Chapter 3

Elena

A dizzying wave of vertigo hit me, and suddenly I was flung against the wall. Three burly, tattoo-covered men materialized before me.

Cold sweat broke out across my skin—pure fear, an unmistakable physical reaction. I knew these men well. They were, in fact, my mother Karen's creditors.

My mother was a drug addict, spending her days drifting through neighborhood bars with some boyfriend she'd known for who knew how long. To bankroll their lifestyle, she kept borrowing from banks she could never repay, until the house was repossessed and her credit collapsed, leaving her sleeping on the streets. But even that hardship never brought her to her senses. In the end, she turned to loan sharks as her last resort—and loan sharks don't play around. When she couldn't pay, they threatened her, held her captive, until finally she shifted the entire debt onto me.

From that point on, every payday brought them to my door. They'd take ninety percent of my paycheck to cover Karen's debts. I suppose I'd grown used to it. Ever since I started college, my life had been defined by poverty and scarcity—my scholarships, my part-time wages, all of it seized to plug the holes Karen kept digging. Yet in ten years, her debt never shrank. If anything, the amount I had to repay only grew.

On the day of what I swore would be my final payment, I told Karen in no uncertain terms: this was the last time I'd cover for her, or I'd sever ties with her completely. I even drafted a legal document to frighten her into compliance. I thought she might finally straighten out. Instead, the creditors only came knocking more and more often.

"Hey, beautiful! Your mom borrowed another ten grand from our boss last month. Payment was due yesterday—no money, so she sent me to you. Fourteen thousand total. Time to pay up, sweetheart!"

I froze. A ten-thousand-dollar loan, and in a single month she owed four thousand more? This was criminal.

"Are you insane? Four thousand in interest?" I shouted, stunned.

The man in front shrugged, the venomous scorpion tattoo on his neck seeming to writhe grotesquely.

"Nothing we can do. Your mom needed the cash fast, so she had to accept the terms. Besides—she's got no other options."

Bitterness and helplessness welled up inside me. Karen cared only about her immediate pleasures, never the consequences. As long as she could hand over my address and send them after me, she could dodge the loan sharks herself. Even after I'd decided to cut her off, it meant nothing to her. In her mind, I was her daughter, and daughters existed to be used.

I forced down the knot of frustration lodged in my throat and said, "I've already severed all ties with her. Her debts have nothing to do with me. And I don't have a single cent to spare. If you want money, go find Karen yourselves."

The man frowned. "Oh?" Then he lowered his head, pulled out his phone, and made a call.

It connected quickly, and my mother's fawning voice came through.

"Jim, did you find Elena? She's responsible for my debt!"

Rage shot straight to my head. I snatched the phone away and shouted, "Are you out of your mind? Do you have any idea how much debt I've paid off for you? I don't even have money for food right now. Are you even my mother?" As I spoke, tears of humiliation slid down my cheeks. My whole life, I'd never once had my mother's care. To her, I was nothing more than a tool for repaying her debts.

Her life had been ruined long ago—and now mine was being dragged down the same path of destruction by her torment.

There was a two-second silence on the line. Then Karen's voice returned, almost icy in its cruelty.

"Elena, no money? Then go earn some. What's so great about being a lawyer? You'd make far more as a stripper. With your face and your figure, do you really think you couldn't rake it in? You could beg Jim—he's got connections, he can get you into adult films. Once you make it big, this little debt won't mean a thing."

The more she talked, the more excited she got, as if I'd already become some famous star of adult cinema.

I straightened up, trying to look more dignified, and said into the phone, "We're finished. I have no obligation to take on your debts. Handle them yourself."

The moment I finished, Karen erupted into a shrill scream. "Elena, you little bitch, I'm your mother, you're supposed to take care of me—"

I pulled the phone from my ear, hung up, and handed it back to Jim. Something like pity flickered in his eyes.

"Elena, I hate your mother as much as you do. But a girl who looks like you shouldn't be stuck living in a dump like this. I really do have connections. If you're willing to set aside your pride, I'd be happy to make you a leading lady."

"No!" I cried out. "Never!"

"Fine! Go ahead and live off that pathetic pride of yours! But Karen's debt won't just disappear because you say it's not your problem. You're paying today—one way or another. Otherwise…"

His face hardened into something vicious, terrifying enough to make my blood run cold. He rolled his wrist and stepped toward me, closing the distance.

My heart leapt into my throat. I knew what he wanted—to make me suffer a little, so I'd fall in line and pay up.

But I refused. I'd had enough of this life. I straightened my spine, bracing myself for Jim's "hospitality."

He slowly raised his hand, muttering, "Don't blame me for being heartless, beautiful. It's just my job."

I closed my eyes, waiting for the slap—when suddenly the landlady's cursing rang out from upstairs.

"If you don't leave right now, I'm calling the police! Enough of this racket! What kind of riffraff are living in my apartments!"

Jim looked up. Mrs. Rose was glaring down at him, phone in hand.

"I'm warning you—leave now! Or the police will be here in five minutes!"

Jim spread his hands, muttering, "Relax, ma'am, we're just talking."

He turned and led his men toward the door. On his way out, he tilted his face toward me.

"Elena, this isn't over."

Then they were gone. Mrs. Rose looked down at me, her expression cold.

"Elena, I don't care how you deal with this. But if they come back here causing trouble again, you can pack your bags and get out of my apartment."

I nodded in despair. There was nothing I could do to stop them from coming back.

This was no longer a question of whether I was willing to pay Karen's debts—it was that I couldn't produce a single cent. I even feared Mrs. Rose might use this moment to demand the rent. But thank God, she never brought it up.

Back in my apartment, I was already drained, unwilling to do anything but bury myself under the covers. My life was a mess. I wasn't afraid of hardship itself—I believed that as long as I worked hard, I'd eventually claw my way out. But the weight bearing down on me wasn't just the pressure of survival; it was my mother's debt.

Suddenly the future looked utterly black, as if countless invisible hands were reaching out from behind me, dragging me relentlessly into the dark.

I struggled with all my strength, searching for some sliver of hope. In reality, becoming a lawyer was the only thing that could free me from all of this—yet right now I was nothing more than an intern at Big Law.

I couldn't help but sigh. The future filled me with despair. But as long as there was a single ray of light, I would fight my way toward it.

The next day, at the Big Law firm.

The sleepless night had left me foggy and scattered, and I carelessly mixed up the documents Lila had asked for. She flew into a rage.

"Elena, you can't even manage something this simple? Are you only good for fetching coffee and running errands?"

My face burned. Words tumbled out before I could stop them. "I'm sorry, I got distracted just now. I'll reprint them right away."

I fled from her sight and returned to my desk to reorganize the files.

Some of my coworkers were gathered at the window, peering out and murmuring about something. Emma, a fellow intern, sidled up beside me and whispered, "Elena, did you see? There were a few men lurking around downstairs today—looked like they were from a collection agency. They had debt-collection flyers in their hands. I wonder which poor soul they're after…"

Before she could finish, I was on my feet, all but running to the window. My gaze met Jim's below, and he waved the flyer in his hand with a half-smile—both a warning and a threat.

I jerked back quickly, terror surging to its peak. If they made a scene at the firm, I might lose my job.

I hurried up to the stairwell. Reason told me I couldn't let my coworkers find out. Glancing around to make sure I was alone, I dialed Jim's number. "What is it you want? I told you, I don't have any money! Go collect from Karen!"

Jim chuckled, careless and mocking. "Elena, that's not my concern. I'm just doing my job. If you don't pay up, I'll plaster these flyers all over the front of your firm."

My fingers trembled, and the phone slipped from my hand onto the tile floor. The screen shattered into a spiderweb of cracks. I could no longer hold back the tears. I collapsed against the partition in the restroom, weeping without a sound.

My life was over. My dreams, my whole existence—all of it dragged down by Karen.

But I couldn't accept it. I'd done nothing wrong. Why should I be the one to bear this fate?

Now I was on the verge of losing even my job. How could I ever dream of getting revenge on Beckett?

And just as I stood there helpless, a familiar voice sounded behind me.

"Elena? Is that you?"