Chapter 8: A Mountain of Debt

[Chapter 8: A Mountain of Debt]

Morning.

"Ian! Breakfast is ready!" his mother called from what felt like miles away.

Ian weakly opened his eyes and glanced around his room.

It was a standard bedroom, with a desk facing the bed, a laptop, and a camera resting on the side.

No doubt about it, he crossed over!

What happened last night wasn't a dream!

Ian sighed, struggling through the hazy fog of sleep deprivation.

It was normal for hotshot paparazzi to get by on just a few hours of sleep. However, the body wasn't keeping up -- his spirit was strong, able to go for two days and nights without sleep, but his body felt fragile; even skipping two hours of sleep was a challenge.

This dissonance left him feeling out of sync.

Ian struggled to adapt and slowly sat up.

The sunlight streamed through the window, casting playful shadows among the leaves, hinting at the chill of autumn.

"I'll be down in a minute!" he shouted back.

After splashing water on his face to shake off some of the morning grogginess and brushing his teeth, he yawned and headed downstairs.

...

In the small dining area adjacent to the kitchen, Mrs. Carr had already prepared breakfast, setting out cereal porridge, scrambled eggs, and sausages on a floral tablecloth.

Mrs. Carr was a slightly plump woman, reminiscent of a traditional mom, who loved her children and had no plans of kicking them out just because they reached adulthood.

Perhaps this was why Ian was such a slacker.

A doting mother often spoils her child!

In comparison, Ian's previous life seemed to have a rather lackluster mother -- after losing his father and grandmother, she irresponsibly sent him to relatives and then married someone else.

This left Ian with weak feelings toward his mother.

Today, as he watched Mrs. Carr, he felt a warmth from being cared for.

When she saw him coming down, her expression was laden with worry. "Ron told me that you took all the funds from the newspaper day before yesterday."

Damn, Ron Lloyd really went and told her that! Thankfully, he didn't mention the gambling debts.

Ian sat next to his mother, reassuring her, "Don't worry, Mom. I'm just trying to make money by getting some explosive stories. I've turned over a new leaf! I won't let you down again."

Thanks to Ian's previous commitment to self-improvement, Mrs. Carr believed him without a second thought; her doubts weren't about his intention but rather his methods.

With a resigned sigh, she said, "You need to pay back that money soon; otherwise, the newspaper won't even be able to pay staff salaries."

"I will, Mom. I can sort it out today," Ian answered obediently, giving her a hug.

He lovingly stroked her cheek and embraced her tightly, evoking that long-lost tenderness...

This rare display of affection moved Mrs. Carr.

How long had it been?

She hadn't seen him act like this in quite a while, which filled her heart with warmth.

She pushed Ian back slightly and, with excitement, said, "I believe in you, son."

Being a mother is truly easy to please.

Smiling, Ian sat down and dug into the porridge.

...

After breakfast, Ian felt a boost of energy.

He donned the Burberry jacket that his previous self had splurged on for two thousand dollars and announced, "Mom, I'm heading to the office."

The previous guy was a total waste; he really knew how to squander money, but at least he had managed to give Ian some superficial flair.

He looked presentable, capable of meeting people, even if his pockets were empty.

His credit cards were maxed out, and he could barely afford gas.

"Okay, sweetie, work hard and don't let your father down," Mrs. Carr murmured in the living room.

Clearly, she had little faith in him.

...

Once outside, Ian headed to the Porsche parked by the door, only to find a little boy doodling on it.

Ian yelled, "Hey! Don't touch my car!"

The little boy made a face at him and dashed away toward a house across the street.

Just as Ian was about to chase after him, an elderly man emerged from that house, shouting, "Don't you dare trick my grandson into giving you his money again!"

Ian could only blink, feeling disoriented.

Flashes of fragmented memories surfaced in his mind, and he suddenly recalled that his previous self had indeed done something like that.

In retrospect, the child vandalizing his car was perhaps a fitting act of revenge.

Looking at the scratches on his car, he sighed in resignation.

The little brat had used his key; that scratch would cost at least a thousand bucks to fix.

Ian decided not to make a fuss about it.

...

At that moment, a neighbor, a hefty lady weighing around two hundred pounds, stepped out of her yard.

She stood by the fence, displeased, and called out, "Ian Carr, when are you going to pay me back?"

"What the hell..."

Ian slapped his forehead.

How much debt did the previous guy rack up?

The Los Angeles Herald owed its partners forty thousand dollars, almost fifty grand in unpaid salaries, and over ten thousand to that loan shark Garrick.

The credit card debt was over ten grand too...

How did he end up in debt like this? Ian was speechless.

Thinking back, he came to realize the previous self had gotten into trouble half a month ago by messing around with the neighbor's niece, which had culminated in him trashing her couch and TV.

The neighbor was unconcerned about her niece but was furious over the damaged furniture, hence the thousand-dollar debt.

With a sigh, he replied, "I'll get it to you tonight, Mrs. Antle."

Mrs. Antle huffed, "You finally said something sensible, Ian Carr! You are such a bad boy! Be responsible!"

The old man across the street chimed in, "That's right!"

Ian had some seriously lousy relationships!

However, there was no use complaining; he would have to sort it out himself.

In this day and age: Either toughen up! Or float along!

Since he chose to let go of the floatation option, he had to commit to improving his situation.

He nodded, saying, "I'll be a better person... so what does being a better person look like, huh? A rich kid who's incompetent but harmless? Or a cutthroat jerk willing to do whatever it takes to make money?"

The old man shouted, "If you can make money, you're a good person!"

Ian gave him a thumbs up.

"I like your philosophy."

...

Just as he got into the car, Ian noticed a freckled girl in a red jacket running towards him. "Ian!"

Ian looked at her, puzzled, and after a moment, he remembered who she was -- Chloe, the girl next door on Maple Street.

She wasn't particularly pretty and had an annoying habit of showing off, but she had a strong body odor.

Sitting in the car, Ian asked, "Do I owe you money too, Chloe?"

Chloe looked shocked, saying, "What do you mean? Ian, you didn't say that when we were... together."

Uh...

Ian sighed, "Just tell me how much I owe you."

Chloe huffed through her nose, "I'm not that kind of woman, but I need a thousand dollars for a little gift."

She might as well have just asked for direct cash.

Ian nodded, "I can give you five hundred. I'll get it to you tonight."

For that amount, you weren't worth it!

Chloe smiled brightly, "Just don't tell my mom."

With that, she swayed her hips and hopped into a nearby car driven by a blonde guy with a nose ring, waving goodbye to Ian as they drove off.

Ian watched them leave, shaking his head with a wry smile.

Looking around, every neighbor on the street gave him disdainful looks.

Sigh!

He truly had terrible social standing!

...

Just as Ian was about to drive off, his phone pinged with another message.

"It's over between us, Ian Carr."

Who sent that?

Ian momentarily felt confused but eventually remembered a girl named Tori.

Damn, the last guy truly had a complicated love life; his debts seemed endless!

All the benefits went to someone else -- I was left with nothing but bitter memories.

What a loss!

*****

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