PTE

s of my company the next day. I had been gone for thr

ll in bold gold letters. It was my father'

, I knew something wasn't right. The r

fice, I saw some men in b

the men said as the

d. "And

her folder. "We are representatives from Merr

bitter on my tongue. I hadn't

was go

pped in my chest as I saw the outrageo

loan that would b

ttom was my c

his... this isn't possib

changed

. "Derrick Anthony applied for a loan, using your compan

pin as my knees th

Always

ngs to me? Was this what he me

My voice was steady, even though m

man replied. "Either you pa

e we

the

ave a company worth generat

to let the Laurent name fall into ruin. And yet Derrick

st chair. My fingers pressed into my temples

ogany desk in front of me and

.

ill n

rents' graves in the rain. My hair clung to my fac

mixing with the rain. "Father.. Moth

now, he wants to take even the only thing you lef

th leave me, huh? My breath hangs as I hicc

descended on me, and I d

essed to the muddy ground.

to stand up, and that

unknown

ou." A distorted voice booms from the othe

as I quickly sat

The voice said and hung up. A me

an ad

ed me to a se

froze as I stepped into a

d have

n ecstasy. The man's face was hidden behind a black

e ordered

r clothes and left, lea

ed my arms. "Who are you? A

is mask concealed everything except his l

He drawled, ".

d what do you want in r

epping closer. "I already have more power than you

us step backwar

and then, he slow

an cold im

enc

d. "Hello

us son of the Anthony family and Derrick's twin was stan

was the one I was supposed to marry, but he suddenly bro

elieved he was

're suppos

hat's what Derrick wanted. That'

ed back,

o he could rise in Father's eyes. And when I went to prison, he sent someone to kill me. But fa

s burning into mine. "An

hair behind my ear. "..T

hat these were the same ey

e at the

t at least I got to see his blood." He shr

ard. "So you

m of everything he ever stole, just as he did to me. And you, Clara.

him, my thou

These aren't just empty wor

n Merry Loans, which mean

you want

d too good

his hands went ro

way. "Never. I will never go back to

debt. Together, we'll rise above Derrick, and the courts will

Was this salvati

e. "If you betray me again, Spencer,

irk de

would