Chapter Six-Curse You!

“How do you intend to pay?” He asked curiously. One of the skimpily dressed waitresses ambled towards them, she noticed the strange group of people had gathered there for a while, and they hadn’t ordered anything.

“Good afternoon, sir and madam.” She inquired with a small uncomfortable smile. “I was wondering if you wanted me to prepare a table for five.”

“No, thank you. We won’t need that, these are my bodyguards, and they will not sit.” Henry answered, and the young lady nodded in understanding.

“How about your order?” she probed.

“Water for me,” Chloe responded first. “Warm water.” Beads of perspiration had slowly begun to form on her forehead from the nervousness, the impossibilities of this debt were getting little by little. She couldn’t calm down but she knew she needed to be careful with the way she placed her answer.

The waitress's questioning gaze turned towards Henry, requesting for his order. “Coffee without milk and sugar, thank you.” And in an instant, she disappeared back behind the counter and only then did Henry’s green eyes meet Chloe’s depressed ones.

“As you were saying, Miss Sutton.” He pestered, even further.

“I will pay you back in seven days.” She muttered stubbornly.

“I do not think you understand the gravity of the debt we are talking about? I do not expect you to just pay back the loan since it has been accumulating interest for the past five years.” He explained, pulling out another plain sheet and Liam handed him a pen. “Now here is my problem, your father took out the loan to pay me back after three years; the loan has a yearly interest of twenty-five percent, and now you have an accumulated interest of One hundred and twenty-five percent of the loan, which is Twenty-five million dollars and a total of forty-five million dollars.” Chloe’s heart sank, her hands began to tremble as she watched him scribble down huge figures on the sheet.

“Can you really pay me back Forty-five million dollars in just seven days?” That was the main question; can she even dream of doing that, can she shoulder such a huge amount of money? How will she get the money? The company isn’t doing well. “Of course, I know your company isn’t doing well. That’s why I’m putting you into consideration.”

She glared back at him. “Either the company is doing well or not, it isn’t any of your business.” She fired and Henry raised an eyebrow.

“But it is my business, because depending on if you get the money in seven days, I might own that company.”

“Don’t even dream of it!” she bellowed.

“And your house too.” He added calmly. “This is the reason why I don’t talk to little girls; you really just skipped the part where your father uses his house and the company as collateral and then you argue with me?” He scrutinized, astonished.

Chloe's fingers fumbled back to the file and flipped through the pages, and again he was right, her father really used the house and his company as collateral. What was really going on in his mind?

And what did he use the money for? Where is the money?

“Even if I take over the company and the house, both should be worth around fifteen to seventeen million, you’ll still be in debt.” He revealed.

Chloe felt suffocated, the air was tight, and it was impossible for her to breathe, and she couldn’t pay him back within seven days.

What would she do? What the hell is going on recently?

“I’m trying to be considerate of you, you’re a woman, and it wouldn’t be so easy for you to gather such a huge amount of money.” He was right, but she didn’t like the way he was talking down to her. He had done that from day one and it infuriated her. She didn’t know what to say.

The waitress came back with the tray containing their orders, “Sorry to interrupt.” She mouthed almost wordlessly; she placed the cups on the table and took the empty tray away.

“Mr. Sanderson, I’m glad you decided to consider her, but what is it you want us to do?” Mr. Johnson said with a hearty smile, he must want to use the opportunity to cut down on some of the money. Even though it is a shameful thing to do, he was still going to try.

“When I came to your house, there was this pretty girl I saw. Was she your sister?” he asked curiously, and Chloe gawked back at him in surprise.

“What do you mean?” she asked curiously, gazing into his green eyes that had no redemption.

“She would fetch a good price in the market; some of these investors would rather invest in a young-blooded beauty like your sister.”

“What?” her expression now horrified. “Is that even an option to consider? Do you really think I’m going to consider the sale of my own sister? You must be out of your mind.” She deadpanned.

“Am I?” he chuckled darkly. “I wouldn’t say that, if I were you, I might get offended.”

“You sick perverted pedophilic bastard!” Before Chloe could control herself or before Mr. Johnson could catch her hands, or before Henry’s minions could stop her, it was too late.

She had picked up the mug containing warm water and had splashed the contents on him.

It still wasn’t enough to calm her anger. She wanted to kill the bastard. How dare he?

Liam pulled out a knife, and prepared to advance towards her, even though her body tensed up in fear, she remained seated. “Boss, I’m so sick of this woman’s bullshit.” He started twirling the knife in between his fingers. “Give me your permission and I shall cut a hole in her throat.”

Henry raised his hands to stop the goon; he pulled out a handkerchief, and wiped the water from his face.

“Seven days should be okay.” He started calmly. “I expect the money in full, next week, Wednesday. Ms. Sutton.”

He gets up and leaves. Liam and the other guy glance back at her to threaten her with their eyes, before eventually leaving with him.

“Chloe what the hell did you just do?” Mr. Johnson yelled, he sounded terrified.

“You don’t expect me to just sit down here and take his bullshit quietly, like a good girl, do you?” She countered, turning her glare to Mr. Johnson, who was now genuinely worried for her. “You didn’t listen to what he said about Leona, did you?”

“Chloe, I understand you’re angry but please calm down. That man is very dangerous, you don’t want to be on his bad side. Isn’t it enough that you owe him so much money?” Chloe got provoked from the conversation, picking up the files he had handed her first. “I will not sit down here and listen to this bullshit talk,” she slings the strap of her bag behind her arm. “Thank you for your time, Mr. Johnson. Have a good day.”

Mr. Johnson shook his head sadly, as he watched her walk off and towards the exit of the coffee shop, “Mr. Sutton sure didn’t know what he was thinking when he went unto the night angel to take out a loan.” He downed his cup of coffee, wondering if they really left their drinks untouched and the bills for him to pay.

“Today was bad luck.”

Chloe got into her car, pulled out her hair from the supposed bun and screamed, slamming her head into the steering continuously, her frustration climbing up and there was a bitter taste at the back of her throat. Why are all the bad things happening to her all at once? Is this really retribution for all the bad things she had done?

She could feel the tears she had desperately been holding back slip from her eyelids that were now shut tightly; she sniffled, covering her mouth with her hands; the weight of everything bearing down on her.

In haste, she raised her head from the steering wheel, as a thought crossed her mind. She wiped off the tears that had stained her cheeks with the sleeves of her dress.

She ignited the engine and drove off.

“Miss. Sutton, I’m happy to see you.” Ms. Dolin said with a bright smile as Chloe walked into the agency, but her smile soon faded when she noticed her swollen eyes. “Are you okay, Miss Sutton?”

“Oh yeah I am.” She lied with a pretentious smile plastered on her face and Ms. Dolin immediately ushered her to take a seat on one of the plush sofas that bisected the office from the reception. “I have been down with flu for some days now and I believe I am just recuperating.”

“I hope you’re better now?”

Chloe nodded, “Very well, thank you.”

“What brings you here so suddenly? Would you like to purchase another house?” She asked curiously and eagerly, and in an instant, her secretary brought some files. “We have new designs in different locations and they are budget friendly, but we also have extravagant ones too. Here…” She handed her a flipbook of some of the interior and exterior designs they have.

“Ms. Dolin, they are nice but actually I’m not here to buy another house.” She started in a small voice. Two years back, she decided to invest some of her money and so she bought three houses with the agency.

The three houses should be worth at least twenty million now and if she could sell them all before next Wednesday, she could at least pay up and buy some time to gather the rest of the funds.

“Oh, Ms. Sutton, is there any problem?” Ms. Dolin noticed her nervousness.

“Not really but those houses I purchased years back, I would like you to sell it off for me,” Ms. Dolin was silent. “I’m sorry, I’m in need of money and it is very urgent. I promise to come back and buy more houses.”

“Ms. Sutton…” Chloe interrupted her sharply.

“Oh, and again, the three of them should be worth fifteen to twenty million, anything less than twenty, I will not sell and also by Saturday I want them so.” She paused and then held Ms. Dolin’s hands softly. “I will definitely pay you for the stress.”

“Ma’am that is not the case.” She withdrew her hands, her eyes disturbed as she stared back at Chloe.

“Is there any problem?” her eyes turned quizzical as well.

“Miss Sutton, do you not remember you sold those houses three months ago?” she asked.

“Wait, what?” Chloe exclaimed in disbelief. “I never sold anything.” She argued.

“Jolanda, bring the folder for the House 56 of the strawberry lawn.” Ms. Dolin yelled at her assistance.

“Mr. Peters came here and requested to sell the houses and that you agreed to it as well,” Chloe’s heart sank, her bottom lips quivering from the shock of the information.

“Ken came here and requested you sell my house?” She asked, putting emphasis on the “my” and then Ms. Dolin nodded. “And then you SOLD IT?”

“I didn’t, I requested you write a letter and sign it only then will I have the permission to sell the houses.” Jolanda ran towards them and handed her the gray folder. She collected the folder and skipped through the pages and then pulled out a single paper.

She handed her the paper and Chloe collected it with shaky hands; she read through it and remembered that Ken had actually come to her with this document.

He never mentioned that it was to sell her house, he only told her to sign some documents for him, she would like her to be a referee for an organization he wants to join and she mindlessly signed the papers without reading them. “When Mr. Peters brought this, we couldn’t refuse him, it had not just your signature but your company seal.”

“What then happened?” she queried curiously.

“We sold the house and Mr. Peters had requested cash, and so we paid him in cash.” Ms. Dolin said, her brows tightening in curiosity. “Is there any problem? I thought Mr. Ken is your fiancé and his name is also on the papers of the houses.”

Chloe was too stunned to speak, so she handed the files back to Ms. Dolin and staggered out of the building, ignoring their questions. Her lips quivering from the shock of the revelation, Ken had not only betrayed her he also defrauded her.

She got into the car and searched for her phone. Immediately she got it, she placed a quick call to Ken, it rang for a few minutes before the machine spoke back to her. She tried again and it was still the same thing; she tried repeatedly and it was still the same thing.

She ignited the engine of the car and drove on the route to his house. She needs to see that bastard and shred him into pieces.

“The number you’re trying to call is not available, please leave a message.” She threw the phone away, tears blinding her vision, her speedometer going over 120.

“Ken! You dirty son of a bitch!” she yelled as she got out of the car, this time unscathed and ran towards the door. She bangs the door, trying to pull it only to find out that it was locked. She runs back to her car, she remembers she used to have a spare key in the car but no matter how much she searched for it, she couldn’t find it.

Before realization dawns on her that this isn’t her car but her mom’s car, she kicks the door in frustration. “Curse the day I met you, Ken! Curse you, Ken!” She screamed and immediately searched for her phone, placing a call to Janet.

She’s Ken's girlfriend. She should know where the bastard is, she called Janet but her phone was off too. Desperately she got into the car and drove to Janet’s house, Janet lives with her parents and so she would definitely find someone to talk to.

She was praying desperately, to God, hoping she would meet Janet and she would tell her where Ken is and somehow, she can still fix this. Ms. Dolin said she sold the house three months ago, he can’t have exhausted the money, even if she could get ten million, no, even five million.

She would be grateful.

She rang the bell to Janet’s parents’ house and waited patiently until someone came to open the door and somehow it was Janet’s mother, she looked so delighted.

“Chloe!” she exclaimed, pulling Chloe into a bone-crushing hug. “Oh my, how many long years has it been?”

“Honey, who is there?” Janet’s father asked, coming towards them, he was holding a jug full of red colored juice and a glass cup. “Chloe?”

“Mr. Palmer,” she said with a droopy smile, using everything in her being to fake the smile. The old folks seemed genuinely excited to see her and it could mean only one thing.

They were not aware of Janet’s atrocious behavior.

“Come in darling,” Mrs. Palmer opened the door wide enough for her to get in and the old couples ushered her to go sit down.

Mr. Palmer poured her juice from the jug he was holding, he dashed into the kitchen to get another cup for himself and his wife.

“I’m so excited to see you, Chloe.” Mrs. Palmer stated. “Whenever we asked Janet, she would say you’re very busy doing shoots and you’re traveling here and there.”

“I’m sorry, I haven’t had time to come and check on you. A lot has been going on lately.” She answered them, sighing at the end.

“It’s so obvious, look at those swells underneath your eyes.” Mrs. Palmer pointed.

“I would like to ask where Janet is, I have something important to discuss with her. I tried to call her but she isn’t available.” She explains her ordeal and Mr. Palmer’s eyes narrow.

“She didn’t tell you?” He queries.

“What?” Chloe asked.

“She went on Vacation in the Bahamas with her husband Ken.”

“What?” Her eyes were bulging out of their sockets. “Her husband? I thought Ken was her boyfriend.”

“They got married, she didn’t even tell you she got married to Ken last year?”