Chapter 2

As Derrick watched Michael stand on the stage, he noticed that the man was nicely dressed, his tailored suit clearly bespoke and his shoes shining.

But what really caught Derrick's attention was the way the other guests looked at him. They were clearly impressed by his wealth and status, and their admiration was evident on their faces. It was clear that Michael was someone who commanded respect and admiration.

"Is he not the heir of one of the five richest family in the state?" A young lady by Derrick's side asked her friend.

"He is, such a handsome man" the other women replied.

And as Derrick looked on, he felt a sense of envy and insecurity creep over him. Derrick felt a wave of anger and humiliation wash over him as he heard the laughter. Everyone in hall turned back and laughed at him, giving him a mockery look. He knew that he had to do something, that he couldn't just stand there and take it.

He forcefully made his way forward to the stage, determined to make his presence known. But before he could say anything, two large men in suits appeared out of nowhere and grabbed him, pushing him back into the crowd. They shoved him roughly, and he stumbled, nearly falling to the ground. The crowd began to jeer and laugh even louder.

"Such a looser" a young woman spat at him.

"Poor and wrenched son-in-law, wanting to leech off his incredible wealthy in-law's" An elderly man in his sixties commented.

Derrick heard those comments, he felt tears of frustration and humiliation welling up in his eyes, but he refused to let them fall.

The bouncers dragged Derrick out of the ballroom, past the glittering chandeliers and the opulent decor. They shoved him through the front doors and out into the night, the cool air hitting him like a slap in the face.

He stood there, feeling lost and alone, his heart pounding in his chest. All he could think about was how humiliated he felt, how much he had been disrespected and disregarded.

He knew he couldn't go home like this. He had to do something to reclaim his dignity, to show the world that he was not a man to be ignored or mistreated.

Just as Derrick wanted to step back into the hotel, he heard the click of high heels on the pavement and turned to see his wife Anna, her face as cold and hard as marble. She stopped in front of him and looked down her nose at him, a scornful smile playing on her lips.

"You are no longer welcome in my family," she blurted out, her voice as cold as ice. "I am filing for divorce. I suggest you don't try to fight it, because you will only make a fool of yourself."

Derrick felt the divorce papers hit him in the chest, the weight of them almost knocking the wind out of him.

"What did I do to deserve this?" He asked.

"Your existence alone is your crime committed. Did you think that you would forever be my husband even when my grandfather dies? I only married you so that I wouldn't get on my grandfather's bad side and so that my father would get his inheritance. Now that my grand father is dead, I have nothing to do with you again. You are a leech!" Anna yelled and walked back into the hotel.

Derrick walked on the cold street, lost in his own thoughts as he did not notice the blinding headlights of a vehicle approaching with full speed before him.

Derrick woke up in a hospital bed, the room luxurious and an IV line attached to his arm and a beeping machine by his side. He tried to sit up, but his body felt heavy and weak.

A nurse came into the room, her face filled with concern. "Mr. Derrick, you're awake. How are you feeling?" She asked.

"I feel nauseous and dizzy" Derrick replied.

"Due to the grusome accident that you had, you've been in a coma for a week," the nurse revealed. "And your wife has been coming by every day, checking on you." She added.

Derrick felt a surge of hope at the mention of his wife. Could it be that she still cared for him after all? Maybe she realized that he was the man she wanted to be with.

When the nurse handed him the bill, Derrick's stomach sank. The total was more than he could ever hope to pay, and he had no insurance to cover it. He had lost his job when his wife's family had cut him off, and he had been living on savings that were now long gone. How could he possibly afford to pay for his treatment.

The nurse could see the worry on Derrick's face.

The nurse's expression softened. "I'm sorry, Mr. Smith," she sympathized. "But you have to pay up your debt before leaving." She added and left.

Derrick decide to call his wife for the first time ever, she have been visiting hm all these while and perhaps she would be able to pay off the hospital bills. He searched around for his phone, and called Anna's number.

Derrick's heart sank when he heard Michael's voice on the other end of the line.

"I'm afraid my wife is not available right now," Michael snapped, his voice smooth and condescending. "And even if she were, I doubt she would want to talk to you. She has moved on.

Derrick felt the anger and humiliation rising up in him. "You can't keep her away from me forever," he declared.

Michael laughed, a cold and cruel sound. " I have no time to waste on a loser like you" Micheal snapped and ended the call.

Derrick became confused by Micheal's sudden outburst, the nurse had earlier informed him about his wife's frequent visits but from the call that he just had it seemed like the very opposite. Everything happening was all Confusing for him and it contoured his being giving rise to a stinging headache.

Derrick looked up, startled by the sound of a woman's voice. He turned to see a beautiful woman standing in the doorway, she had sky blue eyes and a long dark hair. She stepped in, a warm and radiant smile on her face.

"Derrick?" she asked, her voice soft and gentle.

"I'm Ruby, the one who came to see you everyday. It's me your wife" she introduced.