CHAPTER TWO: A RUINED NIGHT.

The food poured on Betty's dress, but Lucian ran after the broken plates, the words of the senior worker ringing in his ears. These plates costs $40,000 each. Where the hell would he get that amount to pay, especially as he was still battling for the money of his sister's treatment.

What sort of fucked up night was this?

A sharp slap against his cheeks sent him staggering backwards. "You son of a bastard. Look at the mess you caused. Must you manifest your ill luck everywhere you go?!" Betty cried.

A small group gathered around them and Lucian felt ashamed of himself. Betty and John had succeeded in ruining his night. Who would believe him anyways? Who would believe that it hadn't been his fault?

Nobody, they'd blame him for everything.

"My dress…!" Betty screamed louder.

"It wasn't on purpose, I swear…" Lucian began.

"Get something to clean up the mess you caused this instant!" John barked.

"I wonder the kind of idiots people employ these days," a guest said and the rest bursted into laughter.

Lucian continued pleading until the manager arrived at the scene with another waiter.

"Sir, ma, please can I know what's going on here?"

"Do you employ every bastard you see on the streets?! Can't you see what the piece of shit has just done?!"

"Sir, please, It wasn't on purpose! I was tripped by him!" Lucian said, pointing a finger at John.

"Shut the hell up!" Betty yelled. "You ruined my dress and you still have the nerves to throw blames? Do you know how much John earns in a day as the CEO of this hotel?

She scoffed. "Do you have the slightest idea that John here used his position to push up my company? I bet you don't, so how dare you make yourself equal to him when you've never done anything reasonably in your life other than eat off my money!"

Lucian glared at Betty's Indifferent tone. Her words felt like bullets piercing through his muscles. She looked so carefree, so insensitive, and gosh, he felt like teaching her a lesson or two.

"So…so you cheated on me because of money?" He said, a bitter expression on his face.

"What have you done?!" The manager sent him a furious look.

"Sir, I wouldn't lie to you, please check the CCTV and you'll know that I'm speaking the truth. I didn't break the plates on purpose, I really didn't…"

"Who are you to check the CCTV of a prestigious hotel such as this and morever, what gives you the guts to lie against the CEO of this hotel?!" The manager spat.

Lucian stared in shock at John's face that was so filled with pride.

"Take this bastard out of here and make him pay for damages!" John barked.

The manager bowed slightly. "I'm so sorry for the inconveniences sir,"

As they walked out of earshot, the manager said with a deep frown. "You're fired!"

"What?" Lucian exclaimed in racing breaths. "No, please, sir, I really need this job…"

"Then you should have thought of that before trying to play smart,"

"I didn't play smart, I swear… I was tri…"

He couldn't complete his sentence.

"We give you one month to pay for the broken plates or we'll throw you in jail," his manager barked in anger.

Lucian could only nod. He didn't eat properly nor was he able to get medicine for himself or even pay for his sister's treatment and now he was owing over $100,000 within one night.

How ironic.

"I pitied you in giving you the job and the only way you could pay me back was disgracing yourself?"

"I'm sorry, Sir, please reconsider!"

"I give you three minutes to get out of this premises or I'll call the police!"

…

The walls around his heart twisted into a vulnerable pulp as Lucian dragged his exhausted legs across the stairs that led to his home. He was weak, hungry. His bones felt like a useless piece of ragdoll and darn, he had barely two days left to pull up the money for his sister's treatment.

He could not afford losing her.

He loved her so much.

He opened the door to find Summer, his mother-in-law sitting legs crossed and sipping from a wine which by the looks of it was hell expensive.

He studied her for a moment and noted the shrewd eyes, the painted red lips and her designers dress. Maybe she would consider helping him with some cash even though he knew that she hated him.

More than once, he had heard her advising Betty to be very careful around him. Unfortunately, Betty had heeded the advice.

"Good evening ma,"

Summer raised an eyebrow in his direction and ignored the greeting. She fumbled with the remote in her hands for a moment before sighing briefly.

Lucian cleared his throat. "Ma, please I need your help,"

"Fuck off please, I already had a bad day, don't add to it,"

"I won't…but my sister's is seriously ill and needs surgical treatment for her lungs within two days. The deposit is $150,000 and…"

"Go inside the kitchen and prepare a meal for me," Summer interrupted, barely looking at him.

"What?" Lucian blinked. He couldn't believe that she would wave off his words in such an ordinary way like batting off a fly, or didn't she hear him?

"Ma, if you heard that, I'd appreciate if you could help me with…"

"Didn't you hear my instructions?!" Summer yelled. "All you do each day is make my daughter miserable with your useless self. Will you hurry up and make me dinner this moment!"

"Yes…yes, ma" Lucian said and hurried to the kitchen.

Lucian returned minutes later and served the food, but as Summer tasted from the plate, she threw the table upside down and stood up with a rage. "You bastard! How dare you make me soup that tastes so bland?!"

Lucian stammered, surprised by her actions. "I'm so…I'm so sorry, I didn't know it tasted bland. I'm…"

He couldn't complete his statement when a warm liquid splashed on his face. He shut his eyes quickly with a painful yelp as the sting of pepper attacked him. Summer had poured the soup on him.

"Why don't you taste the food for yourself since you want to be a lapping dog! Is that food what an expensive lady like me should be eating?" Summer screamed.

Lucian's finger curled into a fist as he controlled the hurt in his eyes. This was too extreme, but as he opened his mouth to speak, the door opened and Betty walked in, followed closely by John.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Betty yelled.