Chapter 03-The Lure of the Loan

While Mr. Drago patiently awaited Mrs. Elizabeth's response, despite her apparent hesitation, he continued to gaze intently at Hellen, as if longing to embrace and kiss her. Mr. Drago became increasingly lost in fantasies of marrying Hellen.

Mrs. Elizabeth cleared her throat, breaking Mr. Drago's reverie. Without further consulting Ethan and Hellen, she replied, "If Mr. Drago permits, I would like to borrow one hundred thousand dollars."

Ethan and Hellen were surprised by their mother's answer. Mr. Drago, however, felt a surge of joy.

"Mother, what do you need to borrow that much money for? Are you sure you can pay it back?" Hellen asked.

"You don't need to worry about how I'll repay the debt," Mrs. Elizabeth said dismissively. "Your only tasks are to study and go to college."

"I know your intentions are good, Mother, but is it truly necessary to borrow that much?" Ethan asked.

"You don't need to interfere in my affairs; just wait and see the results," Mrs. Elizabeth retorted.

Mr. Drago appeared very pleased to witness the family disagreement. He intended to lend Mrs. Elizabeth an even larger sum of money.

"Are you certain that one hundred thousand dollars will be sufficient for your business venture? If you don't mind, I would be happy to lend you more than you asked for," Mr. Drago offered, his tone suggesting generosity.

"In fact, I will lend you twice the amount, and you are free to repay it whenever you can," Mr. Drago added, a sly smile playing on his lips.

Ethan immediately felt a surge of anger at Mr. Drago's words. Hellen was also shocked and could hardly believe what she was hearing.

"Mr. Drago, don't you dare try to incite my mother!" Ethan snapped. "As far as I know, you are a very stingy and greedy person."

"Why are you suddenly offering such a large loan to my mother?" Ethan pressed. "And what surprises me is that you're giving her the freedom to repay it whenever she wants."

"What are you really planning, Mr. Drago?" Ethan demanded, his voice rising.

"Enough, Ethan! Why are you still here? Didn't you want to go to a birthday party? I don't want to hear any more of your nonsensical ramblings," Mrs. Elizabeth snapped, her patience clearly wearing thin.

"I won't leave before that old man leaves; I won't let Mother get caught in a debt trap!" Ethan retorted. "Mother, you should reconsider the pros and cons; Hellen and I are still here and capable of earning money. I hope you'll listen to Hellen's and my opinions."

To Ethan and Hellen, Mr. Drago was a greedy and cunning man. They didn't want their mother to get entangled in debt with him, and Ethan was determined to thwart her plan to borrow money. Mrs. Elizabeth, however, saw it differently; she considered Mr. Drago a kind person willing to help others.

Mr. Drago deliberately increased the loan amount for Mrs. Elizabeth, knowing he had ulterior motives. Mrs. Elizabeth snorted in annoyance as Ethan continued to oppose her wishes.

Mrs. Elizabeth rose from her seat and retorted to Ethan, "Where is the result of your work all this time, Ethan? You know your salary is only enough for our daily expenses. And as for Hellen's tuition fees, it won't be sufficient."

"How much debt do you already have, Mother?" Ethan pressed again.

"Why do you ask again, Ethan? Are you capable of paying it off?" Mrs. Elizabeth countered sharply.

Ethan fell silent, at a loss for words, when his mother questioned his ability to repay the debt.

"Give me time to pay off your debt, Mother," Ethan finally said.

"How long will you need, Ethan? One month, two months, or a year?" Mrs. Elizabeth asked, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

"Didn't Mr. Drago say we could repay it anytime? So, I will ask for one year to pay off your debt, Mother," Ethan replied, trying to sound firm.

Hearing Ethan's answer, Mr. Drago suddenly burst into loud laughter. His uneven and missing teeth became visible, making Ethan and Hellen feel even more disgusted.

"That's not how it works, young man! I only gave your mother that freedom; it doesn't include you. If you want to pay it off, now is the time," Mr. Drago said slyly.

"What's the difference? Isn't the money my mother has received all this time also the result of my hard work? Don't make ridiculous excuses, old man!" Ethan cursed, struggling to catch his breath.

Hellen didn't remain silent either; she joined Ethan in defending against Mr. Drago's cunning. "You are despicable, Mr. Drago! You only think about yourself. What's the point of your wealth? You were born with nothing, and you will also die with nothing. Don't make such flimsy excuses; you just want to take advantage of my mother!" Hellen exclaimed, her voice rising with indignation.

"Hellen, what nonsense are you talking about? What makes you accuse Mr. Drago of being stingy and greedy? Do you know any kind people around us who are willing to be good to us? Look! Who is willing to see our impoverished situation? Have your relatives or friends shown any concern, or even just stopped by our house?" Mrs. Elizabeth scolded, slamming her hand on the living room table in frustration.

"Everything Hellen said is true, Mother! Why don't you see the character and nature of that old man? We've lived here for a long time, and there really aren't any good people around us," Ethan insisted.

Before Mrs. Elizabeth could respond to Ethan's words, Mr. Drago stood up, saying, "Never mind, Madam! If your two children continue to oppose you, I'd better go home. There's no point in arguing with them. I'll take my leave!"

"Wait, Mr. Drago! This has nothing to do with them; it's between you and me. Please don't listen to everything they say!" Mrs. Elizabeth pulled Mr. Drago's hand, urging him to sit back down.

Mr. Drago sat down again, feeling successful in his tactic of pretending to leave. Meanwhile, Ethan and Hellen could only shake their heads, watching their mother remain stubbornly determined to borrow money from Mr. Drago.

In truth, Mr. Drago was disliked due to his bad character and greedy nature, yet he was also feared and respected because of his immeasurably vast wealth. This was especially true for those facing frequent financial difficulties, as he was their last resort, despite charging interest rates that sometimes reached half of the loan amount. If the agreed-upon repayment time arrived and the debt was not settled, Mr. Drago would show no mercy, often suing them, which ultimately led to imprisonment.

"Good heavens! Forgive me, Mr. Drago! How impolite of me, I completely forgot to offer you a drink. What would you like?" Mrs. Elizabeth offered, flustered.

"No need to trouble yourself, Madam. But, if you don't mind, coffee would be fine," Mr. Drago replied smoothly.

Mrs. Elizabeth asked Hellen to make coffee for Mr. Drago. Hellen turned her face away, unwilling to comply with her mother's request.

Seeing Hellen still sitting there lost in thought, Mrs. Elizabeth snapped, "Hellen, did you hear what I asked?"

Hearing her mother's scolding, Hellen immediately stood up and walked to the kitchen. Reluctantly, she made coffee, feeling sad that her own mother had snapped at her.

Not long after, Hellen returned to the living room, carrying a cup of coffee and placing it on the table. Mrs. Elizabeth immediately invited Mr. Drago to drink.

"Please, have your coffee, sir!" Mrs. Elizabeth urged.

Without any hesitation, Mr. Drago immediately drank the coffee Hellen had served. Just as the coffee touched his tongue, he closed his eyes and held his breath.

"What's wrong, Mr. Drago?" Mrs. Elizabeth asked, astonished.