HEIR TO THE NOAH’S EMPIRE(son-in-law)

The place was perfectly lit. People moving up and down. Some stood at their tables as they sipped on their wines. Other talked about something that he didn’t even understand. He took wine glasses from the tables and served them. Trying to not give them a reason to talk about him or shout at him.

But no matter what he did, Trevor was always shouted at. Because of one thing or the other.

“No one likes him. The only one that was nice to him was the grandfather. Mr. Noah,” a woman spoke as he took the wineglasses. Thinking he was not listening to their conversation.

“It’s sad, really. They have been mistreating the man all the time. But that is what he gets for thinking he can get rich by marrying into this family,” her friend spoke.

He just sighed and walked away. Beating down his anger and pain. Just because he had nowhere to go, he had to endure everything they said to him. Whatever they threw at him, he endured through it all.

He was an orphan that used to leave in the streets. Until a year ago, when Mr. Noah took him in and married him to his youngest granddaughter, who didn’t love him at all. But only did it for her grandfather’s sake.

But the big man was no more. And now he was leaving more miserable than he used to.

Starting from the grandmother, his mother-in-law and the siblings to his wife, all treated him like a slave. Making him do all sorts of things because of their hatred. And all because he is poor and was not by their standards.

As he walked to pass more wine to the people at large, the grandmother cleared her throat in front and everyone went quiet. It happened to be her seventies birthday party. And they invited all their friends and workmates. All of rich standards.

She was fat, you can’t even tell if the woman had a neck or not.

“As you all know, I have advanced in age. Not a lot reach this stage I have reached. And I’m grateful to all of you for being with me. And to my grandkids who have showed me all the love in the world,” she gestured and they all walked on stage.

Eliza, Trevor’s wife, had two elder brothers, of which had also had wives from rich families. And she had two other sisters, and they all had husbands of higher standards, like the Noah family. And Eliza, the youngest, was the only one with a poor husband.

They all presented their presents to their grandmother. Even the in-laws. Except for Trevor. He tried to walk on stage but he was stopped by some huge man that stood at the stage.

He tried talking to the man to allowing him present his present to grandmother, but the man refused. That he was ordered not to allow him on stage for any reason.

He just walked away with his tiny box. Trying to get why Mr. Noah allowed him to marry into his family when he knew what his family was like? Why did he leave him alone to endure all this?

He walked to the back sit. Again, he overheard people talking about him. How he is a loser and why he tried to trick the family into getting rich. How he tricked the old man into allowing him to marry his youngest granddaughter.

He just passed and went upstairs straight into his bedroom. Putting the present, he got on the bed.

Sometimes he wished he was never been here. He wished he had never met Mr. Noah. Maybe. Just maybe his life would have been a bit different from it was.

Yes, he was getting meals and a place to leave in. But he had to suffer for those. To do all the work in the house. Laundry, cleaning the house. Outside gardening and all sorts of things. And that too they will end up shouting at him for no reason at all.

He loves Eliza, and that was one of the reason he married her. The other was because he wanted to please Mr. Noah. Because he felt like he owe the man something. So he had to do what he asked of him.

But that led him into this situation.

There was a loud knock on the door of his hostage house. It was made of wood and it was far enough from the mansion.

“Come in,” he called out.

A woman entered who was in her early twenties. She wore a red designer dress that had an opening all the way to her thighs. Then matched it with high-heeled shoes despite her been tall.

Her shout hair was perfectly maintained, and her gray eyes made her light skin glow even more.

“What do you think you are doing here? Grandmother is looking for you. You think we give you food for free around this house?” She scolded.

He stood up; he hadn’t even realized it had been that long ever since he came to his little place.

“The people have left, and the house needs to be cleaned,” she said, looking at him in disgust.

“But Eliza, I have been working the all day. And it’s twelve in the morning,” he looked at his wristwatch. “Can’t I do it tomorrow? Please,” he spoke in a tender voice.

Sometimes he wondered how she could treat him like that, known too well he was her husband. Yes, he was not rich. But at least she could have shown him a bit of compassion.

“Complain. We don’t keep you here to be sleeping around. We can’t be leaving in that dirty house. You need to clean it now,” she said and walked out, slamming the door behind her. Some dust even fell on his head.

He sighed, and he took the box on his bed. Maybe this would help. Maybe grandmother will treating better if she sees the present he got for her.

He walked out and hoped for the best.