From Debt To Destiny

avered between her and the debt collector who was drawin

..before I met you," she said, her voice quivering a little. She gave an explanation of the bakery, the death of her parents, and t

arge seemed to recede, giving way to a tense stillness that weighed heavily on

very composed. "So, you entered thi

eeded a way out." "I wouldn't have do

seemed like an interminable moment. Then he tu

does she owe?" in a tone

John's imposing appearance. John took ou

rigid tone. "Pay down the whole loan.

he hastily took the card and ran off. John face

se pardon me now; I need to get a drink." He turned and left, leaving Marie fro

nannounced intervention. He seemed cold and indifferent in his r

a tumbler of amber liquid flowing in his palm, he stood n

to tell me, Mrs. Kings?" With a sa

in a stern voice, "I may have come into this arrangement out of desperation, but

she was surprised to see a glimmer of respect appear in

said in a

careful seat. After taking a deep sip of his

ly icy tone gone. "You did a fantastic job on

n Marie. Though he sounded indif

tioned, "But what about the rest of it

ice was low as he said, "Let's just say the circums

were supposed to go. "Renegotiate" what did he mean by that?

n caught her gaze. "We'll discuss it tomorrow," he stated

al with the broken façade's ruins and the

sive in the opulent bedroom. Marie laid in bed, thinking about what had happened the night before. John's enig

ed oddly silent in the penthouse. John had already departed, leaving behind jus

shift at the bakery, Marie skipped it out of tense anticipation. At exactly te

," she hesita

ble suggestion. "Marie," with a gesture toward

eplied, "You said we needed to...rene

his chair. He said rather clearly, "T

entire farce about to end? Relief was te

se. But, he said in a gentler to

arched an eyebr

for symbolic reasons. I need someone I

he blurted out after pausing for a while. The fact is, however, t

Beneath his cold demeanor, Marie had a glimpse of the guy

asked res

ed the person they picked out for me. The purpo

he fact that I need assistance from someone. Someone with actual morals

grinning. "So, you'

ble. "Not quite. Consider it more akin to a collaboration. You support me through

eturn, I pay off your debt completely and he

ffer. Her ambition of owning a bakery had looked like an un

His public persona was disintegrating, exposing a guy who was