Chapter 002
1155 Words
ELARA
My dad drove back with my mind spiraling. I still haven't understood all that's happening, and it's all still confusing to me. He wants me, but why?
Dante Valerio.
This is the first time I'm coming in close contact with him; this is the first time I'm seeing him this close. I've heard of his names, in campus schools, on the internet, and around this country, and now in my home.
Why? How did my father get here? How did he get himself into this s**t? I don't even understand a thing, but I didn't raise any questions.
I'm going to wait until we get home because of the situation my dad is in at the moment; if I start a heated argument, it will lead us to a crashing accident.
The moment we parked in our compound, I was the first to jump down and walk inside the house.
The dad came in after, and I stood in the middle of the living room, my hands on my waist.
"Start speaking , Dad. What was the meaning of that?" I sounded harsh and anxious.
My dad let out a deep sigh before crouching on the couch.
"I don't know how I messed up Ela, I don't know. I borrowed that money for a big project, but it didn't work in my favor. I've sold my houses, cars, and everything I have, but I couldn't meet. I didn't realize I took a lot of money, and it's all still messing with my mind. Even the company is dropping, and it's not providing good income..." My father said with a low voice, and I felt pity for him.
"How much are we talking about right now?" I asked.
"30 million dollars!" My dad answered, and my heart flew out of my ribcage.
"What????"
"Oh my God!!"
"Dad, what did you do with such an amount of money?" I lamented in shock.
I looked around the house, and everything was empty. My dad had sold a lot of things, and we were left with nothing, nothing at all.
Now how are we going to pay him off?
"I have 20 million, I will try giving him that first" My dad said, and I sighed, sitting in the chair.
But something tells me that even if we come up with this money, he wouldn't take it. He already said he doesn't want the money but me in exchange for it…but no, I refuse to be a bargain.
I will gather this up.
"I will look for ways to pay him up father" At least I needed to try. My father has done a lot it's now up to me.
"You can't Ela, he wouldn't...."
"So I should sit and wait while he takes me away in exchange for your debt owed to him?" I ranted.
"No Ela, that's not what I meant...." My father sighed.
"He wouldn't let you have your way, you don't know him"
"I'm going out, Father. I must seek for a way out" I ignored my father's words and grabbed my phone, heading out.
I wanted to take my car, but it now belongs to my father, and he needed it the most. I walked down the road before booking a taxi.
"I'm so sorry, but we can't give you any money from that account right now!" The young lady said it to my face, and my body electrified.
"What? What I don't understand?" This wasn't summing up.
I opened an insurance account that helps me hold all of my money, and I've been saving there for years. In record, I have more than 5 million dollars in there.
The money my dad gives me on most occasions when it's not needed, I do transfer it to this account, and now suddenly I can't access it.
"We can't give you any money from your insurance account because it's under maintenance" The Lady said.
"And what kind of maintenance is that? Please, I need that money. Just give it to me now please" I begged.
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but it's not within my power"
"Ok what about borrowing? You guys do that here, right? Just give me the form, and I will fill it out and..."
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but that service is currently unavailable right now" The young lady cut me off, and I knew this wasn't what it was portraying to be.
I left angrily and went to other banks...
“I’m so sorry, Ms. Russo. Mr. Hale had to leave unexpectedly. Perhaps next month?” The secretary of a bank executive that offered to hire me when I graduated from school just rejected me.
“Next month?” I repeated to be sure of what I heard.
“Yes. His schedule is very full.”
He had cleared his schedule for her last year before, but it's okay.
I stood up and walked out slowly.
Second bank…declined.
Third..." Unfortunately, we cannot extend further credit.”
Fourth…voicemail.
By evening, even family friends had stopped answering my calls.
One claimed they were “traveling.”
Another said it wasn’t a good time.
Doors kept slamming in my face, over and over again.
Their replies were different but the same, like it was staged and planned.
"f**k!" I threw my phone across the street in disappointment.
I couldn't reach my friends and family. Some of their numbers were not connecting, and then my father's words played in my ears, "He wouldn't let me"
Dante Valerio.
He's the reason behind this.
I picked up my broken phone and booked a taxi heading to that same place I came out from.
He's indeed a canny and mischievous man, and now he's going to explain to me what he really wants.
I got down from the car, and the gate opened up to me. They didn't question me, like they were expecting me or something; instead, they led me inside, and there he was, sitting perfectly on his chair with a great aura exuding from him.
“Elara Russo. Twenty-four years old, studying economics at New-World University. Volunteers on Saturdays drink coffee without sugar. Has few friends and no boyfriend. Loves herself a lot and feels so dedicated to her studies. You bite the inside of your cheek when you’re calculating risk and think clearly before speaking. Best in class and school, and you got countless people begging for your attention when you graduated, despite your father being a businessman..." He said, Slow and calm, before lifting his head up, and his eyes fell on me, with that same canny smile of his dancing around the corner of his lips.
My stomach dropped in shock. How is he aware of all this? What kind of man is this?
"You had me investigated?” I questioned.
“Of course, E.L.A.R.A...." He dragged my name so smoothly, his eyes not leaving mine, and an unknown fear crept into me.
- Writer
