EPISODE 8
1063 Words
WOES OF AN ORPHAN.
Two weeks had passed since Isabella found out about her boyfriend’s infidelity, and she decided to move on. She was trying to pick up the pieces and move on, but the pain still stuck to her. She had started going to therapy sessions and was slowly learning to cope with her emotions.
She only wished she could meet that handsome stranger and tell him a proper thank-you.
One day, as she was getting ready for work, the doorbell rang. She opened the door to find her father standing there, looking worried and anxious.
''Hey, kiddo. Can I come in?'' he asked, his voice breaking with tears.
Isabella's instincts told her something was wrong. She let him in, and they sat down in the living room.
"Dad, what's going on?" she asked, her heart beating in her chest.
Her father took a deep breath before speaking. ''Isabella, I need to tell you something. Something I should have told you a long time ago.''
Isabella's mind raced with thoughts. "What is it, Dad?"
Her father's eyes filled up with tears. "Remember how your mother was sick for a long time before she passed away?"
Isabella nodded, her throat dry.
''Well, I took out a loan to pay for her treatment. I wanted to save her, Isabella. I wanted to give her a chance to fight.''
Isabella's eyes widened in shock. ''A loan? Dad, how much?"
Her father was quiet for a moment before answering. ''A lot, kiddo. More than I can pay back. And now...now the creditors are coming after us.''
Isabella felt like she had been punched in the gut. Her father's debts were coming back to haunt her, just when she thought she was starting to heal.
Isabella's mind raced as she tried to process the information. ''How much, Dad? How much did you borrow?"
Her father hesitated, looking down at his hands. ''I borrowed $500,000, Isabella. I know it was a lot, but I was desperate. I wanted to save your mother.''
Isabella felt like she was going to faint. Five hundred thousand dollars, 500,000 was a huge amount, and she had no idea how they would ever pay it back.
''Dad, why didn't you tell me? Why did you keep it a secret?'' she asked, trying to keep her voice steady, but her emotions choked her and she failed.
Her father looked up at her, his eyes filled with tears. ''I didn't want to burden you, Isabella. You are already going through so much with your mother's illness. I wanted to protect you from the stress and worry.''
Isabella shook her head, feeling a mix of emotions. She was angry that her father had kept this secret from her, but she also understood why he had done it.
''What are we going to do, Dad? How are we going to pay back the loan?'' she asked, trying to think of a solution.
Her father sighed he had already given up hope. ''I don't know, kiddo. I've been trying to make payments, but it's not enough. The creditors are threatening to claim ownership of the house if we don't pay up soon.''
Isabella felt fear take over her. She couldn't lose her home, after everything she had been through.
Isabella's mind raced as she tried to process the information. ''How much, Dad? How much did you borrow?"
Her father hesitated, looking down at his hands. ''I borrowed $500,000, Isabella. I know it was a lot, but I was desperate. I wanted to save your mother.''
Isabella felt like she was going to collapse. $500,000 was a staggering amount, and she had no idea how they would ever pay it back.
''Dad, why didn't you tell me? Why did you keep it a secret?'' she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
Her father looked up at her, his eyes filled with tears. ''I didn't want to burden you, Isabella. You are already going through so much with your mother's illness. I wanted to protect you from the stress and worry.''
Isabella shook her head, feeling a mix of emotions. She was angry that her father had kept this secret from her, but she also understood why he had done it.
''What are we going to do, Dad? How are we going to pay back the loan?'' she asked, trying to think of a solution.
Her father sighed, looking defeated. ''I don't know, kiddo. I've been trying to make payments, but it's not enough. The creditors are threatening to foreclose on the house if we don't pay up soon.''
Isabella felt a wave of fear wash over her. She couldn't lose her home, after everything else she had been through.
Isabella's mind raced as she tried to think of a solution. She couldn't let her father lose the house, not after everything he had been through. The house was the only thing left in his name. There was no way she would let him lose it.
''Dad, don't worry. We'll figure something out. We'll sell the house and move into a smaller place. We'll make it work,'' she said, trying to sound assuring.
Her father shook his head, his eyes filled with pain. ''It's not that simple, Isabella. The creditors won't settle for just the house. They'll come after us for the remaining balance. We'll be in debt for years, maybe even decades.''
Isabella felt her blood run cold. She had never imagined that her father's debt would be so much and hard to pay off.
Suddenly, an idea formed in her mind and made its way into her head. ''Dad, what if I take out a loan to pay off the creditors? I can use my credit score and get a better interest rate. We can pay it off together, slowly but surely.''
Her father looked at her, his eyes filled with hope. ''Isabella, I don't want you to trouble yourself with my mistakes. You've already been through so much.''
Isabella took his hand, her voice steady. ''Dad, we're in this together. We'll face it as a family. And besides, I have a job now. We'll get through this, I promise.''
Her father nodded, a small smile on his face. ''Okay, kiddo. Let's do it. Let's face this together.''
Isabella hugged her father tightly, she was going to save her father no matter what.
“But how?”
- Writer
