THE BEGINNING OF THE END

It was a hot sunny afternoon, and Cage was the happiest man alive. His eyes glowed as he stared at the box in his hands.

It was his mother's gift to his lovely wife.

His mother had taken him from the orphanage, and he loved her

She had given him the gift before she passed on. 

"I hope Carmen will love this. I wish she would leave school and come home with me. I miss her." Cage said to himself, letting out a heavy sigh.

He had met Carmen three years ago, and he loved her a lot. 

"It's a good thing the boss wasn't around today so I could leave work early." Cage muttered.

He would work day and night to ensure that he could continuously provide for Carmen's rent and her school expenses.

It was evening when Cage arrived at the apartment.

He knocked on the door, waiting for his wife to open the door.

"Carmen? Are you home?" He called out.

His eyes moved down. The door wasn't locked. 

"Why didn't she lock the door?" He murmured. He walked in.

The sight of clothes scattered in the living room left him in shock.

"What happened here? Carmen?"

Cage's eyes narrowed. He inspected some clothes and realized they didn't belong to Carmen.

Could it be?

Different thoughts surfaced in Cage's head.

He walked farther into the room. 

The moaning sounds coming from behind the closed doors confirmed his fears. 

"No. It can't be," Cage said breathlessly. His heart was on the verge of breaking apart.

He pushed open the door, and his eyes shook.

His wife was naked on top of another man, slowly gyrating her hips while the stranger's hands were on her waist.

"Carmen! How could you?" Cage roared in anger.

"Cage? What are you doing here?" Carmen said in a sultry yet shaky voice. She couldn't believe her eyes.

"Who is this piece of trash, babe? Why does he think he can interrupt us?" The man beside Carmen voiced out.

Cage scanned him and realized something.

"Is this Daryl? You said this man was tutoring you, Carmen?!" Cage asked in annoyance.

Rage leaked out of his eyes.

"Please don't listen to him. He's my husband. My ex-husband precisely." Carmen said to Daryl. She didn't even look at Cage as she kissed her lover thoroughly on his lips.

"I’m your ex-husband?" Cage asked with a frown. 

"Yes, Cage. I don't want to stay married to you anymore. You are worthless. I don't think you'll ever amount to anything. You haven't given me a single gift since we got married. So why should I still be with you?"

Carmen glared at Cage. She didn't want Daryl to get upset, so she tried to clean up this mess fast. 

Cage's heart shook.

"What? My mother died because she wanted you to go to school, Carmen! She said I shouldn't worry about her treatment and give you the money because she loved you! Is this how you want to repay me? " Cage gripped his head as he spoke.

He couldn't believe how foolish he had been.

Carmen felt a shift in her heart when she heard his words, but she remained undeterred.

"Get out of here, Cage. Look at Daryl. He is wealthy and prestigious and the second son of the wealthiest person in the country. What do you have? Your dead mother's gift and two dirty pairs of clothes. You don't deserve me!"

Carmen retorted fiercely, her voice driving blades of pain into Cage's heart.

The scene devastated Cage. He couldn't believe this was the lady he had spent years working for.

The last time he saw her with Daryl was two years ago. Has she been cheating on him since then? 

"So you did this because of money?" Cage's voice was low. 

"Yes, Cage. I did this for what you can never hope to have. Not even in fifty years."

Carmen brutally said without even a single care in the world as she snuggled close to Daryl.

Cage had no words. He turned around and left the apartment.

He couldn't believe Carmen would do something like that to him.

Was this why she never allowed him to sleep with her?

She had never even told him she loved him.

Cage clenched his fist as he took each step.

He had sacrificed his mother for such a worthless human.

This was going to end.

Was it money she wanted? Was it fame and popularity? 

Cage stopped in his tracks and removed a ring from his chest pocket.

When he placed the ring on his finger, the ruby stone shone with a bright red light.

"It's time. I have suffered too much." 

Cage's phone rang the moment the light on the ring dimmed.

Cage brought the phone to his ears, and a voice rang out.

"Master Cage! You activated the ring. Are you done with your research?" The voice inquired with a thick accent.

"Yes, Zo. I have decided humans don't deserve to see this side of me, and I want to remind a few of them who remain on top," Cage responded softly.

"Okay, Master. Where are you?" Zo asked from the other side of the line.

"I'll inform you soon. I still have some other things to fix," Cage replied calmly.

He stopped a taxi and made his way to Carmen's family home.

Maybe they could talk some sense into her.

Cage walked into the mansion, and he spotted his mother-in-law.

"Good day, Mother." Cage greeted the middle-aged woman.

Grace Williams looked back with irritation when she recognized the voice, "I am not your Mother, you useless human. I don't understand what Carmen sees in you." She spat.

"I found Carmen with another man, and… " Cage said, going straight to the point. 

"Finally, Carmen made the right move. You expected my daughter to remain in her ruined state with your worthless being?" Grace uttered furiously.

"What?" Cage was astounded. He always knew that Grace never liked him.

She humiliated him at whatever chance she got. 

However, this was the height of it.

"What do you mean?" Cage repeated in annoyance.

Grace stood up from her seat and walked to him.

"Sign the papers. Carmen had dropped her signature long ago. She no longer wants you, and neither does this family," Grace said, and she handed some documents to Cage.

"I see… " Cage smiled and signed the papers. 

"Get out of my house," Grace spat with disgust in her eyes.

"I hope you never regret your words, Grace." Cage spoke before taking his leave.

As he stepped out of the wide gates, he sighted a limousine parked outside.

Cage took light steps to the limousine. The door automatically opened, and he stepped inside.

"Welcome, Master Cage." A man clothed in a white and black uniform announced with a grin.

"Hi Zo, you seem more than happy to see me." Cage spoke nonchalantly.

"Yes, Young Master, it's been twenty years since you left. I have missed your presence." Zo exclaimed.

"I don't want to go back yet. However, I have no choice. I'm needed. Humans are naïve." Cage muttered to himself, but Zo Heard him.

"Yes, you are, Young Master. The company has fallen into disgrace after your father passed on, and…"

"I don't want to talk about that." Cage interrupted Zo.

"I'm sorry, Young Master. It's good to have you back at least," Zo said.

"Yes. I want you to make preparations. I'm sure you still followed me, no matter how hard I warned you, so you know I got married to Carmen Williams." Cage stated.

"Yes, Young Master."

"The Williams are having a ceremony. Carmen is graduating in two days, and we know them for their extravagant parties. I am appearing as the company's CEO she wants to apply to." Cage shared his plans confidently.

"But, Young Master, you don't own the Marines and Shares company." Zo quipped in.

"Buy it, Zo. I have trillions of dollars collecting dust in my account. Put them to use, please." Cage answered softly.

Zo nodded his head and pressed some buttons on his phone.

"Did you bring the items?" Cage uttered.

"Yes, young Master," Zo said and handed over a box to Cage.

Cage opened the box, and his eyes sparkled. He picked up the earrings and wore them.

Along with his diamond necklace, these were the gifts given to him by his best friend.

He wondered if she would still recognize him.

When Cage placed his jewelry on, the surrounding air had changed entirely. 

"They look perfect on you, as always, young master," Zo complimented.

"Thank you, Zo. Get me home. Let's begin my uprising. I have returned fully." Cage declared.

It was time to show them who he was.