The Despised Son-in-law Is The Shadow Monarch

0001: Dying Mother & A Heartless Family

It was raining hard and very cold. The rain felt like needles on Lloyd Wallace’s neck. His boots were stuck in black mud. His legs were burning, but he did not let go of the woman in his arms.

"Hold on, Mum," Lloyd whispered. His breath was white smoke in the cold air. "We are almost there."

His mother, Mary Wallace, was very light in his arms, like dry sticks in an old coat. She was breathing with a weak, rough sound. Her kidneys were failing. She could die any minute.

In front of them, the Charlton house was bright like a palace. Expensive cars were parked outside. Loud party music was coming from inside.

Lloyd walked up the wet stone stairs. He did not knock. He pushed the door open and walked inside.

Hundreds of people in expensive suits and dresses were partying. Water and brown mud from Lloyd's boots made the white floor dirty. His cheap jacket was dripping. He stood there holding his mother.

In the middle of the room, on a small stage, there was a little white dog. The dog wore a collar with diamonds. Around it were silver plates full of expensive meat, fish, and ice cream.

"Look at Princess! She doesn't want salmon! Bring her caviar!" a woman chuckled, staring at the white dog.

It was Jane Charlton, Lloyd's wife. She wore a green silk dress, throwing an expensive feast for the dog.

Lloyd walked toward her, leaving dirty footprints. People stopped talking and stared at him with disgust.

"Jane," Lloyd said in a rough voice.

"What are you doing here? Are you crazy?" Jane stepped back so his muddy clothes would not touch her dress. "What are you doing here?"

"It's Mum," Lloyd said. His arms were shaking. "Our old car broke down two miles away. The hospital called. Her kidneys' function dropped below ten percent. The doctors at St. Jude's are ready to do surgery right now, but they want 50,000 dollars first."

Lloyd pushed further. "They need the money before they'd begin surgery, Jane. I have worked for your father's company for three years without one day off. I made the company over three million dollars last quarter. My bonus was not paid in November. Please, just give me my bonus money. Save my mother."

Then Jane's father, Mr. Ruze Charlton, took the microphone on the stage. He had a glass of expensive whiskey. He looked down at Lloyd like he was an insect.

"Everyone, be quiet!" he said loudly while people giggled at Lloyd. "It seems a beggar from the street came in with a dead body."

"Mr. Charlton, my mother is dying," Lloyd persisted. "I am asking for my own bonus money. My mother has only hours left."

"Your mother?" Mr. Charlton chuckled. "That poor old woman has been living on our charity for 2 years. 50,000 dollars? Do you know this dog's collar costs 200,000 dollars? That dog is worth more than your whole family!"

Jane's mother, Madam Helen, came next to him. "Why waste 50,000 dollars on a poor peasant who is about to die? It's better she dies tonight. Look at him! He is a useless, broke-ass failure. He brings only bad luck!"

The guest snickered louder with disgust. Some young men took out their phones and filmed Lloyd to make fun of him.

Lloyd did not look at them. He only focused on Jane, hoping to see some kindness.

"Jane," he said softly. "You are my wife. She is your mother-in-law. Tell them. Would you really fold your arms and watch her die?"

Jane's face was cold and merciless. She took a thick folder from her assistant and threw it on the floor, into the muddy water near Lloyd's boots.

"Sign it, Lloyd," she said in a cold voice. "These are divorce papers. My family is about to become billionaires next week. Having a poor, low-class husband like you is embarrassing to me. You make me ashamed."

She pointed to the door. "Sign the papers, take your dying mother, and get out. Don't ever come near my family again!”

She cursed. “A million times over, I would rather spend thousands of dollars on a dog feast than waste some fortune saving your dim-witted mother, who's as good as dead!"

Lloyd felt like his heart was hit with iron hearing those heart-wrecking words from the woman he loved. All the lights, the laughter, the dog's food, and his cold mother in his arms felt like a heavy weight.

For three years he had been loyal. For three long years he hid his real skills, washed their cars, washed dishes, and built their business empire from behind, while they took all the credit. They went further and withheld his deserved bonus, treating him with disgust.

Then, something inside Lloyd broke.

But it was not loud anger. It was a quiet freeze.

Lloyd's hands stopped shaking as he held his body. His sweat dried, and his back became straight. His eyes became cold and empty. For a split second, Jane felt scared and moved her hand back.

Lloyd put his mother gently on a sofa near the door. He wrapped his own coat around her to keep her warm.

He walked to the muddy folder on the floor. He picked it up. From his pocket, he took out a heavy black pen with silver writing on it.

He signed it quickly and sharply. His signature was strong and had no doubt.

[Lloyd Wallace]

He threw the folder onto the stage, next to the dog's steak plate.

Then he took off his simple gold wedding ring. He looked at it for half a second, then dropped it into Jane's half-full champagne glass.

Clink.

The ring sank to the bottom.

He looked straight into Jane's eyes. His voice was not shaking anymore. It was deep, calm, and scary.

"Three years of love," he said softly. "Paid in full."

He turned his back on her. He picked up his mother again and walked out the big doors into the dark, heavy rain. He did not look back once.

Outside, the big iron gates closed behind him with a loud bang.

Lloyd stood in the middle of the empty dark highway. The rain soaked his shirt. He slowly went down on one knee in the mud, covering his mother's face with his hands. He put his ear on her chest.

Her heartbeat was very weak and slow.

Thump... thump... silence

"Mum," Lloyd choked out. "Please hold on. Don't leave me."

Suddenly, the clouds above split open.

A roar shook the ground. Three big military helicopters came down from the clouds. Their bright lights turned the dark highway into daylight.

From both sides of the road, 30 big black armored SUVs came at full speed. They made a circle around Lloyd, blocking the whole highway.

Doors opened. A dozen armed men in black gear came out and stood around him to protect him.

From the main SUV, a tall, beautiful woman came out into the mud. She wore a grey suit and a long black coat. In her hand, she held a silver medical box with a gold symbol on it.

It was Catherine Flower, the most powerful woman in world medicine, who owned 90% of the world's best medical patents.

She did not care that mud was ruining her expensive shoes. She ran through the rain to Lloyd. She fell to both knees in the dirty water in front of him and bowed her head so low her head almost touched his muddy boots.

"Lord Sovereign!" Her voice was shaking with respect and fear. "The Emperor's Ring has reactivated your global signal! The VVIP surgery room is in the air! Your 3 years of laying low are officially over!”