A Debt Unpaid

Mia's Point of View

I slept late the next morning feeling relieved. I promptly paid half of the amount to Sophia's college account so that she could utilize the same in the payment of fees. It was too much for me to handle—it was as if life finally gave me a break. I dressed hastily and took my car keys. My second destination was Saint Vincent's Hospital.

My mother had been ill for two years, and the accumulating hospital bills had been a nightmare realized. But today I was going to settle them. I drove, humming quietly along with the radio, for the first time in years feeling liberated. But when I stopped in the hospital parking lot, my phone rang. Unknown Number. I groaned, debating whether to pick up. "Hello?" A low, unfamiliar voice said, "Mia Carter?" I stiffened. "Who is this?"

A low laugh. "You don't know me but I know you.More importantly, I know the money you just inherited." My fist tightened on the steering wheel. "Excuse me?"

"Oh Don't play dumb," the voice taunted."You really thought he gave you that money out of charity?" My stomach tightened. "Who are you talking about?"

"Alexander Knight, of course." My heart was pounding in my ears. "what do you want?" There was a pause, and then a sudden intake of breath."A warning." 

I swallowed rigidly. "Do yourself a favor, Ms. Parkerr," the voice continued. "Don't spend that money so quickly. Because once you do, you'll owe him something you can never repay." The phone went silent. I simply sat in my car, my head racing a thousand miles per hour.

 I steeled myself and went into the hospital putting on a fake smile as I made my way to the bill payment section. "I'm here to pay for my mother's hospital bill." I said confidently. The receptionist's jaw dropped in surprise."Oh! That's wonderful, Ms. Parker." I reached for my phone, ready to make the payment, but before I could even confirm it. A message appeared on my screen. Transaction Declined. I scowled, trying again. Account Frozen. My blood went cold.

"Something wrong?" the receptionist said, catching my shock. I tried not to freak out. "Uh, I think there's something wrong with my Bank.Can you hold on a sec?" I stepped aside and called my bank immediately. It rang twice before a woman picked up. "Miss. Parker, how can we help you?" I took a deep breath. " I just tried to make transfer, but my account seems to be frozen." 

She hesitated. Then she exhaled. "I was about to call you. Your account was flagged this morning by a legal hold."

"A what?"

"A legal hold, placed by Knight Enterprises." It was like the rug has been yanked out from beneath me.

"W-Why?"

"I'm sorry, I don't have those details, Ms Parker.You may have to call the company." I hung up with no further response. That son of a... I stormed out of the hospital, my hands shaking. What was Alexander doing? I didn't hesitate before rushing off to the knight Enterprises. The second I burst into the glass skyscraper, the receptionist's eyebrows lifted.

"Ms. Parker...." 

"Where is he?" I shouted. "Mr. Knight is in a meeting, but..."

"I don't care." I strode by her, right to his office. I burst the doors wide open without so much as a knock and discovered Alexander sitting at his desk digging through some papers. He looked up, completely unruffled. "Ah. Mia."

I pounded my hands on his desk. "What in the Devil's name did you do to my account?"

 "You're early." He leaned back in his chair, smiling weirdly. "Do not play with me, Alexander." My voice trembled with anger. "You froze my account. Why?" He smiled, his lips curling upward. "Ah. You discovered so quickly."

 I clenched my fists. "You think this is funny?" He leaned back in his seat and closed the file in front of him. "Mia, let me ask you something. Did you think that I was going give ten million dollars to you with no strings attached?"

 "I earned that money," I snarled through my gritted teeth."You sold my painting for billions. This was my cut." He lifted an eyebrow. "Your cut? No, Mia. That was a bonus. A gift. The contract you signed explicitly states that all you do is mine. My art. My property. All of it."

I was going to be sick. "That's ridiculous," I gagged."It's business," he said as a matter of fact. I shook my head. "So why freeze my account, then?"

 He looked at me for a moment before answering, "Because I wanted to see what you'd do with it." I frowned at him."Excuse me?"

His voice was flat, almost detached. "I had to know how you'd react. Would you spend it? Would you invest it? Would you flee from it?" He shrugged. "Think of it as a test." I clenched my teeth. "And if I fail?" His expression darkened. "Then you owe me." There was something in the way he said it that twisted my guts. I backed away. "This is insane."

Alexander sighed. "Mia, sit down." I hesitated.

"Sit," he ordered, his voice firm.I hesitated and sat down in the chair in front of his desk 

He steepled his fingers together. "Listen to me. I froze your account not to punish you, but to save you. I laughed. "Oh, right. Freezing my money is so safe." His face turned serious. "That money puts you in the target zone, Mia. You actually think nobody notices when a nobody artist gets ten million dollars deposited into her account?" I frowned.

 "What are you talking about?" He took a deep breath." You got a call this morning didn't you?" My body stiffened. "How did you know?" He smiled. "Because I knew they would be calling." I swallowed. "Who are they?"

Alexander's form leaned in, his eyes piercing into mine. "The people who want your gift, Mia. The people who'd rather possess you than purchase your paintings." My throat constricted. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

 "You will," he growled. "Soon." I trembled. I wished I could yell at him, protest, scream at him for being so possessive. But deep down inside… I knew he was telling the truth. Something was terribly wrong. I was breathless. "So what now?"

 Alexander glared at me for what seemed like an enternity. Then stood up, walking around his desk until he was in front of me. I tensed, he leaning into me, hands on my armrest chair handles, trapping me. "You're mine now Mia," he whispered. And I protect what is mine." My mouth dried up. For the first time in my life, since meeting Alexander Knight. I didn't know whether I wanted to run away from him. Or to him.