Chapter 1 What A Loser

As the last light of the sun stretched across the streets, Kayce Harvey dragged himself home, each step heavier than the last.

Inside, the Morris family had already eaten, leaving behind nothing but scraps and cold plates. Nobody had thought to save a portion for the unwanted son-in-law they barely tolerated.

Kayce's father-in-law, Sebastian Morris, sat at the table with a storm brewing on his face. His voice was cold when he asked, "Did you bring back the money?"

Across the room, Kevin Morris, younger brother to Kayce's wife, lounged without a care. He had talked to his girlfriend about marriage, and the girl's family demanded a house and a car, both to be placed under her name.

Buying a 1, 200-square-foot apartment in Ploron meant putting down at least three hundred thousand dollars.

With barely half that amount scraped together, Sebastian had shoved the burden onto Kayce, ordering him to beg his company for a one-year salary advance.

Jenessa Morris, Kayce's sharp-tongued mother-in-law, wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Unless you can get the money, don't bother staying. We're done feeding a worthless freeloader like you."

A bitter laugh slipped from Kayce as frustration weighed heavily in his chest.

Over on the couch, Kevin did not even look up from his game. "Rosalyn must have been out of her mind to marry you. Honestly, even if you sold off your body piece by piece, you still would not be enough to pay her back."

Right then, Rosalyn Morris, Kayce's wife, came down the stairs.

Flowing down her shoulders like a soft river, her long hair framed delicate features and a beauty that easily caught the eye.

Seeing her, the hardness in Kayce's eyes melted without a second thought.

Without the love he carried for her, he would have walked away from this viper's den a long time ago.

When Kayce first showed up on Charm Street in Ploron two years ago, he had no memory of who he was or where he came from. The only thing he knew was his name-Kayce Harvey.

Rosalyn had been the only one to show him kindness. She would sneak him food from her family's humble food stall, offering smiles that glowed in his otherwise dark world.

Day by day, her small acts of care carved a permanent place in his heart.

Before long, Kayce realized he had fallen hopelessly in love with her.

With nowhere to go, he built a shelter under a bridge near Charm Street and survived the harsh nights as best he could.

Each day, once the Morris family's food stall opened, he watched Rosalyn from afar and quietly helped with cleaning after they closed.

Exchanging a few scraps of food for free labor was a winning deal by any measure, so Sebastian and Jenessa never intervened.

Later on, the village where the Morris family lived was picked for redevelopment, and the new homes were handed out according to household registration.

Unfortunately, because none of their children were married and still living in the same household, the Morris family only qualified for a single unit. Furious at the prospect, Sebastian and Jenessa pushed Rosalyn to hurry up and get married.

Fed up with their endless pressure, Rosalyn hatched a plan. She would marry Kayce, claim another apartment, and walk away clean once everything was settled.

Even though Kayce's past was a mystery, Rosalyn still believed he wasn't a bad person deep down.

On top of that, it would take a man with no pride or demands to agree to the kind of deal she had in mind.

When she finally revealed her idea, Kayce agreed without a moment's hesitation.

No more nights shivering under bridges. A chance to stay close to the woman he adored. There was no way he could refuse.

At first, Sebastian and Jenessa hesitated at the thought of marrying their daughter to a nobody. The very idea bruised their egos. But the lure of securing a property worth hundreds of thousands quickly smoothed over their doubts.

They found a loophole to get Kayce registered in Ploron's records, rushed through a marriage registration, and even lined up a caretaker job for him.

Despite enduring daily insults from Sebastian and Jenessa, and despite Rosalyn's cold treatment, Kayce chose to stay grateful.

Pressing her lips together, Rosalyn spoke in a low voice. "Kevin's wedding is all the family cares about right now. I hope you'll do whatever you can to help out."

Kayce wasted no time answering, "I've spent days begging Finance for an advance, but they won't give in no matter what I say."

Before he could finish, Jenessa snorted. "Typical useless trash."

From behind his phone, Kevin scoffed, "Marrying you was the dumbest thing Rosalyn ever did."

Frowning, Rosalyn shot Kevin a hard look before turning to Kayce. "If you're hungry, there's still some oatmeal in the kitchen. I'll go heat it up for you."

"Don't trouble yourself. I'll eat whatever's there," Kayce said quickly.

Grabbing a cold bowl of oatmeal, he sat down at the table with stale bread and a few leftover scraps from the night's dinner.

He had barely eaten a few bites when Sebastian's voice broke through the silence. "After all this time working, you still have no savings? All you ever seem to do is eat."

Lighting a cigarette out of habit, Kayce noticed Jenessa's look of disgust and stubbed it out without a word. "I make two thousand a month. Half of it goes straight to Kevin's allowance. What's left barely covers household expenses. There's nothing left to save."

"No cash in your pocket, yet you still waste money on five-dollar cigarettes? Maybe quit smoking and save a little instead," Kevin chimed in with a mocking laugh and blew out a puff of smoke from his premium cigarette. "My girl made it clear. No apartment and no car, no wedding."

His attitude made it obvious-he expected someone else to fix the problem.

Worry crept into Sebastian's face. "So what now?"

Across the room, Jenessa let out a long, heavy sigh.

Minutes dragged by before her eyes narrowed on Kayce's chest. A slow smile crossed her lips. "Hand over that pendant you always wear."

Kayce blinked.

Across from him, Rosalyn lifted an eyebrow. "Mom, why are you after his pendant?"

"It looks like it is made of jade. Probably fetch a good price. Let's try to sell it."

Shock flickered in Kayce's widened eyes. "Absolutely not."

That pendant was the only thing tied to the days before he woke up lost and alone in Ploron. It was his only link to who he used to be.

Jenessa's mouth twisted into a scowl. "Are you seriously saying that little trinket matters more than Kevin's future?"

Trying to stay calm, Kayce spoke up. "It's not about the money. That pendant might be the only clue to who I am. Without it, I have nothing to find my real identity..."

A bitter laugh escaped Jenessa. "Your real identity? Think you're some mysterious bigwig? Stop dreaming."

Sebastian crossed his arms and said, "We found you half-dead and picking garbage. We didn't demand anything back when Rosalyn married you. Now you can't even hand over a worthless necklace?"

Kayce lowered his head and said quietly, "Take anything else you want. Just leave this one thing alone."

An ugly sneer twisted Sebastian's mouth. "Anything else? Like what? Your empty pockets?"

With a frown, Rosalyn said, "Dad, Mom, please don't force him. That pendant means a lot to him."

Jenessa's face darkened. "And Kevin's wedding? That doesn't mean a damn thing to you?"

"That pendant is mine now! I'm taking it whether you like it or not!" Kevin stormed forward, reaching for Kayce's neck.

Instinct took over, and Kayce jerked back. "I can't. I really can't give it to you."

"Ungrateful piece of trash. Want me to beat it out of you?" Kevin roared and slammed his fist into Kayce's face without warning.

Kayce stumbled, crashing into the corner of the table. A sickening thud echoed.

A searing pain tore through his skull. The edges of his vision went dark. His body crumpled helplessly to the floor.

In a daze, images flashed through his mind like a movie reel.

That brutal hit to the head had done the unthinkable-Kayce's memory had come rushing back.