The Billion Dollar Arena

The sound of knocking echoed through the small apartment. Bang. Bang. Bang. Ethan Voss lifted his head from the kitchen table. The old wooden table was covered with medical bills, unpaid notices, and documents he had read so many times that he already knew every number written on them. His expression was exhausted. Not because he was tired from work. Because he was tired of fighting a battle he couldn't win. Another loud knock shook the door. "Ethan Voss!" A cold voice came from outside. "We know you are inside. Open the door." Ethan's face darkened. He already knew who it was. Debt collectors. For months, they had been calling. Every week, another warning. Every month, another demand. His father's failed business had left behind a mountain of debt, and after his father's disappearance, the responsibility fell onto Ethan and his mother. They had lost almost everything. The house they once owned. Their savings. Their comfortable life. Now, they were struggling just to survive. "Ethan..." A weak voice came from the bedroom. He turned around. His mother was lying on the bed, covered with a thin blanket. Her illness had taken away most of her energy, leaving her unable to work. She looked at him with worried eyes. "Who is it?" Ethan forced a smile. "It's nothing, Mom." But she knew. She had heard the voice too. The knocking came again. Bang! "Ethan Voss! We have authorization to inspect and collect remaining assets. Open the door immediately." Ethan closed his eyes for a moment. Then he walked toward the door and opened it. Three people stood outside. Two men and one woman, all dressed professionally. The man in front looked at his tablet. "Ethan Voss?" "Yes." "We are here regarding the outstanding debt connected to your father's company." Ethan stepped aside slightly. "You already know we don't have anything left." The man didn't react. "That is not for you to decide." He entered the apartment. The other two followed. Ethan's jaw tightened. "This is my home." "And this is a legal collection process." The collector looked around. The apartment was small. Old furniture. Damaged walls. Almost nothing valuable. But they still searched. They opened cabinets. Checked drawers. Looked through rooms. Ethan stood there silently, watching strangers search through the last pieces of his life. One of them picked up an old laptop. "Take that." Ethan immediately stepped forward. "No." The collector looked at him. "It has value." "I use that for studying." "Your debt is more important." Ethan stared at him. For a moment, anger filled his chest. He wanted to stop them. He wanted to throw them out. But then he heard his mother's weak cough. His anger disappeared. He couldn't risk making things worse. The collectors continued. They took the television. Some electronics. Anything they believed could be sold. Finally, the leader checked his tablet. "Total value collected is insufficient." Ethan looked at him. "Then what do you want?" The collector calmly answered: "Payment." A bitter smile appeared on Ethan's face. "If I had the money, do you think we would still be living like this?" The man ignored his words. "You have seven days to provide a solution." Ethan's eyes widened. "Seven days?" "After that, further action will be taken." The collector turned and walked away. Before leaving, he glanced toward Ethan's mother. "Medical expenses will continue increasing." Ethan's expression changed. "Leave." The collectors left without another word. The door closed. Silence returned. Ethan stood in the middle of the apartment. The empty spaces where their belongings used to be felt louder than words. His mother looked at him. "I'm sorry, Ethan." He immediately shook his head. "No." He sat beside her. "You don't have anything to apologize for." She looked away. "I just wish I could help you more." Ethan lowered his head. "You've already done enough." He held her hand. "I'll find a way." His mother smiled faintly. "You always say that." Ethan looked toward the window. The city lights shined brightly outside. Thousands of people were living their lives. But he felt trapped. He needed money. Not a little. Not enough to survive another month. He needed enough to erase everything. The debt. The medical bills. The suffering. That night, after his mother fell asleep, Ethan sat alone at the table. He stared at the documents in front of him. For the first time, he wondered how far someone would go when they had nothing left. Outside, the world continued normally. People laughed. Cars moved. Life continued.