Maya's POV
The envelope fell from my hands and hit the floor.
I stared at it, my heart beating so hard I thought it might burst through my chest. Red letters screamed up at me from the cheap white paper: FINAL NOTICE. PAYMENT DUE DECEMBER 25TH. "No," I whispered. "Please, no."
My fingers shook as I picked it up again. Maybe I'd read it wrong. Maybe the numbers were smaller than I thought. But they didn't change, no matter how many times I blinked.
One hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
My father owed someone named Marcus Vale one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and if he didn't pay by Christmas Day, there would be "severe consequences for all parties involved."
I read that last part three times. All parties are interested. That meant me. That meant my little sister Lily. "Maya? You still here?"
I jumped and shoved the letter behind my back. Mr. Patterson stood in the doorway of the Pages & Pine shop with his coat already on. "Just finishing up," I said, trying to make my voice sound normal even though my whole body shook. "Good. Don't forget to lock up." He paused, looking uncomfortable. "And Maya? I'm really sorry about the store closing. I wish things were different."
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. In three weeks, this shop will shut down forever. Three weeks until I lost my job right after Christmas. Perfect time.
The bell jingled as Mr. Patterson left. I waited until his footsteps faded before pulling out the letter again.
This had to be a mistake. Dad didn't have that kind of money. Nobody in our family had ever seen that kind of money. We lived in a tiny room where the heat barely worked. I wore the same three outfits every week. Lily's college fees only got paid because of scholarships.
But the letter wasn't a mistake. At the bottom, in smaller print, it stated that Robert Chen had borrowed money from Vale Enterprises six months ago. He'd missed every single payment.
My stomach twisted. Six months ago. That was right after I gave Dad the life insurance check from Mom's death. Three thousand dollars that was meant to help with bills.
He'd thrown it away. All of it. Then, they borrowed more.
I grabbed my phone and called him. It rang four times before going to voicemail. "Dad, call me back right now," I said, trying not to cry. "I found a letter. We need to talk."
I hung up and stared at the phone, waiting. It didn't ring.
Outside, snow fell thick and fast, covering Main Street in a blanket of white. The Christmas lights twinkled in every shop window. Everyone else was probably home with their families, having hot chocolate and wrapping presents.
I was standing in a dying shop holding a letter that might destroy my family.
The shop suddenly felt too small. I needed to get home. I needed answers.
I locked up Pages & Pine and started walking. We no longer had a car. Dad sold it last year for "emergency money" that went just as fast. The flat was only fifteen minutes away, but in the snow it felt like miles.
My phone buzzed. Finally.
But it wasn't Dad. It was Lily. "Maya!" Her voice was bright and happy. "Guess what? I got an A on my sociology exam! Can you believe it?" "That's great, Lily," I said. My voice came out flat. "Are you okay? You sound weird." "I'm fine. Just tired. Walking home in the snow." "Oh. Well, I'll let you go then. Can't wait to see you for Christmas break! Only five more days!" "Yeah. Can't wait." "Love you!" "Love you too."
I hung up before my voice could crack. Lily couldn't know about this. She was nineteen and finally happy at college. Finally away from Dad's troubles and our broken family. I'd worked so hard to keep her safe.
I dropped out of college when Mom got sick three years ago. Someone had to take care of her, and Dad was useless. After Mom died, someone had to work and pay bills. Dad was still useless. Lily got to finish school because I gave up everything.
And now this.
By the time I reached our apartment building, my hands were numb, and my jeans were soaked through. I climbed the steps to the third floor, my wet shoes squeaking with each step.
The apartment door was open.
Wrong. That was wrong. I always locked it.
I pushed it open slowly. "Dad?"
The TV glowed blue in the dark living room. Dad sat in his recliner with a beer in his hand, looking at nothing. "Dad." I walked over and stood in front of the TV. "We need to talk. Now."
He didn't look at me. "Not now, Maya." "Yes, now!" I threw the letter at him. It hit his chest and fell into his lap. "What is this? Who's Marcus Vale? Why do you owe him a hundred and fifty thousand dollars?"
Dad picked up the letter with shaking hands. He stared at it for a long time, then set it down as it might explode. "It's complicated," he muttered. "Complicated?" My voice rose. "Dad, this says there will be consequences if you don't pay by Christmas! That's fifteen days away! What does that mean?" "I said it's complicated!" "Then explain it!" I wanted to scream. Wanted to shake him. "Where did this money come from? What did you do?"
Finally, Dad looked at me. Really looked at me. His eyes were red and watery, and something in his face made my skin crawl. "I borrowed it for your mother's medical bills," he said quietly. "The treatments insurance wouldn't cover. The experimental drugs. Everything."
The words hit me like a slap. Mom. He'd done this for Mom. "But that was three years ago," I breathed. "Why didn't you pay it back?" "Because I kept borrowing more!" Dad's voice cracked. "Every time I couldn't make a payment, I borrowed more to cover it. Then I thought if I could just win big once, I could pay it all back. But I never won. I kept losing."
The room spun. "You bet with loan shark money?" "I didn't mean to! It just spiraled. I couldn't stop." "We have to fix this." My mind raced. "We'll talk to Marcus Vale. Work out a payment plan. I'll get a second job. We'll." There is no payment plan." Dad's voice went flat. Dead. "Vale doesn't work that way." "Then what do we do?"
Dad took a long drink of his beer. When he looked at me again, something in his eyes made my blood turn cold. "Nothing," he said. "There's nothing we can do." "What do you mean, nothing? We have to do something!" "It's too late, Maya. The bill is due in fifteen days. Even if we both worked three jobs, we couldn't make that much money."
I sank onto the couch, my legs giving out. "So what happens on Christmas Day? What are these consequences?"
Dad didn't answer. He just stared at the TV like I wasn't even there. "Dad!" I grabbed the remote and shut off the TV. "Tell me!" "They'll take everything," he whispered. "The flat. Our stuff. And if that's not enough," He stopped. "If that's not enough, what?"
Silence. "Dad, what?"
He stood up suddenly and walked toward his bedroom. "You should get some sleep. We'll figure something out tomorrow." "Don't walk away from me!" I followed him. "Dad, what happens if taking our stuff isn't enough?"
He stopped at his bedroom door, his back to me. "Vale's men don't just collect money, Maya. They collect bills however they can." His voice was so quiet I almost couldn't hear it. "And I put you and Lily down as collateral."
The world stopped. "You what?" "I'm sorry. I didn't think I'd win. I thought I'd pay it back before" You used us as collateral?" I couldn't breathe. "Your daughters? You bet us like we're objects?" "I'm sorry!" "Sorry?" I laughed, but it came out like a scream. "You're sorry? What does that even mean? What will they do to us?"
Dad finally turned around. Tears ran down his face, but I felt nothing. No pity. No remorse. Just rage. "I don't know," he sobbed. "I don't know what they'll do."
I backed away from him slowly. "You're not my father. Not anymore. A real father would never." My voice broke. "Get away from me." "Maya, please." "Get away!"
He went into his bedroom and closed the door. I heard the lock click.
I stood alone in the dark hallway, my whole body shaking. This couldn't be real. This couldn't be happening.
I pulled out my phone to call Lily, to warn her, but stopped. What would I even say? "Hey, Dad gambled us away to a loan shark. Merry Christmas."
Instead, I called the one number on the letter. The call number for Vale Enterprises.
A man answered on the first ring. "Yes?" "This is Maya Chen. Robert Chen's kid. I need to talk about the debt." "Ah, Maya. We've been expecting your call." His voice was smooth and cold. "Your father mentioned you might reach out." "Please. There has to be another way. We can pay in installments. I'll work extra jobs. Just please don't" Don't what? Don't receive what's owed?" He laughed. "Your father signed a deal, Miss Chen. A legally binding deal. The bill is due December 25th. If it's not paid, we take what we're owed." "But" "However." He paused. "There may be another choice. Someone has voiced interest in settling your father's debt in exchange for certain... services."
My heart hammered. "What kind of services?" "A man named Ezra Blackwell. Perhaps you've heard of him? He lives in the big house on the hills. Very private. Very wealthy." Another pause. "He's willing to pay your father's entire bill. All one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. In return, you work for him for one year." "Work for him, doing what?" "That's between you and Mr. Blackwell. But I'd suggest you consider his offer carefully. It's far nicer than the alternative." His voice dropped. "We'll be in touch, Maya. Soon."
He hung up.
I stood there holding my phone, looking at nothing.
Someone knocked on the door. Three hard knocks that made me jump.
It was almost midnight. Nobody knocked at midnight.
I walked to the door on shaking legs and looked through the peephole.
Two large guys in dark suits stood in the hallway.
One of them looked directly at the peephole and smiled. "Hello, Maya," he called through the door. "We work for Mr. Vale. We just want to talk. Open up."