Chapter 002

Nathan sighed heavily, his eyes glazed over as he stuffed his clothes into his backpack. In his heart, he spoke, "I never thought that my domestic journey with Miranda would end here. Should I feel relieved or sad?" As if he didn't want to cry, Nathan tried his best to accept this reality. He realized that he and Miranda were no longer compatible, so it was useless to hold back.

"What's wrong with us? Shouldn't we be supporting and looking out for each other?"

Nathan held back the burning anger as he stepped out of the room. He was surprised to see Miranda nursing a bruise on the face of the man who would take Nathan's place in Miranda's heart. Who else but Kenzo.

"You're too much, Miranda," Nathan sighed to himself, dumbfounded by how easily Miranda had turned away from him. A lopsided smile was plastered on his lips, trying to hide this overwhelming pain.

"Finally, Louis, the useless, trashy, parasitic son-in-law, is gone from this house," Mrs. Grey exclaimed sarcastically.

Nathan felt his tears begin to fall, feeling devastated to be stepped on and abused again by his in-laws. However, he was convinced that his decision to leave was the right one, for a better future and freedom from this heartache.

Before continuing his steps, Nathan turned to her, a mocking smile etched on his face. "Useless, parasitic, trashy daughter-in-law, what else, Mrs. Grey?" asked Nathan as he shook his head. "Is there anything else here that would make Mrs. Grey's heart smile with such satisfaction?"

Nathan imagined the insults that would be hurled back at him.

"Of course, there are many more insults suitable for a son-in-law like you, Nathan Moreno," Mrs. Grey replied loudly.

"A son-in-law who only adds burden to my daughter, what else can be expected from you?" exclaimed Mrs. Grey.

"Yes, mom, I agree with mom. I'm such a fool to put up with such a useless husband!" continued Miranda in a loud voice. She felt so depressed and couldn't contain her anger.

"I was wrong to choose you as my husband and life partner, Nathan," Miranda continued.

Nathan shook his head, "If one day this useless son-in-law turns to Kenzo, what then? Will you still accept Kenzo?" he asked scornfully.

"Is a pure and sincere relationship still seen with wealth and position?" Miranda argued, "Nathan, Kenzo is a super rich man, he can never be like you," Miranda said not accepting Nathan's words.

"Really? Have you forgotten that the world is spinning, Miranda?"

"That's it, that's it! There's no point in fighting with him anymore! Let him go and let this house be free of parasites!" said Mr. Louis.

With staggering steps, Nathan left, his mind frantic with worries of a bleak future. Depressed by the haunting weight of expectation, he felt like he had lost his grip on life. He knew he had to prove that he could succeed. But how?

In the glittering city of Manhattan, Nathan walked with his backpack in hand, feeling confused and unsure of where to live. He felt so small amidst the cluster of towering buildings, like a candle flame in the darkness.

"Should I go see Alex? Who knows if he can help me," Nathan muttered under his breath. Alex, who now worked as a security guard, was Nathan's only hope. Although he wanted to return to New York, to the orphanage where he grew up, there was not enough money in his pocket to cover the travel expenses. Reluctantly, Nathan decided to temporarily stay at Alex's house.

The rumbling sound of his stomach grew louder, reminding him how hungry he was. Throughout the day, Nathan hadn't had time to fill his increasingly restless stomach. When he reached into his pocket, he found only enough money to buy a loaf of bread. Nathan smiled weakly, gulped down dry saliva, and walked away.

"At least it's enough to fill my stomach," Nathan muttered with a smile as he looked at the piece of money. Without hesitation, he bought the bread and ate it with gusto.

While enjoying his bread, he saw a little boy busking on the side of the road. Nathan smiled and approached the little boy.

"Hey, little brother. My name is Nathan. Why don't we busk together? It's not bad; we can earn a lot of money if we work together," Nathan said.

The little boy nodded and smiled widely. "Come on, brother! Let's busk together!"

The two of them started busking on the side of the road, singing popular songs that people knew. Before long, an old lady walked up to them and handed them a piece of money.

"Thank you, ma'am," Nathan and the little boy said simultaneously.

The old lady smiled back and walked away. Nathan and the boy continued busking until late afternoon. When they had enough, they counted their money.

"Wow, we managed to collect this much money," said the little boy.

Nathan smiled happily. "Now, I'll take you home, okay, after this I'm going to see my friend," said Nathan.

"Okay," said the little boy, who was about 10 years old. Immediately Nathan took the little boy to his place of residence.

After that, Nathan immediately went to Alex, hoping that the man would give him a ride for a while until he could return to New York City, where he came from. Maybe there Nathan could start all over again.

Tonight, Manhattan is engulfed in a bustling nightlife. The sparkling lights of the skyscrapers create a charming and enchanting landscape. People pass by, lost in the excitement of a colorful and vibrant nightlife.

Amidst the frenzy, there was the figure of Nathan walking with a sluggish and burdened step. Puffy eyes and a haggard face witnessed Nathan's determination to flap his wings in the midst of this struggle. However, as the night wore on and reality set in, fatigue slowly began to take hold of him.

It might have been easier for him to give up, but Nathan didn't want to stay down forever. Determined, Nathan strode down the sidewalk, looking for a way to make good on his promise to Miranda and his in-laws, seemingly ignoring the thirst and hunger that was beginning to press in. More than hunger, it was the pain in his heart that was growing thicker.

In the distance, Nathan saw the building where Alex, his coworker, was based. He felt sure he would get help from Alex there.

When he got there, he found Alex sitting down with a cup of coffee. "What's up, Nathan?" asked Alex, seeing Nathan arrive.

"Alex, I need a place to stay for a few days. I got kicked out by Miranda. I don't even have enough money to buy a subway ticket," Nathan explained with a pleading face.

Alex took a deep breath, then replied with a hesitant tone, "Sorry, Nathan, I can't help you."

"Why?" asked Nathan in a disappointed tone.

"Sorry, you can't! I've got a lot of my own problems to take care of," Alex replied briefly, without giving a clear reason.

Nathan sighed, feeling very disappointed when Alex was his only hope. However, he didn't want to push Alex any further. "Okay, if you can't. I won't force you, Alex," Nathan said as he walked away.

Nathan walked back toward the highway, then to the bus stop not far away. He decided to sleep there for the night, depending on tomorrow's luck.

The next day, Nathan woke up with renewed vigor. He started busking along the streets, hoping to earn enough money to buy a subway ticket. Some people gave Nathan spare change, but others just gave him a cynical glance.

However, Nathan didn't give up. He continued to sing with a hoarse voice and a hopeful heart, striving to fulfill a dream that was becoming increasingly distant.

While Nathan was busking, he saw Miranda holding hands with Kenzo, and even saw Kenzo occasionally kiss Miranda's cheek. Nathan's hands clenched into fists, "What a slut. She's still his wife, but how dare she do that," Nathan growled.

"I should divorce her immediately. But where's the money? Aaah!" Nathan was getting frustrated.

Nathan doesn't want to think too much about the divorce just yet. The most important thing now was how he could get back to New York.

After a day of busking, Nathan was finally able to buy a subway ticket.

"Tomorrow I'll be leaving the city," Nathan whispered with a smile as he looked at the money he had collected to buy the ticket.

The next day, Nathan headed to the station to buy a ticket for the underground train that would take him to New York City. He couldn't wait to get to the orphanage where he grew up.

Arriving at the station, Nathan rushed to the ticket counter. "One ticket to New York, ma'am," Nathan said to the clerk. The clerk smiled kindly and gave Nathan the ticket he had bought.

Soon after, the subway train arrived, and Nathan boarded. He sat on one of the seats and stared out of the window, reflecting on his childhood in the orphanage. A feeling of emotion and longing came over him.

After a long journey, the train finally stopped at New York station. Nathan immediately got off the train and rushed to the orphanage. When he got there, he was wide-eyed at the sight before him.

"What, so... the orphanage has been demolished, and is going to be turned into a mall?" Nathan muttered with a surprised look on his face.

Nathan then sat down on the side of the road, touching his head, which was starting to feel dizzy. "Where else can I go? I don't have a place to live here," Nathan complained.

Suddenly, a man of similar age to Nathan approached him. "You're not Nathan, are you?" he asked.

Nathan frowned, "You-?"