Chapter two

Because She's Mine

Smith took out a wedding card and passed it to grandpa, the name of the new husband carefully written on it. They had checked the young man had no quality background, no skill, no education or whatever and to make it even worse he is an orphan. And as they also heard he has some mental illness and so he is going to be really useless. They heard his illness was hereditary and so after he marries Jane the family business would be cut off from her and her children could also forget about taking a single penny from the Abbey's.

Smith turned to look at his family seated on one side of the hall and there was a moment of glee in his face. He smiled broadly like an athlete who had just won a golden medal.

Now I would like to announce the final winner, he said, in a mocking tune, almost laughing. He narrowed his eyes and called out the name.

" The Lucky young man is Ralph Lauren"

The moment the name was mentioned everyone in the hall turned round to look at the back door. The back door opened and a young man walked in shabbily dressed in an old grey suit and a pair of almost oversized pants.

He had dark unkempt hair and a stern face. He forced a smile out his face.

Jane watched him closely as he walked majestically to the front of the hall. She was scared, and a sudden cold took over her entire body. She wondered what type of man she would be living with. He looks strange to her and too handsome to me, poor with all the background information her family had gotten from God knows where.

Harry and his wife couldn't bear to look. They knew that Smith would definitely choose the most horrible man amongst all for their daughter to marry.

Ralph walked across the hall and everyone was looking at him. Strangely he had no expression on his face as he walked down to where Smith was standing. There was murmuring and giggling front the guests

"Ralph Lauren congratulations for making it as Jane's husband. He said stretching his hands for a hand shake, you don't have to thank us, we just hope that you would take good care of her," he added.

To him Ralph should be grateful to the Abbeys for giving him such an opportunity to marry into the family.

Ralph nodded his head, he turned over to look at Jane, she was beautifully dressed in a cream color Cinderella dress.

Smith walked over and gently took her hand in his, come along he said to Jane. She got up from her seat and followed in his direction. He brought her in front of Ralph and placed her hands in his.

All the guests started clapping and cheering as if they were attending a blissful engagement ceremony.

She knew that everyone was just laughing at them, her parents knew this too. By tomorrow the whole of Ruwan would know that a commoner had married her and it was definitely going to be the talk of the town. Jane's mind went blank, as if she had been completely emptied out, she couldn't see anyone and didn't even know what time the bouquet ended.

Once the bouquet ended Jane immediately left crying, while her father rolled his wheelchair after her.

She stopped at the entrance of the hotel, she looked at Ralph who was standing next to her, her face expressionless but her voice was hoarse.

You are welcome, she said to him.

You are to be pitied too, she added.

Ralph didn't say a word. He only stood and stared blankly at her. He had a smile on one cheek.

He hadn't said a single word all day.

This was the little girl from 19 years ago, he remembers her vividly. She still had that chill smile and kindness.

She tolerated the whole situation and suffered bullying from her uncle just so her family could live in peace and happiness at least for the moment.

"Haha! My dearest cousin, congratulations "

Suddenly a man walked in from the entrance smiling with his hands clasped together as he spoke " congratulations on getting such a wonderful husband" he said scornfully with great sarcasm. He had so much emphasis on the word wonderful that man Jane's face turned red in anger, she narrowed her eyes and watched him spill those arrogant words from his mouth. She frowned and bit her lip, clenching her fist.

"My dad and the entire family worked so hard to pick the best man for you as husband " Travis sighed as he continued, ``Well now that it's all settled my uncle can be at peace too".

He didn't care to see that Jane had turned red in the face with clenched fists, and turned to look at Ralph who was just watching him bluff.

This useless man was found by his father Smith, and when the thought about the information they had on him crossed his mind he couldn't stop laughing.

Ralph was still watching him…

"So a man could be this useless" he murmured,

"To my new cousin inlaw, now that you've married into the Abbey's family, you'd better be nice to my cousin here", and you guys should make kids fast so it would make grandpa happier" he added.

No matter what your kids look like, or even if you give birth to lunatics, the family wouldn't mind, we have more than enough resources to cater to all of them.

Jane couldn't stand it anymore. "Travis are you done?".She asked coldly.

"Jane was only giving my candid advice and blessings" Travis replied, grandpa also hopes that you two would have kids soon."I think you should complete that mission tonight".

If you really had a crazy kid that would be even funnier.

"How dare you!"

She lifted her hand to hit him, Travis' face immediately darkened.

"What! You want to hit me now?"

If she dared to grandpa's eldest grandson her family would be chased out of the house the next day without a dime.

Jane bit her lips, angry and indignant.

To her grandpa only grandsons were Abbey's family members, she was not eligible.

Travis became even more gleeful when Jane put her hand down. Since they were both young, only he got to bully Jane. Jane could only dream of taking advantage of him.

"I'm doing this for your own good, but you do not appreciate my kind gesture" Travis sighed loudly. " Your father has been paralyzed for so many years, and your family would have starved to death a long time ago if not for Abbey's family. We have been very helpful to your entire family. The family has been supportive. Now we have put in so much effort and resources to find you a decent husband and you are not even grateful but want to hit me, think about the consequences…"

Jane started shaking, she looked at Travis with so much disgust and fury. How could a person be this shameless!

She turned to leave but Travis blocked her way again.

" Jane, this is grandpa's decision and if you don't like it, you can go tell him", he yelled at her.

Jane started crying from frustration and her anger had been pushed to each limit.

"What do you want to do?"

Ralph suddenly broke his silence.

Jane looked up at Ralph and suddenly blurted out almost in tears, " I want to give him a tight slap!"

PAK! PAK!

She had just finished talking and there was a loud sound of a slap. Travis held his face as he collapsed to the ground he didn't even have the time to shout. He only managed to react when he felt a burning sensation coming from his face. He was the one who got slapped.

It was Ralph who slapped him.

"Why did you do it?" Jane asked.

You wanted it, he replied calmly.

She looked at him in shock and then managed a smile before responding to him.

"You shouldn't have listened to me…he deserves it" she let out a sigh.

"That's because you're now my wife now", he responded with both hands in his pocket.

Travis felt his head exploding. She stared in shock at Ralph; she never expected him to hit anyone for her, at least not yet.

And to think that the person he hit was Travis, the first grandson of the Abbey family.

Just because she is his wife now…

She didn't expect any of this.

How dare you slap me? Travis yelled pressing his left hand on the cheek that had just received the double slap.

He got up quickly from the ground and punched in Ralph's direction.

No one has ever dared to hit him in his entire life not to talk of a nobody, a commoner, and a useless man who had just been married into the family a few minutes ago.

The fist had just reached in front of Ralph when Ralph grabbed his wrist with one hand and twisted it with some strength and the next thing Travis felt was a crack in his right wrist.

Aooouch!

He screamed out in pain

It was broken. His wrist.

Travis howled in pain like a child .

She's my wife and nobody dares to bully her from now on. He barked .

Ralph only let go of his wrist after saying this, then he pulled his wife away while she was still surprised at the scenario.

Travis twelled from side to side with his broken wrist in between his legs.

I WILL KILL YOU, I WILL KILL YOU, Travis stressed his words in pain, still holding his wrist in his hand, the broken wrist almost killing him. He never imagined that the piece of trash his family had arranged to marry off his cousin would turn out to be this violent. He seemed calm and cool earlier or so he thought.

Jane was shocked but didn't say a word and so was her parents. They all just watched what had happened and hoped the worse wouldn't happen to them as a result of this. To hit the first grandson? It has never been heard of.

She was doomed …

Her family was doomed too.

Travis hurriedly ran to meet his father where he was having a meeting with some quests back in the hotel.

Smith was still having a chat with some business partners when Travis dashed in yelling.

"Dad! Dad!" He called out,

Travis dashed over immediately, his father frowned at him as his conversation had been interrupted. Travis didn't care.

" We will discuss this some other time," the guest said, rising up to leave.

Smith Snarled and snorted, " what is the meaning of this nonsense Travis? "

" What is it? "He asked angrily.

Someone hit me, Travis replied almost as if he wanted to cry.

"Take a look at my wrist, it 's broken", he said, stretching out the broken wrist for his dad to access.

Who did this to you? Smith asked in fury and shock. He immediately stood up from where he had been sitting. Even he had not had the courage to hit his son this hard.

Who dared to be so vicious?

"Ralph Lauren "

Travis clenched his teeth hard, "that retarded husband of Jane that just married into this family?"

Someone they had just given an opportunity now has the effrontery to hit his son so hard. He couldn't believe it. Just a few minutes and he is already turning into a rebel.

Smith became extremely furious

A nobody?

"Jane asked him to slap me and he did!" He was fuming.

"He hit my hand so hard, my hand is broken now!"

Smith's eyes were red from anger.

He immediately ordered for a doctor to treat Travis' injury.

The guy is a lunatic, you should never provoke a crazy fellow.

"Jane dared to ask her lunatic husband to hit my precious son? She isn't going free with this". He said angrily.

"Dad chased her out of the house, this is the perfect time to do so, you mustn't let her get away with this." Travis added.

If grandpa hears about this matter Jane and her family would definitely leave the family house. Travis is the eldest grandson and the most valued.

Jane is in charge of the huge project that will pull in millions for the company so they can't just throw her away until all documents are signed and sealed.

"I can handle the project myself since it's almost in its concluding stage, at least grandpa would think more highly of completing huge projects such as this". Travis told his Dad.

"I can't take that decision alone Travis", Smith answered.

This is the exact reason the two Abbey brothers are scared. They are afraid that she might gain too much ground in the company since she has executed huge projects within her short stay in the company.

Chase her out Dad, can't you see she's causing nuisance in the family and bringing shame to us and her husband, we can't die cause…

"Enough Travis", Smith raised his hand, interrupting him from completing his sentence.

......

Meanwhile

Jane went home at once with her new husband.

Jane is still stunned all the way home. She marveled at how he had fought Travis for her. She never would have thought that this strange man could hit anyone because of her. She suddenly flipped out of her mind. What was she to do with this man? He is a total stranger. His attack on Travis would eventually lead to losing everything she had worked for. She fears. And knowing that idiots temper he would definitely come back for Ralph.

Ding ding!

She pressed the doorbell and after some time her father opened the door. Guilt filled his eyes. He had failed as a father and would leave to face the shame for the rest of his life.

"Jane you're back?" he managed to ask.

Harry looked at Ralph behind her his face fell, he couldn't say anything and only nodded his approval.

Come….come in he said, face down

"Do not come in", the voice rang loud from the kitchen.

I do not want to see your face again you home wrecker she screamed at Ralph.

He didn't say a word and turned to leave at once when Jane held his hand.

Do not leave, she says.

Turning to her mum.

"He is now my husband now, so he isn't going anywhere just yet".

She bit her lips, the word husband seems too heavy and awkward to her. But what could she do? This is her fate and she must live with it

Her mother looked at her in surprise, narrowing her dark eyes at Ralph.

She sighed murmuring unknown words to herself as she walked back to her bedroom.

"I am washing my hands totally off this matter" she finally screamed to no one exactly before slamming her door.

Ralph had hit someone on her behalf and Travis would not just let him walk out freely. If Ralph lives Travis might hire a hitman to kill him.

Jane is confused…she looked at her father who was just rubbing his thigh.

"All will be fine", she sighed.

"Come on in" she waved at Ralph. He walked in gently into the small apartment.

The Abbey's is a top wealthy family in the whole of Ruwan but Jane and her family were treated with so much hate and disgust. Their house was literally smaller than the average.

Come with me, Jane pulled Ralph by the hand to the other side of the sitting room.

She was so scared her mother would chase her new husband out for the second time and so she led him into her own room. The room isn't a very big room but it was neatly arranged and equipped. It had a bed large enough to contain two full grown humans, a little reading table and a chair. On the left part of the room stood her medium sized wardrobe that housed her clothes and shoes. And a Pink color cabinet where she had her materials and books neatly lined in rows. She had a dressing mirror beside her bedside which made the room look more feminine.

In the room she offered Ralph a seat. He took off his jacket and sat down calmly.

"You should not go out for the time being, Travis might want to hit you where it hurts the most. So you would stay in my house at least he can't hit you while you're living under our roof". She said,

He nodded in reply like a child would.

From today you would sleep on the floor, she said while she rolled out a mat and a set of bed covers from the upper compartment of her medium sized wardrobe. He took the bed covers and carefully placed them on the ground. She is still the sweet and kind little girl he had met years back. She was afraid that her crazy cousin might hurt him, she still wants to protect him even though she knows barely nothing about him. It must be difficult for her to imagine that she is suddenly married to a total stranger. This made her uncomfortable, he could see it written all over her.

Then there was an awkward silence in the room.

Suddenly Jane's phone rang. She watched the phone closely as it vibrated for some time before finally taking the call.

"You are fired Jane"... I do not want to see you anywhere near the company tomorrow"

Your family can die of starvation now….hehehe. it was Travis' voice from the other end of the phone.

Ralph had always bullied her since they were little and he has always gotten away with it. No consequences or punishment whatsoever.

The call ended even before Jane could process the information that had just reached her.

She slumped to the ground in a sitting position, legs folded to the back , she stared at the blanket at the wall, hot tears rolling down her cheek. She had suddenly turned pale, her eyes sullen and red from excessive cry.

Ooooh! She cried out,

"What is the matter?" Ralph finally broke his silence

"I have been fired" she replied

"I have been fired," she cried. Ralph leaned close to her pressing her head against his chest. He consoled her. What was this Travis' problem? he thought to himself. He still doesn't understand why a human would be so wicked to his cousin. She had been fired because he slapped Travis. He became even more angry and thought of what to do to stop this unfair treatment.

"I hit him, I did and not you? This has got nothing to do with you". Ralph spoke directly, angry this time.

I must fix this!

No! You will only complicate things for my family and I please don't, Jane pleaded.

"Don't look for him, he might Just kill you"

Ralph wasn't listening at this point. He had his mind fixed on what he would do to Travis for causing a major damage like this to the young lady who had saved his life nineteen years ago.

Jane has her doubts that Travis would definitely go after Ralph if he leaves her house. She doesn't want more havoc to happen on her account.

My parents must not know about this…they would freak out if they get to find out I am laid off because the husband they imposed on me had slapped their most favorite grandson. She thought about how she had worked so hard for the company by closing big deals. This treatment was definitely unfair, but could a woman do it? She was only a woman.

"I would get another job", she said. "A better one"

She quickly got up to upgrade her resume on her laptop.

Was this Travis asking to die? To Ralph Travis was as mean as his grandfather, ruthless and heartless. A man who derives joy in causing pain to another. His mind did a quick flash to the scene he had witnessed as a little boy , seeing his parents in a pool of their own blood.

All he could think of right now was to avenge those who caused him pain and those who made this little girl suffer.

He picked up his phone and sent a message. A short but detailed message.