Stranger's Calling.

Tobin was well dressed that morning. He had just two suits but he treated them nice, ironed them and kept them well.

Now, he was at the company where he had been invited for an interview. He was positive this time.

"Good morning, sir." He said to the man handling the interview. That man used to be friendly before but now, his face was squeezed into a frown.

Tobin quickly replied. "Good morning, sir." Even though the man looked younger than him, he still respected him.

"I'm sorry but we can't offer you the job anymore. Please leave now." He said bluntly.

Tobin couldn't believe his eyes. "Sir, please hold on. It's just that, I--"

"I will call the security now if you don't leave." The man said. Someone walked in and called him Mr. Ken.

"Mr. Ken, please hear me out." Tobin said but before he could continue, Ken had already called security to chase Tobin away...one would think he was a thief.

Robin's ego was suddenly crushed like a berry fruit under a car tire. With swollen eyes and sunken shoulders, he made his way back home.

His wife, Hailey, was already waiting for him. He didn't even need to open his mouth to share his experience before she knew that he didn't get the job.

Hailey was his beautiful wife and he sometimes wondered how such a woman like that would stay with him despite him being poor. Her long brown hair was wrapped in a ponytail and big baby eyes glared at him with pity.

"I'm so sorry, honey." She went forward to hug him and comfort him. He was glad for her in his life.

Hailey's family are rich and although they didn't approve of their love, Tobin loved and cherished her so dearly. As did Hailey.

"Hailey, for years now I've been searching for a job. Isn't it weird how every company I've gone for their interview always declines me? I have the potentials, but everything is just so annoying."

"I know, but I also know that everything will be fine. With time..." Hailey comforted.

He knew that. But he wanted to find a job soon and support his wife.

Countless times, his wife had mentioned that he should go and meet her family for help. Now, she brought it up again.

"I know you don't like hearing about this but maybe they can help. Please just do this for me, for us." Hailey ended her words with a smile.

Tobin could only stare with pain in his heart. He smiled back. "Thanks love."

He knew that Hailey's family threatened to marry her off to a dreadful old man just because he's rich. She didn't want that for herself! Or for their marriage. For years, his in-laws despised him as if he was an abomination that should not continue to walk the earth.

They adopted him when he was a young boy and have treated him poorly since then. He fell in love with their daughter and they secretly got married, causing more enmity between the household again.

He didn't let her see the heavy ache that rested in his heart now on his face. He smiled at her again.

Hailey excused herself telling Tobin she would be right back. Before she could come back outside, Tobin had left. She could still make do with his silhouette rushing outside, so she chased him down but before she could meet him, he had already left.

"Where are you running to, Tobin?"

****

As much as Tobin lied to himself that he was okay, he knew he wasn't! He had received an urgent call and thought it would be his lucky day now but as he reached outside to take a bus down the company, they had canceled the interview again and said they would get back to him. He knew they wouldn't.

He was walking down the streets now, trying to relax his mind. He just kept quiet then because he didn't want to hurt his wife. He had pleaded with his in-laws that they should provide a job for him, and what had they done in return? They mocked him and chased him away.

He felt something in his pocket vibrate and he checked to see it was his phone. Someone was calling him and suddenly, he wished it was a call from one company.

He picked it up immediately and heard a stranger's voice talk.

"Young master, can you hear me? Young master, hello?"

Tobin frowned. "Sorry, wrong number." He said then hung up.

***

His phone rang again and Tobin was wondering if it was the same wrong number calling again. Young master? What had he meant?

Bringing the phone to his face he saw this time that it was his sister-in-law, Rosa. For a brief while, he heaved in a deep breath, knowing that his in-laws would never call to say hi to him. They always came up with creative ways to speak bad of him.

"Hello, Rosa. Good evening." He said as politely as he could, although that would still not be enough for her.

"Good? What is good about the evening, Tobin?" Rosa said angrily from over the phone.

"I'm sorry." Tobin paused so she would not find something to fault her again.

"Sorry your ass," he could have sworn she had rolled her eyes. "I'm so nice, really. And that's why I've called you. If you know that you really love my big sis, then you will do well to listen to me."

Tobin's eyes widened in excitement. Could this be the day he was waiting for? Maybe they would finally take him as their in law??

"Yes, Rosa? I do love Hailey and I'm listening!" He said.

"Then you must do well to divorce her." Rosa said and Tobin wished he had heard her wrong.

Suddenly, his happiness faded once again into shame and disappointment.

"Divorce? Why would you want me to prove my love to her by divorcing her?"

"Shut it, really. You sound so pathetic, how can a man like you love my sister! You can't even get yourself a job in this city. And you're so stupid because you don't think at all, if you did, maybe you'd have begin to suspect it is weird you can't get yourself a job here in L.A."

He frowned, angry at what she had just said. "Is this because you and your mother are involved in this?"

"Haha! You fool. Just older than me for nothing. No brains at all!" Rosa teased. "You'll never be employed unless you bow down to us and do what we say. Mother has paid all the firms in L.A to reject your CV at first sight. Notice why you get rejected every time even when you've got good grades? Ha!"

Tobin suddenly felt weak in the knees. Why...how can these people be so wicked like that! What had he done wrong that they couldn't forgive??

"If by tomorrow, you're still with my sister, she and her wretched baby for you will be disowned by the family, and for good this time." Rosa said.

"Or is that what you want? To destroy my sister's life so she will forever be stuck with you? You can't even prove your worth to us by getting a good job." Rosa laughed again before hanging up.

All Tobin could do was stand carefully by the road, thinking about his next step. What else could he do anyway? There was no hope for him again! He was also still trying to process the news of his wife being pregnant!

A Lincoln limousine pulls over just a few meters away from him. A few strong men stepped down the car and before Tobin could react, they pulled a black bag over his head, and dragged him into the car.

Tobin was a little shaken as he feared he had been kidnapped. Who would pay for his ransom fee? He had only his wife to worry and care about him. Now he began to think of his unborn child.

The car pulled over again. Tobin was being led into a house and upon taking down the bag, he saw an old man coming his way.

The old man was furious and yelled out, "how dare you treat our young master this way?"