CHAPTER 1: THAT FATEFUL DAY!

“Urgh!” Raphael groaned out deeply.

Hot sweats dropped off Raphael's head and profusely flew down to his bearded cheeks, his face stiffened, whilst wearing his tattered worn-out white and black work outfit.

He had been working tirelessly for over seven hours since he resumed work in the morning as a part-time Room service agent at one of the most-rated five-star hotels in Paris; Stamford Luxury Suites, an establishment he had graciously worked for about six years.

His legs were aching in deep pain, he could barely see clearly as the stress from work's demands had somewhat blurred his vision.

His stomach grumbled terribly. He hadn't had anything to eat since that day broke forth, not even water to quench his dried throat.

Any attempt to get himself fed whilst at work would precipitate a hefty series of humiliations from his family in-laws who were the esteemed managers of the suite where he worked.

Other staff could be overlooked but Raphael would commit a terrible sin if seen eating despite how much work he's done for the day. Huh?

He had just finished cleaning up the twentieth room for the day and needed to catch his breath at the Hotel lobby before he passed out due to tiredness.

“Where's the General Manager? Where is he!” a voice blurted out beside the elevator and found its way towards the lobby where Raphael, a few other staff, and some waiting guests were.

“I said,” Where's your boss!” the angered guest yelled, glaring randomly for prompt responses.

Laurent Moreau, the General Manager, and his wife; Emma, the Manager sprinted from their offices and headed towards the lobby as the aggravated guest kept roaring in fury with outright requests to meet with Mr Laurent.

“Sir, please what could have gone wrong?” Laurent politely inquired, reaching out to the displeased guest to calm his nerves. The attention of other guests was getting glued to the building incident.

“A staff of yours had the guts to steal $10,000 from the wardrobe whilst I was having a nap. What insolence!” He spilled out and sneered sharply with his teeth gritted.

“$10,000?” all voices simultaneously inquired, all eyes fixed on the displeased guest.

“Raphael or whatever you're being called. The guest room was among the rooms assigned to you.”

“Why the hell did you steal his money?” Laurent furiously accused him, his gaze fixing on Raphael who seemed confused about the unfolding incident.

The waiting guests in the lobby all glanced at Raphael with their eyebrows raised with questions, the waiting guests shook their heads in contempt as a strong allegation had been blurted out.

Raphael's co-colleagues folded their hands in shock as they stole glances at him with their mouth widened.

“Sir, with all due respect how would you insinuate I stole his money, huh?” he couldn't dare keep calm and allow his father-in-law to dirt his image on what he never did.

“This is preposterous! How could you think so little of me that you could imagine that your son-in-law would dare steal?” Raphael spoke out in defense, his eyes widened in disbelief at the height of the accusation.

“Shut up you pauper! Son-in-law my foot!” Mrs Emma; his mother in-law yelled at him.

“Have you ever seen a son-in-law as pathetic as you, huh? Gosh!” she continually bawled at him with a darkened expression, tutting her lips to spite Raphael the more.

Raphael vehemently stood his ground despite how fast the allegations were booming against him.

“I'm innocent. I didn't steal his money!”

“How would y'all believe such an accusation without hard evidence?” He strived to stand firm, glancing at everyone who was on the verge of believing his family-in-law's words.

“Raphael, we might be friends but I wouldn't lie. I saw you hiding some cool cash in your bag a few hours ago. Confess and stop lying,” Andre boldly accused with a serious expression, adding more weight to Mr. Laurent's initial accusations.

Mr. Laurent and his wife smirked in their hearts as they winked at Andre and the guest, mutual words echoed in their hearts as they stared amongst themselves.

“All lies. I'm innocent! I didn't steal any money,” Raphael vehemently defended himself, still standing to his truth despite all odds forged against him.

“I still don't know what my daughter saw in you in the first place to ever consent to marry you! Hopeless Pauper!” Laurent screamed out. "Get me his bag at once!”

“Heaven save you if Andre is right," he voiced out as one of the staff; Marcel hastened towards the staff quarters to obtain Raphael's bag.

The guests seemed more interested in deducing what was happening. Indistinct voices from different corners of the lobby as the unfolding drama seemed more serious than they presumed.

Raphael's conscience was clear but filled with skepticism. He perceived something off from the moment Andre falsely expressed that he witnessed him hiding cash in his bag.

His family in-laws never supported his union with their daughter and frowned at it from the onset. In their incessant words to their daughter; “Chloe how would you settle for that poor dude who works under us? He has no damn future!”

Chloe presumed she saw a goal-driven man in Raphael but for the past five years in marriage, none of his goals have been actualized. That very day marked their fifth anniversary as a couple and her pauper husband had been accused of thievery by her parents. Isn't it fishy?

Would it be wrong to assume that his wife was already tired? Her parents have been on her neck to divorce Raphael and settle in with another man who's financially endowed and fits into the status quo of the Moreau family.

It was Moreau's world against Raphael's. He muttered countless prayers in his heart whilst he awaited Marcel's approaching footsteps who had gone to bring his bag.

“Now properly search that dirty torn bag of his. Search for it at once!” Laurent yelled in disgust, his tone stern and cold. 

“Search for my cash at once!” The aggravated guest firmly instructed Marcel who delved his hand deeply into Raphael's bag.

All eyes glued on the bag to decipher between the son-in-law and family-in-law who had been right all along. The ongoing activities at the lobby spontaneously paused in action.

“I've found it! Raphael stole the cash! I found it!”

“I found it! He stole that damn money!” Marcel screamed with his right hand waving a note worth $10,000 for all to behold and affirm. 

SHAME!

Right at that moment Raphael affirmed a fast one had been mischievously played against him.

He shockingly stared at the angered guest, his family in-laws, Andre and Marcel. It was more than a coincidence that all stood against him.

Raphael ran toward his friends Andre and Marcel and held the grip of their arms. “How much did they pay y'all to betray me in such a manner? I thought we were friends. I thought we're all brothers?”

“How could y'all lie against me in broad daylight? How could you do such a thing to me? Andre! Marcel!” He boldly voiced out as he asked in a profound state of confusion.

“Damn you! You shameless thief,” the angered guest loudly spoke and pushed Raphael off from their necks whilst he staggered uncontrollably and fell towards Mr. Laurent, who slammed his palm against his right cheek with an echoing hit.

SLAP!

“Thief! Even after being caught red-handed you went ahead attempting to beat up innocent fellows who exposed you? I curse the day you set foot into my family's house as a son-in-law.”

“Little wonder we never supported our daughter's marriage with you. We knew you were a breed of disappointment, failure, and uselessness,” Mrs Emma let the dog out of the cage with her disdainful words and thudded her fingers against Raphael's face.

SLAP AGAIN!

The waiting guests in the lobby shook their heads and gently retired to their designated rooms.

The evidence before everyone's eye connotes Raphael as a shameless thief and has no single evidence to vindicate himself. Wouldn't you assume he stole the cool cash?

Raphael's body was soaked with sweat but he stood firm. He knew his family-in-law never regarded him but couldn't have imagined they would pull such a stunt against him.

“I didn't steal anybody's cash. I've been set up!” He courageously voiced out not backing down from uttering his truth.

“I'm informing the cops right away. I wouldn't want to endanger the properties of my esteemed guests knowing a thief is amongst my staff. Never!” Laurent scoffly assured, quickly reaching out to his cell phone.

“And for the records. Raphael, you've been sacked. Your services are permanently terminated!” Laurent pronounced with his right ear glued to his cell phone to make that call.

“Please… we do have a visual confirmation of a thief at Stamford Luxury Suites who needs to be arrested at once!”