Chapter 1

Duncan South had always been living a life of worthlessness despite being married to Zinnia Lennart, the beauty goddess of the city.

He was disregarded by her and demeaned by her family. 

He faced humiliation everyday with great tolerance because of the love he had for his wife.

"Zinnia, can you please help me with some money?" He asked his wife one evening when she returned from work.

It was the time of the month when he had to pay the monthly hospital bills for his sick Mother and he had nothing.

"You're shameless and worthless," she told him and poured out all the insults at him before going to the bathroom.

He didn't know what to do. He told the doctor and asked for a few days to gather the money. The doctor was benevolent to grant him his request.

The following day, the Lennart family is having breakfast. Duncan was feeling the cups of everyone with a kettle of tea. 

 Then he remembered that his birthday was in a few days. He didn't know what pushed him to tell the family about it, maybe he was hoping the news of such would bring a little smile to their faces, but that was foolish of him to have thought.

"Zinnia, everyone…uh, my birthday is in a few days."

They all ogled at him after he announced. Zinnia gnashed her teeth as she stopped eating.

"So? How the hell is that my concern?" She asked, disgusted.

"Uh, well…it's actually on Wednesday and…"

"And what?" His mother-in-law, Laila, cut him off. In a fit of rage, she slammed her hand against the table surface and shouted. "Do you think we give a damn about when a nobody like you was born?"

"Ow. Take it easy, sister-in-law," Zinnia's Aunt, Bella, pouted and suppressed her laughter by placing her hand against her mouth as her daughter, Lisa, burst into laughter.

Lisa contributed, laughing. "Oh, Aunt, but you're right. Duncan, we don't care about a good-for-nothing fella's birthday."

"It would have been better if it was your funeral. The news would have gladdened our hearts," Zinnia's elder brother, Marcus said and a repulsive smile snarled up to his face.

"At least, you could have given us a little bit of good news about your Mother who has gone to the other side of the world," Lisa's brother, Aaron, said, and that stung Duncan.

He balled his fist and wanted to retaliate but a stern look from his wife stopped him.

"I know you need something from Zinnia. So go on and say it for us to hear," Laila scoffed.

"Gosh, you shouldn't feel ashamed. She's your wife and I'm sure Zinnia will gladly give you anything," Lisa said.

"That's if she's rich. I'm sure all this while he's been living off her, poor Zinnia must have secretly gone broke," Marcus teased.

"But I can give you some hundred bucks If you could deliver some pizzas to my friends immediately, Duncan," Lisa taunted.

Zinnia couldn't bear her relatives' words, as always, she felt ashamed and disgusted just by glancing at Duncan. She was boiling with rage and couldn't stop herself from yelling at him.

"What do you want from me, low life?!"

"No, Zinnia, I don't want anything from you. I just want to make my birthday memorable for you."

Everyone glanced at themselves and roared into laughter.

"You're a mere delivery guy. What do you have to offer? I'm sure you won't even be able to get a hundred-dollar cake to celebrate your birthday and you're thinking of making it special for Zinnia? That's silly of you to think." Bella shook her head, clicking her tongue.

"Zinnia, believe me," Duncan assured, smiling at his wife.

"That day is going to be a 'black Wednesday' for us because a moron was born on that day," Lisa mocked and everyone laughed.

Lisa's brother, Aaron added, "I'm sure you're likely to take a loan to please Zinnia by making your god-damned birthday memorable for her."

"I won't do that, Aaron."

Marcus sneered and stared at Zinnia's unhappy face before grinning. They further went on to ridicule him but Duncan ignored their taunts and simply left the dining room.

 "You know what, pal, I heard you covered up for me in my absence well like you promised you would. Thanks, buddy," John, Duncan's colleague, appreciated him later in the day when he walked into their changing room after doing a delivery.

John had gone for a little travel to pay a visit to his sick mother who was residing in the next city. Before he left, he had asked him to cover up for him, and only when Duncan gave his word to him and their boss, was John permitted to leave.

"Don't worry, your dinner is on me today."

"Oh, thanks, but, I'll pass it."

"Why? You've got some plans? I know your rich wife won't prepare something good for you tonight," John joked, and seeing the serious expression that suddenly surfaced on Duncan's face, John knew it was wrong to have made such a joke. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you in any way."

"It's alright. Actually, I've got something important to do tonight."

"Hm, what is that?" John lifted his brows, inquisitively.

"My birthday is this Wednesday."

"Woa, great. Then let's turn the table around. You owe me a treat on that day."

Duncan chuckled and nodded. "I'll give you a treat but that will be on the following day after my birthday."

"Huh?"

"You see, I'm planning a surprise for my wife."

"Hey, I don't remember you telling me that you both share the same birth date."

"We don't."

"So why do you want to surprise her when you're the birthday boy? She ought to give you a surprise and not the other way round."

"Well, it's not the case. I've taken my whole savings to get her something special on my birthday."

"Man." John scratched the back of his head and took a deep sigh. "I've not known you much but I've seen how your wife acted with you on some occasions when I drop by the Lennart Manor, I don't think she'll value whatever you give. But, I see you're crazily in love with her."

"I'm not ashamed to admit that. That's why I want to surprise her on my birthday."

"Must you use your life savings to appease your wife?"

"She deserves it. It's actually my savings for the last five years." Duncan's smile widened as he imagined his wife's face glittering when he'll surprise her with something more better and expensive than his previous gifts.

"Anyway, so…?"

"I'll be checking some nice jewelry stores by tonight. I'll get my wife something unique and I know she'll appreciate it."

"Good luck, pal. I just hope your wife doesn't give you a shocking surprise instead." John slapped his arm lightly and took a towel from his locker before leaving.

 On Wednesday morning, Duncan excitedly went to a jewelry store after withdrawing his savings to pay for a gleaming ring with a silver stud. He had borrowed a few hundred bucks from John to make up ten thousand dollars which was the price for the ring. He told the sales girl that he was coming to take the ring later in the evening and left.

He has taken the day off and so decided to go home. When he made lunch for the house, the family at home mocked him for being meaningless to Zinnia.

"Your dear wife didn't even wish you 'happy birthday today', and that's because you're an insignificant fellow to her," Bella taunted.

"Don't feel sad, pathetic brother-in-law. It's meaningless to feel bad. I'm sure Zinnia didn't even remember today was your birthday," Lisa teased.

"I'm sure she has a lot on her mind," Duncan thought to himself. "She probably would realize before the day runs out that it's my birthday today." He was self-assured and so, he didn't pay heed to the family members' hurtful words.

He and Zinnia have been married for three years and in all those years, starting from when he started living in the manor, she had only wished him once on his birthday, though that was before she knew her grandfather would marry her off to him.

He still was ready to take it if she didn't wish him. He was more focused on showing his surprise gift to her that day.

  Later in the evening, Duncan left the store with the ring in a box, packed inside a small fancy bag. He tried calling Zinnia to know if she'll be back home soon but she wasn't reachable, not until he texted her a message that he was coming over to the company, then she returned his calls.

"Zinnia, have been trying to reach out to you…"

"What is it?" She cut him off in a harsh tone. "Why do you want to come to the company? I'm having an important meeting."

"I'll come over and wait outside the company's building for you till the meeting is over."

"No! Don't come. What do you want?"

"I just want you to be home soon."

"Fine."

"Will you be home soon…?"

Zinnia ended the call immediately, ignoring his question. Duncan thought she was going to return soon so he shrugged off his worry and headed home.

When he got home, he was a bit surprised to know that his wife wasn't home yet. He waited till 9 pm and when Zinnia had not yet returned home, he decided to go to the company.

That's his greatest shock, he got to know from the security man on his shift there that Zinnia had left before office hours were over by 6 pm. 

He called her multiple times but her line wasn't reachable. He thought sadly of where his wife could be. Just when he wanted to mount his scooter and head home, it struck him. He had installed a phone tracker app on Zinnia's phone some months ago.

Zinnia had almost gone missing in an intoxicated state that day and he was so worried. When she was found by the police, he had sneakily taken her phone one night when she was having a shower and Installed the app because he knew she wouldn't let him do so if he told her.

His face lit up when he checked his phone and saw that he could know where she was. 

Following the guide of the tracker, he drove to a place that happened to be one of the family's farmhouses.

Since the tracker indicator stopped at the farmhouse, he knew his wife was going to be there and that made him start thinking about what she could be possibly doing in the hideous farmhouse.

When he entered the house, he stared at some cushions disarranged by the corner of the living room.

"Ah, ahhh, go on."

Duncan's expression changed into a scowl as he heard the distant moans of a woman. So many things ran through his mind. He heard distant voices and one sounded like that of his wife. 

He couldn't dare to fathom what was going on, so he quickly ran to the room by the kitchen, desperate to know what was going on. His heart pounded as he reached the door, then the sounds of the moans grew louder, pushing him to open the door.

  A sharp exhale escaped his mouth that fell open. He quivered upon seeing what was going on in the room. The unimaginable had happened. There on the bed, lay Zinnia, stark naked with her legs widely spread apart as another man rammed all his might inside her.

"Ahhh!" Zinnia who was unable to control the jerks at the moment let out a thunderous, crazy moan of pleasure. 

At that moment, Duncan felt his world crumble in front of his eyes.