2024-12-07 20:33:55Barry froze as he stared at the papers in her hand.
"Laura, what is the meaning of this?" He whispered. "You can't divorce me." "Whatever gave you the stupid idea that I couldn't divorce you?" She laughed. "Everybody knows our marriage is a sham. I only pretended to be your wife for my grandmother's sake, but now that she's gone, I don't need to pretend anymore." Barry felt hot and cold at the same time. "But Laura.... I-I love you. I've always loved you since the day I set eyes on you. Please give me a chance. I made a promise to Evelyn." "Screw you and your love," Laura spat, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "Don't tell me you love me. It makes my skin crawl. I hate you. I've always hated you since the day you walked into this family." Barry's heart broke in half after hearing her words. He wanted to say something but no word got out. Laura turned to face her family, waving the divorce papers in her hand. "Now that I'm divorcing this useless husband of mine, I'm entitled to 80% of what he owns." She went on after a pause, a small smile playing on her lips. "And since Barry here owns nothing to his name except his inheritance, I'll just take the white mansion." The room went wild with cheers and praises. "That's super brilliant, Laura," Jonathan Raven patted his daughter's shoulder. "I raised you well to think on your feet. Very impressive." "Yeah, sis," Curtis clapped her back. "Why should we let this pauper keep something that should belong to the entire family?" Francis Raven and Helga nodded in approval. "That's very smart Laura. Divorcing Barry would save us a lot of legal actions to take back the mansion." Barry remained silent as he watched the Raven family jubilate over his divorce. He clenched his fists and hung his head, feeling a fresh wave of emotions rushing through him. This emotion was rage. He was angry. Angry about the hatred, angry about the heartbreak Laura served him and angry about the love and commitment he promised to Evelyn. Curtis walked up to Barry, a wide jeering grin on his face. He leaned in close and whispered in Barry's ears. "I'd advise you not to fight this, Barry. We'll hire the best lawyers money can buy. You won't stand a chance against all of us. Be wise and save yourself the trouble." Barry slowly glanced up, his eyes dead of warmth and life. "Do whatever you want," he said gravely. "I don't care." Without waiting for a respond, Barry turned and walked out of the room silently. The Raven family watched him go, pleased with themselves. * * * * The divorce proceedings arrived two days later in a quiet courtroom. Barry and Laura sat across from each other, the long table littered with documents and legal papers. Lawyers and clerks walked up and down as they prepared the paperwork. Not for once did Barry glance up to meet Laura's eyes. His shoulder was slumped, dark bags under his eyes, staring at his shoes. He hadn't slept a wink in two days. Laura, on the other hand was dazzling with brightness. She had never looked so happy in her life. Finally, it was time to sign the divorce papers. As Laura skimmed through the papers, she paused before signing her name. "This Forex trading account," she began, tapping the document with her pen. "What's the full disclosure of it?" The accountant, adjusted her glasses as she explained. "The Forex trading account is fully funded with $10,000. However, the account hasn't been performing well. The market has been volatile, and the returns aren't so impressive." Laura snorted. "Forex? Who does Forex these days? It's been three years and a terrible era for traders. Everyone knows you can't make any real money in Forex. It's too risky." The room fell silent as Laura leaned back in her chair and regarded Barry. "I don't want it," she declared. "None of the Raven family members believed in Forex. Barry can keep the account. I'm not here to rip him dry. I'm a good person. As long as I keep the mansion, nothing else matters." Barry didn't argue. He was too defeated to speak a word. Once the paperwork was signed, Laura grabbed her bag and stood to her feet. "If you ever feel like working for the Raven family, you're always welcome. We'll need more helping hand around the house. That's all you're good at anyway," she said. Barry finally met her gaze. Laura felt a thrill of excitement rush through her. She enjoyed watching him suffer. "And one more thing," she added, crossing her arms. "The Raven family won't be paying for your house rent anymore or your sister's tution f*e. If you want money, then earn it. You've got that Forex account of yours. Start hustling." Barry suddenly stood to his feet, startling Laura. He stared at her from under his lashes–pain, anger and hate burning in his eyes. "I hope you're happy now," he said. Laura feigned ignorance. "Of course I'm happy. I got you out of my life and that's enough for me." Barry raised his face heavenwards and let out a deep breath. "Thank goodness. I wish you happiness." Before Laura could retort, Barry turned on his heels and marched out of the room.
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New job
Another brief silence passed before Eleanor continued.“My husband had been battling sickness for the last eight months. It was slow and very painful. I stayed by his side the entire time. I didn’t tell anyone because—” she paused, glancing away for a moment, “no one ever wanted to meet him. Not once. They had no interest in him because he wasn’t one of them. He wasn’t from money. But he was a good man. And I loved him. So I married him anyway.”Barry listened intently, watching the way her voice softened when she spoke about her husband.“My father,” she continued, “he disowned me the moment I told him I was marrying below my class. He cut me off—no funds, no support. And the rest of the family followed suit. They don’t even know what he looked like. Not a single one of them.”She looked up at Barry now. Her eyes were firm again. “And now, my father wants to hand over Drayton Enterprises to one of his children. I want it to be me. That’s why I accepted the invitation. But there’s a c
The Dayton crisis
Mr. Drayton's sharp voice cut through the air. "Eleanor, take your seat and don't waste my time." His tone left no room for argument. Eleanor gave Barry a brief nod and led him to two empty seats along the left side of the table. They sat down quietly, while Mr. Drayton leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table.Mr. Drayton surveyed the room, his expression stoic. His children with their spouses beside them, waited in tense silence. Finally, he began. “I’ve gathered you all here for a reason,” he said. “I’ve been advised to sign for bankruptcy. Drayton Enterprises is a shadow of what it once was. I’ve pulled every string, made every call, sacrificed more than you can imagine… but now, it’s out of my hands.” He paused, letting his words sink in before continuing. "That’s why I’ve called this meeting. To give each of you a chance. Whoever among you can save this company from collapse will be named its new chairman." The room erupted in murmurs.Chairs creaked as sibli
The interview
The next morning, Barry arrived at 52 Grandhill Avenue, dressed in the midnight-blue suit he’d gambled nearly all his money on. He stepped into a tall glass building nestled between a row of corporate offices.He checked in with the receptionist, and was led through a narrow hallway into a quiet, elegantly furnished room.A few moments later, the door opened, and a young woman stepped in.She was stunning—early thirties, with long raven-black hair tied into a loose bun. Her eyes were sharp but carried the softness of someone who'd been taught to smile through her troubles. She wore a tailored cream blazer over a silk blouse, and red heels that clicked gently against the floor as she walked up to him.Everything about her screamed money. She sat down across from Barry and folded her hands neatly on the table.“You must be Barry,” she said, her voice calm, businesslike.“That’s me.”"I’m Eleanor Drayton,” she said. “But before we go any further, I should tell you something important.
A job offer
The following morning, Barry sat on a creaky wooden bench outside the landlord’s temporary office.It was a small metal container parked beside the damaged apartment complex. He could still smell the smoke and damp ash lingering in the air. Caution tape lined the charred entrance to his block. A few of the tenants passed by, shooting him angry or pitying glances.Inside the container, the landlord sat behind a flimsy desk, tapping aggressively on a calculator. His face was still swollen with frustration from the night before. A printed sheet lay in front of him with a list of repairs and itemized damage costs.Soon, Barry was summoned. When he stepped inside, the landlord didn’t even look up."You owe me $56,000," he spat. "That's what it'll cost to repair the damage your carelessness caused. Gas leak, fire damage, electrical rewiring, structural repairs, repainting, replacement of doors, windows, and your entire unit’s furnishings. Not to mention the stress you’ve caused me and t
The Second misfortune
Barry sat hunched in one of the plastic chairs. The sterile smell of antiseptic filled the hospital lobby as he rubbed his temples.His mind replayed the accident again and again—how fast it had all happened, how helpless he had felt in that single moment. The waiting was torture. He just needed to know the man would be okay. Then, the door to the doctor's office slammed open. Barry's head snapped up as his boss, Mr. Calloway, and Jordan marched out. Jordan's face was masked in anger as he immediately jabbed a finger in Barry's direction. "You're in a lot of trouble, Barry," Jordan growled, his voice loud enough for everyone in the lobby to hear.Mr. Calloway held up a hand, cutting him off. "I'll handle this. Give us a moment, Jordan." Jordan hesitated, glaring at Barry for a second longer before huffing and stomping off toward the exit.As soon as they were alone, Barry turned to the boss. "What about Rick? Is he okay?" Mr. Calloway sighed, running a hand over his thinnin
The Wait
A month had passed since Barry left his life behind. Now, he sat on a stack of steel beams under the shade of a half-built warehouse, wearing a stained orange vest and a hard hat. The midday sun hung high, casting waves of heat across the construction site. Dust clung to his boots and pants, and sweat rolled down the back of his neck.He unwrapped a sandwich he’d packed that morning. It was just bread, lettuce, and a slice of ham.The bread was a little dry, the ham a little thin, but he didn’t complain. This was his life now. The midday sun beat down on his back as he took a bite, the dry bread sticking in his throat. He washed it down with lukewarm water from a dented canteen. For a while, he sat there, his mind racing with questions. What was he even doing here? He’d been in Z City for weeks now. This was the very same city where he had once rescued Adam from the Homeland family. And yet, despite everything the Golden Cat had warned, the Black Cat of Misfortune hadn’t sh
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