Chapter 1 Echoes of Disdain.

"What was that stunt you pulled at the party" Isabella asked. She dumped her expensive Louis Vuitton bag on the dressing table with a sudden thud and faced Henry who sat dejectedly on the bed. He was not ready for another banter or rather, another episode of his wife relegating him to his lowest.

"I am talking to you, Henry!" She yelled, her eyes fixated on him, beautiful baby blue eyes that used to hold so much love and admiration for him.

Henry shook his head slowly "Isabella, I..."

"Will you shut the fuck up, you loser? Are you not ashamed of yourself? Is it not enough that you have to brain and no common sense of reasoning? Why do you have to make a mockery of me everywhere?" The insults flew out of her mouth freely and hit Henry wherever.

Henry and Isabella had been invited to one of Sandra's friends engagement party. She would not have let him come along if only her other married friends were not talking about how much their husbands were busy and they had to convince one way or the other to grace the occasion.

"I know Mr Henry may be busy too but please convince him to come." One of the ladies had said.

Henry used to be popular among Sandra's friends. A tall charming handsome man who was able to captivate Sandra. Sandra used to be so proud of him that everywhere she went, she made it obvious that he was her husband.

However, those beautiful days of blissful love were over and what was left was contempt and spite. It was as if Sandra just realized that Henry's job of being a Hotel Housekeeper did not complement hers of being the CEO of a thriving company in the United States of America.

At the engagement party, a shareholder of Isabella's company walked up to them and a group of friends and asked what Henry was into after exchanging pleasantries.

"I work in an hotel" Henry replied. He learnt to use a vague job description such as that so that he wouldn't lie and at the same time, please his wife.

"A hotel?" Mr George, the shareholder asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes. He must have imagined Henry was a billionaire or CEO as well, a position suitable for Isabella's husband.

"Yes. I work as..."

"He's a professional in Hotel management and hospitality" Isabella interrupted, gave a small smile, patted Henry's back before dragging him away from the group.

"I'm sorry babe" He said, his eyes pleading.

"Babe huh?" Isabella scoffed "Do you know you're simply good for nothing? Calling me babe when you have exactly nothing to your name. What was I thinking when I married a riffraff like you?" She smeared some cleanser on cotton wool and set to begin her nightly skin care routine.

The dinner bell rang few minutes later

"I won't be having dinner tonight. You can go ahead" Henry said, already subdued by Isabella's insults.

"You wouldn't dare" Said replied. She finished her skin care and headed for the door "You have five minutes to come downstairs for dinner"

"Sandra..." He was about to protest.

"Shhh..." She interrupted "People like you don't get to make decisions so do as you are told. You don't have to make it obvious that you didn't grow up with a family, poor boy" She hissed.

The other members of Isabella's family- her parents and younger sister were already present at the dinning hall when Henry finally braced up himself and went downstairs.

"Hello brother-in-law" Michelle, Isabella's sister cooed

She was one of the major forces that ruined the love that once existed between Henry and Isabella. Henry ignored her and took his seat at the large dining table. He muttered an almost inaudible Good evening to his parents-in-law .

"Now you haveade yourself the head of the family, coming to dinner after every other person is seated." Mrs Micheal commented, her scornful look ravaging his body.

Michelle laughed.

"It's already shameful that a grown up man like you doesn't have a house"

"He does not have a house but he has the looks and the body" Michelle mocked

Henry remembered when he was still courting Isabella. Michelle would give him a leering look and run her hand over her body in a lustful manner, sometimes she bit herlips and smirked at him when no one was looking. He always ignored her.

One day, after he got married to Isabella and moved into the house, she sneaked into their room and attempted to seduce him. Henry had threatened to scream when she finally aborted her mission.

Now, Henry wondered if Michelle hated him because he had refused her advances.

"Michelle, he's your sister's husband" said Mr Micheal, a Stern look on his face. He was the only indifferent person in the family. He neither liked not disliked Henry.

"Isabella, don't you think there is need to brush up your husband?" Mrs Micheal said, ignoring her husband. She was hell bent on making Henry aware of her hatred for him.

Isabella raised her eyebrows while Henry dropped his spoon noisily. All the terrible things he was hearing had made him lose his appetite. He wished he had the power to shut them all up or have his dinner peacefully away from them all. They were too toxic for his gentle spirit.

"What do you mean, mum?" Isabella asked

"I mean, Collins might propose to your sister soon. What do you want people to say? Won't you be embarrassed?"

Collins was Michelle's boyfriend. Son of a popular business tycoon in Los Angeles.

"Not many people know that Henry is a cleaner" Michelle chipped in.

Henry sighed. That was all he could do. Every one turned to look a him and he wished he had not done that.

"Do you realize you're at the verge of spoiling my name? A CEO married to a house keeper?" Isabella directed to him

"Isabella, please..."

"That's it! All you know how to do is to be pathetic. Can't you man up and do something tangible with your useless God forsaken life?"

Henry couldn't take it any longer. He stood up and walked away from the dinning hall while Mrs Micheal and her two daughters continued to rain insults on him.

"Well, I remembered asking you over and over again if you were sure about marrying someone like him" A tired Mr Micheal said, getting up from the table.

"She was in love, Dad" Michelle replied.

"Exactly. Now she has realized what a pain in the neck he is to this family, her life and career."