Chapter 2

The sound of slap still echoing in my head. Before me stood Mellisa, Gabriel’s mother, looking at me with a pair of eyes filled with disgust.

“Stop cursing my son!” She began, “Who do you think you are to be so arrogant?”

“You have been only a freeloader in the family for three whole years. You think serving meals and talking to a few clients earned Gabriel the contract?”

“If it's not been Anna’s father working in Pearl groups and the CEO of the Pearl group asking the Richards to consider Gabriel, would they have acknowledged our small company?”

Yes, that's true. Considering Gabriel’s work, he would never have secured the contract with Richards if the CEO of Pearl group had not convinced them.

But, the irony was, I was the CEO of Pearl group whom she had been calling a freeloader.

She walked closer to me. Her heels deliberately pressed against my palm, making me almost bleed. That's when a voice tore off from behind.

“Mom…” Gabriel stepped down the stage and rushed towards us. He grabbed Melissa’s hands and pulled her back. “She is bleeding!”

My heart melted. Perhaps, I misunderstood him. Perhaps, he still cared about me.

He was just manipulated by Anna who convinced him that it was her helping him behind that got him the contract. That's why he praised her before everyone.

But, deep down he still loved me.

“Gabriel…” I whispered, my voice hoarse as I managed to stand up. “I know it's only me in your heart.”

He did not look up at me. Instead, he turned to his mother and said, “Mom… it's a big day for me. Let's not ruin it with this drama.”

In the past, his mother had always bullied me for my humble background. But, he had always shielded me against her. I thought he would do the same. But this time, he turned to me and said something that made me doubt if I ever knew this person.

“Daphne…” he whispered in a low voice, “This is a big Gala, filled with elite guests. Sharing the stage with you at the moment will only downgrade my status.”

“Try to understand me, Daphne. It's for our future. Anna… she is helping me. I must make her feel special.”

A laughter of irony tore through my throat no matter how much I tried to suppress it. “Make her feel special? What about my feelings, Gabriel? I’m your wife!”

I know he had become image conscious in the past few months just after his business had reached certain heights. But, never in my worst nightmare I had expected that he would even feel humiliated standing next to me.

Just then Anna’s voice sounded from behind,

“You say you helped Gabriel secure the contract. But, the person who did it was Pearl Group’s CEO. Are you telling me that you, a woman who cooked meals at home, cleaned dishes and washed dirty clothes, is actually the CEO of Pearl Group, Daphne Franklin?”

The Gala erupted into laughter with everyone looking at me with glances full of mockery.

I shot a glance at Gabriel who remained silent, letting me be the centre of laughter, and the tiny hope that I had built a moment ago shattered instantly.

Anna did not stop at this. She bent down to pick the flowers of the bouquet I had thrown moments ago. Scattering the petals in the air, she continued, “You entered this gala with cheap flowers worth not more than ten dollars and you dare address yourself as Franklin?”

Another round of laughter echoed and this time, she walked down the stage. She stood just beside Gabriel before she gave me a smugful smile, saying, “Oh come on Daphne, if you were to impersonate such a high profile person, you should have at least come up with some more expensive gifts.”

The envelope in my hands that contained the deed of the skyscraper clutched even tighter as I watched the flowers Anna was making fun of while Gabriel let her do. I chose this bouquet because it had deep meaning for me, for us. But, it seemed like he had forgotten.

“Anna is right.” Gabriel said, his eyes twisting in disgust as he finally showed his true color. “You didn't even get a better dress to show up in such a big Gala. Wearing this cheap gown, did you really think I would invite you on the stage?”

Cheap gown?

The white gown I was wearing tonight was Gabriel’s most expensive gift to me. He said he could only afford that gown for me, intending to let me wear it at our wedding reception.

But, he could not afford the reception that time. So, he asked me to wait until he could afford it.

I chose this day to wear it because after I revealed my true identity to him, I was going to announce this gala as our wedding feast.

I laughed in irony. I laughed like a maniac.

“You really turned out to be a pathetic excuse for a man!” I said looking straight into his eyes. “I can't believe this. How did I ever fall for such crap of a man?”