Chapter 3

"As a son-in-law by marriage to the Sweeney family, if you don't even have that much self-awareness, you deserve to be kicked out!"

His mocking voice continued behind me.

I let out a bitter laugh and walked forward, step by step.

I did not know when it had started, but suddenly, it began to snow.

Bathed in the glow of the streetlights, I suddenly felt as if the whole world had become a bit hazy.

After walking just a few steps, I soon found myself sitting on a lounge chair.

I was a worthless and pathetic person at that moment.

I ran my hand over the centipede-like scar on my waist.

It was precisely because of this scar that I had successfully married into the Sweeney family as their son-in-law.

I had donated one of my kidneys to Sherry.

It was precisely for that reason that the Sweeney family patriarch had arranged for Sherry to marry me.

The patriarch even forbade me from telling Sherry about it, so as not to burden her with the guilt.

I had not planned on telling her anyway.

A year ago, Sherry sent me to North Maia, hoping I would suffer.

At the time, I told her that North Maia was a place where people were devoured whole. I begged her not to send me there.

But Sherry said coldly, "Don't worry. I'll have people ensure your safety. Other than that, you'll have to fend for yourself."

What she did not know was that as soon as I arrived in North Maia, I was dragged into an operating room by people that Harold had sent.

They intended to remove one of my kidneys, but discovered before proceeding that I had already donated one.

Furious, they kicked and punched me relentlessly until I was spitting blood and convulsing all over. They thought I was nothing but a worthless piece of trash.

To them, I was useless because I had already lost a kidney.

When they failed to remove my kidney, they tried to force me into illegal activities.

I refused every single one of them.

In the end, I was beaten to the brink of death and dumped in a garbage heap.

I mustered the last ounce of strength to crawl back to my home country, only to unexpectedly learn that I had a terminal illness and did not have long to live.

When I heard the news, I was quickly swallowed up by the tide of death.

It was getting colder and colder, and I curled up in the chair.

I did not know how I managed to get through that night.

The next day, I saw a news headline.

[Ms. Sweeney has booked all the fireworks in the city just to celebrate her man's birthday.]

The comments section was abuzz.

[Wow, Ms. Sweeney really treats her husband so well.]

[It must be such a blessing to be Ms. Sweeney's husband. When will it be my turn?]

[I absolutely have to watch tonight's fireworks.]

'Birthday?' I thought. 'Ms. Sweeney's husband?'

My birthday had long since passed.

If Sherry was celebrating her man's birthday, then that man certainly wasn't me.

It had to be Harold.

I could not help but feel a wave of bitterness welling up inside me.

I made my way, with great difficulty, to the Legal Aid Center to consult a lawyer about some matters.

Then, with the center's help, I drafted a divorce agreement.

'Sherry, since there's no love left between us, let's just end it,' I thought.

I knew Sherry would be celebrating Harold's birthday tonight at Seasky Villa.

It was the most luxurious hotel in the city.

I heard that a single night's stay there started at several thousand and could go as high as $100,000.

It was a den of extravagance for the wealthy.

When it got dark, at the entrance to Seasky Villa, luxury cars lined up, and guests swarmed in.

With security guards on duty, there was no way I could get in dressed like a penniless bum.

Clutching that divorce agreement in my hand, I waited outside the entrance.