Chapter 1. "Bridges of Betrayal: Curtis' Descent into Darkness"

"You are mine, you belong to me. That's why I bought you," said Kim defiantly, touching Curtis' forehead. "That's why I bought you."

"You didn't buy me. I only took the money because I needed it for my mother's surgery, but that doesn't mean I don't love you," replied Curtis.

"It doesn't matter. I paid for that muscular body, and that's what I want."

"No, Kim. I truly love you," confessed Curtis.

"Love?" she laughed.

Kim grabbed a stack of money and threw it in Curtis' face, making the bills scatter.

"There's your love. You only love my father's money," commented Kim.

"You're completely wrong!"

"Shut up and take off your clothes!"

Curtis felt used by the woman he loved, on top of being humiliated by the Ballmer family for months.

That same night, after dinner, the Ballmer family gathered to indulge in their favorite pastime – humiliating Curtis.

"What should we do with the leftovers?" Charles Ballmer, owner of the country's largest pharmaceutical company, asked.

"To the dogs, I suppose," replied Charles Ballmer Jr.

"To the dogs?" questioned Charles Ballmer's wife. "They have their fine food brought directly from Paris. You can give the leftovers to Curtis; that's what he's there for," she said.

Curtis was deeply offended. His breathing changed rapidly, and his eyes welled up with tears.

Nevertheless, he was willing to endure all of this to stay with Kim.

"For me, it would be an honor, Mrs. Ballmer," replied Curtis, head bowed.

"Excuse me? ... I couldn't hear you," Virginia Ballmer insisted sarcastically.

Curtis sighed deeply. Everyone at the table laughed maliciously at how he was being humiliated.

Summoning his strength, Curtis clenched the tablecloth with his hands and bravely said aloud, "For me, it would be a great honor to eat your leftovers, Mrs. Ballmer."

"I suspected as much."

Mrs. Virginia Ballmer gestured for her husband Charles to bring the leftovers to where Curtis was seated. Charles placed the tray in front of Curtis, who immediately turned to look at Kim's face, perhaps hoping for a bit of support. Instead, he was met with the same smile that adorned the faces of all his relatives.

At that moment, he knew there was no escape. He had to face the storm head-on. He simply lowered his gaze, utterly bewildered, and began to eat the leftovers.

On another occasion, one of the waiters attending tables at a party in the Ballmer mansion couldn't attend due to a traffic accident.

"No way," exclaimed Virginia Ballmer, making a scene.

"It's not a big deal. One less waiter won't make a significant difference," said Charles.

"What are you talking about? There's a missing waiter at the party."

"Damn it," Charles commented angrily, "then Curtis will do it."

"Me, sir?"

"Yes, it's for the good of your girlfriend's family."

Curtis watched as Kim laughed at him, and immediately knew that once again, he wouldn't have another choice.

That's how he ended up going from being the son-in-law of the mansion owner to being a simple waiter humiliated by all the guests who recognized him.

Life in the Ballmer mansion was a living hell for Curtis, but at least he was Kim's official partner. He loved her and held onto the hope that deep down, she might love him too.

High society always praised Charles Ballmer's generosity for allowing a poor soul like Curtis to work in his company, despite lacking a university education—all to assist his only daughter's partner.

What the high society perhaps didn't know was that Charles had turned Curtis into his personal jester. He gave him an assistant position with the sole intention of humiliating him whenever he pleased.

One evening, Curtis decided to return home early from work—an unexpected move, especially for Kim. As he ascended the mansion's stairs, the first thing Curtis saw was an article of clothing belonging to Kim. Quite peculiar, considering everyone was supposed to be on a family outing.

Continuing to their shared room, Curtis found more and more garments, increasingly intimate. Opening the door wasn't even necessary. Kim and her companion hadn't bothered to close it.

Curtis couldn't believe what his eyes were witnessing—the woman of his dreams in the arms of another man.

"How could you?" Curtis shouted, completely shattered.

"Curtis... You came back early," was all Kim said as she stood up.

"Kim... I loved you... I truly loved you," he said with a broken voice.

"Curtis, he's Samuel. Samuel, meet Curtis," she said coldly, putting on a robe. "From now on, both of you are my partners, or whatever you want to call it."

Curtis was shattered. His hands trembled, and his body was an ocean of negative emotions.

He had always been humiliated in that mansion, but this was something he couldn't let slide. He grabbed the door and slammed it with force, shaking the entire Ballmer mansion from top to bottom.

Curtis started to leave that place with the tiny shreds of dignity he had left. Kim ran after him, shouting things that sounded distant to Curtis.

"Curtis, where are you going?" she yelled. "If you leave the mansion, it's over. I warn you. Dad's money for you will be cut off." She threatened, shouting like a madwoman.

Nevertheless, Curtis didn't stop for anything in the world. He was completely determined to leave the Ballmer mansion forever.

Charles Ballmer learned of what happened and immediately used all his influence to ensure no one would give poor Curtis a job again.

Quickly, Curtis found himself in a very difficult situation. Without money and no roof over his head, he often thought about returning to the Ballmer mansion, apologizing, and fixing his precarious situation. However, knowing that family as well as he did, they would likely just mock him.

He had no choice but to embrace homelessness, sleeping in alleys and under bridges where he was often caught by the night.

There were even occasions when members of the Ballmer family spotted him while they cruised by in their elegant, expensive vehicles. Their only response was a hearty laugh, mocking his homeless predicament.

On one occasion, Charles Ballmer sought him out to take a photograph together, making sure to distribute it throughout the mansion so that any member of the Ballmer family could laugh every time they saw it.

Curtis endured as much as he could, but one night, his resilience ran out. That was the night he decided to end his life by leaping from a towering bridge. Everything was decided, and he was ready to jump.