Chapter 3

It definitely wasn't possible for a person to be so beautiful and terrifying at the same time. But there he was, sitting in the living. Confident. Dominating everything around him. I could feel heat emanating from my body. Am not claustrophobic, but has this room always been this small?. His eyes took me in, I suddenly felt self conscious.

"You must me Annette ". His voice was like fine wine. The kind that glides gently down your throat, intoxicating you. I couldn't speak. Couldn't find the words. Those morons left me. I nodded.

"Sit " He said. His voice compelling. I was going to sit anyways, I mean it's my house after all. But the way he sat confidentiality and comfortable, would make you think otherwise. I sat next to my mom who, was rather sitting too stiff. Her eyes avoiding mine. She looked uncomfortable.

"Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Oliver Diaz Patrizio ". Fuck me. This man sitting right here is Mr Daiz ?. The famous Mr Oliver Daiz. A ruthless multi-Billionaire who owns too many companies for one man . And too many women on their knees, begging for his attention and too willing to do anything to get it. And Oliver doesn't mind, he rather indulges them. But what was he doing here. Then I heard Mom's voice.

"Your father owes Mr Patrizio a lot of money and his here to collect " . Now that makes sense. And of course Dad owes him money, after all, he ain't the only one he does. If he needs his money right now, that's too bad. Because we don't have it. We're broke.

And why the hell would he come now. The man's dead.

Mom slid a file towards me. It looked light. I picked it up. It's some kind of contact and - . Holy shit! What is that? Is that an amount of money or someone kind of code. It couldn't possibly be, because it looks too much to be money.

"Ummm. Why is there a lot of zeros in here ?"

"That's the amount of money Charles borrowed ". Mom replied.

You ought to be shitting me !. Who in his right sense lends a person this amount of money. And who the fuck borrows this much. I already knew the answer to that. My Father. I heard tapping of feet on the ground. I glanced at my mom, her face pale . The face that once bought men to their knees, won different beauty competitions and modeled for industries, was now filled with wrinkles. Her smile long gone from years of overwhelming frustrations . All because of a man she called her husband . Each time I looked at her and remembered the woman she once was, and the dreams she once had. My heart ached for her.

"So you've come to collect your money " I asked" All of it ?" He didn't say a word, just nodded. I swallowed hard. Of course he wanted all of it . Who wouldn't.

"You see , there's a slight problem ", he raised an eyebrow. "We don't have the money at the moment. But we promise that you will receive all that you're owed " . Who am I kidding. There's no way we'll be able to pay off the loan. I could sell my kidney, but that wouldn't scratch off even quarter of the amount in that file. Maybe we could sell Beatrix, Evan and Nikki's too. It would help but I doubt it.

"It says in the file that, if the money can't be paid, they would take all our properties ". My jaw dropped.

"Charles signed that they could take everything and anything of value " Mom continued.

"But he doesn't own any property "I stated. Every property we ever owned belonged to my mom. Including the house. Why would he sign such a contract, when he knew he doesn't own anything.

I glanced at him , he looked totally unfazed. I on the other hand was freaking out.

"That bastard ", mom yelled" He made me suffer for years and now he's ruining our lives even in the gave".

She was trembling now, her feet increasing it's momentum on the ground. I could feel her pain. My dad wasn't really a great dad and he wasn't a great husband either. We all experienced it. The pain. The trauma. We knew the kind of man he was, or we thought we did. Each time we think we had him all figured out, a new mystery unfolds and we are left wondering who he truly is.

"I'm sorry Mr Patrizio but we can't sell all our properties to you. Even if we did, I doubt it would be able to cover the loan here " That was the truth. We could work ourselves to death, but that loan would still be there.

"Maybe if there's anything else we could do -"

"There is something else of value that I need ", he finally spoke.

"What is it?"

His eyes met mine. Cold. Unreadable. His eyes taking in every single details. I suddenly felt bare. Those hazel could definitely bring any girl to her knees. Good thing I was sitting though. My throat dried. I could hear my heart thundering in my ears. I clenched my sit tighter. Waiting.

"You "

I think my heart skipped a beat. Maybe I heard him wrong.

"Huh. Excuse me?"

"You said it yourself, even if you sell all your properties, it still won't cover the money owed. I'm offering you an alternative . You in exchange for the money owed ". My jaws hanged in the air. Is this some kind of prank. How can he spill out such words and yet still keep a stern face. What's he playing at. I couldn't find words, so I bursted out laughing instead.

He just sat there ,watching me. I continued laughing, because why not. I don't make sense. His jaw ticked, his eyes remain cold. He is serious . My stomach tightened. The laugh returned to my stomach immediately. I suddenly felt cold and uncomfortable. Then he spoke again. His voice was different. Certain Dominating. Commanding. Possessive.

" Every amount of money in that file, would be considered paid. But only in exchange for you ".