3. Got laid off

Drake felt pain on his knee joint but it was nothing compared to the wound of humiliating her mother. He'd cried a tear for his mother after leaving her room that night.

He was able to handle any insult directed at him but not his mother. She was his everything whom he loved the most. A whisper came to his mind to avenge Diana's demeanor, but how?

Inevitably, Drake had to continue his work. The Johnson family at the dinner table began to leave.

Last night, Diana insulted him by calling him an 'idiot' for such a trivial matter. As an international business graduate, Drake should be able to get a decent and good job.

However, fate has forced him to choose a cleaning service job. Drake had no choice due to financial difficulties and the difficulty of getting a job.

"You're so stupid to still work at my father's place as a cleaning service. It's a pity that your mother sent you to school, but you ended up in Johnson's pantry."

He might be poor, but he shouldn't be treated inhumanely, especially insulting his mother who worked hard to raise him and earn money.

His mother had to work hard because she was married to an irresponsible man. All he did was gamble and be jobless. He even mortgaged their small house to the bank to gamble.

This was one of the reasons the Johnson family did not treat him well.

When the letter from the bank foreclosed for non-payment of the mortgage, Drake had no options but to accept Diana's offer to marry him. He thought if his house was safe, that was enough, that was all.

Other than that, he was just a husband on file, and that was that. That was it, nothing more. The reality was not what Drake thought it would be.

His marriage was just a formality. He was just a stranger living in that house, even the incident at the office yesterday afternoon caused him to take a pay cut.

After getting done his homework, Drake hurriedly arrived at the office with labored breathing.

"You're ten minutes late," the supervisor said.

"Sorry, sir. I... my scars suddenly started bleeding, so I had to stop the bleeding first."

The supervisor glanced at his bandaged hand, then sneered, "No excuses. There are still many who want to work here instead of you. You've been absent twice already."

"Sir, I'm sorry, sir. Please don't put my name on the list of laid-off employees. I need this job."

"If you need it, you should be on time!"

Drake rushed following him as soon as the supervisor walked away.

"I've only been late twice in all the time I've worked here, sir. The rest of the time, I'm on time and even arrive before the cleaning service's shift starts."

***

"God, how can I meet my mother's needs? They fired me," he murmured, tears in his eyes and the air was hard to breathe. "Tell me."

Drake came home in two hours after receiving a dismissal letter. The job was the only hope to earn money for his life, but his supervisor didn't listen to his pleading. The saddest part was that the last salary he received was cutted off.

He spotted the money in his hand. Just little money left for several days for his needs. He couldn't let his mother down as she would surely be sad to know about his dismissal.

"Argghhh!" He cried, punched the wall and screamed, forgetting the pain of the scars that didn't show any progress. Unfortunately, he made it worse. "Argghhh!"

The termination notice was like thunder attacking him when it was raining, destroying every object that it went through. Drake felt his life ruined.

Drake didn't sleep through the night. He wondered what was happening to him, because he couldn't understand the power or energy that came out of him. Why did the energy appear? What was that energy? Since when did it exist?

As far as Drake could remember, he had never experienced that before and didn't have any magical powers either. This was a wonder.

Like Drake, Diana couldn't sleep all night either. The flames that were seen coming out of Drake's body, really made him look like a demon. He was so scary. Drake looked at her sharply, like he was going to kill her just by the spread of fire felt on Diana's skin.

She couldn't move, frozen at the sight of Drake's Dragon–like transformation spewing fire. She couldn't save herself or scream for help to anyone.

Diana was traumatized and terrified all night. Therefore, like there was no other time, that morning in front of her parents at the dinner table, she said she would put her marriage to an end.

Her parents welcomed hers but were surprised by her decision. It was too soon, despite three months being too long for a fake marriage that should never have occurred.

However, another problem arose that troubled her parents. News of her marriage was exposed and spread like a storm.

Of course, it wasn't what they expected from the end of the contract marriage. Their reputation and business could be ruined if the secret got out.

In addition, Diana also brought other problems. She claimed to have been yelled at and hit by Drake. This angered her parents. Diana had to manipulate the situation to get away from Drake, because she couldn't tell them what she saw the night before. They would think she was having hallucinations.

"I'm serious. I'm gonna get a divorce!" Diana said. "I've called our lawyer to meet me at nine this morning."

"You can make a report about violence against a woman!"

"No, Mom. It will be a big risk. I want to finish this matter soon and unbeknownst to people. It will be over easily."

Diana wasn't unwilling to report Drake to the police but she had no evidence as she showed them the scars on her cheek and neck she had created the night before.

Her main reason for refusing was Drake's anger that could burn her anytime with his fire.

Drake heard their conversation from the back. He had just finished cleaning the front park. At this time, Drake began to think about a plan about his future.

"Drake, Mr. Abraham is calling for you." A servant walked through him and uttered.

Drake met him in the workroom. Diana and her mother were already there.

"Why did you hit my daughter?" Abraham asked firmly.

"No, sir. I didn't beat her. I spontanly pushed her cos she accused my mother was the person who spilled it," Drake said, suddenly nervous to face Abraham. "It's not true."

"I won't hear anything from you, cos today you and Diana will be over," Abraham said. "Your fake marriage."

Drake gave Diana a complicated stare. He knew that fighting the family would be futile. He was ready to go out, but first he needed to clear his mother's name in their eyes.

Suddenly, Abraham stood up then punched him black and blue.

"Daddy! Stop it, stop, please!"

"Diana! What are you doing?" Mrs Abraham yelled in shock.

Mrs Abraham yelled and perplexed while seeing Diana instantly dashed to Abraham. Mrs. Abraham moved heading to Diana to get rid of the grip.

Diana had to stop her father before Drake unleashes his strange ability. She was afraid that Drake would set fire to her father like he almost did that night. Even though she wasn't burned last night, the heat emanating from Drake's body could cause her to feel burned. It felt like being burned in a fire.

"No, Dad, please! He can hurt you. He's not the Drake we've known. He's someone else!"

Diana and her mother pulled Abraham strangling Drake. Abraham was such a monster who would take someone's life for a substitution. Drake was breathless as his hands tried to release Abraham's chokehold that nearly suffocated him.

Abraham breathed uncontrollably after his two pretty girls tightly gripped his arms.

Drake staggered back and collapsed on the floor. He coughed in his weakness and could finally breathe freely. The punch from the man hurt his cheek, stomach, and neck. His lip was cracked and bleeding at the angle.

"Get out! Get out of here!" Diana shouted out. "NOW!"

Diana trembled when she faced Drake. Her slap mark on Drake's cheek was obviously seen. Red.

Drake was perplexed by Abraham's actions which he had never seen in all his time working for Abraham's company and living in his house. He attempted to stand straight while enduring the pain and dizziness.

"You are ungrateful. We're giving you a place to live in this house doesn't mean you can hurt Diana all you want. You don't deserve to be her husband or work at our company," Mrs. Abraham said furiously.