chapter 2: The Unwanted Guest

The loud clang of the gate slamming shut jolted Tyler back to reality. He watched Diego return to his post, then shifted his gaze to the mansion entrance, where red and blue lights flickered through the downstairs windows, casting an ominous glow.

Fueled by hope, Tyler tried to force his way through the gate. He imagined his wife's family throwing a welcome-back party, explaining why no one had picked him up at the prison entrance they were too busy preparing a surprise celebration. He clung to the belief that his wife, Emily, still loved him and that their bond was unbroken. However, his efforts were futile; the gate was securely locked by Diego, leaving Tyler frustrated and defeated.

After a few minutes in the scorching sun on Haight Street, Tyler slumped against a waste bin, feeling hopeless. Suddenly, the click of the gate unlocking made him lift his head, wondering who was on the other side.

That's when he saw her—a maid in a black top and Nike trousers, holding a black trash can with a confident grip.

"Why are you staring?" she asked, her eyes scanning Tyler's face with a mix of curiosity and amusement.

Tyler opened his mouth to respond, but she cut him off. "I just need your help to..." he started, but she wasn't having it.

"If you're dwelling on this waste, you've lost it all," she said with a chuckle, shaking her head. "It was all spoiled by a guest who got drunk inside the mansion and ended up vomiting in it; ain't that a mess?"

Tyler's face reddened as the maid continued to berate him. "If you're still thinking about it, I'll discard it into the galvanized steel since that's where your mate picked it from. And by the way, so you were the one who consistently littered the ground with waste after picking through it, eh? You're the right one, ain't you?"

With a flick of her wrist, Agnes dropped the trash she was holding and began searching for her radio communication device, her eyes never leaving Tyler's face.

"You'll be the lesson for others, mate," she added as Tyler moved closer.

The Harrington family was a household name in the town, renowned for their wealth, influence, and philanthropy. However, their grandeur came with a dark secret. Every time an occasion arose, their front gate's galvanized steel would spew noxious fumes, polluting the air and plaguing the townspeople.

Government authorities had finally lost their patience. They slapped the Harringtons with a hefty fine of $10 million, threatening to take them to court if they didn't clean up their act. Desperate to avoid public humiliation and further repercussions, the family elders devised a harsh rule: anyone caught littering or causing pollution near their galvanized steel gate would face the full force of the family's wrath.

The punishment was brutal: several beatings and a stint of cleaning the mansion from top to bottom. Tyler, aware of the family's reputation and the strict rule they had enforced, quickly moved closer to the maid, Agnes, to prevent her from making the call.

"I wasn't the one!" he exclaimed, his voice urgent.

"I'm just here to see my wife, Emily! I haven't done anything wrong!"

Agnes, taken aback by Tyler's sudden move, covered her nose with her hand. "Ugh, can you move back? Your body odor is killing me! And who the hell are you, anyway?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing.

Tyler's appearance was far from impressive his unkempt mustache hung over his mouth, and his clothes looked like they had been stored in a pigsty, unwashed and reeking of grime. In stark contrast, Agnes's outfit was immaculate, her designer clothes and heels a stark reminder of the vast difference in their social status.

The mention of Emily's name made Agnes pause, her hand hovering over the phone. "And who do you think you are?" she asked, her tone softer but still laced with suspicion.

Tyler took a deep breath, his voice steady but tinged with frustration. "Do you not recognize me? Tyler William, Emily's husband. I'm the one who tirelessly assists in the kitchen, ensuring every dish used by the family is washed without any help."

Despite the presence of a hired maid in the Harrington household, Tyler remained the primary caretaker, shouldering the bulk of the household chores. However, the family inexplicably prioritized the maid over him, assigning her to oversee and supervise his duties.

For the past three years of his marriage to Emily, Tyler had been relegated to the role of an errand boy, a position that belittled his status as a son-in-law.

"I can't remember you?" Agnes said, her gaze sweeping over Tyler's outfit with disdain.

"The only Mr. Tyler William I know is currently in prison, and by now, he should have been sentenced to death." She snorted.

"And do you think the Harrington family will welcome you with open arms, dressed like an average towns person?" She picked up the trash can and walked towards the galvanized steel gate, leaving Tyler speechless.

After disposing of the trash, she walked past Tyler and warned, "I better not come back and find you here! Unless you want me to call the police for trespassing?"

She then walked towards the mansion gate but suddenly stopped on the other side of the entrance, waiting for the bodyguard to escort out the esteemed figure who had gotten drunk. As she helped them out, her gate pass card suddenly fell from her pocket to the ground.

Tyler watched as Agnes walked into the mansion, unaware that she had dropped something. After a few minutes, he seized the opportunity. He grabbed the discarded gate card and made his way into the mansion's first entrance.

As he stood at the entrance and knocked, the white plank door suddenly swung open, revealing a young lady, Sophie, one of Emily's close friends they were a tight-knit group of four.

"Well, well, well, look who's finally arrived!" Sophie exclaimed, her laughter filled with mocking undertones.

"It's like the prodigal son has returned... or a prisoner who's just been set free!" She turned to the rest of her friends sitting on the couch, and they all burst into laughter.