From Squalor To Splendor

Chapter 1 Betrayed

A butler could be seen carefully carrying an expensive bottle of wine up the staircase, ready to serve his master, as illuminant and decorative lights lit up the massive Grayson's hotel.

Justin Ethan considered that day to be the best day of his life since he became an adult.

Of course, it was. Because he finally found a lady who accepted him for who he was. A pitiful young man who is constantly mocked and humiliated by the majority.

As luck would have it, it was also her birthday, and he was planning to surprise her with the small gift he could afford for her, using the money he had saved from his part-time jobs.

His boss arrived at the hotel earlier with a lady he wasn't opportune to see. Fortunately, Justin was chosen by the hotel manager to serve the CEO.

However, rumor has it that if the CEO happens to visit the hotel and you are lucky enough to serve him, consider it a blessing because your salary will be doubled that month. If only you could serve him well.

As he ascended the grand staircase, a lady stopped him and said, "Hey, Justin. You appear to be in good spirits today. What exactly is going on?"

"Perhaps I am serving the CEO today, or maybe it is because my girlfriend's birthday is tonight," Justin sighed.

"Wow!" exclaimed the lady, "I must congratulate you on being chosen to serve the CEO. At the very least, your salary will be doubled this month. I, too, am hoping for a miracle."

"Yeah, thanks." Justin nodded and said, "I need to go now so I do not have to keep the CEO waiting. I heard he is a nice guy, and I would rather not upset him."

"Sure, you are good to go, bro," the lady replied with a wide smile curving her lips.

Justin nodded and went to the CEO's hotel room.

He paused as he approached the door, took a deep breath, and then exhaled while smiling.

It was his girlfriend's birthday, and he was going to serve the CEO on the same day. Everything felt like a dream to him because he had not seen it coming.

He was about to knock on the door when he heard a noise coming from the room. The noise told him that there was a lady with the CEO, and they must have been having a good time.

Justin was lost about what to do because he would rather not spoil their fun.

However, as he stood there contemplating what to do, a voice called his attention.

"Ignore what is going on in the room. Simply knock on the door and inform the CEO that you have arrived to deliver the wine. He will tell you exactly what to do."

From the wireless earbuds Justin was wearing, a voice could be heard. The manager was speaking to Justin after seeing him on the security camera from his office.

"Alright, sir. That is exactly what I will do." As directed by the manager, Justin responded by knocking on the door.

"The door is open. Come in," a deep voice echoed from the room, leaving Justin perplexed.

He quickly pushed the thought out of his mind. He held the doorknob and twisted it gently until it opened.

He walked into the room with his gaze fixed on the ground, avoiding eye contact with the CEO, holding the wine tray in his left hand.

Justin had never met his boss in person, so he was still interested to see him.

His heart fell when he realized what was happening as soon as he raised his head and looked at the woman posing next to the CEO on the king-size bed.

"What is going on here?" he asked, looking at his girlfriend with doubtful eyebrows and trembling in his voice.

Whoa, he caught her in the act of cheating on him with his boss. Yes, she was already n*ked, which proves she was having extramarital affairs with the CEO.

Her n*kedness was hidden from Justin's view by the duvet, but even before he entered the room, he knew exactly what was happening.

For the past two years, Justin has been supporting himself and Isabella's family by working three part-time jobs.

He was like a father to Isabella and her poor mother since her father was late. He could not always provide everything they needed, but he always gave them what he had.

Even though he was still single, he was living like a family man. His needs, as well as those of Isabella and her mother, were not easy to meet, but he always did his best to ensure that they did not go to bed hungry.

Justin, on the other hand, was an orphan who had lost his parents many years before and was living on his own in an apartment where he had yet to pay the previous month's rent.

Because of his poor background, he had been rejected by many ladies. Some of them frequently refer to him as a poor dirty rag.

He met Isabella by chance and fell in love with her. She accepted his proposal without hesitation.

Seeing Isabella cheat on him is something he never expected to happen, even if he was warned.

His girlfriend looked up at him, her eyes filled with guilt. " I am so sorry, Justin. I did not intend for this to happen."

Justin could not tell when the tray slipped from his grasp, shattering the expensive wine and two glass cups on the marble floor.

"Damn!" Through gritted teeth, the young man with his girlfriend cursed. "What is going on here, Isabella? Who exactly is he?"

Ignoring the CEO's question, Isabella begged Justin, "Please forgive me..."

"How could you, Isabella, do this to me? Have you forgotten the struggles I have endured to support your family and myself?" Suppressing his tears, he let out a cry.

Justin's blood began to boil, and he found it difficult to remain composed.

He asked once more, "How could you do this to me?"

Justin could not believe his only girlfriend was cheating on him after everything he had gone through because of her.

Everything appeared to him to be a dream, but he knew it wasn't.

Isabella's head hung, unable to meet his gaze. "I know what I did was wrong. But I could not resist."

"What do you mean, Isabella? Did he force you to come down here with him?" Justin said, "Go ahead and explain to me, Isabella.”

Speculating that the CEO might have made her accompany him to the hotel.

If that was what transpired, he was prepared to report the case to the police.

Isabella finally responded to him, her gaze still buried in the ground. "No, he did not force me to come here. I came willingly by myself."

"But why?" Justin was perplexed.

“He's so rich and powerful. He can give me everything you can't, Justin." Isabella declared casually.

"Huh?" Justin gaped, taken aback by her words. “ Is that what you have to say after everything I have done for you? But Isabella, you already know how much I adore you. Don't you?”

The CEO, who was sitting on the bed with Isabella, flung the duvet away, revealing his boxers, and jumped off the bed.

Upon setting eyes on the man's boxers, Justin's anger increased, causing him to tighten his hand into a fist as though he were going to fight his boss.