Chapter 11: Breaking Point

Rayna's POV

Friday came too quickly.

Oliver had until midnight to come up with twenty thousand dollars, and I was out of options.

I'd considered everything: loans (denied—no credit), asking my parents (they had nothing), pawning jewelry (not enough value). Every avenue was a dead end.

And all week, I'd been avoiding Denzel, "Ray, they're here." His said I moment I picked his call in the first ring, his voice was panicked. "They came to my dorm. They said if I don't have the money by tonight…"

"Where are you?"

"Coffee shop near campus. Ray, I'm scared. One of them had a.."

"Stay there. Stay in public. I'm coming."

I drove like a madwoman, making the two-hour trip in ninety minutes. When I found Oliver, he looked terrible, pale, exhausted, terrified.

We sat in the coffee shop for hours while I tried to figure out what to do.

There was only one option left.

I had to ask Denzel.

I drove back with Oliver, both of us silent. When we pulled up to the mansion, it was after 6 PM.

"Wait in the car," I told him. "Let me talk to Denzel first."

I found him in his study, as usual. He looked up when I entered, surprise flickering across his face.

"Amelia. I didn't expect you back so early."

"We need to talk."

Something in my tone made him set down his pen. "Okay."

I closed the door behind me. Took a breath. "My brother is in trouble."

His expression hardened. "What kind of trouble?"

I told him everything. The poker games, the debt, the dangerous men. Oliver's deadline.

"Twenty thousand dollars," I finished. "By midnight tonight. Or they'll hurt him."

Denzel was quiet for a long moment. Then: "No."

The word hit me like a slap. "What?"

"I said no."

"Denzel, my brother could get hurt…"

"And whose fault is that? He made his choice. He gambled money he didn't have."

"He's eighteen! He made a stupid mistake!"

"Old enough to face consequences."

Anger and desperation warred in my chest. "What is wrong with you? This isn't about the money, you spend more than that on mere wrist watches!"

"It's not about the money," he agreed, his voice cold. "It's about you."

"What?"

"This is the only time you've sought me out in weeks. The only time you've actually talked to me instead of avoiding me. And it's because you need money." He stood up, moving around the desk. "Tell me something, Amelia. If your brother wasn't in trouble right now, would you even be in this room?"

My breath caught. "That's not fair."

"Isn't it?" He moved closer. "We kissed. By chance or by mistake, which ever way l. But we admitted it wasn't real. And then you went right back to avoiding me like I'm a disease. The only time you want anything to do with me is when you need my money."

"That's not true!"

"Then what is it? Because from where I'm standing, I'm just your personal ATM. The problem solver you married. The convenient husband who pays your bills."

"You're twisting this…."

"Am I?" His voice rose. "Tell me honestly, do you care about me at all? Or am I just a means to an end?"

"I don't Denzel, we shouldn't be talking about this now!"

“Then what should we be talking about?”

I opened my mouth to speak, but couldn't find words. But the words were right there.

But I couldn't say them. Because saying them would make me vulnerable. Would give him power to hurt me.

The silence stretched.

"That's what I thought," Denzel said bitterly. "This really is just business to you."

" But you made it clear, from the beginning that it was all about business, Look! My brother's life is on the line!"

"And that's the only reason you're here. Not because you want to be but because you need something." His expression went cold. "Get out."

"Denzel…."

"I said get out. Figure out your brother's problem yourself. I'm done being used."

"Please!" Tears streamed down my face. "Please, I'm begging you. I don't have anyone else to turn to."

"You made that choice when you decided to keep me at arm's length." He turned away from me. "Leave, Amelia. Before I say something I'll regret."

I wanted to argue. To make him understand. But Oliver was waiting in the car, and to make him understand. But Oliver was waiting in the car, and the clock was ticking.

So I left.I sat in the car with Oliver, both of us crying, both of us terrified.

"What are we going to do?" Oliver asked.

I didn't have an answer to that.

My phone buzzed. A text from an unknown number:

$30,000 deposited to your account. Loan terms: Pay it back whenever. Or don't. Doesn't matter anymore.

I stared at that text through my tears.

He'd helped. Even though he was angry. Even though he thought I was using him.

He'd helped anyway.

"It's okay," I told Oliver. "We have the money. You're safe."

We went to his campus, paid off the debt, watched as the dangerous men verified the transfer and left.

Oliver was safe.

But I'd never felt more broken.

When I got back to the mansion after midnight, the house was dark. Denzel had gone to bed.

Or maybe he just didn't want to see me.

I went to my wing, collapsed on my bed, and cried until there were no tears left.

My phone buzzed again. Another text from Denzel:

I need space. Taking a business trip. Will be gone a week.

A week. He was leaving for a week.

I'd ruined everything.