Episode Three-The debt
1437 Words
Ava stood in the middle of the hallway, still holding Damian Blackwood’s letter.
She had read it three times.
The words had not changed.
I expect to see you tomorrow.
She looked at her father.
“What did you do?”
Richard’s face tightened.
“I told you. The company is in trouble.”
“No.”
Ava held up the letter.
“This isn’t just about money.”
Her father said nothing.
“You know him.”
Richard walked back into the study.
Ava followed.
“You’ve met Damian. You borrowed money from him. You knew he was coming for us, and you said nothing.”
“I was trying to fix it.”
“You had six months.”
“I thought I could.”
Ava stared at him.
“How?”
Richard sat behind his desk.
“I had deals coming.”
“Which deals?”
He looked away.
“Dad.”
“None of them worked.”
Ava folded her arms.
“So you kept borrowing.”
“Yes.”
“And now we owe Damian Blackwood everything?”
Richard nodded.
Ava felt anger rising in her chest.
“You should have told me.”
“What would you have done?”
“I don’t know!”
Her voice broke.
“But I deserved to know.”
Richard looked at his daughter.
For a moment, he looked ashamed.
“I didn’t want you worrying about the company when you were planning your wedding.”
Ava let out a bitter laugh.
“My wedding?”
She thought about Daniel.
About Elena.
About the bedroom upstairs.
Her eyes burned again.
“That’s already over.”
Richard’s expression changed.
“What happened?”
Ava looked away.
“I caught Daniel with Elena.”
Her father went completely still.
“What?”
“Your daughter and your future son-in-law.”
She swallowed.
“In bed.”
Richard stood up.
“Ava…”
“I don’t want to talk about Daniel.”
She wiped her cheek quickly.
“I have enough problems.”
Richard walked around the desk.
“Ava, I’m sorry.”
She nodded.
She knew he meant it.
But tonight, sorry wasn’t enough.
She placed the letter on his desk.
“Tell me everything.”
Richard stared at it.
“There is nothing else to tell.”
“Then why are you afraid?”
“I am not afraid.”
“You are.”
Ava pointed at the letter.
“You were shaking when you saw this.”
Richard didn’t answer.
Ava leaned closer.
“What happened between you and Damian?”
Her father looked toward the window.
“Your grandfather started Bennett Industries with nothing.”
Ava frowned.
“Dad—”
“I know what you’re going to say.”
He sighed.
“But you need to understand how we got here.”
Richard began explaining.
The company had grown quickly.
Then came expansion.
New factories.
New contracts.
Large loans.
At first, everything seemed to work.
Then one major project failed.
Another investor pulled out.
A supplier sued them.
The banks started demanding payment.
Richard borrowed more money to cover the losses.
One debt became two.
Two became five.
Until the numbers were too large to control.
“And Damian?” Ava asked.
“He bought the biggest debt.”
“Why would he do that?”
Richard’s jaw tightened.
“He wanted control.”
“Control of Bennett Industries?”
Richard shook his head.
“Not exactly.”
Ava stared at him.
“What does that mean?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“I never understood why he was so interested in our company.”
Ava’s suspicion grew.
“Then why did you agree to the deal?”
“Because I had no choice.”
Richard opened a drawer and pulled out a thick folder.
He placed it on the desk.
Ava opened it.
Bank statements.
Loan agreements.
Legal notices.
She turned page after page.
The numbers made her dizzy.
Then she found something.
“Dad.”
“What?”
“This transfer.”
Richard’s face changed.
Ava pointed at a large payment.
“Who received this?”
He quickly took the paper from her.
“Nobody important.”
Ava stared at him.
“Nobody important?”
“It was part of the business.”
“Who?”
Richard folded the document.
“Leave it.”
“Dad.”
“I said leave it.”
His voice was louder than before.
Ava stepped back.
She had never heard him speak to her like that.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Before she could ask another question, headlights appeared through the study window.
A black car stopped outside.
Richard’s face went pale.
Ava noticed.
“Is that him?”
Richard didn’t answer.
A car door opened.
A man stepped out.
He was dressed in a dark suit.
Another man followed him.
Then another.
Ava’s heart began to race.
“Dad?”
Richard walked toward the window but stopped before touching the curtain.
“It’s too early.”
“Who?”
He whispered the answer.
“Damian.”
Ava’s stomach tightened.
“Tonight?”
Richard nodded.
Ava looked toward the front door.
Someone knocked.
Once.
Twice.
Then a third time.
Richard closed his eyes.
“I told you he doesn’t like waiting.”
Ava stood still.
The front door opened.
A housekeeper’s frightened voice came from the hallway.
“Mr. Bennett, there are men here asking for you.”
Richard straightened his jacket.
“I’ll handle it.”
Ava followed him.
“No.”
He looked back.
“Stay upstairs.”
“I’m not a child.”
“Ava, please.”
She ignored him.
They entered the main hall.
A man stood near the door.
He was older than Damian, perhaps in his forties, with a cold expression and a tablet in his hand.
“Mr. Bennett.”
Richard nodded.
“Mr. Blackwood sent you?”
“Yes.”
The man looked at Ava.
Then back at Richard.
“He wants the outstanding amount settled.”
Richard’s face tightened.
“I already explained that I need more time.”
“You’ve had six months.”
“I can pay.”
The man gave him a flat look.
“With what?”
Richard said nothing.
The man opened his tablet.
“The deadline has been moved forward.”
Ava’s heart sank.
“When?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
Richard stepped forward.
“You can’t do this.”
“I don’t make the decisions.”
He turned the tablet toward Richard.
“Mr. Blackwood does.”
Ava looked at the figures on the screen.
The amount was enormous.
“That’s everything,” she whispered.
The man looked at her.
“Yes.”
Richard’s shoulders dropped.
“What happens if I can’t pay?”
The man’s expression remained cold.
“Blackwood International takes possession of the company, your properties, and the remaining family assets.”
Ava felt her stomach twist.
“And after that?”
The man paused.
Then he looked directly at her.
“Mr. Blackwood has made a separate arrangement concerning you.”
Ava’s heart stopped.
Richard immediately stepped between them.
“She has nothing to do with this.”
The man gave a faint smile.
“That isn’t what Mr. Blackwood believes.”
Ava stared at him.
“What arrangement?”
The man didn’t answer.
Instead, he closed the tablet.
“You’ll find out tomorrow.”
He turned toward the door.
Then stopped.
“One more thing.”
Richard looked at him.
“Mr. Blackwood said you should remember the agreement you signed three months ago.”
Richard’s face went white.
Ava noticed.
“Dad?”
But the man had already walked out.
The door closed behind him.
Ava slowly turned toward her father.
“What agreement?”
Richard didn’t speak.
“Dad.”
He looked at her.
And Ava saw something she had never seen in his eyes before.
Fear.
Real fear.
“What did you sign?”
Richard swallowed.
“Something that could change your life.”
Ava’s heart pounded.
“What did you promise him?”
Her father looked away.
“I promised him that if I couldn’t pay…”
He stopped.
Ava waited.
Then he whispered,
“I would give him another way to settle the debt.”
Ava stared at him.
“What way?”
Richard’s eyes filled with tears.
He couldn’t say it.
He didn’t have to.
Ava suddenly understood.
And somewhere outside the house, a black car was still waiting.
Damian Blackwood wasn’t asking for his money anymore.
He was coming for her.
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