The Tycoon's Collateral

THE PAYMENT Aaah... Dad cried, Brianna. Why me of all the Derick Jones? You could have sought other means of paying the debt you owe the Toney Bensons. Should I be the one constantly giving up my dreams to save this family’s face? Brianna, dear Derick, Brianna’s father cut in: “I never meant it this way, my child, but I am posed with no other option than to… “To give out your daughter as cheap collateral to your debtor, an ordinary housekeeper, dad!! I forgive everything you’ve done to me in life, but this? I can't. I won't be used as a cheap collateral for debt. It is not worth it, Dad. It's not…” she ended with tears in her eyes, a feeling of rejection and disappointment boldly written all over her face. Ana dear, we are hands tied. Would we have given out our child if we had other ways to fix this mess? Please, my child, your father, and I have thought over this and certainly, there is no way out except this, or would you rather we give our house, the only place we could call home, to redeem the debt? You’ve been a very understanding girl, my child, and I know you’ll understand with us this time too. Rose Brianna’s stepmum elaborated. Dad, if…, if mum were to be here, I... I…wouldn’t have been used as an exchange for a debt, Brianna lamented, but it's fine. I will go, first thing after the first c**k crow I’ll leave, and I tell you, you won’t see me again… Anna, please hear me out I will… (she walked out of the living room with her father in total shock at her last statement) “I won't see her again? What could she be planning?” Mr. Derick, the owner of Derick Jones Enterprise, took a loan from the Toney Bensons, one of the lords of High Valley, and signed to give up his daughter as his most precious asset if he failed to pay off the loan at the stipulated time. Lord Benson agreed on the payment choice. (Early in the morning the sun rose beautifully high in the sky, and the ray of light shunned brightly, shinning so bright, smiling cheerfully through the inner vale of Brianna’s room windows, a gentle snap of it on her sweet tender cheeks waking her up to behold the new day) ‘Brianna fell asleep the night after the heated argument with her father and didn’t wake till the sun helped her realize it was a new day’. She sat on the corner of her bed facing the direction of the sun, smiling admiringly at it, busy old you, you won't fail to remind me how long through the night I slept’ Huggghhh… yearning loudly, she thought to herself ‘How will the atmosphere of the Bensons home be each morning, will the sun sit beautifully, beaming brightly through my windows, waking me up to a beautiful day, or will the Bensons frown at the sweet singing of the hummingbirds, will they have the day welcomed with the sweet sound of nature? Will there be… BRIANNA! BRIANNA! … The ever-harsh voice of her stepmum echoed through the main living room to the kitchen, then disrupted her thoughts and nature time, awakening the actions of the new day which seemed lost to her. Ohho!! Can one ever have a moment of calmness in this house? Guess it would be better off in the Bensons. Who knows, one might find time alone to discuss with nature and relax, and that is if there is sun over there as beautiful as this. Mhhhmmm!! She heaved a sigh of relief. ‘It's time to freshen up and start the day. Let the day be fair and bright unto all amen’. She jumped on her feet and made her way to the bathroom to freshen up; what would the day look like, she thought to herself? A yellow dress on a bright morning. Would that make a day too busy? She muttered words to herself while shoving through her wardrobe trying to make a selection of the best dress and color for the day. O! Yea, she exclaimed. I think I love this. The perfect color for a seemingly busy day; a purple gown with a touch of yellow flowers, she put it on and admired herself through the mirror. The gown was sitting beautifully on her, her well-curved body shape was made evident. The color combination of the dress made her bright body color glow, the slim arm sleeves gave way for her adorable arm length to be noticed, and the length of the dress made way for her beautifully built knees to shove together, causing her elegant hips to dance to the rhythm of her walking steps, she shoved her hair to her shoulders creating an artistic shape of a royal sculpture in a royal palace. She looked at herself in the mirror once again and gave a smile of satisfaction to say; “Brianna, you are beautiful”. As she made to walk through her door, the voice came echoing again. “BRIANNA!! What on earth have you been doing in that room until this time of day? Have you forgotten we will be having guests today?" The thought of guests ran through her mind as she made her way to the kitchen, ‘if these visitors are the Bensons, will I be asked to go with them? Or has Dad sought other means of offsetting the loan? Am I ready to experience a different environment? Ohh! Well, it isn’t too peaceful here anyway. I pray not to meet the worst of my worst." She concluded as she hastened up to meet her stepmom in the kitchen to avoid more resounding shouts of her name. In the Jones dining room, voices of men are heard echoing on topics very familiar to Brianna. The Bensons have come to take that which is theirs by agreement. “Lord Benson, Derick called out, I'm sorry I couldn’t meet up to my words, it is shameful that things turned out this way. I know it won't be of any interest to you to take my daughter with you in place of your money. But I promise you I will come for her as soon as I can pay off the debt, to ease the burden off your shoulders; but one thing I assure you, he continued, is that you won't regret having my daughter in your household. She is one of the best humans I know. Just like her late mother, you will appreciate her stay”, he concluded with pain. “We will not be having further issues, Jones my friend, if your daughter is of good behavior, just as you said. Lord Benson cut in, smiling ear to ear as though he envisioned this day. Then she would get more than a housekeeper position in my mansion. He smiled again, but this time, admiring Brianna, who walked in carrying a bow of a deliciously made meal.