Chapter 4 Earning Debt

Chloe assisted Theresa in serving dinner later that evening. The overpowering aroma of the meal called out to her being and her mouth ached to have a taste so badly, even if it was just a spoon and a bite of chicken.

She set the bowl of chicken down and turned away quietly.

Jordan cleared his throat.

Chloe would learn later that this was never a good sign.

"Theresa," he said coolly, "why didn't you show Chloe the grey iron, since the red one is faulty? A beautiful dress didn't have to be ruined."

The room went still.

Theresa paused with the wine glasses in her hands. "What?" She lowered them carefully, confusion written on her face.

Lily arched a perfectly carved brow. Lina kept her gaze on her plate, as though nothing had been said.

"What dress?" Lily asked. "What are you talking about, Jordan? And how would you know?"

Chloe froze halfway to the kitchen.

"If she had been properly informed," Jordan continued calmly, "she would not have used the damaged iron. The accident was avoidable."

Theresa was momentarily dazed. "I did tell her. I showed her everything. I specifically warned her..."

"Whose dress?" Lily interrupted.

"You did not, Theresa" Jordan said firmly. "I was there when you came into the laundry room. You didn't see me because I stepped out onto the balcony."

Lily's fingers curled against the table. "Whose. Dress?"

"You educated her," Jordan went on, unbothered, "on how Lily could be a thorn in the flesh or something like that, and how I am supposedly some kind of superman."

"That is not true. Ask her," Theresa said quickly.

"Whose dress?!" Lily slammed her palm against the table.

Jordan counted silently. Three. Third time asking.

"Yours," he said. "The one Dad ordered from France last week. Why was it at the laundry by the way?"

Time paused.

Lily's chair screeched as she shoved it back and bolted from the room.

"Did you actually call my daughter names?" Lina asked after a moment's silence.

"Ma'am, to be sincere, I don't know what Mister Cavanaugh is talking about. I told Chloe about the iron before I left her to do the laundry."

Chloe stopped breathing. Theresa had told her nothing. "No, you didn't." She said softly, the words slipping out before fear could stop them.

"Shut up!" Lina yelled and hurled an empty wine glass at Chloe who dodged instinctively as it shattered against the wall. "Believe me young lady, if this is true, there will be no salary for you till I make sure you have made a full payment for it. I can promise you that."

"Theresa," Jordan said mildly, tearing into his roulade, "you just called me a liar, few seconds ago."

Theresa shook her head, mouthing a silent no, her face pale.

Lily stormed back in moments later, the gown clutched in her hands. She wiped it violently across Theresa's face, knocking her off balance, then lunged for Chloe, grabbing her collar and slamming her back into the wall.

Jordan caught Lily's wrist in the air.

"Don't be an animal," he said calmly. "She couldn't have known."

"She is the animal!" Lily screamed. "That dress was for my prom. Limited edition. You know what it costs!"

"Your food is getting cold, sweetheart," Lina said, standing. "Let's eat first and deal with this later."

"Trash it. I'm done!" Lily sobbed, fleeing upstairs with the ruined gown.

Lina went after her daughter.

Chloe retreated into the kitchen. To her surprise, no tears came. Hunger dulled everything, the humiliation, the pain, even fear. The scent of food clung stubbornly to her thoughts.

Theresa entered some minutes later. "Do you need a formal announcement to clean that mess?" she snapped, gesturing at the broken glass.

"You told Jordan what I said," she accused.

"No," Chloe shook her head frantically. "I didn't."

"Then how did he know?"

"He..." Chloe stared at the floor, words failing her.

Theresa said nothing else and stormed out.

Chloe returned to the dining room with a broom and dustpan. Jordan sat alone now, unhurried, finishing his meal.

After clearing the shards, she met Theresa getting ready to leave the house.

"Clear the table and throw the rest out."

Chloe stared. "Ma'am?"

"Throw it away. They don't eat leftovers."

The food could have fed her family for days and she was just asked to dispose it knowing how hungry she was. Or was that a way of indirectly asking her to take it?

"Only the leftovers," Theresa amended, grabbing her bag.

Chloe said nothing more and went ahead to clear the table. She paused and observed the delicate cutlery and the stylish way in which Theresa had set out the meal. The thought of taking some to her family made her mouth water. She smiled and brought out her phone from her pocket. She could take a nice picture of the pretty meal. As her thumb hovered over the camera icon, she felt someone behind her. Her heart beating fast, she turned around slowly...

Lina Cavanaugh stood a few feet behind her, hands on her hips. The whites of her eyes were almost invisible, narrowed into slits, yet the glare was so intense it seemed to pierce right through Chloe.

Chloe's shoulders dropped.

"You are barely a day old here and you have already made such a mess," Lina spat, her tone filled with disdain. She waved a cream colored slip of paper in Chloe's face. "I don't have much to say to you. You're fired. That's the cost of the dress you ruined. You have one month to pay up."

With trembling hands, Chloe collected the bill. Her eyes fell on the figures printed on the page and her heart plummeted. Colour drained from her face. Her knees buckled beneath her, giving way as she crumpled to the floor, the paper clutched tightly in her hands.

She stared at it for what felt like forever. She had never seen, let alone owned, that kind of money in her entire life and now, just like that, she was in debt of such an amount.

Slowly, she broke into a laugh, she paused and laughed louder. Then she cried. Tears spilling down her cheeks as her body shook.

It was insane. She had come here to earn money to support her family, but ended up earning a huge debt. She paused and sniffed. Suddenly having a rethink. How was she even at fault? She was not the one who made the mess. She had not even touched that dress.

When she looked up, Lina was gone. But Jordan stood there, watching her with a curious, almost amused expression.

"That is... weird," he muttered, head tilted. "You are weird. What's with the laughing and crying? Just pick one." He gave a sharp snort.

Chloe had not even realize she was glowering at him until she caught the weight of his gaze. The nemesis of her problem, looking so good in his plain white T-shirt and Jimi jacket. The subtle scent of his cologne drifted through the air, masculine and expensive.

When she did not reply, he shrugged casually. "Alright then. You can have the whole ground to yourself." He strolled off, leaving her in silence.

Chloe watched him till he was out of the door. Then she sighed, gathering herself up from the floor. She returned to clearing up the dishes. It was getting quite late, and she still had to make it back to Alamosa tonight.