The sky was still dark when Brian Chu opened his eyes.
He lay on a thin, hard mattress placed beside the kitchen door. The cold floor bit into his back, and the smell of frying oil and leftover food from last night clung to the air. His so-called in-laws didn't allow him to sleep in the guest room. To them, even that was too good for a man like him.
He sat up slowly, his body aching from the years of sleeping on stone-like tiles. His clothes, once black, now looked gray from too many washes in cheap soap. He had just one pair of shoes. Cracked soles. Broken laces. But still, he wore them with quiet dignity.
The door creaked open.
"Get up, trash!" Cecilia Walker's voice stabbed the morning silence. "You're still sleeping? Did you forget you have to sweep the compound before the guests arrive?"
Brian got up without a word. He bowed slightly, avoiding her gaze. If he spoke, it would only give her more reasons to insult him. Silence was his shield.
"Did you hear me?" she barked.
"Yes, ma'am," Brian said, almost in a whisper.
"You worthless thing. If not for my daughter's stupidity, you'd still be picking scraps off the street."
Brian didn't argue. What would be the point?
He grabbed the broom and began sweeping the large courtyard. The sun was slowly rising, casting orange light across the marble tiles. He worked in silence, even as Cecilia stood at the doorway with her arms folded, enjoying the sight of him scrubbing dirt off their expensive floors.
---
By 7:30 AM, the house was buzzing with preparations.
Lisa Walker, Brian's wife, walked down the stairs dressed in a designer red gown. She didn't spare Brian a single glance. Her high heels clicked across the tiles like gunshots. Jason Liu, her new "business partner," would be visiting today. Everyone in the family knew they were more than partners, but no one said anything out loud.
"Brian," she said sharply, finally turning to him. "Don't embarrass me today. Stay out of sight when Jason arrives. If he sees you, he might think we're still married."
Brian's throat tightened, but he nodded.
Lisa scoffed. "God, I can't believe I ever let you touch me."
Then she turned away.
Brian clenched the broom tighter.
He remembered the early days. When they first got married, Lisa was kind—gentle even. But that kindness faded quickly once her family lost a big contract and needed someone to take the blame. That someone was him.
They made him the scapegoat for everything that went wrong.
---
Later that day, Jason arrived in a black Mercedes. He stepped out wearing a white suit, dark sunglasses, and an ego too big for the driveway. The Walker family welcomed him with big smiles and open arms.
Brian stood behind the curtain, watching.
"Lisa, you look stunning as always," Jason said, holding her hand and brushing her cheek with his thumb.
Lisa giggled. "You always know what to say."
Jason glanced around. "Is the loser still here?"
"He's around somewhere," Lisa replied carelessly. "Probably washing dishes or sweeping floors."
They both laughed.
From behind the curtain, Brian's hands formed tight fists.
Jason suddenly turned toward the window. Their eyes met—Jason's smug, Brian's unreadable.
Brian looked away.
"Still acting like a servant, I see," Jason said loud enough for him to hear. "Must be fun living like a dog."
Brian didn't reply. He walked away.
---
That night, the humiliation hit its peak.
The Walkers were celebrating Jason's investment in their family company. It was a private dinner, but Brian was allowed to stay—as a server.
He poured drinks and served food while the people who destroyed his pride laughed and toasted to their own success.
Lisa didn't even look at him.
Until Jason raised a toast.
"To the day this woman finally divorces that parasite and becomes mine."
Everyone laughed.
Except Brian.
Lisa smiled, lifted her glass, and added, "Soon, Jason. Very soon."
Brian's hands trembled. He felt his chest tighten.
He turned away, but Jason wasn't done.
"Oh, by the way," Jason said with a smirk. "Lisa told me how you gave her a rose once for her birthday. A rose you picked from the park because you couldn't afford anything else."
More laughter.
"Do you know what I got her this year?" Jason asked, pulling out a small box.
He opened it to reveal a diamond necklace.
Lisa gasped in delight and threw her arms around him. "Thank you, Jason!"
Right there, in front of everyone, she kissed Jason on the lips.
Brian stood still, the wine bottle in his hand shaking.
No one cared.
They had humiliated him so deeply, so publicly, and yet he stood there like a statue. His body was present, but his soul had already walked away.
---
Midnight.
Brian sat outside the mansion on the steps.
It was raining, light drops tapping against the tiles.
He stared at his reflection in a puddle. His face was pale. His eyes were tired. But somewhere behind the fog, a strange calm settled in.
His phone vibrated.
A message appeared:
"It's time. Your identity will no longer remain hidden. Come to the temple tomorrow at dawn. — OML."
He stared at it.
OML.
Old Master Liu.
The man who had once pulled him out of the gutter. The man who disappeared years ago, but swore to return when Brian needed him most.
Brian read the message again, and slowly, his lips curled into the faintest hint of a smile.
Tomorrow… everything would change.
---
The next morning.
Brian was gone before the sun rose.
Lisa woke up and found his mattress empty. She didn't care. She had bigger plans. Jason was taking her shopping.
"Let him go," Cecilia said. "Maybe he finally got tired of being our house rat."
They all laughed again.
But this time, the laughter would be short-lived.