s number to call for clarification.

“Shouldn’t he have called me by now?” Leon suddenly wondered with furrowed brows.

As he pondered, a sudden sharp pain exploded in the back of his head. His vision swam as he stumbled forward.

Hands grabbed him. Too many hands.

Someone had hit him from behind.

More fists came. His ribs screamed in pain as blows rained down on him. He tried to fight back, but he was outnumbered. Four, maybe five men, all dressed in black, dragging him toward a van.

“Sleep tight, loser,” Victor’s voice was the last thing he heard before something crashed into his skull and the world went black.