Chapter 3

LILIAN ROSEFORTH POV

Just like we agreed and promised each other, exactly three days after that heartbreaking incident and our unexpected meeting, Lilian Roseforth and Gabriel Sterling officially got married.

We didn't have a grand wedding ceremony, there were no guests, no music, no beautiful flowers, and no celebration at all. It was just the two of us signing our marriage papers quietly inside the city civil hall, witnessed only by the officer in charge and nobody else. We didn't even buy new clothes or wedding rings, we just used the simple silver ring Gabriel had given me at the riverside park, and I wore the simplest old dress I had in my small luggage.

Everyone who knew about our sudden marriage immediately reacted with shock, mockery, and strong disapproval. My friends, neighbors, former colleagues, and acquaintances all shook their heads and laughed at me openly, saying I was truly born foolish and stupid. Even my own distant relatives called me and scolded me harshly, telling me I was digging my own grave and throwing my life into deep darkness forever.

"Are you completely out of your mind Lilian?!" My own aunt shouted angrily over the phone just hours after our marriage was made public. "You just got abandoned and humiliated publicly by a rich successful man because you are poor and have no status, and now you immediately go and marry another man who is even poorer and worse?! What exactly is inside your brain girl?! You worked hard for five years helping Carlos to become rich, hoping that you will finally escape poverty and live comfortably, but now you throw everything away and choose to live with a penniless man who has absolutely nothing to offer you?! You are truly the most foolish girl I have ever known in my entire life!"

"Aunt please..." I answered sadly and softly, trying my best not to cry or sound weak. "Gabriel is a good man. He treats me well, respects me, and truly understands me. Even though he is poor and doesn't have money, he has a kind heart and sincere feelings for me. He promised he will never hurt or abandon me, and I trust him completely. Money is not everything Aunt, happiness and loyalty matter much more to me..."

"Happiness? Loyalty?" My aunt laughed loudly and mockingly, her voice filled with pure disdain and irritation. "You really are living inside your own dream world aren't you?! Open your eyes clearly Lilian! In this cruel world, money IS everything! Without money you are nothing, you have no voice, no dignity, and no rights at all! Just because he speaks sweet words and promises you heaven and earth doesn't mean he is good or sincere! Men like him—jobless, penniless, and homeless—they are experts at speaking sweet words just to trap foolish girls like you and make you work hard to feed and support them! He married you because he knows you are hardworking, patient, and willing to sacrifice everything just for empty promises! He knows you have nowhere else to go and nobody else to lean on, so he took advantage of your situation and weakness immediately!"

"No Aunt you are wrong!" I argued tearfully and strongly. "Gabriel is not like that! He married me because he truly cares and understands my pain! He is willing to share everything he has with me even though he has nothing! He treats me as his equal and partner, not as a maid or servant! He is different from Carlos and other men you know!"

"Different? Hah!" My aunt scoffed loudly and coldly. "Mark my words clearly Lilian! Very soon you will realize exactly how wrong and foolish you are! Within few months or even weeks, you will regret this decision deeply and cry endlessly! You left a rich man because you were not good enough for him, and now you marry a beggar because you are exactly equal to him! You belong together in poverty and misery! Don't ever come crying to me or asking for help when your life becomes miserable and unbearable because you chose this path yourself!"

She hung up the phone angrily, leaving me holding my phone with trembling hands and tears rolling silently down my face. Every single word she spoke hurt me deeply and scared me terribly inside, but I tried my best to believe in Gabriel and our promises to each other. I told myself firmly

'She is wrong! They are all wrong! Gabriel is different! He truly loves me and understands me! Even if we are poor and struggling, as long as we are honest and loyal to each other, I know we will be happy and fine!' But reality proved to be far harder, crueler, and much more painful than I expected or imagined.

Gabriel indeed had absolutely nothing just like he honestly told me. He didn't have a proper job, stable income, savings, or even his own house or property. The only place we could call home was a very small, old, and narrow rented room located in the poorest and most crowded part of the city.

The room was barely big enough to fit a small bed, a tiny table, and an old broken cupboard. The walls were thin, damp, and peeling off, the windows were broken and rusty, and the whole place smelled of mold and dust. The floor was rough concrete, the roof leaked whenever it rained heavily, and the whole building was noisy, dirty, and full of problems every single day.

The first day we moved into our new home, Gabriel looked at me with guilt and sadness clearly written all over his face, his eyes filled with regret and sorrow. He held my hands tightly and spoke softly and sadly to me.

"Lilian... my dear wife..." Gabriel whispered painfully, lowering his head unable to look straight into my eyes. "I am so sorry... I am truly deeply sorry. I promised I will give you safety and companionship, but I didn't realize exactly how hard and difficult our life will truly be. Look at this place... it is dirty, small, and uncomfortable... nothing compared to where you used to live before. You were used to living comfortably, eating good food, and wearing nice clothes... but now because of me and my situation, you have to live here, suffer, and endure all these hardships. You can leave me now Lilian... I won't blame you or hate you. I will understand completely if you decide to walk away and find a better life and future for yourself..."

I immediately shook my head firmly and strongly, squeezed his hands tightly and smiled gently and sincerely at him despite the tears forming inside my eyes.

"Gabriel stop saying these things please..." I said softly and firmly. "I knew everything clearly before I married you. I knew you have nothing, no money, no job, and no comfortable place to live. I accepted you exactly the way you are, and I chose this life willingly with my own free will. I don't care about luxurious houses or expensive things Gabriel. As long as I am with you and we are together honestly and sincerely, I am happy and contented. This small room is enough for me because it is our home, and you are my family now. Don't blame yourself or feel guilty please... we are in this together, we will face everything together and build our life step by step slowly but surely."

Gabriel looked at me deeply and emotionally, tears actually shining inside his dark eyes, and he slowly pulled me into his warm embrace, hugging me tightly and protectively against his chest.

"Thank you Lilian..." He whispered emotionally near my ears, his voice shaking slightly with deep feelings. "You are truly the kindest, purest, and most precious woman I have ever met in my entire life. I swear to you... no matter what happens, no matter how hard our life becomes, I will never betray you, never lie to you, and never intentionally hurt your heart and feelings. I may be poor and helpless now, but I will do my very best to make your life comfortable and happy. I will work hard and search for every possible opportunity just to give you a better life, I promise you that sincerely."

I truly believed him completely, and from that day onwards I was determined to do everything I could to help us survive and live comfortably together. I started working very hard, took two different jobs—daytime working as a sales assistant inside a busy crowded mall, and evening shift as a waitress at a cheap small restaurant located far from our house.

I woke up every single day at exactly four o'clock in the morning, prepared simple breakfast and lunch for us, cleaned our small room, and left for work early in the morning. I walked to work everyday because we didn't even have money to pay for transportation fare, and I returned home late at night completely exhausted, tired, and my feet aching and painful.

Gabriel always stayed at home, or went out early in the morning saying he was going to look for work and job opportunities, but everyday he returned home late afternoon with empty hands and sad hopeless expression on his face, telling me sadly:

"I am so sorry Lilian... I tried my best, I went everywhere, asked everyone, applied for every single possible job I found, but nobody wants to hire me. Everyone sees my appearance, my clothes, and my background and they immediately reject me saying I am unqualified, useless, or not suitable for their work.

I feel so useless and ashamed Lilian... I am supposed to be the man of this house, supposed to protect you and provide for our family... but instead you are the one working hard, earning money, and feeding me everyday. I feel like a complete failure and burden to you..."

Every time he spoke like this, I immediately comforted him gently and assured him sincerely that I didn't mind or care about these things at all.

"Gabriel please stop saying that..." I would say softly while serving him simple food I prepared. "Finding job is very hard nowadays, and it is not your fault at all. You are smart, capable, and talented Gabriel, I know it very well. It just needs a little bit more time and patience, and eventually you will definitely find a good suitable job and succeed in life. Until then, let me handle everything okay? I am strong and capable enough to work and earn money for both of us. Don't feel guilty or ashamed please... we are husband and wife, partners in everything, so we should share everything together equally whether good or bad times."

Gabriel would always look at me with deep gratitude, sadness, and strange hidden emotions inside his dark eyes, and he would always thank me warmly and promise me again and again that he will surely repay all my kindness and sacrifices one day.

But despite my understanding, kindness, and hard work, our life became harder and more painful everyday, and everyone around us never stopped hurting, insulting, and humiliating us every chance they got.

My workplace became my daily hell and torture chamber. My colleagues and supervisors constantly looked down on me, treated me unfairly, gave me the hardest and dirtiest work, and insulted me openly and loudly every single time.

"Look at her..." Sarah, one of my senior colleagues whispered loudly and mockingly to other girls while we were arranging goods on shelves. "She is truly a walking tragedy isn't she? Five years wasted on a rich man only to be thrown away publicly like trash, and now she marries a penniless beggar and works herself to death just to feed him! She is really determined to remain poor and miserable for the rest of her life huh?"

"Hahaha exactly!" Another girl named Jenny laughed cruelly and agreed immediately. "She thinks she is noble and loyal right? She thinks marrying a poor jobless man proves she is sincere and kind-hearted? What a joke! She is just stupid and hopelessly foolish! Her husband is nothing but a lazy good-for-nothing man living off her sweat and hard work! He doesn't work, doesn't earn money, doesn't even help her at home... he just sits comfortably waiting for her to come home tired and exhausted everyday!"

"I heard from reliable source," Sarah continued smiling maliciously while glancing sharply toward me standing nearby hearing every single word clearly. "That her husband is actually a useless homeless man who has nothing and nowhere to go! He saw her situation, knew she was soft-hearted and foolish, so he tricked her and married her just to get food, shelter, and free service from her! He doesn't love or respect her at all, he is just using her as his personal maid and ATM machine!"

"Of course he is!" Jenny answered loudly and cruelly. "Who would truly love someone like her anyway?! She is poor, simple, boring, and completely ordinary! She has nothing special, nothing valuable, and nothing attractive at all! Carlos threw her away because she was not good enough for him, and now she is kept by her current husband only because she works hard and earns money! She is just a working machine and free maid to everyone!"

I clenched my hands tightly into fists inside my pockets, bit my lip hard trying my best to hold back my tears and anger, and tried to ignore their hurtful cruel words as much as possible. I told myself repeatedly

"Don't listen to them Lilian! They are evil and bitter people who enjoy hurting others! Gabriel loves me sincerely and truly, he treats me well and respects me! Don't let their evil words poison your heart and destroy your trust!"

But sometimes, their words really hurt me deeply and made me doubt everything and question my decisions. Especially when I came home late at night completely exhausted, hungry, and my whole body aching painfully, and found Gabriel.

comfortably sitting inside our small room watching television or resting quietly, while the housework and cooking were still waiting untouched.

One evening after working continuously for more than fourteen hours straight without proper rest or food, I dragged my tired feet into our small house, feeling dizzy, weak, and my head throbbing painfully. I found Gabriel comfortably sitting on the bed eating biscuits and drinking warm water, while the room was messy, the dirty dishes were piled high, and dinner was not even prepared yet.

Seeing me entering, Gabriel immediately stood up and greeted me with a gentle smile and soft voice.

"Oh you are home already dear..." Gabriel said calmly and casually, acting as if everything was completely fine and normal. "How was your work today? You look very tired and pale Lilian... come sit down and rest quickly. You must be hungry right? I saved these biscuits for you..."

He stretched his hand offering me few broken pieces of cheap biscuits, looking at me calmly and gently.

I stood there looking at him, looking at his relaxed face, his clean neat clothes, and his fresh energetic appearance, and suddenly all my tiredness, pain, and frustrations exploded inside my chest uncontrollably.

For months I had endured everything silently, accepted everything patiently, and never complained or argued with him about anything, but today... everything reached its breaking point.

I slapped his hand away angrily and strongly, throwing the biscuits onto the floor, looking at him with tears of anger, pain, and disappointment rolling down my face freely.

"Gabriel how can you be like this?!" I shouted loudly and shakily, pointing my trembling finger at him angrily and painfully. "I wake up at four in the morning everyday! I work fourteen to sixteen hours non-stop! I walk long distance under the hot sun and heavy rain! I carry heavy things, clean dirty places, and endure insults and humiliation from everyone just so we can have food and pay our rent! I come home late at night completely exhausted, hungry, and sick... and what do I see?! You are comfortably sitting here eating and resting! The room is messy, the plates are dirty, and there is absolutely nothing prepared for dinner! You didn't even bother to wash dishes or sweep the floor while I was away working myself to death!"

Gabriel stood there shocked and stunned, staring at me with wide eyes, his face turning pale and his expression changing from calmness into guilt and sadness immediately.

"Lilian... I... I am sorry..." Gabriel stammered nervously and softly, lowering his head avoiding my angry eyes. "I... I wanted to clean and cook... truly I did... but I was feeling unwell today, my head was hurting badly and my body felt very weak and painful. I tried standing up few times but I felt dizzy and almost fell down... so I had to rest and lie down the whole day. Please believe me Lilian... I never intended to be lazy or useless..."

"Unwell?! Weak?! Sick?!" I laughed bitterly and mockingly, tears falling even faster and harder down my cheeks. "Gabriel I am sick and tired everyday! My whole body hurts, my feet are swollen and bleeding, my head throbs continuously and I haven't slept properly or eaten enough food for months! I endure all these pain and sickness yet I still force myself to work hard and earn money for us! You are a healthy strong young man! You sleep comfortably everyday, eat enough food, and rest all day long... yet you always find excuses! You are either sick, or tired, or unlucky, or not suitable! Everyday same story, same excuses, same results!"

I stepped closer toward him, looking deeply and sharply into his eyes, speaking every word clearly, loudly and painfully.

"Tell me honestly Gabriel!" I demanded strongly and angrily. "Are you truly trying your best to find work and help me?! Or are you just pretending?! Are you actually happy living like this—staying home comfortably while your wife works like a slave?! Are you really as useless, helpless, and hopeless as you act and claim to be?! Tell me the truth Gabriel! Am I wasting my life, my youth, and my health for a man who is completely useless and hopeless forever?!"

Gabriel looked hurt and pained hearing my words, his face twisted with deep sorrow and sadness, and tears actually appeared inside his dark eyes as he looked at me desperately and emotionally.

"How can you say such hurtful words to me Lilian?" Gabriel asked softly and painfully, his voice trembling and cracking with deep emotion.

"I know I am useless and helpless... I know I am a disappointment and heavy burden to you... hearing you say these cruel words hurts me more than physical pain Lilian... but believe me please... I am truly trying my hardest! Everyday I go out early morning and walk everywhere searching for job! Everyday I face rejection, humiliation, and insults from people just like you! People look down on me, call me names, treat me like trash just because I am poor and dressed simply! I suffer just like you"

TO BE CONTINUE