Chapter 7

Ryan could not help the smile that came on his face as he listened to the woman who used to be his mother-in-law threatening him with divorce.

 "Ma'am, I already divorced your daughter. Save yourself the bother," Ryan said. The confusion on her face and the way her veins appeared because of her tight grip on the phone amused Ryan. He has never thought he would be able to get any reaction from her other than disdain and mockery.

 The call connected and Mrs Hill heard Stephanie's voice at the other end. She wondered if what Ryan just said was true but if it was, then it is a dream come true. Stephanie deserved to be married to a wealthy man.

 "Stephanie, I can't put up with your husband's attitude anymore. I can't! He is getting more rebellious every second." Mrs Hill saw Ryan sneer and walk away.

 "Ryan…?" Stephanie asked at the other end.

 "He disrespected me in front of the society women just because I asked him why he isn't home to cook breakfast. As if that is not enough, he walked out on me. He..." Mrs Hill stopped to take control of her breathing.

 "Take a deep breath, Mom. Anger isn't good for your health," Stephanie said at the other end.

 "Stephanie, you should see the way he was dressed like a beggar." Just what would the society women think of her with the stupid way Ryan announced himself to be her son-in-law when no one asked him? 

 "Ryan seems to have forgotten where he came from. He seems to have forgotten he is a poor kid from an orphanage. You should divorce him now before things get worse," Mrs Hill said.

 "He already divorce me," Stephanie said quietly.  At the other end, she looked out through the window.

 "Better for him because I wasn't going to allow him in the villa after what he just did. We will talk more when I get back home. You are worth more than a beggar like him." 

 Exactly, Stephanie thought when the call ended. She is worth more than Ryan. 

 Ryan claimed to love her, didn't he? If he really did, should he treat her mother with so much disrespect when she only asked him why he had not cooked for the family. He should have known her mother doesn't know about the divorce yet and should have just answered her politely. 

 She had been right after all. All the fake affection that Ryan seemed to be showing to her was just so that he could get some wealth. Because he couldn't get it, his behaviour has changed to the man he really is.

 She took a glance at her table. There were a lot of files waiting for her attention. If only Ryan had not been stupid to divorce her, he would be here helping her to sort out the files. All she would have needed to do was just to add her signature. She sat down and opened one of the files. She closed it back. Ryan would come back. He really would. He must.

***

 Ryan stopped a cab. He told the man the address to the Hill Villa and got in. 

 He needed to get his things from the house and leave for good. Forever.

 The cab man glanced at Ryan through the mirror. Ryan seemed to the man like a gentleman, one that would be in for a conversation.

 The cab man cleared his throat. "We will be there in the next four minutes."

 "Okay. Thanks." 

 His voice sounds approachable too.

 "Have you also heard about it?" The cab man asked.

 "What?"

 "The new branch that belongs to the Lopez conglomerate..."

 Ryan looked sharply at the cab man. That is his surname being mentioned. "What about it?"

 "All the other companies around here are lobbying to partner with the new branch. It is the talk of the town. All those rich people are trampling over each other just to partner with the new branch…" 

The cab man laughed. "I can't even enjoy any of my favourite shows on television again. Advert everywhere with the hope of the new Lopez company noticing them."

  "Really?"

  "Those rich people. They can't do anything without making life difficult for the lower class," the cab man said. He stopped the car at the traffic light.

  Ryan couldn't figure out why he was getting excited about the news. He had not wanted to be involved in the company before, but now, it seems interesting.

  "I wonder who the CEO of the company is. He must be a really powerful folk to have that much control over all the other companies here."

  Ryan tried not to grin. He sat back in the cab and relaxed. He felt like telling the cab man that he is the CEO but all the sense of pride was replaced by something else at the cab man's next words.

  "Have you heard that the man that married to one of the Hill family divorced recently?" he continued driving when the light turned green.

  "Divorce?" Ryan asked, hoping it was not what he was thinking.

  "The woman he got married to… what was her name?... Stephanie. The man got married to her because he coveted the Hill family's wealth but when he couldn't get any money. Boom. He asked for divorce." The cab man laughed.

  Ryan looked out through the window. He wanted to end the conversation with the cab man to avoid resurfacing the memory he was trying to bury.

  "Some men are really shameless. Men ought to work for money and not—"

  "How many more minutes?" Ryan snapped.

  "We are here." The car came to a halt. 

  Ryan paid him with his card. As he was about to get out of the car, the cab man stretched another card to Ryan. A business card.