Episode 3

Missy knew Cheryl was sensitive about her age and marital status, but she also knew that her cousin had always been obsessed with finding a rich and handsome husband who would spoil her and make her happy. Cheryl had dated many men over the years, but none of them had proposed to her. She was desperate to get married before she turned thirty, which was only a few months away.

That’s why Missy was shocked when Cheryl finally announced, “I’m getting married in three months!” She sounded ecstatic, as if she had won a lottery.

Missy expected to see her cousin wearing a modest engagement ring and gushing about some average guy she had met online. Instead, she was greeted by a sight that made her jaw drop.

Cheryl was wearing a huge and sparkling diamond ring on her finger. It had a large diamond in the center, surrounded by smaller diamonds. It looked like it cost a fortune. Cheryl noticed Missy’s stunned expression and smiled smugly.

“Wow, congratulations,” Missy said, chuckling nervously. She was surprised and curious. Who was the lucky guy?

“You’re surprised, right?” Cheryl asked, laughing.

She grabbed Missy’s hand and dragged her to the bed, where her twin brother Charles was sitting. He looked bored and slightly annoyed judging by the unbothered face he kept giving his sister.

“Why wouldn’t I be? Everyone thought you’d end up single,” Missy joked, trying to lighten the mood but also annoy her because she knew Cheryl hated being reminded of her failed relationships.

“Well, I’m getting married and guess what?” Cheryl cooed, beaming with pride. She waved her hand in front of Missy’s face, making sure she got a good look at her ring.

“What?” Missy asked, rolling her eyes. She wished Cheryl would stop showing off and get to the point.

“He’s Henry Delacroix,” Cheryl said, dropping the bombshell.

Missy’s eyes widened in shock. She couldn’t believe what she had just heard.

“THE Henry Delacroix?” Missy repeated, incredulous.

Henry Delacroix was the CEO of Delacroix International, one of the biggest investors to the Johnson Industries. He was also one of the richest and most influential men in the world. He was famous for his business acumen, philanthropy, and charisma. He was also notorious for his bachelor lifestyle and his preference for young and beautiful women.

“Yes! The billionaire tycoon everyone knows and loves!” Cheryl exclaimed, confirming Missy’s worst fears. “He proposed to me last night at his private yacht. It was so romantic!”

Missy forced a smile and tried to sound sincere.

“Wow, congratulations,” she said again, hoping that Cheryl would drop the subject. She didn’t want to hear how Cheryl had snagged a billionaire or how he had swept her off her feet.

“Thank you,” Cheryl said, bowing dramatically. “I know you’re happy for me, Missy. You’ve always been so supportive of me, unlike some people.” She shot a glare at her twin brother Charles, who was sitting next to Missy on the couch. Charles rolled his eyes and snorted.

“Oh, please. You’re not fooling anyone, Cheryl. You only said yes to him because of his money and fame. You don’t love him at all.” He accused his sister bluntly.

Cheryl gasped and slapped Charles on the arm. “How dare you! I love him with all my heart! He’s the best thing that ever happened to me!” She defended herself fiercely.

“Sure, sure. Whatever you say, sis,” Charles said sarcastically. He didn’t buy his sister’s act for a second.

Missy felt uncomfortable as she witnessed the siblings’ bickering. She wished they would stop talking about their love lives and focus on something else.

“Oh, you don’t have to feel bad, Missy. Your husband has a rich father, right?” Charles asked, pretending to be sympathetic.

“Yes! I remember. A rich father who has disowned him, of course. He doesn’t even know where his son is or how he’s faring,” Cheryl added, laughing cruelly.

Missy felt really bad as she listened to their taunts. She clenched her fists and bit her lip, trying to hold back her tears.

“You two say you’ve changed, but you’re just the same,” Missy spat, unable to take it anymore.

“Now, sister, don’t be rude. They’re struggling. We’re supposed to be their bedrock right now,” Charles said to his sister in a sarcastic tone. He and Cheryl burst out laughing again, while Missy fought to hold back tears.

“Get out!” She yelled, picking up a pepper spray from her dresser. She started spraying them in the air and close to their faces while they covered their eyes in fear. “Okay fine! Fine! We’ll leave!” They pleaded, getting up from the bed and hurrying toward the door.

Missy slammed the door behind them and locked it. She collapsed on her bed and sobbed into her pillow. She hated her family. They never respected her or her choices. They only cared about money and status and she felt it was what played a major role in her hatred for Jerry.

Jerry was passing the halls when Charles and Cheryl brushed past him. They bumped into him on purpose and sneered at him.

“Move pauper!” They spat as they walked away.

Jerry felt angered by the statement but he couldn’t react. He had to keep his cool and do his job. He had a lot on his plate especially now that there were guests for him to attend to. He had to join the other maids to do thorough cleaning and cook the food in the house for all the family members.

“I’m placing you on kitchen duty today. I want the food perfect. Am I understood?” Mrs Johnson had said to him earlier that morning. He nodded without looking at her. He dared not anyway.

“But ma’am, you said we are serving 20 guests. The food we have will not be enough for 20,” he said politely but that angered Mrs Johnson more.

“Did I ask you to speak? You speak when I ask you to!” She thundered and walked away almost immediately.

“Stupid boy,” she muttered under her breath as she walked into the room and met her husband.

“Honey, I told you this meeting was a terrible idea. Now we may not be able to feed all of them. What embarrassment,” she said wearing a worried look but her husband said absolutely nothing. He was too busy reading his newspaper and ignoring his wife’s nagging.

Jerry was finally done with the kitchen and decided to go get dressed because they required his presence too at the meeting. He looked down the hall and saw that Missy’s door was open. He quickly assumed that was where the twins walked out from. He peeped in and saw that Missy was in tears. He felt angry, wondering who dared make his wife cry.

“What’s wrong honey?” He asked once he had gotten close to her.

“I told you not to use such words on me,” she spat in between sobs.

“But you are my wife,” he said with all the courage he had mustered.

“Our marriage is dead, Jerry,” she said, looking up at him.

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He loved Missy more than anything in the world. He had sacrificed so much for her. He didn’t expect her to be grateful anyway but he still loved her unconditionally.

So He continued worked as a servant in her parents’ mansion, enduring their insults and humiliation. He had hoped that one day, they would accept him and their marriage. But that day never came.

He looked at Missy with pleading eyes.

“Allow me to be the judge of that. You haven’t even tried to make it work. Instead, you join your family in making life miserable for me,” he said in a sad tone.

Missy felt a little bit guilty. She knew he was right. She had never stood up for him or defended him against her family. She had always been afraid of losing their approval and their wealth.

“I have tried all I could to make you happy,” he continued, but Missy was already so tired of hearing that.

“I don’t want to hear it anymore, Jerry. This is all you tell me, all you ever know how to say,” she yelled in frustration.

“But…” Jerry made to speak but she cut him off.

“But nothing, Jerry. I am a Johnson! Status and money are our watchwords. I really should have listened to my mother’s warnings against marrying you,” she said, regret obviously written all over her face.

“Don’t say that, baby,” he pleaded and she slapped him.

She hated when he called her that. It reminded her of how he used to call her when they were young and in love.

“I said don’t call me that!” She yelled and slapped him while Jerry winced and held his face in pain.

He felt more than physical pain. He felt emotional pain. He felt like his heart was just shattered.

He tried to reason with her one last time.

“My father will come around, you’ll see,” Jerry said hopefully.

Gregory Hawkins the billionaire tycoon who was known for his ruthless nature and had disowned him for marrying Missy. He had cut off all contact with him and refused to acknowledge him as his son. But Jerry still hoped that one day, his father would forgive him and welcome him back into his family.

But Missy knew that was a baseless dream. She knew that Jerry’s father would never change his mind. He was too proud and stubborn to do so.

“But you’re not certain either. I can’t keep waiting and banking on you and your father, Jerry. Something has to be done about this marriage and if you don’t have the balls to do it, then I will,” she said and Jerry felt instantly threatened.

He knew what she meant by that. She meant divorce. She wanted to end their marriage and leave him for good.

He couldn’t let that happen. He loved her too much to let her go.

He asked her a question that he hoped would make her reconsider.

“So you married me for money then? If you didn’t know that I was the son of Gregory Hawkins, would you have married me?” He asked but Missy found it very difficult to answer that question.

She thought for a while for the best reply but got nothing so she swallowed hard.

“I do not owe you a reply to that,” she said feeling guilty as she directed the question to herself inwardly.