Weiss Manor

VENESSA'S POV

I wait in my husband's car as he changes his suit for the sixth time. I have never seen him put so much effort in ensuring that his appearance is appealing. One would think that he got a job as a runway model. I wouldn't be surprised if he stepped out in a pretty dress this time. 

I sigh in relief when he emerges in a yellow suit and black tie. He makes his way to me and halts close by. 

"How do you think I look?" he asks, spinning around in front of my eyes. 

The trousers are a bit too tight for a man of his size. But I do not want him to go back inside the house to change for the seventh time, so I forge a smile to appear impressed. 

"The material looks good on you. Your relatives might mistake you for a millionaire though," I say.

"That's the goal. I want them to think that I have it all. That it is me that our father should have entrusted his fortune to," he says. 

He is clearly very bitter about the issue. If their father knew him as well as I do now, then I am sure he had good reasons to leave his fortune to his other son. I would too. 

Marcus gets in the car and we start the drive to his family's reunion. He paid me my three thousand dollars which can buy me basics for a while. It's not enough for my legal representation. I am honestly giving up on the quest for divorce as Weiss bank will soon start demanding back the loan and there is nothing I can gain from the divorce that can pay it. I cannot even afford hospital bill for birth of the baby inside me.

Marcus receives a call and it seems urgent enough to make him stop the car and answer. 

"His manor at Harbor Point estate? Why does it have to be there?" he complains after listening for a little while. 

Sounds like he doesn't like the venue of the event. I have never been to Harbour Point estate because only the rich reside there. Marcus angrily tosses the phone aside after the call.

"Those boot-licking idiots got my brother to host the reunion in his magnificent manor! Sounds like the scheming bastard has grown a lot more richer than I anticipated. Not even our father's entire fortune could have built a manor at Harbor Point Estate," he whines and I can sense the envy in his voice. 

If he was serious about competing with his rich brother he wouldn't have wasted the loan I borrowed to save his business. He is a selfish fool whose only talent is cheating. 

His demeanor grows more tense as we enter Harbor Point estate and the scenery shifts from the bustling town to a tranquil suburban haven. 

The lawns are meticulously manicured and the air is crisp and clean, filled with the sweet scent of blooming gardens.

Marcus slows the car, seeming stupefied by the sheer splendor of this place. It's as if time itself slowed down here, allowing the rich residents to savor each moment in a world that seems untouched by the chaos of world. 

"Are you sure your brother lives anywhere close to this place?" I ask.

My husband seems unsure. He finds his phone once again and dials. Whatever answer he gets doesn't seem to better his moods.

"His Manor is one mile away. They say the name is displayed on the gate. I bet his house looks nothing like these nice houses," he say as he sets down the phone and carries on driving. 

All colour appears to drain from his face as he stops the car near a guarded, black gate with the writings, Weiss Manor, at the top. 

Seems like the name Weiss belongs to the rich in this city. In fact the thought of it stirs a pleasurable sensation in my lower abdomen. I remember the face of my gorgeous escort like I was with him last night. And I wish he was the man driving this car, not just driving my mind crazy.

The guards open the gates and holly sweet baby Jesus! Is that a Manor or a castle? I have to remind my husband to drive forward and not just stare. He does and the guards ask for his identity card. He appears angered as he holds it up for them to check. They wave him forward.

The gates open wider to reveal a long, winding driveway lined with perfectly manicured hedges and trees. The grandeur of the estate became even more apparent as the whole, huge mansion comes into view. It's sleek, modern design gleaming in the sunlight. 

It's almost ten times bigger than the others we passed by and looks like a tiny heaven on earth. I can already imagine the grand staircase inside and the massive pool at the back. I cannot help but feel a desire to live in this tranquil haven, it seems to embody the very essence of  contentment.

I am startled from my fantasies when Marcus briefly loses control of the car and almost drives us into one of the trees that line the driveway. He luckily steps on the brakes on time.

"Oh! Sorry. I got a little distracted. It's a f*cking long driveway," he says in a voice thick with range. 

Surely he cannot be this envious of his rich brother. If their father's fortune wasn't huge, then the brother must have made a good use of it. I mean, multiplied it like bread with lot's of yeast. 

Can I borrow the man a loan to pay the one his foolish brother wasted? Marcus wouldn't approve of course as his ego is too big to let him admit his mistakes and borrow funds from his brother. Besides he doesn't care about the loan as it is I who took it. I wonder if the rich brother loves him enough to pay a massive ransom, because kidnapping my own husband to get money is starting to sound like a really good idea right now. 

"How often does your brother call to check on you?" I ask.

"There is no way he even knows my number," Marcus responds. 

Guess kidnapping him wouldn't get me all the money I want. I envy his brother's wife whoever she is. I bet she has never needed to take a loan. 

"Don't talk to anyone about our financial struggles or the accident we almost had on our way in. It's embarrassing for me," Marcus tells as he pulls the car to an halt on a parking spot outside the house.

There are three people standing near the front entrance of the manor. One is a woman whose face bears some resemblance to that of my husband and two servants in sleek uniform. 

We step out and the woman makes her way to us. "I was getting worried that you had decided not to show up like last time. I am glad to see that you have gained a sense of wisdom," the woman says I a joyous voice as she hugs Marcus. 

"I am a man with great reputation now, mother. Why would I fail to come?" he says to his Mother. "Are you guys even sure this place is Weiss's?"

His mother's smile widens. "Dear, how can you not be aware all this time? Your brother became a billionaire," the woman informs, making my husband stumble back in shock.