Chapter 3 A debt to pay

Victoria's POV

I stared at my parents, confused by the way the air in the room suddenly shifted from laughter to heavy silence. Ethan gave my mom a nod, a signal I wasn't used to seeing between them. Something about it made my stomach twist.

"Victoria," my mom's voice cracked a little as she stepped closer, "do you remember two years ago, when our business almost collapsed?"

I nodded slowly, wary now. Of course, I remembered. I remembered the cold dinners, the whispered arguments behind closed doors, the way our once-vibrant home dimmed in spirit.

"Yes. But then, everything just got better all of a sudden. I asked you both how, and you said it was strategy and hard work."

Mom swallowed hard. Dad refused to meet my eyes. "We lied," she whispered. The words hit me like ice down my spine. "What do you mean you lied?"

"We didn't fix it ourselves," Dad muttered. "We took a loan. A very large one. And... we made a deal." I took a step back, my heartbeat accelerating. "What kind of deal?"

Mom reached for my hand, but I pulled it back, suddenly cold. "The man who saved us... we promised him something in return." "Money?

" "No," Mom said quickly. "Not just money." I stared at them, each second dragging as my world tilted. "Then what did you promise?"

Dad finally looked up. His eyes were watery, tired, worn with guilt. "We promised him that... if we couldn't repay in full by the deadline, you'd marry his son." The air left my lungs in one brutal exhale. "What?"

"Please, sweetheart," Mom rushed in, "we were desperate. We thought we'd pay it back before that day ever came. We had no intention of ever involving you. But time ran out." I shook my head. This couldn't be happening. "Who did you borrow the money from?"

Dad hesitated. "William Sterling." I froze. I knew that name. "The owner of Sterling Crest Corporations? The same man who owns the company I work at?"

"Yes," Dad said softly. "Him." The room tilted, "And his son... Scott Sterling?"

He nodded again. "You promised me to Scott Sterling like I'm some product to be traded?! Do you know how insane that sounds?"

"We didn't mean for it to go this far," Mom cried. "We were trying to protect everything. The business, our home, your future." "My future? By sacrificing me?"

I could feel my eyes burning, the pressure in my chest threatening to explode. My voice cracked.

"You knew I just broke up with Rylan. You knew I was already a mess. And now you're asking me to marry someone I barely even know?!"

"Victoria," Mom said again, her voice trembling, "Scott is a good man. He'll treat you well. And... and if it doesn't work, you can get a divorce after a year. Please, sweetheart, just do this for us."

My breath caught. "A divorce? That's your plan? Get married like it's some act in a play, then walk off stage when it's done? What if he doesn't agree to that? What if he's nothing like his father? What if he... what if he doesn't want me to leave?"

Dad stepped in, voice low but firm. "William said Scott agreed. He saw your photo, read your profile. He was... intrigued." I felt sick. "You let a stranger choose me like some item on a shelf?"

No one answered. I couldn't hold it anymore. Tears poured down my face as I shook my head violently.

"I don't want a marriage born out of debt. I want someone who sees me, loves me for who I am, not because he was promised a bride in some business deal!" Mom reached for me again. I flinched.

"Victoria, we love you. We didn't do this to hurt you. We had no other choice." "No choice? Or no backbone? You should've come to me sooner. I would've found a way. Sold the house. Taken a loan. Quit everything and helped. But you didn't trust me!"

The betrayal sliced deep. I turned and stormed toward my room. "Please don't hate us," Mom whispered.

"I don't hate you," I said, opening my door, "but right now, I don't think I can forgive you."

The door slammed with a thunderous finality.

.................................

Alone, the weight of it all crashed down. I let out a sob as I collapsed on my bed, fists clenched around my pillow. Everything I believed about my parents' love, their honesty, it was crumbling. I felt like I was drowning in a sea of betrayal.

Through blurry vision, I reached for my phone.

Maya. She answered on the second ring. "Tori? What's wrong? Are you crying?"

"Maya..." I choked out. "They... they want me to marry someone I don't even know." "What? Who? Why?!"

"Because of money. They sold me to cover a debt." "Tell me where you are. I'm coming over."

A pause. "And tell me who he is." "Scott Sterling." Silence. "No way," she finally whispered. "That guy's like a Greek tragedy with a six-pack."

I let out a breathy laugh through my tears. "This isn't funny." "It's not. But damn, Tori. You're being thrown into a romance novel."

"A horror novel, more like." "Don't say that yet. Maybe... maybe there's more to him." "Like what?"

"Like a heart? Maybe he doesn't want this either. Maybe he's just as trapped." The thought made me pause. Could that be possible?

"You know what?" Maya continued. "You're not going into this alone. We'll figure it out. You want out? I'll help you. You go through with it? I'll make sure you don't fall for some manipulative rich guy."

I smiled weakly. That was Maya. The warrior best friend. "Thanks, May." "Always. And hey, if this Scott guy ends up being a jerk, I'll help you hide the body."

We both laughed, and for a second, the world didn't feel so cruel. Until my phone buzzed. It's Unknown number.

Scott Sterling: I know we haven't met yet, but I'd like to. Tomorrow. Noon. There's a lot we need to talk about.

My heart dropped. I stared at the screen, unsure if I was breathing. Maya's voice pierced the silence. "What is it?"

"He messaged me. Scott. He wants to meet... tomorrow." And just like that, the reality of it came crashing down again. My life, as I knew it, was no longer mine.

............................

Tomorrow, I'd meet the man my parents promised me to. Not for love, not for happiness...but to pay a debt, and something told me... Scott Sterling wasn't going to make it easy.