Chapter 1 A. Betrayal Like No Other

"I can't believe Kenny left me to deal with things. Who does he think he is?" Jonathan soliloquized. He was annoyed because his boss gave him so much workload, leaving without notice.

Driving his car into the Mayorga mansion, Jonathan tries to use the remote to open the gate, but it doesn't work.

"Every freaking time!" He groans. Jonathan walks to the gate, alarming the guards to let him in.

"Sorry. Mrs Mayorga changed the remote again." One of the guards informed him.

"Yeah, I noticed. Just let me in!"

Finally, inside, he tries to walk to his room with Helen but is stopped.

"The little Mrs Mayorga is busy. She said she needs privacy."

"I'm her husband! Do I have to remind you every time?"

"Sorry, dude. She may be free soon. You can hover around before then."

"I can't even go to my room to change? Just because my wife has a visitor?"

Before he could finish complaining to the servant, one of the servants whispered to another,

"You mean your wife's room?" And they all giggled silently.

Jonathan just shrugged and left. He was used to this mistreatment already.

Jonathan had been married to Helen for five months. Since she was the daughter of Mr. Cardona Mayorga, the vice mayor of Edinville, he had no rights over her. She did not even bear his surname. Every day, the world looked at him like someone who "just got lucky." He was an orphan, after all.

Walking to the kitchen, Jonathan decides to make a quick meal for himself while waiting for his wife's guest to leave. Even though there were already cooks, none respected him to the point of keeping food for him. He was used to this as long as his wife loved him, and he did too.

Jonathan spots a pregnancy test kit in the trash can and checks it out.

Surprisingly, it was indeed a pregnancy test kit. It indicated two lines. He was so excited, but he tried to keep his cool. Maybe it belonged to one of the servants.

"Jim!" He called. The head servant sluggishly walked to him.

"You called, Jonathan?" The man arrogantly answered back. He had every right to be arrogant. At least he graduated from college, and he served to gather money for his master's degree. Meanwhile, Jonathan barely finished high school.

Jim earned more than Jonathan. Jonathan was already used to this; he did not bother to start another argument with the workers.

"Do you know who owns this kit?" Jonathan asked, showing Jim.

"How should I know? I'm the head servant here. I earn more than you. If I spent my day inspecting trash cans, do you think I would be in this position?"

"You need to show me some respect!" Jonathan threatened.

"Or you'll report me to your wife?" Jim said with his breath. "Ask the cook. He may know who owns it."

As Jim said that, he walked away. Talking back at Jonathan has been Jim's hobby since he learned about Jonathan's financial status. He saw Jonathan as a freeloader, not hardworking enough to work for himself. He left even without being dismissed... Such was the life Jonathan was used to.

"Adam!" Jonathan called again. The cook arrived.

"Who owns this?" He asked, showing the cook.

"I'm guessing it's for the little Mrs Mayorga. She came down here for some smoothies. You can check the CCTV cameras if you want to clarify still." Adam also left without being dismissed.

At least he wasn't as arrogant as Jim. For a moment, Jonathan wondered why he didn't call Adam first.

With all excitement, he walked into his wife's room. He was now sure she was pregnant for him. Jonathan was delighted. With a child on the way, everyone will respect him more. Jonathan planned to work twice as hard, return to school, and find a lovely house for his wife and child.

Jonathan's excitement died down when he heard a male voice inside the room. He listened to his wife moaning softly for minutes. With anger, Jonathan walked towards the room but stopped at the door to listen to their conversation.

"OMG! That was so great," the male voice spoke.

"Yeah. I crave for some more!" His wife replied. Jonathan clenched his fists in anger.

"Sorry. I have to go. I'm sure Jonathan must be done with all the work I gave him by now. It's so hard dealing with an illiterate."

"Tell me about it. I want to get rid of him as fast as possible. His poverty disgusts me. I feel like throwing up every time he uses my shower."

"But he still makes you moan loudly at night, don't lie."

Jonathan recognized the voice, that of Kenny Lynch, his boss.

"You know when my father told me he had discovered a political strategy for him to become mayor, I thought it would be something nice. I didn't know I would have to suffer getting married to him. All for what? To prove to the press that he doesn't select between the poor?"

"Calm down, babe. It'll be over soon once Cardona wins the election. Then you can divorce the bastard, and we don't have to keep pretending. "

Jonathan was beyond heartbroken. He was an orphan, sure. He grew up in an orphanage, which he had to leave because he was growing up and slowly becoming a burden. He used to envy Mr. Cardona. Jonathan always thought of him as a role model. But now, this?

When he got the janitor job at Cardona's hotel, he was happy. Then he met Helen for the first time, walking to her father's office. He stood, watching her walk like a dumb guy. Cardona noticed this and promised him he'd get them close. He should have known from the very beginning that it was all a lie.

Jonathan was about to burst in when their following conversation interested him.

" I'm pregnant for him. I found out the sad news earlier today. That was one of the reasons I needed to see you. I can't keep doing this for my father. I need you to help me remove Jonathan immediately before it's too late."

"Why didn't you go on birth control?"

"I did... I mean, I still do. Maybe I mistook the dates or something. I know having an abortion is illegal, so I need your help to run it."

"I sell cars. I'm not a doctor."

"I'm not talking about the abortion. I'll handle that myself. I mean, how do we get rid of Jonathan?"