Dustin looked in the mirror, contemplating himself. Meanwhile, the woman in the red dress behind him stared flatly. Karina Grayson, the woman who had been Dustin's wife for two years, chuckled in annoyance.
"Are you seriously going to wear something like that? Do you want to embarrass my family in front of all the Graysons?" Karina nudged Dustin's arm roughly, then grabbed something from the closet."Wear this!" Karina unsympathetically threw the black tuxedo at Dustin's face. With a slender body, long legs, and fair skin, it was no wonder she was the envy of the young masters in the city of Antaham, the second largest country in Ebrana.Countless people had tried to propose to Karina, but reality brought her into an unwanted relationship. Trapped in marriage by her grandfather, Louis Grayson. Unfortunately, Karina had to marry a simple man who was unemployed and had nothing. Despite two years of marriage, Karina has never once received a gift from Dustin, and the marriage is only based on the law. They never even touched each other. Louis said that having Dustin in the Grayson family would give the Graysons a dragon on their heads. The whole family had yet to understand what the supreme head of the family meant."You really piss me off, Dustin." Karina left thereA useless man. It wasn't just one or two people who called Dustin that, he often got Insults and rude behavior. There was not the slightest appreciation or respect for him.Dustin put the tuxedo given by Karina back into the closet. Ignorantly, he joined the others. Everyone avoided Dustin, sick of the sight of him. All of the family had prepared neatly. Each of them had brought a special gift of value to attend the Grayson family's party for the birth of the company's children in two major cities, as well as to celebrate the company's seventh anniversary. "Look, are you kidding me? You useless son-in-law! You want to embarrass us by wearing those shabby clothes?" The middle-aged woman named Eri, Dustin's mother-in-law, had never liked the man. "He's not wearing the clothes I gave him," Karina replied irritably."Time is running out. Doesn't Mom always get mad when I'm slow?" replied Dustin. Eri turned to Dustin. "What? So you're blaming me? And another thing, what do you call me? Mom? Don't call me Mom! I'm not your mom!" She pointed her index finger at Dustin. "You're Karina's mom, so you're my mom too." "Stop that!" snapped Eri in displeasure. "Mom, never mind!" Karina couldn't believe her grandfather had set her up with a useless man like Dustin when she could have chosen anyone among the many handsome and successful men pursuing her. "It's unfortunate that you have to marry such a useless man. If you can't give anything, at least don't humiliate! Just live as a parasite!" Eri's anger grew. "Never mind, dear. Until foam came up from the your mouth, that bum won't listen!" Jake forced Eri to leave immediately. That man was Eri's husband. Dustin could only watch in silence. What difference did it make to put on nice clothes if the insults weren't coming from his appearance alone but from him? ** A building with towering pillars like a palace stretched red carpet along the stairs to the house. The rhythm of music adorned the party. Rows of long tables with various menus of luxurious food and drinks were served there. The sparkle of a baccarat chandelier made by hand with 1800 pieces of crystal stone designed by world designers hung luxuriously on the ceiling of the ballroom. Everyone came to congratulate him. Not to be overlooked were the big names in the city. Major companies in the city had come to attend, indicating the Grayson family's status in the city."How can that despicable person attend this party?" "He will pollute our air. Damn, he looks so sickening."All eyes looked contemptuous when Dustin stepped in together with Karina's family. It wasn't a surprise to them anymore. Dustin was used to getting that look from Karina's family. The man remained silent as he nonchalantly stepped behind Karina. "How shameless of him!" Someone deliberately spoke loud for Dustin to hear.A loud round of applause filled the room as Gerald Grayson, the current chairman of Grayson Group, cut the red ribbon that spanned the subsidiary's miniature property. The middle-aged man wore a navy-colored tuxedo suit with a gold pin on his right breast. His slightly graying golden brown hair was shiny, making him look dashing in his old age. Everyone clutched their drink glasses and toasted the smooth running of the party until it came to the main event, where everyone gave gifts. "The Fordge family presented us with a Ming dynasty dragon jade containing a carved prayer for prosperity. May the Grayson Group always prosper." "Landsy Corporation gave a rare special gift. Taaffeite is a reddish lavender purple-colored stone. It's extraordinary. May the Grayson Group always prosper!" All eyes were amazed at the sparkling Taaffeite stone that was more expensive than a gram of diamond. It was a rare stone that was difficult to obtain, and there were only a few in the world. "Just one grain is worth hundreds of millions. It's amazing!" Jake chuckled. "The Harvey Group presented a golden dragon statue. May Grayson Group always be successful and lucky." The sound of applause and whispers of admiration filled the room. Dustin only clapped once because seeing those gifts was normal for him. Nothing special. "Hey, instead of you just standing around, you better make yourself useful. Get me another drink!" Jake pushed Dustin's body violently until he bumped into someone. "Sorry," Dustin said to one of Karina's cousins. Donald grinned. Donald had deliberately bumped into Dustin, making the man's simple clothes wet. Instantly making everyone who saw it laugh out loud."Look at him, and he's like a rat in a sewer. Wet and smelly!" Karina's cousins insulted Dustin out loud. Everyone laughed, including the dignitaries. Dustin nonchalantly wiped his wet shirt regardless of the insults and jeers. Eri clenched her hands into fists. "You useless son-in-law! You can only embarrass us. Get lost!" "You don't belong here! Shameful and lowly! How could I make you Karina's husband!?" Jake supported Eri's words.Karina, who was already embarrassed, could only silently look at the man who had become her husband. Suddenly a man appeared from behind, Harry from the Hopster family. "Is there something exciting? It looks like I'm late for happiness," said Harry. The man with the two-block hairstyle smiled sweetly. "Ah, there's that useless guy who can only eat." Harry looked at Dustin, his appearance with luxurious items attracted attention. "Yeah, all he can do is relax and enjoy his wife's family's wealth!" "I don't know which family would put up with him!" said Karina's other cousins. Everyone laughed mockingly at Dustin. Harry grabbed the hem of Dustin's shirt, then quickly stroked Dustin's shoulder as if he was cleaning his hands of dirt. "Shabby clothes like a bum. It's perfect for useless dust bunnies like you." Dustin brushed Harry's hand off his shoulder. "Dust is holier than trash." Dustin's stinging reply left everyone dumbfounded. It drew Harry's ire. Harry's burly hand landed perfectly on Dustin's collar."How dare a lowly human as you insult me, trash. Do you have the world at your feet, huh?" Harry's eyes stared fiercely. The man he was staring at, however, looked ordinary. Karina removed Harry's hand from Dustin's collar. "Already, don't take it to heart. You're more than everything, Harry." Karina said that with no other intentions, just to make Harry's anger at least diminish a little. She was already too embarrassed with Dustin in front of everyone. She didn't want to be even more embarrassed because Dustin and Harry were fighting like this. Harry fixed his slightly wrinkled clothes. Meanwhile, Karina pulled Dustin's arm away from Harry. "You go home first." "The show isn't over yet." Karina let out a long sigh. "There's no need to wait until it's over. You'll just embarrass my family even more." "Yes, you're right, Karina. He shouldn't have forced himself to come here. Soiling our neighborhood," Daniel said. The atmosphere was heating up, making Dustin's chest feel tight
The evening meeting ended with dinner together at a long, luxurious table. They looked happy, but not Karina's family. The face that was already too embarrassed could only bow its head. "I'm embarrassed!" said Eri after they got into the car. Their vehicle was less pleasant and luxurious than the other Grayson family members. Arguably, it was the ugliest among the rest. Even though their family was well-respected in the city, they were still the most backward part of the Grayson family. Arriving home, Eri tossed her bag carelessly. She ruffled at the waist. The glint in her eyes indicated that she was still furious. "Where's that useless dust? I have to teach him a lesson!" Jake's voice boomed. "Looks like he's still on the road. he came home on foot because he had no money." Karina told it like it was. "You bastard! That husband of yours crossed my face in front of everyone! My pride is at stake," Jake snapped. He kicked the innocent sofa to his right. Karina massaged her fore
Dustin just smiled. Even though he knew it belonged to his family, he remained tight-lipped and kept his true identity a secret. "Yes, that necklace suits you, Karina. You're getting prettier." Dustin ignored Eri's words and preferred to focus on Karina's growing beauty. Hearing a compliment from Dustin for the first time made Karina misbehave. She smiled, trying to hide her heated cheeks.Not out of love, but what woman wouldn't smile when complimented on her beauty by a man? Karina removed the necklace because she was not used to wearing fancy jewelry. "Why did you take it off?" Eri was inflamed. "It's uncomfortable. It's too heavy, and I feel uncomfortable wearing it." Karina put the necklace back into the box. "You're a fool not to want to wear it. It's a gift from Harry. You should cherish it." "No, Mother. Keep it." Karina gave the box into Eri's hands. Just then, there was a knock on the door of the house, which was open. They were all surprised to see an uninvited guest
Jake rubbed his face roughly. "At this rate, what will happen to our family? Just a few minutes ago, I was happy that we would get a rich son-in-law." Eri massaged her nape and temples together, then remembered something. "The necklace!Eri looked at the gift she thought was from Harry. She picked up the jewelry box and hugged it. "Don't let this gift be taken away again." Jake shook his head. "Take it easy, and I'll block Harry from trying to take it back." Eri nodded quickly. "Yes, that you must do. This is our most precious family treasure. Don't let him take it. It's already ours." "He won't, Mom. He won't take it. The gift is not from him." Dustin suddenly commented on his mother-in-law's anxiety. Eri looked down at Dustin. "You're such a smart ass. You're an arrogant ass. What do you know? Don't be a smartass. Better put your brain to work." "Who is this gift from if not him? From God? God has abandoned this family since my daughter married you, damn it!" Jake was inflamed
The other salesgirl laughed. "How can you afford to buy fancy clothes here? Even at a street-side shop, I don't think someone like you could buy a single shirt." "That's right. Just look at his clothes. He looks like a bum." another employee insulted. Dustin was particularly annoyed when the salesman pinched the hem of his shirt like he was grasping dirt. "It stinks!" "I'll buy everything in this store," Dustin replied. Suddenly, all the servers in the store burst into laughter. From any angle, Dustin's appearance was inappropriate for entering the store. Let alone want to buy all the goods there? "Are you kidding me? Are you a drunk lunatic? Already, get out of here. We don't serve crazy people like you!" One of the salesmen pushed Dustin's body to leave, but Dustin persisted. "Oh, you don't want to leave here?" "Security!" called a salesgirl. The security at the front approached them. "What's wrong?" The salesman pushed Dustin's body hard. "Get this lowlife out of here. It
The manager looked incredulous at Dustin's appearance of having a black card. However, seeing that the card Dustin was holding looked genuine, made him afraid it was real. "There has never been a fake black card before. Does that shabby man have it?" That was the content inside the manager's head, who was also scared. Dustin extended his hand, and the manager respectfully took Dustin's black card. Looking from all sides and observing, the manager seemed confused and surprised. How could a man who looked like a bum in front of him have a card like this? The male and female sales looked at each other with Dustin's condescending gaze. "My guess is right that the card is fake and can't be used. What a shameless lowlife!" "That's it, just kick him out of here. Shame on you!" "Shut up, damn it!" the manager snapped at the salesgirls. Suddenly, they fell silent. The manager was now getting scared because he knew Dustin had real cards. His hands were shaking because the servers had offe
Upon arriving home, Dustin heard a familiar female voice. Eating sounded like a loud laugh. From afar, he already knew who the woman was inside.Dustin stepped into the living room, and it turned out that his guess was correct. There was indeed a woman he knew, and it was Vera, Karina's best friend.Dustin also saw many paper bags in the store's name containing the luxury goods he had bought earlier. Some luxury clothes were already on the sofa.Dustin smiled as he approached Karina. "All the items are beautiful. Vera's eyes narrowed. "Haven't you ever seen luxury goods? These are all gifts from men who like Karina!""Maybe all these gifts were given by Justin. He's been after you for years, Karina." Vera looked convinced.Dustin grinned. "That guy couldn't have bought them.""All this expensive stuff was never given to you by the man who says he's your husband. What a piece of shit!""Isn't he ashamed of being such an embarrassing man? Even he's just living off of you," Vera insulte
"Ah, it's you!" The man was Steve, a member of the Grayson family—Karina's cousin who often looked down on Dustin. "Are you looking for a job?" he asked mockingly. Dustin only responded with a nod of his head.Steve noticed Dustin's appearance. "With wet clothes like that? You look more like a beggar!"Steve laughed at his own words. "You're an idiot. No one will take you in."Dustin remained silent. Steve continued to watch Dustin's appearance, and then an idea popped into his head."I can get you a job," Steve spoke arrogantly.Dustin frowned. "What job?"Steve spoke while folding his arms. "Being poor, uneducated, and looking like a sewer rat, your best job is cleaning toilets."Steve laughed out loud as if his words were a funny joke.Dustin let out a long sigh. "I was expecting this. I knew you just wanted to make fun of me.""What did you expect, stupid? You're useless!" mocked Steve.Dustin shook his head and brushed past Steve because he felt there was no point in talking to
Karina covered her mouth in disbelief at what Dustin had just said. Her eyes filled with tears. She jumped into Dustin's arms."I'm so happy, Dustin." Karina wiped away her tears while releasing a hug from Dustin. She held the man's hand. "Come on, let's go to the hospital now to make sure that your memory has indeed fully recovered."Dustin smiled, then nodded in agreement. "Alright." He also couldn't wait to find out.They quickly got into the car and ordered the driver to go to the hospital where Dustin usually went for medical checkups. As for Ludwig and Agnes, they left it to the bodyguards and nannies to take the sleeping children back home.Along the way, Karina continued to hold Dustin's hand with an indescribable feeling on her face. Her heart kept beating fast, eager to discover if Dustin's memory had fully recovered.When they arrived at the hospital, Dustin was immediately examined by a doctor. All the examination results will be known within the next 2 hours.Karina bit h
They decided to spend time together there, making a campfire on the beach and enjoying the small waves that occasionally came closer.Ludwig was having fun today. He ate the grilled corn and sausages with gusto. "This is fun. This place is also very beautiful and makes me happy."Karina nodded her head. "That's right. Mom is always happy to be here, too." She rested her head on Dustin's shoulder. "Now everything feels complete. This happiness, the children, and our togetherness."Dustin frowned as a memory flashed through his mind. "Ah, yes. I can remember that."Karina smiled happily. They watched Ludwig, who was feeding his new pet dog and looked at Agnes, who was already sleeping peacefully on the trolley.Dustin kissed Karina's forehead warmly. The images and flashbacks in his mind continued to swirl, showing how many memories it would be a shame for him to forget.Ludwig approached them while stroking his stomach, which looked slightly distended from overeating. "Mom, Dad, I'm sl
When they arrived home, they saw Clark waiting at their door. Ludwig and Agnes rushed into the house first, along with their maidservant. Meanwhile, Karina and Dustin approached Clark.Clark immediately stood up and bowed respectfully when he saw them. "Good afternoon. I'm sorry if I'm intruding."Albert immediately lowered his head when he saw Dustin glancing at him. Dustin's gaze seemed to ask why Clark wasn't waiting inside the house. Although Albert knew that Clark was the one who had saved his master, he didn't want to be presumptuous in inviting the white-haired man into the house without Dustin's permission."Not at all. Come on, come in." Dustin touched Clark's back, led him into the house, and sat together in the living room."You should have told me in advance that you were coming here so I wouldn't have gone anywhere and kept you waiting for a long time." Dustin felt bad for making Clark wait for him. He had no idea how long he had been waiting.Clark seemed to exhale softl
Axel bowed his body before Dustin, looking very sorry for this incident. "I apologize for this unpleasant incident."Dustin nodded slowly. "It doesn't matter. It's also my fault as a parent for not paying proper attention to my child."Axel did not expect that something like this would happen at his mall. The problem was it happened to Dustin. Axel felt bad.Dustin looked back, seeing how Ludwig was doing. "Are you okay?" Ludwig nodded his head. Dustin patted Ludwig lightly on the shoulder. "You're a very extraordinary boy. You don't have to fear anything if you're in the right situation."Dustin held his son's shoulders as he leaned over slightly, looking earnestly into his son's face. "If someone else wants to push you down, you have to push them back."Ludwig exhaled softly with a severe face. "Father, don't treat me like a child. Of course, I know that." He folded his arms across his chest. "You saw that yourself, right? I can deal with both of them."Dustin smiled, then hugged Lu
Karina immediately embraced Ludwig's body. The look on her face was one of deep concern. She had been trying to avoid approaching Ludwig, holding back the resentment and anger in her heart towards the man with glasses and his son."Are you okay? No injuries?" Karina watched Ludwig's face and body, who had been pushed several times until he almost fell.Ludwig only answered with a shake of his head.Dustin slammed Nueve's hand down so hard that the man took a few steps back and dropped his glasses. His nearsighted eyes squinted, trying to see who was before him."You're the father of this fucking kid?" Nueve tapped Dustin on the shoulder with the tip of her index finger. "Look at this!" He pointed at his glasses that had fallen to the floor. "You made my glasses fall off. Compensate now!" He clucked in annoyance while holding his head. "Ah, how unlucky I am to have met two damn people like this."Dustin remained silent, looking at Nueve with a sharp gaze. He was holding back his anger
"You've hurt my son." The man's voice was so loud that it scared Ludwig because he had never been yelled at like that by anyone, not even his parents.Ludwig was scolded by the man with glasses. The man's eyes were not good, so he thought that Ludwig was a damn person who abused his son."He's the one who's not careful." Ludwig tried to defend himself. He looked at the boy sharply."Don't be evasive." The boy pushed Ludwig's shoulder, causing Ludwig to take a few steps back. "You're the one who knocked me down." The boy held up his index finger, pointing at Ludwig, seemingly not wanting to take the blame for his actions earlier.Ludwig was waiting in line for his turn to play the basketball game, but since it was filled with kids who were quite a bit older than him, Ludwig decided not to play the game and left. But when he turned around, he accidentally bumped into the boy, knocking him to the floor.It wasn't all Ludwig's fault because the boy he hit was playing with his cell phone,
After breakfast, Karina took Dustin to the office where they used to spend time together doing their work. Dustin looked around and was surprised to see so many reports on the desk.Karina stroked the edge of the brown desk and looked at Dustin. "Actually, this is all your work, but I'm helping you finish it little by little even though it seems like the reports are never finished because they keep adding up every day."Karina picked up one of the files there and opened it, then handed it to Dustin. "Maybe you'll remember it better if you see this."Dustin took the file and looked at Karina. "So, this is all my work?" He did not expect his duties as the head of the Kenderick family to be this extraordinary. He opened the file and skimmed through it. "It's overwhelming and confusing."Karina nodded her head and sat on the table while gently stroking Dustin's shoulder. "At first, I also had a hard time working through all of this, but I forced myself and managed to do it." Karina smiled
Dustin nodded his head. "Yes, I'm fine." He raised both hands while smiling kindly. "As you can see."Clark nodded. He sat on the chair next to Dustin's bed. "I had no idea that you... ah, I mean, you were such a wonderful person." He smiled with a cautious-looking face. "You are the leader of the Kenderick family."Clark looked very awkward in Dustin's presence. Even now, he dared not look directly into Dustin's eyes. He only dared to glance occasionally.Dustin smiled at Clark's behavior, which was different from usual. "Just act normal. Don't be awkward or feel reluctant towards me. I already think of you as my friend."Clark smiled happily as he raised his hand. "This is truly a tremendous honor for me."Dustin shook his head with a soft sigh. "Don't overdo it. Just behave as you normally do. I am deeply indebted to you for taking such good care of me."Clark smiled as he bowed his head for a moment. "It's my duty as a doctor."Clark looked at Dustin. Although Dustin's memories we
Karina released her embrace from Dustin. She wiped away her tears, and then Dustin's hand gently wiped away the remaining tears on Karina's cheeks. The woman's face reddened slightly."So, are you my wife?" Dustin asked again to make sure. He was still not entirely sure because this felt strange to him. Even with all the images in his memory, it felt like something new.Karina nodded her head. "Yes, I am your wife." Karina stroked Dustin's face affectionately. "You are my most handsome husband."Karina's pupils lit up. The longing in her heart for Dustin was so great. She couldn't imagine if Dustin had died in the helicopter crash. She wasn't ready and never would be, especially with Ludwig and Agnes still young. They desperately needed Dustin's love.Karina smiled, lowering her hand carefully. "You are a great person. You protected me under any circumstances. You were even willing to risk your life for me several times." Karina tried to unlock Dustin's memories. "You were very good a