The Phenomenal Bryson Wyatt (The Invisible Successor)

Chapter 3

Bryson was shocked by what his wife, Ainslie, did. He couldn't believe she would utter such hurtful words to him and act so inhumane.

"Is that really Ainslie?" He found himself asking the question to no one else other than himself. He was really marveled by the way she had acted towards him earlier and now. 

He thought for a while and shook his head. "That is not my Ainslie. She is not like that," he said to himself. He did not believe that whatever Ainslie did or said was intentional for he knows she's not like that.

He recalled the food times they had had and how he had come to know of her.

Years back, he had only gotten a scholarship to study in one of the prestigious universities in New York and that's how he came to know of Ainslie. He was the brightest and brilliant person in their classes back then and that's why every other student, especially the guys, disliked him. Though Ainslie was part of the people who looked at him in a wrong way, that changed when he helped her with an assignment and they became friends.

From friends, they became lovers and everyone envied him for Ainslie was the first daughter of the one of the richest tycoons in the state and her family had some percent ownership in the college too and hence the ill treatment he received from everyone and some of the lecturers of the school reduced.

They graduated and Ainslie came to live with him during the weekends in the trailer house of his then. When her family got to know of their relationship, her father tried to get her to leave him but she did not.

Those times they spent with each other made Bryson not see what was happening but think that she was merely upset because he did not tell her right from when he returned that he got a delivery man job instead of the job of a manager.

Bryson went to the room and saw her sleeping in a bad position on the bed. He placed her right and took off her earrings and wrist watch before drifting to sleep next to her on the bed while he stared at her.

The next morning, he got up early and went to take some provisions on credit from the store down the neighborhood. The old woman was benevolent and sometimes gave him things for free without cost because she considered him to be a genuine person.

When Bryson returned home, he made some toasts for his breakfast with tea and went to the room to call out his wife for breakfast.

"Ainslie, wake up, breakfast is ready," he said with a big smile, tapping her to wake up. When she opened her eyes and saw him, she hissed and got out of the bed.

"Good morning, love," he greeted her but she ignored him and went into the bathroom. When she came out some minutes later, he greeted her again but she ignored him. She left the room, he followed her to the dining room.

Ainslie stared with disgust at the breakfast he had made as she took her seat.

"I hope you have the toast bread and tell me if it is as nice as the ones you make," Bryson requested.

"I thought you had no money? I remembered you saying that last night when I returned."

"Yes. I don't but …"

"So how did you get the money to make breakfast?" She asked. "Do not tell me you stole someone's wallet and…"

"No. Come on, you know I am not like that."

"Oh. Then I guess you asked for some provisions from the neighborhood. Geez, how long will you keep begging and humiliating me!"

"I did not beg either. I only took the provisions on credit from Mrs. Martha."

"Wow. The owner of that ugly looking store down the neighborhood? You went there to get some things on credit again?"

"I explained my condition to her and…"

"What the hell is wrong with you? You keep embarrassing me."

"How? I did not do anything wrong, Ainslie.

You're getting angry for no reason now. Please, calm down and eat."

"You've lost it. You've done a lot more than you think to me in the last twenty four hours. I'm sure some of the people living in this freaking neighborhood saw you taking the provisions for credit? Didn't you meet them there?"

"I did but what's the problem with that? I don't know what you're talking about now."

"What would you know, dumbhead? You're shameless. You don't care. You know, when I step out of the house now, some stupid women will be staring, pointing and gossiping about me! They will say- 'O! Here comes the wife of the pauper. Her husband takes things on credit. They don't have any penny.' And do you know the worst of it, those close minded blockheads don't know that I'm really the daughter of the richest tycoon in the state, Mark Pegasus. He's my father but no one recognizes me as his daughter and it's because of what I look now all thanks to you. Some days I'm insulted by those middle-aged ugly women in the neighborhood because you are a pauper. Do you know how bad I feel when I walk down the street and hear people whisper - Her husband is a nobody- ? I'm sure you don't and that's why you don't care and do as you please."

"I did not want you to wake up and not see breakfast ready. That's why I did that."

Ainslie opened her mouth to say something but no words came out. She felt the worms in her stomach cry out for food and forced herself to sit down to have breakfast. Bryson was happy when age started eating and he took his seat and was about to take a toast from the plate when she slapped his hand.

"What do you want to do?" She asked in an aggressive manner. 

"I…I want to have breakfast too."

"Breakfast?" Ainslie glanced at the piece of toast bread in her hand and stared at the four pieces of toast bread on the plate. She eyed him and took a bite of the toast bread in her hand, giving him an awful look.

"You can't eat anything. You didn't buy the bread and other provisions. You only took them on credit and made them. You don't deserve to eat, Bryson."

"Come on, Ainslie, I'm really hungry."

"No! Starve! I'm going to have the toast bread alone. Get something to eat."

"There's nothing at home. I should at least eat something from the table. You can take three toasts and I'll have the remaining two."

"No. I'm so hungry so I'm eating all the toast bread."

"What about if I have a piece, please?"

"Are you deaf?! You won't have any. I went to bed last night without having anything. Let me be now. You're so annoying. I wasn't expecting to have such a low class meal for breakfast but I have no option and you want to have some toast bread? You're unbelievable. Please, just get lost and don't bother me."

Bryson arose. He checked the wall clock hung in the living room. It was five minutes past seven and he decided to go have a shower and prepare for work.

Ainslie ate breakfast and went to the living room. She switched on the TV and was washing some morning fashion shows when she heard footsteps. She shifted her gaze to Bryson as he emerged. He was putting on a pair of trousers and one of his old t-shirts. He had his shoes in one hand and his socks folded in the other hand.

"Geez, I hope I don't get to the factory late on my first day," he mumbled.

Ainslie glanced at the clock which was saying twenty minutes past seven and stared at him.

"Where are you going, Bryson?" She asked him.

He lifted his brows and answered with a smile. "I'm going to work. It's my first day today. I need to be early, you know. Punctuality is the soul of business."

"Shut the hell up!" She shrieked, jerking up to her feet. "What fucking business? You're going over there to start your new work as a delivery man? Are you insane?"

"Ainslie, what is it now? I told you I took the job."

"Alright then, you're not going. Forget about the job and go look for another better job. I won't let you deliver pints of paints and be smelling gross. Hell no."

"Ainslie, you know our situation. I need to start working so we can meet our needs. I don't have any other option."

"You're unbelievable! Tell me, what's going to be your salary."

"Um…it's three thousand dollars, Ainslie," Bryson revealed with a smile, making his wife's jaw drop. She couldn't consider what he said and stared at him, speechless.