Chapter 5– you owe me.

Sam’s POV

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I stared at the laptop, reading through scholarship options as I wrote down every single requirement for each school, ignoring the way my stomach grumbled. I couldn’t even remember how long I’d been sitting here, but the harsh sunlight pouring through the window told me it was definitely well past morning.

It’s been two weeks since my whole world fell apart.

Two weeks since I’d thrown myself into anything and everything that could keep me busy. I hadn’t cried myself to sleep these past few days, so I could tell this method was working.

‘Maybe it’s because you haven’t had any sleep yet.’

“Shut up,” I muttered to myself, switching tabs to search for part-time jobs near me.

The bartending job paid enough to eat properly and cover rent… but definitely not enough to save for law school tuition, and I had very little time left to pull everything together.

I scrolled through different websites, completely focused, when my phone suddenly rang, blasting through the silent house and making me jump.

I pulled it from my pocket, muttering a curse under my breath. It was probably one of my roommates from hell calling to say they were extending their vacation… or asking to borrow money.

I brought the phone to my face.

My eyebrows shot up.

A smile spread across my face as I answered immediately.

“Baba!”

Silence.

“Baba? Can you hear me?”

“I was arrested, son.”

My heart stopped.

“What?”

I closed the laptop so fast it nearly slammed shut.

“We… we working… and then we all get arrested… they say…”

He paused, struggling to find the English words while I waited, my heart pounding harder with every passing second.

“They say deportation, son.”

My grip tightened around the edge of the table.

I squeezed my eyes shut, my breathing turning uneven.

“Baba… where are you?”

I barely recognized my own voice.

He asked someone beside him in Hindi for the address before speaking again.

“They keep us at immigration office at uh.. Jefferson street son”

I rushed into my room, grabbing my ATM card, the little cash I had left, and my keys before running out of the house, locking the door behind me.

“Just… just stay calm. I’m coming.”

I ended the call even though I was anything but calm.

My hands shook as I booked an Uber, a lump forming in my throat while my thoughts spiraled.

This couldn’t be happening.

Lord…

This can’t happen.

I’d do anything…

Anything to bring my dad home.

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I rushed into the building, my eyes immediately finding my dad sitting quietly in a corner.

The waiting area was filled with the families of coworkers I recognized.

“Dad!”

His eyes landed on mine, and a small smile appeared on his face.

I wrapped my arms around him tightly before pulling back.

“How are you?”

It was probably the stupidest question I could’ve asked, but I didn’t know what else to say.

He was smiling.

But I knew that smile.

And it made my heart sink even deeper.

It was the smile of acceptance.

“I miss India anyway.”

He smiled again.

I shook my head immediately.

“No, Dad… don’t do that. You’re not going anywhere. You’re staying here with me and Mom, okay?”

He only smiled weakly.

I ran a hand through my hair.

“There has to be something we can do. I’ll go talk to them. We’ll figure something out.”

“Son… twenty-two years I stay in America… and I stay for you. You make me proud… that’s enough. I can go.”

I shook my head harder.

“No, Dad… no. You’re not going anywhere! What about Mom? If you leave, she’ll leave too… then what about me?”

The fear in my voice was impossible to hide.

“I’ll go find someone to talk to. I’ll be back.”

I stood up, looking around until my eyes landed on the sign that read Receptionist. A few people were already coming out of the office with long faces that didn’t need to tell me whatever they’d gone in there for had been completely unfruitful.

I went anyway.

Stepping into the room, I spotted a middle-aged woman typing away on a computer. She looked up, sighed the moment she saw me, and spoke before I even had the chance.

“Get your attorney ready, sir. There’s nothing to be discussed.”

“Ma’am, please… is there anything that can be done for my father? Anyone I could possibly speak to? Please.”

She sighed again, staring at me for a few long seconds.

“There’s really nothing that can be done, sir. The only reason you are also not being detained is because you’re obviously an American citizen by birth. But your father is an immigrant who has admitted to staying here for more than two decades. Even a good lawyer would have trouble defending that, sir, so I’d really suggest not wasting your money.”

Every single word added another weight to the lump in my chest.

I rubbed my sweaty palms against my jeans, my head growing foggy.

“Please… just… let me speak to someone. Anyone.”

She looked back at the computer in annoyance before her expression slowly softened. Leaning back in her chair, she drummed her fingers against the desk for a few seconds.

“Okay, look… a representative will be coming soon regarding some of the detainees. If luck is on your side, he might look into your father’s case.”

I let out a shaky breath and nodded, wiping the sweat that had gathered on my forehead.

“Thank you… thank you so much.”

I walked back outside, forcing a small smile onto my face before sitting beside my dad again. He was already watching me, his eyes searching my face for an answer.

“Someone’s coming. When he gets here… I’ll do everything in my power to convince him to help, okay?”

He gave me a small smile and nodded.

I rubbed soothing circles over his back.

Everything’s going to be alright.

Everything will be just fine.

I repeated the words over and over in my head…

…even though part of me didn’t believe them for a second.

“You not sleeping, son… your eyes dark.”

I smiled at him.

I wondered how he could still worry about someone else while he was the one sitting here.

“I’m fine, Dad. I’ve just been studying late.”

“Sleep… sleep is good. If you don’t—”

“Oh my God… Nicholas Grey is here!”

The voice echoed through the room.

My head snapped up.

My eyes landed on Nicholas Grey, dressed in a tailored black suit with dark sunglasses resting over his eyes. A cigarette hung lazily between his fingers while another man walked beside him carrying several files.

The officers immediately approached him, shaking his hand and greeting him with smiles.

A frown settled on my face.

What the hell was he doing here?

The officers escorted him into the receptionist’s office while I watched in confusion. He disappeared inside with the man carrying the files.

A few murmurs drifted through the waiting room.

People whispered among themselves.

Some of them were even laughing.

My frown deepened.

Who laughs when they’re facing the possibility of deportation?

I glanced at my dad.

He was staring too.

So were several other families sitting around us.

A few minutes later, the office door opened.

Nicholas walked out, exchanging a few words with the officers before they shook his hand again like he’d personally handed them the moon.

The man carrying the files stepped into the middle of the waiting room and nodded toward one of the officers.

“You all are free to go.”

My eyes widened.

Everyone stood immediately.

The officer quickly pointed at another group.

“Not you guys. Them.”

The people he pointed at rushed toward the exit, cheering and hugging each other.

I stared at him in disbelief.

“I don’t understand. How are they allowed to go while we aren’t? Huh? Make it make sense!”

My voice rose despite my dad grabbing my arm.

The officer stepped closer.

“It doesn’t have to make sense to you, sir. So I’d suggest you don’t raise your voice at me again.”

He turned and walked away.

My eyes followed Nicholas as he spoke quietly with the man carrying the files. They exchanged a nod before Nicholas shook another officer’s hand and started walking toward the exit.

‘A representative will be coming soon regarding some of the detainees…’

The receptionist’s words echoed inside my head.

My eyes widened.

I hurried after him.

“Mr. Grey!”

He stopped.

An officer immediately stepped in front of me, but Nicholas simply lifted a finger.

The officer moved aside.

My breathing was uneven as I stood before him.

Nicholas removed his sunglasses.

Those dark grey eyes met mine.

“Yes?”

I swallowed, forcing myself to ignore the shame burning through me.

“Mr. Grey… my father and his coworkers were arrested at their workplace too, sir. Please… my father is a good man. All those people over there are good people. They follow the law. They’re only here because they wanted a better life for their families. They’ve worked relentlessly for years just to take care of the people they love. They don’t deserve to be deported like criminals.”

I felt my eyes sting.

I blinked repeatedly, refusing to let the tears fall.

“Please… just give them a chance.”

Nicholas didn’t say a word.

He simply watched me.

So I swallowed my pride completely.

“Please, sir… I’ll do anything. Anything you ask me to do, I’ll do it. Any amount of money… I’ll work myself to death to pay it back. Please… just help them.”

One of his eyebrows lifted ever so slightly.

The corner of his mouth curved into the smallest smile.

He looked toward the man holding the files, then at one of the officers.

A single nod.

That was all.

The two of them walked past me toward the waiting area.

A few moments later, the officer’s voice echoed through the room.

“You’re all free to go.”

My eyes widened.

Cheers erupted behind me.

People cried.

Some laughed.

Others hugged each other.

I simply stood there.

Frozen.

I looked back at Nicholas.

He tilted his head slightly, his gaze fixed on mine.

“You owe me.”

There was something in his eyes…

Something that sent a wave of cold down my spine.

Then he turned and walked away.

My eyes stayed glued to his retreating figure.

Slowly, I turned back toward my father, forcing a smile onto my face as everyone around me celebrated.

I ignored the voice in my head that kept screaming the same thing over and over.

Something…

Something wasn’t right.