FROM RAGS TO RICHES

"I can finally see again." Damian smiled with pure joy as he looked at himself in the mirror. The curse that had haunted him for five years was finally lifted. "That means… my healing powers are back too." He looked at his palms, still stunned but thrilled. Once, Damian had been a Healing God—until a grave mistake in the Celestial Realm got him cast down to Earth, cursed to live as a poor, disabled man. "Now I can work again... and make my wife happy." Damian planned to open an alternative medicine clinic, earn money, and finally afford all the branded stuff his wife and her family dreamed of. These days, diseases were everywhere—and people were desperate for cures. Including his wife, Seraphina Sanchez. She’d been born with a weak heart and had lived with the condition her whole life. Damian suddenly remembered the promise he made to her late father, Lucius Sanchez, who’d passed away three years ago. He had vowed to free Seraphina from the demonic curse slowly killing her—if he ever got his powers back. If not, she’d be dead by 25. Damian smiled faintly. He intended to keep that promise—out of gratitude. Lucius had taken care of him since he was just 14. “Oh, baby… that feels so good.” Damian froze. That moan was Seraphina’s voice. His brow furrowed. Who was she moaning with? They hadn’t even touched each other once in their three-year marriage—Seraphina found him disgusting. He grabbed his cane out of habit and walked toward the room next door—Seraphina’s room. They’d never shared a bed. The door was cracked open. And the voices—hers and a man’s—grew louder, clearer. Damian’s chest tightened. "Is your husband home?" the man whispered between kisses. Seraphina let out a sarcastic laugh. "Why do you care? Even if he is, it’s not like he can see what we’re doing, babe." Her voice… she was clearly enjoying it. Damian’s world crumbled. His fists clenched. All these years, he had respected her wishes, let her humiliate him, let her family treat him like a servant. No more. He shoved the door open. “Damian!?” Seraphina gasped. The man, Alston, looked just as shocked. “What the hell are you doing, Seraphina? Who is this guy?” Damian snapped. “That’s none of your business! How dare you barge in here! Get out!” she shouted, not even a hint of guilt in her voice. “None of my business?” Damian’s hands shook with rage. “You cheat on me and I’m the one disturbing you?!” His eyes burned red. “I kept quiet when you insulted me. I swallowed it all. But this—this is where I draw the line!” “Stop blaming Seraphina, loser!” Alston stepped forward arrogantly, his shirt half open, showing off his ripped abs. He kicked Damian’s cane out from under him. “You should blame yourself! If you were rich, maybe she wouldn’t be sleeping with me! I can give her everything she wants. Money, status—whatever!” “He’s right,” Seraphina said coldly, wrapping her arms around Alston’s. “You’ve never given me anything but shame and suffering. At least Alston can bring Sanchez Corp back to its former glory.” “You’re cheating on me… for that?” Damian couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Her father had raised her to be an honorable woman. “For that?” Seraphina sneered. “You can’t even give me that.” Damian went silent. “There’s no point in keeping this marriage. My dad’s dead, and I’ve already taken all his wealth from you. I don’t need you anymore,” she added with a smug smile. “Taken it? What are you talking about?” “You really are clueless, Damian. You wanna know why I haven’t divorced you yet—even after my father died?” she mocked. “It’s because he left everything to you. So I had to keep you around to avoid being kicked out of this mansion. But I got smart. Remember the hospital consent form you signed last week? It wasn’t that. It was a document transferring everything to me.” Damian was speechless. Too shocked. Too heartbroken. Too betrayed. “I never imagined I married a demon.” His voice was sharp, cold. “Everyone deserves to be happy, don’t they?” Seraphina chuckled cruelly. “I’m just choosing my happiness.” He stood frozen. “What are you waiting for? Get the hell out and don’t ever come back!” Alston growled, throwing his arm around Seraphina’s waist. “Oh—and by the way, thanks for making me the first man to ever touch your wife.” Rage exploded inside Damian. BAM! “Argh!” Alston crashed into the nightstand, shattering a vase. His eyes widened in shock as Damian’s punch landed square on his jaw. “You bastard! You dare hit me?!” Alston charged, throwing a punch—but Damian caught his arm easily, twisting it until Alston screamed in pain. Seraphina was stunned. “You… you’ve been faking it? You could see this whole time? You liar!" "You’ve got it wrong! Your father begged me to save you!” Damian yelled, his voice rising. “Save me? Please. He ruined my life by making me marry you!” Alston screamed for the bodyguards. “Get this trash out of here! Break his legs if you have to—he scammed my girlfriend’s family!” “You won’t need to.” Damian’s voice was icy. “I’m leaving.” He walked out with nothing but his wedding ring and an old phone. He boarded a bus headed to a park far away. I’m sorry, Mr. Lucius… I failed you. Suddenly, a fat man in a black mask collapsed at Damian’s feet. The passengers screamed, and the driver slammed the brakes. “Someone just fainted!” Damian dropped to his knees and checked the man’s pulse. His lips were blue. His eyes were yellow. “He’s been poisoned,” Damian muttered. He pressed his hand to the man’s chest, trying to transfer healing energy—but it didn’t work. Damian growled in frustration. “Guess I’m not fully healed yet.” “Anyone got a needle?” he asked frantically, scanning the crowd. A woman hesitated, then handed over a small sewing kit. “Here you go, young man.” Damian grabbed a needle and quickly inserted it into several acupuncture points—chest, neck, and head—to stop the poison from reaching the brain. “Drive us to the nearest hospital. Now!” he barked. The driver nodded and stepped on the gas. I hope he makes it…