Chapter 7: Lila's Debt Collector

Elena stood in the penthouse kitchen, staring at the photo on her phone, the one of her and Damian kissing in the hallway minutes ago. The angle was impossible: too close, too high, taken from inside the apartment. Someone had been right there, watching.

Damian paced behind her, phone to his ear, voice clipped as he spoke to his head of security.

“Full sweep…. Nowww!!!!! Every camera, every access log, every staff member on shift last night and this morning. I want names, timestamps, and explanations.”

He ended the call, turned to her. “They’re locking down the building. No one in or out until we know who took that shot.”

Elena set the phone face-down on the counter. “We can’t stay locked in forever. Mia has preschool tomorrow. I have to go to the office. Lila’s dealing with…”

A sharp buzz from the intercom cut her off.

“Mr. Holt, there’s a visitor in the lobby for Ms. Reyes. A woman named Lila. She says it’s urgent. Refusing to leave without seeing her.”

Damian glanced at Elena. “Your partner?”

Elena nodded, already moving. “Let her up.”

Lila burst out of the elevator thirty seconds later, hair wild, coat askew, eyes wide with panic. She threw her arms around Elena in a fierce hug.

“Thank God you’re okay. I drove like a maniac when you didn’t answer after the kiss photo text.”

Elena pulled back. “You got it too?”

“Forwarded from an unknown. Same message: ‘Rumors are just the beginning. Next comes proof.’ Then the picture.” Lila’s gaze darted to Damian, then back. “We need to talk. Privately!!!.”

Damian stepped aside. “Guest office is down the hall. I’ll watch Mia.”

Elena led Lila into the small soundproofed room lined with bookshelves and a single desk. She closed the door.

Lila didn’t sit. She started pacing.

“The debt collector came back. Again. This time he didn’t just talk. He left this.”

She pulled a folded note from her pocket and handed it over.

Elena unfolded it. Handwritten in block letters:

“Vegas markers don’t expire, Elena.

$250,000 plus interest.

Payment due in 30 days or the bracelet goes public, along with who gave it to you.

And who you left with that night.”

Elena’s hand shook. The paper crinkled.

Lila watched her face. “He knew about the bracelet. Knew you still wear it. He said ‘tell her the poker chip has two sides.’ Then he walked out.”

Elena sank into the desk chair. “My mother. She must have told them. She showed up last night begging for money, said she was dying, mentioned debts from Vegas. She saw Damian. She recognized him.”

Lila cursed under her breath. “So she’s the leak? Or she’s being squeezed too?”

“Both, probably.” Elena rubbed her temples. “And now this guy knows where I am. Knows I’m with Damian. Knows about Mia being here.”

Lila stopped pacing. “Elena… if they’re this bold, they’re not small-time loan sharks. This feels organized. Connected.”

A soft knock. Damian opened the door, Mia on his hip. The little girl was rubbing her eyes, clutching her unicorn.

“Mommy, I’m hungry.”

Elena stood immediately, taking Mia from him. “I’ll make something.”

Damian’s gaze flicked to the note still in her hand. “What did she bring?”

Elena hesitated, then handed it to him.

He read it. Face unreadable at first. Then his jaw locked so hard she heard the click of teeth.

“$250,000.” He looked up. “From Vegas?”

Elena nodded slowly. “My mother gambled. Lost big. I paid off what I could after… after that night. Thought it was done.”

Damian folded the note carefully, tucked it into his pocket. “It’s not.”

Mia tugged Elena’s sleeve. “Mommy, can the tall man make pancakes? He said he’s good at them.”

Damian’s expression softened instantly. “I am. Come on, kiddo.”

He scooped Mia up again and headed for the kitchen. Elena and Lila followed.

In the bright open kitchen, Damian moved with surprising ease…., flour, eggs, batter on the griddle. Mia sat on a stool, watching with fascination as he flipped perfect circles.

Elena leaned against the island, watching him. The domestic scene felt surreal after the threats, the chase, the kiss photo. Yet here he was, billionaire CEO, making pancakes for her secret daughter.

Lila nudged her. “He’s good with her.”

“Too good,” Elena whispered.

Damian glanced over, caught her eye. Held it a beat longer than necessary.

The pancakes arrived steaming. Mia dove in with glee. Damian sat beside Elena, knee brushing hers under the island.

“After breakfast,” he said quietly, “we call my lawyer. We trace the note. We find out who’s behind the collector. And we get over with whatever this is.”

Elena nodded. But her phone buzzed again, Lila’s this time.

Lila checked it. Face paled.

“Office security just texted. The debt guy is back. Outside the building. With two others. They’re not leaving.”

Elena’s stomach tightened.

Damian stood. “I’m going with you.”

“No,” Elena said quickly. “If you show up, it escalates. They’ll know I’m connected to Vanguard. To you.”

“Then we send security. And you stay here.”

“I can’t abandon Lila. The agency is my responsibility.”

Damian’s hand found hers under the table. Squeezed. “Then we go together. But you don’t leave my sight.”

Lila looked between them. “I’ll drive. My car’s downstairs.”

Mia piped up. “Can I come?”

Elena kissed her forehead. “No, baby. You stay here with the nice security people. Mommy will be back soon.”

Damian arranged a nanny-level sitter from his staff in minutes. Then the three of them headed down.

In the garage, Damian’s black SUV waited, tinted, armored. He drove. Elena in passenger seat. Lila in back.

The ride to the office was tense. No one spoke much.

When they arrived, the debt collector stood on the sidewalk, tall, broad, expensive coat, flanked by two men who looked like they broke things for a living.

He smiled when he saw Elena step out.

“Ms. Reyes. Nice to see you in person.”

Damian moved in front of her instantly. “You’re trespassing.”

The man’s smile didn’t falter. “Just collecting. Old debt. She knows.”

Elena stepped forward. “I paid what I could. The rest isn’t my debt.”

“It became yours when your mother signed your name as guarantor.” He pulled an envelope from his coat. “Proof. And interest has compounded nicely.”

Damian took the envelope before Elena could. Opened it. Scanned the papers. His expression darkened.

“This signature is forged.”

The collector shrugged. “Courts will decide. Or she can pay. Cash. Today.”

Elena’s voice shook. “I don’t have that kind of money.”

“Then we take other payment.” His eyes flicked to her wrist. “That bracelet, for starters. Looks valuable. Sentimental.”

Damian stepped closer. Voice lethal. “Touch her or anything on her, and you’ll spend the rest of your life regretting it.”

The man laughed. “Big words. But we’ll be back. Thirty days. Tick tock.”

He and his men walked away, casual as if they’d just delivered mail.

Elena sagged against the SUV.

Lila hugged her. “We’ll fight this.”

Damian pulled out his phone. Already dialing.

“Lawyer. Now. Full forensic on the documents. And I want everything on this guy…, name, connections, who he answers to.”

Elena looked up at him. “Why are you doing all this?”

He met her gaze. Veryyy intense.

“Because you’re not facing this alone anymore.”

His hand brushed her cheek, brief, tender.

Then his phone buzzed. Text from Theo.

Theo: Heard about your little street standoff. Cute. But the board just scheduled an emergency meeting. Tonight. Your new “personal involvement” is the agenda.

Elena saw the message over his shoulder.

The rumors weren’t slowing down.

They were accelerating.

And the next blow was already coming.

All they could both wonder is when all this will end. Oh!! It's now three of them because Lila was far from not connected to this.