Chapter 7: The Debt That Changed Everything
The news article stayed open on my screen for almost ten minutes.
I read the headline.
Then I read it again.
Then again.
Not because I didn’t understand the words.
Because I couldn’t believe them.
*Local Business Owner Samuel Anderson Faces Financial Investigation After Hidden Debts Surface.*
My father.
The same man who had spent years telling me everything was fine.
The same man who always smiled through difficult conversations.
The same man who had told me to “keep the peace” because he believed every problem could disappear if nobody talked about it.
He had been hiding something.
I looked at Chloe.
She was staring at her own phone.
Her face had gone pale.
“Did you know?”” I asked.
She shook her head immediately.
“No.””
Her voice cracked.
“No, I swear.””
I believed her.
Because for the first time in years, I saw something on Chloe’s face that I had rarely seen.
Fear.
Not the fear of losing a bedroom.
Not the fear of missing out on something she wanted.
Real fear.
The kind that came when you realized the adults you depended on were not as strong as you thought.
“What happened?”” she whispered.
I searched the article.
The details were still limited.
My father’s company had apparently been under financial pressure for months.
Several investments had failed.
A business partner had disappeared after accusations of fraud.
And now creditors were demanding repayment.
But one sentence caught my attention.
*Sources claim Anderson’s personal assets may be affected.*
Personal assets.
My stomach tightened.
Because I knew exactly what that meant.
The house.
The house where I grew up.
The house my mother had chosen.
The house Gwendolyn was so eager to redesign.
The house they thought belonged to them forever.
“Paige,” Chloe said quietly.
I looked up.
“What?””
“Is he going to lose everything?””
I didn’t answer immediately.
Because the honest answer was:
I didn’t know.
And strangely, that scared me.
Not because I wanted to protect the house.
Not because I cared about Gwendolyn’s comfort.
But because despite everything, my father was still my father.
The man who taught me how to ride a bike.
The man who stayed up all night when I had a fever.
The man who used to sing badly in the car just to make me laugh.
The same man who later became too afraid to stand up for me.
People were complicated.
That was the hardest lesson I had ever learned.
Nobody was completely good.
Nobody was completely bad.
Sometimes the person who hurt you was also someone who once loved you.
My phone rang.
Dad.
I stared at his name.
Chloe looked at me.
“Are you going to answer?””
I didn’t know.
A few days ago, I would have ignored it.
A few days ago, I would have told myself he deserved to deal with his problems alone.
But something had changed.
Maybe because he finally admitted he failed me.
Maybe because I saw regret in his eyes.
Maybe because no matter how disappointed I was, I didn’t want to become someone who abandoned people when they were struggling.
I answered.
“Dad.””
There was silence.
Then his voice came.
“Paige.””
He sounded exhausted.
Not physically.
Completely broken.
“You saw the news.””
It wasn’t a question.
“Yes.””
Another pause.
“I wanted to tell you myself.””
“When?””
He didn’t answer.
That was answer enough.
“Dad.””
“I was trying to fix it.””
I closed my eyes.
“By hiding it?””
“I didn’t want you involved.””
A bitter laugh escaped me.
“Isn’t that interesting?””
“What?””
“When you needed to protect me, you stayed silent.””
I heard him breathe heavily.
“And when you needed help, you still kept me away.””
The silence was painful.
Then he said something I didn’t expect.
“You’re right.””
I froze.
He continued.
“I spent years thinking I was protecting you by keeping problems away from you.””
His voice broke.
“But all I did was make you feel alone.””
I looked away.
Because hearing him admit that hurt more than anger would have.
“What happened?””
He sighed.
“I trusted the wrong people.””
“Who?””
“Gwendolyn’s brother.””
I frowned.
“Marcus?””
“Yes.””
That surprised me.
Marcus had always been around.
He was charming.
Friendly.
The kind of person everyone liked immediately.
But I remembered something.
My mother never trusted him.
When I was younger, I once asked why.
She had simply said:
“People who smile the most are not always the happiest people. Sometimes they’re hiding the most.””
“What did he do?””
My father hesitated.
“He convinced me to invest in several projects.””
“And?””
“They failed.””
“Because of him?””
“I don’t know.””
The uncertainty bothered me.
My father was many things.
But he was not stupid.
If he sounded unsure, something was wrong.
“Dad.””
“Yes?””
“Where is Gwendolyn?””
Another pause.
“She’s at home.””
That pause again.
Something was being hidden.
“What aren’t you telling me?””
His silence lasted too long.
Finally:
“She left.””
I sat up.
“What?””
“She took Chloe and went to her mother’s house.””
I almost laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because after years of demanding loyalty from everyone else, Gwendolyn had disappeared the second things became difficult.
“She left you?””
“Yes.””
My father sounded ashamed.
I looked at Chloe.
She had heard enough from my expression.
Her eyes filled with disappointment.
“Dad,” I said softly.
“Yes?””
“Where are you?””
“Office.””
“Stay there.””
“What?””
“I’m coming.””
A long silence.
“Paige, you don’t have to—”
“I know.””
I looked toward the window.
“I’m not coming because I have to.””
I paused.
“I’m coming because I choose to.””
And that was the difference.
For the first time, I wasn’t being forced.
I wasn’t being manipulated.
May you like
I wasn’t trying to earn love.
I was making my own choice.
Related Stories
