One time offer

The right side of my head kept pounding as though someone was actively hitting my head for no bloody reason. 

It was probably from how long I’ve sat in one position, staring at my screen, in hopes that something would change and I would get a text from Scott, or maybe Evelyn, who did not look the least bit repentant.

“How long are you going to sit there just staring at the phone?” Desmond asked, and I could hear the slight annoyance in his voice, but just like I’d been doing for hours now, I completely ignored it.

My efforts finally paid off because the screen lit up and I immediately lunged for it, hoping it was one of them, but I felt my heart squeeze inside of me when I saw the message.

(This is a reminder that your loan of $10,000 is due within the next 3 days.)

I read the message again and again, and each time I did, my blood seemed to run even colder. My family was once one of the elite members of the country, we attended the best of schools, the place I met Scott, and we had all we could.

Unfortunately, we were ignorant of my father’s deteriorating financial status, and in our first year of college, they passed away in a ghastly accident, leaving my sister and I in more debt than we could wrap our heads around.

My only surviving grandma took over our college fees, and Scott, he helped with the debt as much as he could. My marriage with him was also one done out of necessity.

Eunice was against him paying off debts with nothing in return for him, which was what solidified our marriage. I married Scott, not just so he could help, but because I loved him. He married me because he had no other option. If we hadn’t gotten married, Evelyn and I would drown in debts and she wouldn’t have pursued an art degree like she desperately wanted to.

I endured all those years, not just because of love but out of necessity, and now…

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Desmond’s voice sounded oddly close and when I turned to look at him, he stood directly behind me, trying to look at my phone. “Did they text you?”

Instantly, I turned off my phone and tossed it aside. This was none of his business, he had done enough, and I can’t tell if I meant that positively or negatively.

This was I and Evelyn’s cross to carry.

“It’s nothing,” my voice was small and barely audible. His eyes narrowed suspiciously and I forced myself to smile. “Well, I um… I’d leave your place tomorrow. I wouldn’t want to inconvenience you anymore than I already have.”

“You are not an inconvenience,” he said sharply, “and where would you go?”

“To my grandmother’s.” 

“Isn’t she like 2 countries away? And in your condition, I don’t think flying is possible?”

“My condition?” He stuck his hands into his pockets and shrugged, “what do you mean by my condition?”

Could he tell that I had nothing to my name? Despite being a graduate and married to one of the most elite families in the city. 

He might be rich and powerful, but he was no mystical being. There’s no way he can tell.

“You are sick,” he deadpanned and my cheeks turned hot, “anyone can tell that, and a long trip like the one you are about to embark on just to see your grandmother isn’t one you’ll be recommended to go to.”

I grazed my bottom lip with my teeth, of course he was referring to my health and not my financial status. Why did I think otherwise? And he’s right, Grandma Brenda is…

“Wait, how do you know where my grandmother is?” 

His eyes flickered and he cleared his throat as he looked away, trying to appear casual.

“It’s no…” the loud house bell of his interrupted whatever reason he was about to give me, and he looked really relieved at the interruption. “I’ll get that.”

He hurried off, even though I’d seen a butler when we walked in hours ago.

Barely a minute later, he returned and Evelyn was behind him, dragging a suitcase, which oddly looked like mine, and holding a document in her hand. 

Did they throw her out too? I wouldn’t deem it beneath Eunice to pull a stunt like that.

“I’ll let you people talk,” he gave me a slight nod, then I heard his footsteps fade away, and I forced a smile at Evelyn.

We both haven’t even gotten the chance to talk properly since she got back.

“Eve, you are here. Did Eunice ask you to leave as well?”

Her eyes immediately widened and she shook her head, letting go of the suitcase.

“No no, of course not.” She smiled slightly and I pulled my brows together. “These are yours.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Eunice and Scott asked me to return these to you. Your clothes and all you came to the Blackwell mansion with have been packed in here, and this…” she bit her bottom lip slightly, “this holds the divorce papers, they expect it mailed back to the house tomorrow.”

It wasn’t just my head that pounded loudly inside of me, my heart was now erratically threatening to burst right out of my chest and with each beat of it came a wave of pain that had tears forming in my eyes.

I wanted to scream, instead I ground my teeth and fisted my hands so tight I could feel callouses rubbing against each other and my nails digging into my palm.

“I see,” the pain in my voice couldn’t be hidden. “And you? Where are you currently staying?”

She chuckled and dropped the envelope on a table. Then she lightly touched the sides of her neck.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’ll be staying over at the Blackwell mansion till I find my feet in the city once again.”

“You will what?!”

“I said don’t take this the wrong way! I just need the help they can offer.”

The memory of her sitting on Scott’s lap, and their conversation the night before my wedding flashed through my mind, and I laughed. 

“Of course, and I assume their help covers the loan, we still have about half a million to clear.”

The smile on her face instantly faded and she straightened. “About that. The loans are in your name given that you are the eldest, it has no personal affiliation with me, so they are done handling that,”

My ears started ringing at that moment and the vision before my eyes blurred for a couple of seconds, then I slowly shook my head.

“You cannot be serious. It’s a family loan, it was transferred to my name so you could go to art school in Paris. You can’t possibly leave me to bear it alone!”

A car honked outside, and she glanced at it, then shot me an apologetic smile.

“Let’s talk about that later, I have to go, Scott’s waiting for me!”

She turned and was already running out of the room. I instantly got up to go after her.

“Evelyn!” I barely made it to the door before my legs grew weak and I almost face planted on the marble floors, but then strong arms caught me right on time.

“Careful,” he whispered close to my ears as he helped me up. In what I now deem his normal fashion, he carried me up, this time, bridal style and I wrapped my hands around his neck for support.

Maybe it was how warm he was or how safe he felt, but the tears I held in all spilled out. I buried my face in his chest and I wept.

For as long as I cried, he just kept walking, and only when I stopped did he enter a room and gently laid me down on the bed.

“I’m sorry about that,” I motioned to his shirt that was now soaked with my tears. He didn’t even glance at it, instead he just gently wiped away the tears that still lingered on my cheeks.

“I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation with your sister.”

The gentleman’s way of saying he eavesdropped.

“I’m willing to help. I can clear out your debts this instant and you wouldn’t have to worry about it ever again.”

My eyes slowly widened and they searched his face for any sign of a bluff, but he wasn’t bluffing. He was being for real, and somehow that made me recoil.

I can’t stand to put my life in the hands of another Blackwell family member. I already did that once.

“Thank you, but I will have to decline your offer. I don’t need your help, I’ll figure it out.”

He opened his mouth and for a brief second, he looked like he was going to argue but then he exhaled softly and straightened up.

“Well, if that’s what you want. Rest up, I'll have them bring up your dinner."

once the door closed behind him, I regretted my decision.